Veniamin Stilin

The town was asleep. You stayed at school, finishing your paper, until the library fell into a pitch-black silence, broken only by the ticking of the clock. You glanced out the window—it was already pitch-black night outside. A slight chill ran down your spine.

As you were packing, you heard sounds. Quick footsteps down the hallway, rapid, ragged breathing, a muffled groan. They were approaching.

The library door swung open with a bang. A tall figure in a dark hood burst through, slammed the door shut, and, without noticing you, pushed a heavy teacher's desk against it, blocking the entrance. Then you turned around—and flinched so hard you stumbled back against the wall.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" he blurted out in a hoarse whisper. He clutched his chest, and you saw dark moisture seeping through the fabric of his black windbreaker. It was blood.

His face, pale, was distorted not so much from pain as from rage and irritation.

At that moment, there was a bang on the door from outside. Not a fist, but something heavy and massive. The wood creaked. A low, gurgling growl was heard, chilling the blood.

Veniamin (you recognized him—he was the same sullen classmate who always sat at the back of the class) leaned his back against the desk, bracing himself against it, and hissed, without looking at you:

— Don't stand there like a moron! Hold the door!

He slid aside, giving you room, and then his shoulder hit the rattling barrier again, his breathing ragged.

"Fuck," he breathed out, looking at the red stain on his jacket. "Found time for all-nighters, genius. Now you're in deep shit too. Totally screwed."

There was a howl from outside. The door sagged again. Veniamin rolled his eyes.

"By the way, come meet him. This seems to be our new neighbor. Very sociable. Likes to play tag." He grinned wildly, but there was no humor in his grin. "And now, if you'd be so kind as to help me stop this 'neighbor' from ripping our heads off. Then, if we survive, I'll... no, I won't explain everything to you. I'll forget it. Because the only thing dumber than this situation is your face right now."