Doomsday

Doomsday.

I knew there was something weird about that school when after just a few weeks of transferring to the school, they announced the annual celebration. The gasps of delight made me expectant too. Surely whatever would make the entire student body this ecstatic was something worthwhile right?

And then they announced it. Doomsday. The most looked forward to celebration in Corinthia Academy. I was eager to know what exactly it entailed. And so I went to Zaina, the girl who’d been drawn to me like a moth to flame. I detested how chummy and cheery she was. Surely no one smiled and showed off pearly whites so many times in a day. Zaina did, however. And it was good she hadn’t given up on following me yet since I had things to inquire of her. I shouldn’t be adding fuel to the fire. But she was the only one in the Academy that didn’t treat me like a leper.

“So,” I tapped on her and got the full force of her bedazzling smile. Someone should feature her in a toothpaste ad. “What’s this doomsday thingy about?”

She hopped as she answered. She actually hopped. “Only the most amazing event of the whole year.”

I gave her a tight smile. “I think I kind of figured that out. But what exactly happens in the event?”

“It’s like a festival of colours. You wear your most pretty and colourful outfit, with a fruit of your choice, preferably colourful.” She added with a wink. “And then we come to school and dance to all the most happiness-inducing songs. It’s a lot of fun.”

“And the school management deemed it fit to call it...Doomsday?”

She chuckled and tapped my shoulders like she couldn’t believe how hilarious I was. “You’re way too dramatic, Lindsay. Anyway, I’ve heard some rumours about some crazy stuff that usually happened in the past. But it’s all hogwash as far as I know. Totally nothing to worry about.”

As I walked back home that evening, I unhesitatingly ruled out the so-called event. Seriously! That entire school was dramatic. Why would anyone find something so creepy, fun?

However, I don’t know what exactly pulled me from my comfy bed that evening to Corinthia Academy. I’d tried not to stand out in my normal all-black outfit, but looking hard at my wardrobe, I had no choice.

So, I trudged on to school. And true to what Lindsay said, it was indeed colourful. Everyone seemed extra happy and danced to the funky beats that were blasting from the speakers. There were large ceramic bowls of punch and some other liquid. I could see Zaina dancing wildly in the crowd and didn’t want to disturb her so I blended in the crowd of students and wallflowers alike and waited for twelve when the party was supposed to be over.

When the clock struck twelve, however, Everything became weird. The students began to act all funny, clinging to each other and getting restless at the same time. It was like someone flicked on a switch. Then one person poured their drink on another, and then all broke loose. It was mayhem and a different level of pandemonium all at once.

They started beating at each other with their bags their cups, chairs and whatever they could find. I gasped when I saw red trickle down from a girl’s temple and down her face.

Please, God, let it be an overly reactive punch drink.

But it wasn’t. I hid behind a table at the end of the room and prayed for no one to notice and mostly for them to stop. Which brought me to thinking.
Where exactly were the school officials?
Why wasn’t anyone stopping them? I narrowly risked my head being bashed in by a flying ceramic bowl and looked around. There was no official at-

Wait.

I looked upstairs and saw the grinning face of the Principal. The creep. What had he given them that they were acting like this?

Was it the punch?

Whatever it was must have been in the punch they’d drunk. I must have stared too much at him because his eyes caught mine, narrowing and widening all at once.

Whatever propelled me must have been good instinct because my feet moved before I could even process his descent down the stairs. I ran through the hallway till I got to the exit and tried frantically to open the door.

It didn’t budge.

I looked back to see Zaina running towards me, colourful smile, clothes and everything. I took a step back.

“Where are you going?”

I thought fast. “Just out for a bit of fresh air.”

“But you can have it right here.”

I looked at her eyes then. The weirdest shade of green I’d ever seen. Flicking out a dagger skilfully from her purse without breaking eye contact, she held my arms.

“Welcome to Doomsday dear. You won’t remember what happened today. None of us will.”

And then I felt the prick of the needle as it pierced my skin. Before I sunk into oblivion, the grinning face of the Principal and Zaina loomed at me. I was well and truly doomed.

Jhymi🖤

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