The air in the business school lecture hall was thick with tension, like a dense fog that had crept its way through the cracks and settled amongst the group. Boon leaned against the desk barricade they had constructed to protect themselves from Ethel, who was lurking in the halls. The dim emergency lights cast eerie shadows across his face as he stared at the door, his jaw clenched.


    "Where is Zack?" Deb murmured anxiously, wringing her hands as she paced back and forth. Rob, equally worried, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to provide some semblance of reassurance. "He''ll be back soon," he said softly.


    Ahmed couldn''t shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss. "Boon," he called out, his voice wavering slightly. "Did you check the fire extinguisher we gave Zack? Are you sure it''s working?"


    "Of course I checked it!" Boon snapped, his eyes narrowing with irritation. But deep down, a heavy knot of guilt weighed upon him. He knew he hadn''t inspected the extinguisher as thoroughly as he should have. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as the realization gripped him; he may have just sent Zack to his death.


    Meanwhile, Zack stood in the janitor''s closet, his heart pounding like a caged animal desperate for escape. He stood face to face with Gluttony, the monstrous embodiment of one of the seven deadly sins. Zack slipped the keys into his pocket, his gaze never leaving Gluttony.


    A surge of adrenaline coursed through him as he seized the fire extinguisher, yanking the pin free and aiming it directly at the towering creature. This was it - his moment to create his escape. His finger squeezed the handle, but instead of the anticipated blast of foam, there was only a hollow click. He stared in disbelief, his heart sinking as he realized the extinguisher was empty.


    "You didn''t even check your weapon before you came here?" Gluttony taunted, its voice dripping with malice like poison from its fangs. As it spoke, Zack lifted his hands attempting to create another shield like he had before, but nothing seemed to happen. A twisted grin spread across the creature''s face, and Zack knew he was in trouble.


    Gluttony lunged, its grotesque form a blur of darkness, pinning Zack to the cold linoleum floor. Panic surged through him as he struggled to break free, his muscles straining against the weight of the monster bearing down on him, not even his vessel strength seemed to make a difference. It was pointless; Gluttony''s strength far surpassed his own.


    "Let me give you a taste of your true power," Gluttony hissed, its breath hot and rancid. The creature leaned in close, whispering an ancient incantation into Zack''s ear. He felt the words seep into his very being, their dark power igniting something within him that yearned for release.


    Back in the lecture hall, Boon pressed his hand to his throbbing temple. The sudden headache had come out of nowhere, but stranger still was the faint echo of an incantation that seemed to reverberate in his mind. His thoughts drifted back to Ethel and the creature who seemed to be stalking him, wondering if they had done something to him.


    In the janitor''s closet, the transformation seized Zack, forcing a howl of agony from his throat. His bones shifted and cracked as his body took on its demonic form. His fangs elongated, his claws grew sharp and deadly, and his eyes blazed with pink fire. A sinister desire to kill bubbled up inside him, driving him towards the lecture hall where his friends were trapped.


    "Zack will find those keys, Deb. Don''t worry," Rob''s reassuring voice echoed through the hallway as Zack approached the door, keys in hand. The sound pierced through Zack''s dark thoughts, halting him just before he unlocked the door. Memories flooded his mind: kissing Deb under a starry sky, sharing laughter with Rob, confiding in Rob during moments when his powers threatened to consume him.


    "Rob''s right," Deb said softly, her voice wavering. "Zack will come through for us."


    "Damn right he will," Ahmed chimed in, trying to raise their spirits.


    A tortured scream of frustration tore from Zack as he made a split-second decision. He crushed the door handle with one hand and the keys in the other, ensuring his friends would remain safely out of his reach. As Deb rushed to the door, attempting to turn the broken door, her hope turned to confusion and despair.


    "Something''s wrong, the door won''t open!" she murmured, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Why would he...?"


    "Guys, listen!" Ahmed shouted, his ears picking up the wail of distant sirens. "The police are coming!"


    Relief washed over Boon, Deb, Rob, and Ahmed as the reality of their impending rescue sank in. The nightmare they had been living was finally coming to an end. Little did they know that for Zack, the battle against his own darkness was threatening to tear him apart.


    In a dimly lit bathroom stall, Zack hunched over the cold tile floor, his breath ragged and uneven. The sharp scent of bleach stung his nostrils as he struggled to regain control. His body quivered, muscles twitching, as he fought against the demon still lingering within him. As he took one deep, steadying breath after another, the claws and fangs that had marked his transformation retreated, leaving him once again fully human.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Zack?" a familiar voice called out hesitantly. "Is that you?"


    Lindsey pushed the bathroom door open, her flashlight cutting through the darkness. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted Zack on all fours, his face streaked with sweat and his clothes torn.


    "Good God," she muttered, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?"


    "I..." Zack swallowed hard, struggling to find his voice. "I will be."


    "Come on," Lindsey said firmly, helping him to his feet. "We need to get out of here."


    Together, they made their way through the shadowy halls of the business school, Zack leaning heavily on Lindsey for support. When they reached the front entrance, Rob was waiting, his face consumed by worry.


    "Zack!" Rob exclaimed, relief washing over him. "You''re alive!"


    "I got lucky," Zack managed a weak smile.


