Under the Shadow of the Dead (Gemini_Rising x DigitalBlue)

[DigitalBlue]

It was just like any other day for Tristan Henderson. It was his last class for the day and he spent it like he usually did, either dozing off in his binder or staring apathetically into the wall. He hated this class, well frankly he hated this college. It wasn’t even his decision to come to this one, it was his parents. But they insisted he go to the big city. Tristan didn’t belong here. He was a small town guy and he didn’t really meld well with people here. I guess that was his whole life though, a loner, a social outcast. It wasn’t that he lacked social skills or lacked good looks, it was that he just hated people in general.

At least back home he had a couple friends who were decent enough. But here he didn’t really have anyone. Here the popular students ruled, jocks, cheerleaders. It was too bad Tristian was an art student, he really wasn’t any better than the nerds, socially. Then class was dismissed finally. Tristan gathered his things and stuffed them into his backpack. He stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder and started for the door. The room was buzzing with chatter from the students. Pushing through, he headed into the hallway.

With the day generally done for most students the classes dumped students into the hallway. They chatted and mingled with each other. Tristan just made his way towards the exit. Outside was business as like always. Tristan headed towards the dorms. His path brought him past the football field. Looking over at a group of students flocking around one of the cheerleaders. He made eye contact with the blonde and turned his apathetic gaze away.

Reaching the student housing building he headed inside and up to his dorm. Entering into the tiny and messy dorm room, he shuffled to his bed. Setting his backpack onto the bed he sat for a moment. His roommate wasn’t here yet, whatever. He got on his computer and did a little photoshop. For at least an hour or so, he didn’t he lost track of time. It was still daylight out thought so maybe he had some time to do some sunset photography. He could also hit the town do some nighttime photos. His roommate wasn’t back still, he shrugged and grabbed his dslr camera. Placing the sling around his neck, he headed outside.

Pausing just outside he pulled a pack of smokes out from his pocket. Taking a cigarette out he placed it into his mouth and lit it. Taking a long drag he let out a huge puff. Then he took his camera in his hands, letting the cigarette hang from his lips. Idly he just sort of just started walking around campus, snapping pictures here and there. It was strangely quiet, although it was Friday so maybe everyone was out partying. The sun had began its dip down and the shadows began to elongate.

Then he heard a scream. He pivoted around looking for the source. Maybe it was just college kids getting rowdy. Turning back around Tristan continued meandering across campus. Cutting through a large grassy area. Some trees and benches were sprinkled around. Shadows and orange light covered the area. Tristan adjusted the aperture on his camera. Snapping a photo he noticed something to his right. His eyes couldn’t really adjust very well to see what it was from here. So he diverted his trajectory and investigated. At first it just looked like a mass. But as he got closer he noticed it was moving, then closer and it started to look like a person, no, people. Snapping a couple photos as he approached, it looked like they were crouched around something. Did something happen to somebody? He didn’t really care but his curiosity got the better of him.

Then he snapped another photo and noticed something odd. Then his cellphone rang, he pulled it out and saw that it was his mother. Looking back up he noticed the people were now walking towards him. Something wasn’t right. Immediately his fight or flight response was triggered. These people weren’t normal. Quickly Tristan dashed away and towards the nearest campus building. Trying the door he noticed hit was unlocked and he quickly entered.

 

[Gemini_Rising]

Emma Chamberlain had a charmed life. She was beautiful, she was popular, and she was happy. Well she was as happy as anyone could with a life that was mapped out for her since birth. See Emma had everything that a girl could want. Ever since she was in middle school things just seemed to work out in her favor. Boys were nice to her. In fact, many of them went out of their way to help her. Girls flocked to her and tried to be her friend. By the time she reached high school she had made her way onto the cheerleading team as well as snagging the coveted homecoming and prom queen roles.

By the time she got to college life for Emma was amazing. She was quickly brought into one of the most popular sororities on campus. She also made it onto the cheerleading squad with ease. She was surrounded by friends and invited to the most exclusive parties on campus. She even met a nice guy named Kyle Anderson. He was president of his fraternity and on the football team. While she didn't want to get tied down to anyone. They did hangout a lot and it was clear he liked her.

Which is how they found themselves on football on a beautiful warm morning. Emma was surrounded by a couple of the football players as she waited for cheer practice to start. Kyle wrapped his large arm around Emma and pulled her close. She tried not to roll her eyes at his clear display of masculinity. One thing that she hated about most of the guys one the team was their need to act macho in front of each other. It was annoying and draining. As the boys talked among themselves Emma noticed a guy walking by himself across the field. Their eyes locked with each other for a moment before he turned away. She had seen him around campus usually alone. The complete opposite of her. She thinks they might have had a class together but she wasn't sure. She turned her attention back towards Kyle and pushed him out of her mind.

The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly. The girls on the cheer squad finally showed up and the girls got ready for the game that night. They practiced their routines for the last time before the game ad went home to shower and get ready. Most of the girls were in the same sorority as Emma so they headed home together and got ready at the house they had on campus. The girls quickly put on their tight fitting red, white, and black uniforms before they headed over to the stadium. As usual the football team won not that Emma cared. Kyle asked Emma to wait for him after the game so she did with a couple of the other girls who were also still in uniform.

