It was midnight and Josh, an art student, lingered in the dark halls of his school. Nobody else was in the building, or at least that’s what he thought. For Shadows Art School was a different place at night. There was no noise except for the occasional owl and Josh’s brush strokes. 

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He had an assignment to complete. It was a simple one, but it was made challenging due to where he was. Shadows Art School was a school shrouded in mystery, and many theories were made about it. He believed these theories to be nonsense, but he was still scared nevertheless. 

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He could hear some rustling outside, and all of a sudden, a deafening thud shook the walls beside him. It came from outside. He paused and looked outside, stealthily. But suddenly, he turned around and realized that the door leading to the art room was wide open, allowing any of the mysteries that crept through Shadows Art School to enter. He started to panic, feeling his heart beat louder and louder with each pulse, but he knew he had to stay quiet. Now, Josh wasn’t social, and did he have many friends, but he knew someone, or something, was there.

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Josh reached in his pocket, searching for something he soon realized wasn’t there. He immediately began to hyperventilate. He realized that he left his phone on the stairs. Then, Josh heard it again, but louder and more palpable. He looked out the window a second time. 

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He considered his options: he could remain here and let the dangers of the school get him, or he could escape. He figured that there was no way he would survive a hundred foot jump to the ground. Soon, he heard the sound again. He could feel it in his chest. Josh then locked the door and tiptoed into the closet hoping to arrive at a safe ground. 

Another thud, like one out of a horror movie, struck again. After relaxing himself, he heard a voice from inside the room. “Come out, come out wherever you are. Please, come out. I’ve got Kit Kats.” The voice was alluring, with a hint of malice beneath it. 

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Josh stayed perfectly silent, stifling his breath until he noticed. He didn’t realize what room he ran into. But he saw many things in that closet. A mask, bullets, but most importantly, a machete. He recalled the rules and skills of self-defense from his old summer camp. So, after a deep breath, he grabbed the machete in one hand and pushed open the door with the other. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There his professor was, standing before him with a very bloody butcher’s knife. 

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“How’s the assignment?”, his professor said with a crazed voice. Josh couldn’t respond. “Silence, huh? I figured.” He lunged at Josh with incredible speed. Josh immediately dodged and swung the machete. Red leapt over the canvas. It was a portrait of mania and self-defense. He walked out and shut the door of his professor’s office, ready to return to the painting he had left.