the sad reality

I opened my eyes, only to be greeted with the view of the damaged ceiling. A web of tracks was extending to the wall.

I felt rather good, like after a good rest. No headache, no pain while breathing, it had been a long time since I felt that good.

I was awakened from that dreamlike state by the sound of people groaning. I looked to the side. I was on a makeshift mattress or a bed, I never knew the difference.

I recognized this place, it was the gymnast, one of the most pompous places in this school, but now the view was saddening. Everywhere around me, I could see people around me, on infirmary beds or makeshift mattresses just like me.

Dozens of people with various degrees of injury. They were mostly students. There were also some teachers that I recognized.

And in the middle of all of this, there were dead people, their bodies covered with clothes.

As my mind was trying to process what happened, I felt lucky.

I remembered the monster that I faced. Its appearance was similar to that of a cute toy, but its power was deadly.

It could launch a projectile from its tail at an incredible speed. At the last moment, I tough that I was going to die when its tail pointed toward me fast, and I instinctively ducked to the side.

I did not feel any pain, as if I was never injured.

I looked. I was shirtless, with my chest bandaged.

" I was really lucky" I could not help thinking about all the things that could have gone wrong leading to my death.

I looked at the injured people around me. I felt shame as I could not help but compare myself to them.

I sighed before raising to my feet. I could not stay here any longer for my mental hilt. I needed my meds, to calm down. Some people looked at me. They seemed surprised. a strange glimmer in the eyes as if they understood some knowledge that I was still alien with. For some reason, they seemed interested in me.

I looked past them. Feeling disturbed by all these gazes directed toward me. I increased my pace and soon I reached the door, only to have my way blocked by someone.

It was a pretty woman, a head taller than me. I could not remember her name even though she was a popular teacher in this school. On any normal day, I will feel embarrassed while looking at her, and I will try my best to act normally. She had a body that will make one want to die for apart from that I did not know much about her.

" M. Essiane how are you?" The woman, who was a French teacher asked.

" I am fine, I guess. I am still trying to understand what happened" I said while taking a deep breath. It seemed like a good time to start smoking again...

" crazy things happen," she said almost whispering as her eyes moistened...

I wondered if she had been through the same thing as me, seeing her students dying in front of her.

" Please, can you wait on the side for some time? I will lead you to the principal. He organized a meeting. It is going to start soon" she said while wiping her eyes clean from the tears that were slowly forming.

I looked at her more clearly as she passed by me. As she passed by me, I saw the large bag that she was carrying.

Another man would have proposed to help her but I lost that habit since that time when I lost my arm after a car accident.

I leaned my back on the wall while looking at her, her waist moving beautifully with every step.

I was surprised by the fact that I could still have these shameful thoughts at a moment like this.

I tried to focus on what she was doing instead, assisting people and distributing rations.

She was not alone in that endeavor. I saw the nurse from the infirmary, and some students, a couple of girls helping people in need.

Others were mostly taking care of the people close to them, but they will help from time to time.

I thought about helping, but I could not make up my mind. Sinn Essiane was just this kind of person.

I was thankful that everyone was not like me, and there were still great people in this world.

I saw the French teacher talking to another female teacher while attending to an injured. In the end, I saw her move toward an infirmary bed.

I was still unable to understand what rules they had used to distribute the beds.

I saw two people sitting together. A male student that seemed mostly uninjured was being fed by a girl of the same age.

I was looking at him when he suddenly stared back at me. I almost looked sideways but my curiosity won over my self-restraint.

I wanted to know what the French teacher was seeing but it was impossible since I never learned lip-reading.

She came back toward me, followed by the other people she had talked to.