The grounds surround the school, the main class rooms seperate from the gymnasium and the old dorms. It's an open area with a car park off to the side, all the grounds viewable from the clock tower. It's best not to stay here for too long.

---

Stefan idled in the rush to get out of the school. Even though it was usually a cram to get out of any school at closing times, it was almost a battle for the students who attended "Horror High". That's what they called it atleast, the place gave off such a creepy feel, and the name on the sign was so covered in rust and grafitti, that the name had stuck even with the teachers. Still, he was in no rush. He'd only get flattened in the rush if he hurried.

Naome walked up next to him. "Hey Stefan." she smiled as she tried her best not to get trampled by the students rushing out of the building. One person bumped into her roughly, almost knocking her over. "Sorry!" she yelled after them.

Stefan smiled nervously at Naome, pushing his glasses up his nose and attempting to stop as still as he could with the constant flow around him. "H-hey" he said nervously, even if he knew them people still made him nervous.

Naome looked at the people rushing and bumping past them and into eachother. "This place is a madhouse! Its crazy." she chuckled. She was wondering why everyone was freaking out. She was woken up rather rudely from her sleep in her math class.

Stefan sighed gently and looked over everyone's heads towards the front gates, even though he was so tall he still got knocked around like a beach ball in the crowd. It was crazier than usual...

Elliot quietly stood by her locker with the door open, gazing into it at all her precious study books and even a dew dozen books she read for recreation. She had somehow gotten them all to fit into her tiny locker.. She smiled at them softly, a couple of them in her arms already. These books and the characters in them were her best friends, her escape from the real world. She sighed softly as she replaced the last of them in the locker, giving all their titles one last read-over, then closed her locker door, clicking the lock back into place. School was over, but her day wasn't. She was to go to the library to start her after-school job. She slowly turned around and glanced at all the other bustling people who didn't even notice her standing there, and hugged herself uneasily as she made her way through them, her black hair hiding her face.

Uriko walked into the hallway silently and leaned up against it. Her hair slowly began to fall into her face.

The boy only known as 'hey you' slowly walked past the group, he turned, looking at Uriko as he passed, his gaze was so intent, so focussed that he didn't even notice it until he ran into Elliot. bumping into her he stopped, ripping his eyes away from Uriko and stared at Elliot for a while. Blinking for a moment he muttered a 'sorry'.

Elliot flinched visibly and hugged herself tighter, not looking him in the eyes. She never spoke to anyone, and it wasn't her fault, besides he'd already said sorry, so there wasn't a need for her to say it too. She nodded quickly, giving him recognition, then turned and hurried on her way to the library. It was her only sanctuary.

Turning back he watched her go for a moment before looking at Uriko once more and giving a hint of a smile, honestly it was slightly creepy. Turning he walked away.

Mercury walked into the grounds quietly.She looked shy and confused.She chewed on the chopstick in her mouth nervously.

Finally Stefan found out why it was madder than usual. "NO ONE'S GETTING THREW!" he called out as loud as he could, this was probably the first time anyone had heard his speak "THE GATES ARE LOCKED!"

Naome blinked and looked around to see the reactions of the people around her, which were oddly confused and wondering who randomly yelled that.

Merc yelped and fell over.She hated when people yelled.It scared her half to death.

Turning back and glaring at Stephan, the guy that nobody knew pushed through the crowd till he was face to face with Stephan "Well get a teacher, dumb ass."

Face to face was more of an expression than litteral, with Stefan being 6'4" it was more like face to belly button. He still raised his bag defencively "O-ok..." he said, taking off into the HH hallways to try and find a teacher.

Merc saw that and got up.She walked up to the guy and shoved him."Hey!You don't go off and be mean to people,dumbass!"

Naome meeped. "Ah, Le-le-lets not get too testy, okay?" she laughed nervously. She put a hand on Merc's shoulder. "We don't neet to yell at people."

Merc looked back and glared.

Naome smiled nervously. "C-come on, lets go after him." she said, basically dragging Merc into the HH hallways.

Slowly unballing his fist, the unknown male letting her go, the spring for his switchblade loosening so it wasn't going to flick out. Leaning against a wall he checked his bandage around his wrist carefully.

Merc growled before she was dragged into the hall.

Uriko stood up and quietly walked into the HH Hallways

Giving a soft short laugh, the nameless boy turned, walking towards, then into the library.

A while passed and Rika walked out into the school yard. She went to the gate and pushed on it a little. Seeing that it was locked, she brought sandpaper from her jacket and tapped it to her hands. Rika grabbed tightly to the bars and started to pull herself up.