The night air felt great on her skin as she watched Kyle come out of the locker room. He walked out with the swagger of a man who felt like he was on top of the world. Emma couldn't explain why it annoyed her in that moment but it took everything in her not to roll her eyes. "Are you coming tonight?" Kyle asked once again wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close again. "Kyle can't we do anything else besides going to a keg party at your house? We've done that every weekend since freshman year." She said pulling away from him. The two walked back towards the Greek Row house's but as they made their way past the campus buildings Kyle sighed. "Fuck I forgot something in the locker room. I'll meet you at the party. Then we can talk about us." He said with a wink before he raced back to the locker room.

He was seriously going to make her walk back alone. She pulled out her phone out of her backpack just to have something to hold. The night was quiet and peaceful. But suddenly an ear piercing scream could be heard across the campus. Emma jerked her head around trying to figure out were the scream came from. But the campus was so large there was no telling where it exactly came from. She bit her lip a bit nervous about whether she should keep walking. Girls get kidnapped or worse when they thought nothing was happening. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a large mass moving her way. Her heart pounded in her chest. What the actual fuck could that be? Maybe it was those nerdy kids who played that nerf gun zombie game.Emma looked closer and wasn't so convinced. Something wasn't right about the way they were moving.

She looked around her and ran into the closet building. Off she sprinted towards thew door making sure to slam it shut after her. "Oh fuck..." She whispered softly to herself. She unlocked her phone and sent Kyle a text saying:

"I'm in the chemistry building...can you come get me?"

She locked her phone again walking backwards her eyes on the door. If those people came in that would be where they would have to come in through. It was the main exit. She checked her phone again unaware of her surroundings. Kyle still hadn't answered and she had no idea what to do next. Suddenly she heard a noise behind her. Emma jumped and turned around. "H-Hello?" She said trying to figure out if one of those people had come inside. "You better just leave..." Her voice wavered and clearly scared. "My boyfriend will be here any second and he'll kick your ass." She said again with no answer. Kyle was most definitely not her boyfriend but they didn't need to know that.

 

[DigitalBlue]

Tristan walked into the building and immediately began to search for something to defend himself. If those fuckers got in he could fend them off with something. He wasn’t weak by any means but he needed to increase his chances. Whatever was going on out there wasn’t right. It just seemed… off. It was like they weren’t quite human. Tristan began rifling through cabinets, closets, and professors’ offices. Then he realized he was in the chemistry building. He searched through the lab finding anything that he could use to bludgeon someone if need be. The front door had been unlocked so someone had to be in here. Maybe they could help.

Going through he grabbed beakers and glassware each time taking a couple test swings. Shaking his head he would put them back. This went on for a minute before he finally found something he could use it was a laboratory scoop. Made for scooping chemicals out of bottles. It was long, but it wasn’t sharp but if he had to, he was sure he could stab someone with it. He then heard the front door open and slam shut. Shit, here they come. His phone buzzed again he didn’t check it. Instead he crept to the main hall. But then his phone buzzed again, this time it was quite audible in the quiet building. Pulling it out he saw it was his mom again. Hastily he silenced it and slid it back into his pocket.

Tristan then heard a female voice call out. He didn’t answer. She sounded like the type to be a cheerleader. He didn’t know for sure it was just a guess. He waited trying to see if she was with anyone else. She said something about her boyfriend coming to kick his ass. At this point he highly doubted that she was here to do harm to him. Slipping the scoop into his pocket, he emerged from his hiding spot. Tristian saw that it was the blonde he made eye contact with earlier. His guess was correct… cheerleader. Thinking about it almost made his nose crinkle. They couldn’t be more opposite, popular and loner, friendly and aloof. So what the hell was she doing here? “Run off to your boyfriend then.” He said plainly. But just as he did, a thumping came from the front entrance. As if someone was hitting their hands against the door.

Looking past her he saw a number of people. Again the didn’t look right. But then he realized that it was a prank. Probably set up by the cheer squad and football team. They must’ve sent in their most beautiful girl to try and fool whoever was here. He laughed. He couldn’t believe he fell for it. “Alright, you got me.” He waved his hands sarcastically and started walking away. Not about to deal with those assholes.

 

[Gemini_Rising]

Emma watched as a man much larger than her walked out of a room with a pole in his hand. She eyed the stick in his hand for a moment before looking up to him. She had seen him earlier that day by the football field. He looked as lonely as ever but as scared as she was. "I got you? How in the hell could I have scared you?" She asked confused. What was he playing at. She was shorter and thinner than he was. Now the freaks outside they were terrifying. "Are those your friends outside? Those freaks who chased me into this building."

Before either of them could say anything there was a loud bang on the front door. Instinctively Emma backed up and moved closer to the mysterious man she found herself trapped with. Her heart pounded in her chest as fear took over her body. "Seriously those aren't my friends...Please make them stop." She whispered as the banging on the front door grew louder. It sounded like more people were now trying to get in. Without realizing what she was doing the cheerleader reached out with her delicate and smaller hand and gripped the man's next to her. As the banging grew louder the pair stared at the door as dents were formed in it.

The banging on the door echoed throughout building as the creatures tried to force their way inside. Emma watched as the steel doors started to give way as more and more pressure was placed on it. "I think we need to get the hell out of here." Emma turned on her heels and ran down the hallway. She thought she heard the man running behind her. What the hell was happening? Emma thought to herself. This couldn't be really life.

As she led them around the corner the front doors sounded like they finally gave into the banging and allowed those people inside. "Fuck..." She whispered as they leaned against the wall around the corner. Emma hid behind the man as she tried to control her breathing. "Can you see them?" She whispered as she pressed against his side to see if she could see for herself. "Maybe they left?" She asked as soon as she heard them down the hall. She had spoken too soon.