Ultraxenopia (Project W. A. R. Book 1) Read Free Page A

devouring everything in a single,
obliterating mouthful.
    All I see is a blinding
flash before I find myself back in the safety of the classroom. Sweat trickles
from every uncovered inch of my skin, and I can hear a horrible screaming
sound, which I realize, after many moments, is actually coming from me. The
sound of it is inhuman, and it takes everything I have to stop it and regain
control over the parts of my body that are unable to separate reality from the
horror I’ve just seen.
    Clenching my eyes shut, I
try to steady my breathing. My lungs seem to be working at double speed, and
every breath is physically exhausting to the point where it’s nearly painful.
    In. Out. In. Out. I repeat those words to
myself until I no longer have to consciously monitor each breath. However, when
my eyes eventually open, that crippling feeling of panic all too quickly
suffocates me once again.
    Every eye in the room is
focused on me. I turn in place, taking in the one expression that seems to
cover each face.
    My lungs constrict as the
sweat continues to bead along my skin. I feel hot, as if every molecule in my
body is on fire, and I immediately recognize the metallic stench in my nose as
blood.
    My hand shakes as I lift it
to my face, and my eyes twitch nervously when I see the red coating my fingers.
    My heart rate increases. My
breaths seem deafening.
    I can’t stay here . That realization is
enough to finally force me to move. Lunging forward, I slam my hand against the
submit button on the top corner of my desktop without a plan or even a thought
as to what I’m doing.
    Without registering the
consequences that will surely follow me because of it.
    Ripping my bag off the
chair, my legs dart toward the exit. There’s a small scanner in the doorway,
which is cold against my wrist, and the doors instantly spring open once that
little light turns green.
    The locks click back into
place behind me. I can hear the sound as it echoes in my head, just as I can
still feel the stares of every single person in that room.
    Their confused gazes seem
to follow me, even as I rush down the corridor. I try to ignore the feeling and
concentrate on the path that will lead me out of here.
    I come to a grinding halt
in front of the elevator. My palm stings painfully when I slap it against the
call button. Luckily, the doors open at once.
    “Excuse me, miss!” the
woman with short hair calls after me.
    Ignoring her, I hurry
inside, only feeling distanced from all those eyes the moment the doors close
behind me. I take a long, deep breath. However, I can’t escape the reality of
what I imagine is about to happen.
    I bite my lip and glance up
at the elevator doors, where I find my distorted reflection staring back at me
from the steel. My skin is ashen and glistens sickeningly with sweat. My hair
is plastered to my head. My eyes are so bloodshot that I can’t even see the
white. Red smears stain the bottom half of my face.
    Pulling at the sleeve of my
coat, I press the material against my nose in an effort to staunch the
bleeding. My eyes dart back up to my disfigured reflection.
    The seconds seem to drag,
and the silence is foreboding, reminding me of the unknown fate that awaits me
the moment these doors open. I don’t know what to expect. Truthfully, I wasn’t
even thinking when I ran out of that room. I should’ve composed myself and
finished my exam. Second chances aren’t given, and I know, without a shadow of
a doubt, that my behavior before will come back to haunt me. Second chances
don’t exist.
    This won’t be forgiven.
    The light above the
elevator doors begins to glow. I brace myself. Yet, when the steel doors open,
I’m surprised to see that the reception area is empty. The man from before is
still sitting behind the desk, but other than that, he’s entirely alone. He
doesn’t say anything to me either. In fact, he doesn’t even look up when I
begin to walk past him.
    I hesitate, unsure if it’s
smart to go any farther and