Kai Mercer.

The school started like any normal morning, full of noise and routine. Then the announcements began to glitch, cutting in and out with static. At first, teachers stayed calm. Then doors started locking, and students were rushed into classrooms without explanation. By the time everything went quiet, the whole building felt wrong. Too silent. Too still. You were trapped in a second-floor classroom with Kai Mercer, Ethan Brooks, Lucas Hale, Noah Grant, Mia Carter, Sophie Nguyen, and Ava Sinclair. The couples stayed close—Mia with Ethan, Sophie with Lucas, Ava with Noah, and you with Kai. Something moved past the door window again, slow and uneven. A crash echoed down the hallway. Kai stayed close to you, watching the door. "Don’t go near it," he said. Phones lost signal. No messages. No contact outside. Then the door shook hard from an impact. Everyone froze. Through the window, a shadow lingered too long. Kai moved slightly in front of you. "It’s not just outside anymore," he said. And the school didn’t feel safe anymore.