    "Let''s go outside," Lindsey suggested, guiding them toward the exit. Once they were standing in the chilly night air, Zack felt his whole body go numb and his heart pick up the pace. He was safe now, but he didn''t feel it, he knew Gluttony would come for him, and without Ethel, he didn''t stand a chance.


    Lindsey turned to Zack with a serious expression. "Who did this to you? Who attacked all of you?"


    "It was Ethel," Zack replied, his voice barely audible. "She... I think she killed Joanna. She''s the one who killed that professor in the janitor''s closet, too."


    "Are you absolutely sure it was her?" Lindsey pressed, studying his face intently.


    Zack nodded. "Yes. I am."


    "I saw everything too, he''s telling the truth," Rob added, backing up Zack''s story.


    "Alright," Lindsey sighed, her blue eyes darkened with concern. "We didn''t find a body during our sweep of the building, but we''ll keep looking. You two should get checked out by the paramedics and then get some rest."


    With that, she walked away to join her fellow officers, leaving Zack and Rob standing alone in the frigid darkness.


    "Rob," Zack whispered, his chest tightening with fear. "What if Gluttony comes back for us? What if Ethel isn''t really dead?"


    "Right now let''s just be grateful to be alive," Rob replied, his voice steady and full of fear. "We won''t let this thing win, Zack. We can''t."


    Zack looked at his friend, his blue eyes haunted by the night''s events. "Gluttony could have killed us all anytime it wanted," he whispered back, his voice strained. "But it didn''t. It wants me to be a part of its covenant... I can feel it."


    Rob thought about it, and a look of confusion crept across his face. He watched as Zack''s fingers twitched, the memory of claws briefly surfacing. "What do you think is stopping it?"


    "Us," Zack replied, his gaze shifting to the ground. "Our friendship. My bond with Deb... I think that''s what''s keeping me from fully submitting to Gluttony''s control." His voice shook slightly as he added, "But now I''m afraid it''s going to turn its attention to eliminating both of you."


    "Hey," Rob said firmly, gripping Zack''s shoulder. "We''re not going anywhere. We''ll find a way to take that thing down."


    At that moment, a flurry of movement caught Zack''s eye. He glanced over to see Paulina being loaded into the back of an ambulance. Her face was pale, but her expression was calm.


    "Wait here," Zack murmured to Rob as he made his way toward the ambulance.


    "Zack," Paulina greeted him weakly, her voice barely audible above the commotion. "I can explain everything."


    "You better," Zack replied, worry creasing his forehead. "How did you escape the club? was Ethel right about you? What is a true Wiccan?"


    Paulina hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I am a true Wiccan, Zack. It is my duty to cover up the supernatural from the humans... though recent events have made that harder than normal." She looked him directly in the eyes. "I am sorry I had to hide this from you, I have rules I must follow."


    "Rules? Why do I always feel like I am a step behind everyone else all the time?" Zack asked softly, clearly frustrated.


    "It isn''t easy when you are new to our world, but I promise you I will tell you everything I know in time." She said, but Zack still couldn''t read her.


    Zack still didn''t have all the answers he needed and he didn''t want to wait but just then, the paramedics closed the ambulance doors, shutting out the world as they prepared to transport Paulina to the hospital. Zack watched it drive away, a mixture of relief and trepidation coursing through him.


    A thought then made its way through his head, his heart pounding in his chest as he noticed Deb sitting with Boon and Ahmed. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying and her hands shook slightly, betraying the calm fa?ade she tried to maintain. The police had finished questioning them, and it was clear that their ordeal had taken a toll on everyone.


    "Deb," Zack called out softly, approaching her with a mix of apprehension and hope. Boon and Ahmed exchanged glances before stepping away to give them some privacy.


    "Zack," Deb replied, her voice cold and distant. Zack knew something was very wrong as more tears started well up in her eyes. "Why? Why did you lock us in the lecture hall? I heard you, we all heard you and you just trapped us there. I... I don''t understand."


    "Deb, please, it was to protect you," Zack pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice. "I didn''t want to put you in danger. I couldn''t bear it if anything happened to you."


    Deb''s eyes narrowed, her lips pressing together in a thin line. "I trusted you, I thought we had a plan to escape together. But now... I don''t know if I can anymore."


    "Deb, please reconsider," Zack begged, his voice cracking. "You mean everything to me. I swear, I only did it to keep you safe."


    "Safe?" Deb scoffed, tears welling up in her eyes again. "How can I feel safe when you''re hiding things from me? When you''re making decisions without even talking to me first? I thought you were trying to help us get out, but now..." She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say next. "Don''t call me anymore, Zack. We''re done."


    "Deb, no," Zack whispered, the words like a knife through his heart. But she had already turned her back on him, walking toward Ahmed with her head held high, though her shoulders trembled as she fought to hold back her tears.


    Rob appeared at Zack''s side, his arm wrapping around him in a comforting embrace. His eyes held a deep sadness, and it was clear that he knew the weight of the choice Zack had made.


    "Come on, buddy," Rob murmured, guiding Zack away from the painful scene. "Let''s get out of here."


    As they walked away, Zack couldn''t help but think about what he''d lost – not just Deb, but a part of himself as well. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that in trying to protect her, he''d only pushed her further away.