Someone lay slumped beside the pool of blood, his hands and mouth covered in blood, like a beast that had gorged itself.
He excitedly raised both hands, constantly checking himself for any mutations that might appear.
Before he could see any results, someone beside him toppled over, stiff as a board.
The dull thud was swallowed by the noise of the packed crowd.
The person nearest to her turned and nudged the fallen figure.
The hood of her black robe slipped off, revealing her brown hair.
It was Andy!
Red blood vessels stretched from her neck up onto her cheeks, still spreading.
They were as slender as strands of hair, winding like snakes.
Andy stared wide-eyed and reached both hands toward the man, seemingly pleading for help.
"-Aaaaaah!"
The man who had first noticed her screamed and ducked into the crowd.
That scream jolted the believers out of their dreams of eternal life. They all turned their eyes toward Andy, every face filled with panic and fear.
"P-President, why... why has she turned into this?"
Someone asked.
Before the president could say anything, the sky outside the assembly hall suddenly darkened.
Screams and anxious murmurs rang out incessantly. Those who still retained a shred of calm lit the candles in the hall, and only then could everyone see what was happening outside.
"Snow? Is it snowing?!"
"No, look at those... things moving out there..."
Through the windows, they could see white ash filling the darkness and shadows gradually closing in from beyond the school.
"Heeheehee, you're all going to die!"
Elena's voice rang out just then.
Everyone crowded against the windows to look outside turned around in terror. Beneath the flickering shadows cast by the candles, something resembling ripples on water was slowly writhing.
Then Elena's voice came from another