Short story | First person | Multiple twists | Rules horror
On the way to morning study on a winter day in high school, the dense fog was so thick it seemed capable of swallowing anyone who walked through it.
Later, people said that anyone who entered the fog would vanish completely, as if they had been swallowed alive.
At first, my good friend Xiao Dan and I scoffed at this, until she was almost swallowed by the fog right in front of me. After that, everything started to feel wrong.
Only half the students showed up in a class known for strict attendance. Our homeroom teacher asked why, wearing a smile that never changed.
But the class monitor answered in a mechanical, icy voice: "Teacher, they got lost in the fog, so they were eaten."
At Monday's regular flag-raising ceremony, the usual words of encouragement were replaced by strange rules:
"First, don't be late or leave early for morning study. If you have to leave class, you must report it."
"Second, the bathrooms in the teaching building are closed for renovations. Do not go near them."
"Third, get to know the people around you. Make sure the person you see is still who she used to be."
"..."
I don't know when these rules suddenly appeared at school.
Who's breaking the rules, and what happens to those who do?
Xiao Dan, can you answer me?
Theme: Every home has its own rules, and so does every school.
