The Uniform

A young man named Canes was on the verge of graduating, but his life was cut short. Devastated by his passing, Canes’ parents departed, forsaking his items, and moved elsewhere.

Right after they moved out, a parent and son made themselves at home in the same small apartment that had once belonged to the deceased teenager’s maternal and paternal figures. Once settled in, Seren stumbled upon a container of outfits among the remaining items.

His mom, Leda, was overjoyed because she no longer had to get new ones. She had to make these adjustments herself so that they would fit Seren. He put on the uniform once the school started. The unusual sensation of the material on Seren’s skin unsettled him.

Whenever he saw his reflection in a mirror, he could have sworn it had shifted. He attributed his nerves to first-day jitters as he headed to the classroom. In one of his classes, he encountered a rather unusual instructor.

Whenever they made eye contact, he would give him an eerie grin while observing him. Seren understood many teachers were friendly, but this individual raised it to a different level.

A voice whispered, “Be cautious of the teacher…” He turned his head, searching for the source of the voice. However, all he felt on his shirt was a prickling sensation.

As he looked down, he observed an unusual dark red blemish appearing. Startled, he jumped and wiped his shirt frantically. When he glanced again, the spot had disappeared. It must have been because of his lack of sleep that he started seeing and hearing things.

Instructed to do so again, he sat down. Upon offering an apology, he returned to his seat. With just a few more hours left, he could finally go home. Casting a brief look at the clock, he noticed the arms seemed to tick by.

Seren raised his head and took in his surroundings. At that moment, he realized his classmates were motionless. There’s no possibility that they had been that way the whole time. His attention shifted to the front of the room, where his teacher stood, causing him to gulp.

I was hoping you wouldn’t notice. It seems you are unaffected by my magic. Similar to Canes, this is a shame, the teacher told him.

Seren’s eyes widened when he discovered his instructor was a Chalkydri, taking him aback. He had the head and feet of a crocodile. Picture a lion’s tail with twelve wings, all in a beautiful purple hue, like a rainbow.

“Aren’t you expected to be good?” Seren trembled.

He responded with a sinister laugh, saying, “Not all of us are, my boy. With a creepy smile, the teacher said, “Cover your eyes and rest now.”

Sadly, Leda packed her son’s belongings, preparing them for the moving truck. While sealing the last box, she recalled the uniforms Seren discovered upon moving in and searched for them. They were hanging at the rear of her son’s closet. Grabbing the hangers, she took the clothes off of them, and upon folding the last shirt while holding it in her hands, it began turning a deep red.

A voice that sounded like Seren whispered in her ear.

“Watch out for the teacher… he’s a Chalkydri,”