Max Exited the school shortly after Rika and wathed with her arms folded in a particular manner as to not jab herself on her own spikes. She watched as Rika atempted to scale the fence.

---

At that moment a slight humming sound could be heard across the yards as the generator to the fence began to charge.

---

With that, Rika felt a surge of electrical energy surged through her. Sparks flew from her finger tips as she was zapped off of it. She hit the ground and attempted to barrel roll, but the shock faulted her and she forced herself up onto her hands and knees.

Max Couldn't help but laugh however she tried to stifel it considering that someone had just gotten hurt. "Do it again." She chided "That was cool."

Rika got up and brushed herself off. "Should there not be such things on a notice sign?"

"Because you moron." Max said sereiously "It's aparent that tehy are trying to keep us in not let us out. Don;t you see a prison when your in one?"

Rika got up and poked Max's cheek, shocking her lightly, "Perhaps stacking items to leap over this would be apparent?"

he puch wasnt enough to actualy do any damage but Max hating being touched, especialy in the face. She pounced on Rika "CUNT" and proceed to share the exilirating taste of dirt with her.

"OOF!" Rika fell on her side in the mud with Max. "Unappreciated actions! Reasons may be what?!"

"You take my boot then hit me in the face! NO ONE TOUCHES MY FACE!" Max Had both hands on the side of Rika's dace atempting to feed her engenerous helping of sod and dirt.

Rika slithered her legs crossed around her. She used all her might and flipped her to be face down in the dirt like her.

MAx groweled as she was face first in the dirt also. It was so wierd fighting someone who could be considered mentaly ill.

"Such a pretty, mud-clogged face." Rika said, rubbing a hand gently on her cheek, as if flirting with her.

"Eat feciees and die!" Max yelled and with a surge of super human strength that consisted of finly finding a dry spot on the grouns she forced herself up and ushed Rika away from her.

Merc saw the to rolling around fighting."What are you two morons doing?"

"Telling you to fuck off." Max groweled brushing dirt off her black fatigue jacket.

Merc twitched."You wana start a fight or something with me?!"

"Haven't you heard?" Max said"Mad Max, the chick who hates everyone? No different with you bright eyes."

Merc crossed her arms and raised a brow."Bright eyes.My eyes are as black as night.How could they possibly be bright?"

"Like I give a shit what color your eyes are? It's a figure of speech." Max said "I'm done with you." she said turning around to walk back towards the school.

Merc grabbed her by the shoulder."I'm warning you kid.I might be new,but don't mess with me."She shoved her away.

"OK see if I'm trying to walk away it denotes that I'M DONE WITH YOU!" Max said "It dosent fucking give you the right to push me." Max might have been small with those heavy boots she was even more grounded. She shuved Merc off of her. "Now are we done or am I gonna be forced to ventilate your ribcage?"

"Am I going to have to be forced to snap your neck!?"Mercury barked.Her more violent side was showing.

"OK see I'm trying to go away." Max said in a demeaning tone and guesturing with her hands. "You interupted. I tried to walk away again. You grabbed me. Do you see a pattern? Your being an ass." She looked in one of her pockets and held up a compact mirror to Merc "See this person? IT'S AN ASS." She snapped the compact shut "Are you gonna let me walk back inside and try to erase the memory of your idiocracy from my mind or are we actualy gonna do this stupid dance back and forth? Cause I have important thigns to do inside but let me stop everything in my busy life to acomidate your assanine behavior."

Merc stared at her blankly.She wasn't good at decifering english that well."What?"

"See?! May I go now?" Max asked. "Are you done with me cause I really need to lick dust off the history room shelves for extra credit."

Merc blinked.She was still trying to figure out what those words ment,and if she was being serious.

"Your silence is deafening." Max said taking pride in the slightly confused expresion on Merc's face. "I'm going now." She reached down and grabed Rika by the upper arm and hoisted her up. "Hurry before she deciphers the meaning of my verbilizations." She started towards the school not waiting for Rika.

"Are you two dating?"Merc asked randomly.

THat stopped Max dead in her tracks. She was facing the school but dropped to her knees in utter frustration and shouted to the heavens "WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK I'M GAY?" She snapped back to her feet, spun around and strode back to Merc "No. I am not a lesbian. No. I am not dating what's her hair color over there. AND NO! I am not in the closet. Don't let the amount of black clothing, helix piercings and various pointy objects fool you. I am simply what I am and that is not a lesbian." She breathed heavily realizing how her frustration must have sounded considering she didn't know who in the school might or might not be a homosexual. Despite her tyranical nature she did not wish to be thought of as a homophobe when she wasn't one. "Not that there is anything wrong with it." She added simply. "We done? Thought so, thank you." She spun back around and headed toward the school again.

"I still think your a lesbian."Merc shrugged,turned and yawned.

Again Max stopped and her fingers contorted in a manner that seemed as if she wanted to choke the Japaneese girl. She turned back around and shouted "A POX ON YOU AND YOUR HOUSE!" She turned back around gave a huff and started back towards the school once more trying to figure out what bright remark Merc could come upo with next to get the last word.

"LESBIAN!"MErc yelled back at her.

"TROGLODITE!" Max shouted back.

"LESBIANS"

"TRANSVESTITE!" Max barked.

Merc ran to her and tackled her to the ground."I AM NOT!!"

"HUK!" Max hackd as she was tackeled from behind. She grabbed Merc by the upper arms trying to flip them both over. "Don't like it do you?" She groweled "Getting called something your not."

Merc growled."You were being bitchy to me first!BAKA!"

"I"VE NEVER EVEN MET YOU!" Max Shouted atempting a mnuver on Merc that she'd used on Rika to get hr face in the dirt "You called me a moron!"

"I call my dog a moron!!!I LOVE MY INU!!!"Mercury yelled

The entire fray paused as Max did "Wait... so you love me? YOUR THE LESBIAN!"

"I DO NOT LOVE YOU!!And I am not a lesian.I'm bisexual."Merc said proudly.

"Same differance." Max said they where still lying in the dirt not exactly fighting but locked in some sort of position "If you are Bi would you mind getting off me? Cause one of two things is gonna happen. I'm gonna get peged as the school homophobe for fighting with you. Or one of use is gonna get hurt and if it's you i'm gonna get pegged for homophobic hate crimes. Ether way I'm screwed and get eggs thrown at me every day by boys in pink polo shirts wearing Curv Crush..."

Merc sat up."What is this,Curv Crush?"She looked so dumb.

"Cologne of some kind." Max said getting to her feet again. She gave Merc a boy "I do however bow to your integrity to tackel a girl covered in spikes." She raiesd back up "Shows daring and an unatatchment to ones flesh. One more step to anticoporiallizm."

"What does that mean?"Mercury asked,curiously.

"Not having a body..." Max said dusting herself off.

"Oh...Can tou teach me?"Merc asked suddenly.

"um... no." Max said remembering that she hated everyone on the planet "I'm a corporial being. When I figure it out I miiiight let you know."

"How come you hate everyone?"Merc asked.Her black eyes,flooding with curiousity.

"On the whole humanity is an uneduicated instinctual animal." Max said sereiously "They forget that they are beings of higher intelegence. Take out perdicament for instance. She just got zapped of an electrified fence inside an institution of higher learning. Why? Sereiously? Why the fuck would someone electrify a fence inside a school? THe only answer is that they are trying to keep us inside and peobably have something dastardly planned."

"Like zombies?"Mercury said seriously.She wasnt making a joke at all.

"Zombies are different." Max said pulling out her battered copy of the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks (tis a real book) "Zmobies live only for the primal urge to feed. They have no higher intlegence, they cant climb, swim or speak. They eat and don;t even digest their food. Humans are different. They kill, back stab and do whatever it takes for money. A family of four with both parents working a diecent state funded job won't be able to send one of their children to college. While politicians loby to take aaway our rights, raise taxes and give tax breaks to the wealthy. I can't smoke in a resturant any more but a priest can fondle a little boy in a confessional."

"Priests fondle little boys?"Merc looked extremely shocked.She got up."Why are you like this?"

"Scocieity." Max said sereiously.

"What happened."Merc asked.She wanted to know how someone could be so hateful.

"Scocieity." Max replied.

"What did Scociety do...?"Merc asked.

"Became scocial." Max said

"So?"Mercury said.

"So what?" Max said "Look I'd simply love to delve into the vestitudes of the Human psyche concerning scocial echonomics and acceptants but I'd like to find out why we're being kept in here... Bye..."

"We're being kept here because our parents are trying to find a way to better our education."Merc answered.

Meanwhile, Rika had cleaned herself off and walked to the entrance of the school.

"With an electric fence?" Max said unbelieving. "Look I'm gonna go. I have to find sacha." wiuth that she turned for the final time and reentered the school

Mercury shrugged and lied back on the grass.She sighed."What is the meaning of life again..?"

A voice rang out over the speakers, the voice was human but warped beyond recognition "H-hello? Can everyone come to.. uhh.. umm... the main entrance hall please?"

"Nope."Merc answered,though she knew noone could hear her.

As the light faded the last of the students had to go within the school, leaving the grounds empty. A few seconds later dark shapes began to lurch across the grounds, each letting out small moans and groans as they moved. They approached the door slowly, stopping just infront of it and staring at it with sightless eyes. The was a small groan from a zombie at the back as Max's cigarette fell from the clock tower and hit it on the head. Within seconds it was a flame, lighting up the grisly undead around it as it burnt.

The power vanished, the lights flickered and faded into darkness. Now the only thing lighting the way was the moonlight, and the faint glow of the zombies eyes.

Naome looked around the grounds, holding Stefan's hand and had a dagger ready. Her dagger was already slathered with the brownish goop supposingly supposed to be the zombie's blood.

As soon as they left the comfort of the school, nearly every zombie head turned in their direction. Stefan gulped "Run..." he whinned before taking off like a jack rabbit threw the zombies, dodging left and right in an attempt to get to the gate.

She yelped and ran after him. WWhy are we even out here agaain?! Naome thought to herself as she ran quickly.

Stefan ran past the cars in the lot and towards the gates. He sped up, hoping to take a flying leap to get half way up the gates. He lept, grabbed onto the gates to haul himself up, then felt a tingle in his fingers. He let out a scream of pain as the power went threw him, frying his fingers before tossing him into several zombies.

Naome saw him fall and immediately started slicing her way through. "Stefan! Are you alright??"

Stefan got up at once, electricity sparkling between his wire glasses. "WEEEEEEEEHOOOOOOO!" he screamed, leaping to his feet in one go. He turned around in a flash, glaring at the zombies in front of him "PREPARE TO DIE! again.." he giggled.

Naome blinked. "Stefan...?" she asked cautiously. He was acting wierd....

With a quick flick of a wrist a thick goop smashed into several zombies, melting the flesh that it touched. Stefan giggled and ran, not towards the school but towards the parking lot. "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" he yelled, dodging between stumbling zombies.

Naome meeped. "Uh oh..." she ran after him, stepping on the fallen zombie's heads.

Pulling a wire from his waist coat, Stefan ran over to the nearest car. He bent the wire into a hook and shoved it down the car side. He fished around for a second and soon the door poped open. With a maniacle laugh he got into the car and started to try and hotwire it.

Naome climbed into the passenger's seat of the car. "Stefan, are you feeling okay?"

"BRRRRRR, BRRRRRRRUM!" Was Stefan's only reply as the car fired into life. He didn't even put on his belt as he slammed onto the excellerator, and into gear. The car smashed into one zombie, then stalled. "Whoopsie!" he said before bringing it back to life again.

Naome meeped and threw on her seatbelt and held on for dear life.

Stefan let out a loud cackle as it turned over again, screaching off. There were thuds over and over again as zombies bounced off the hood. He hit the brake and fishtailed into two zombies. One just slammed to the floor while one smashed into the clock tower window.

Naome looked over at him. Note to self: Never give him any kind of energy drink whatsoever. she thought to herself, gripping onto the door handle.

Stefan kicked his door open with one foot and pressed the throttle down with the other. The door smashed into a zombie and it fell in a crumple of rotten flesh and horrible fluids. He reversed and it hit another. He grinned at Naome "Fun!"

Naome smiled slightly, looking a little pale. "Maybe for you..."

Stefan was starting to drive more and more erraticly, even the zombies were becoming confused with the movements of the car. The front of the car was becoming so dented and smashed that it was surprising it was still running.

Naome was bracing herself for airbags and a crash. She was looking at the zombies, noticing their confusion. "Yeah... I'm confused too..."

The car spun around and around in a circle, keeping the zombies at bay and almost throwing Stefan from the car since he wasn't wearing his belt. He excellerated for a second and then fishtailed into another group of zombies. Half the grounds were clear now but that still left hundreds out there. "NOW RUN!" Stefan yelled as he took off again towards the doors.

Naome meeped and cut her seatbelt and crawled out of the driver's side. She ran after Stefan.

Rika and Alek came down from the tower. "Perhaps not idea this is..." she muttered, watching the spinning car.

Aleksandr nodded and pulled out the gun from it's resting spot at his waist. "But, perhaps he is not alright. We must find out. He seems to up beat."

"Hai....to the school?" Rika asked pointed dramatically.

"Er... okay.." He mumbled, staying a few feet away from the easily excitable female.

Rika ran into the school, to the hh main hall

---

Horror High