The morning felt... normal. Peaceful it almost felt like an illusion. Not normal like perfect. Normal like quiet. Like the kind of silence that doesn't press against your chest. The kind that just exists. It was kind of crazy that I was starting to get used to the drama , the mystery and action in sherfield . It made me feel like there was something seriously wrong with me for kind of liking it.Sunlight slipped through my curtains in thin gold lines, dust floating in the air like tiny stars. For once, I didn't wake up with whispers in my ears or images burned into my mind. No visions. No shadows. No dread.Just me.I lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, letting myself breathe.It felt strange how quickly chaos becomes routine. A few weeks ago, I was just the new girl in Sherfield. The quiet one. The weird one. Now I had friends. Real friends. People who knew my secrets and didn't run. People who stayed.That still felt unreal.Downstairs, I heard the low murmur of my dad's

The first time it happened, I thought I imagined it.It was late afternoon, the kind of quiet hour when the house feels half-asleep. Dad was still at work, Gran was napping in her chair downstairs, and sunlight stretched lazily across my bedroom floor. Everything looked ordinary. Peaceful.Too peaceful.I sat at my desk pretending to do homework, tapping my pen against the notebook while my mind wandered. Outside, the wind brushed gently against the trees, making the branches scrape softly against the window.Scratch.Pause.Scratch.I ignored it at first.Then it came again.Scratch.Slower this time. Deliberate.My pen stopped moving.I lifted my head, staring at the window. The branches outside swayed gently, leaves fluttering in the breeze. Nothing unusual. Nothing threatening.Still, a strange unease settled in my stomach — that quiet instinct whispering that something wasn't right.I stood up slowly and walked toward the glass.The yard looked normal. The fence. The trees. The n

My mother's voice.It floated through the doorway like a memory that had somehow learned how to breathe."Aili..."Soft. Gentle. Familiar.Every muscle in my body locked.Nick stepped slightly in front of me without thinking, his arm brushing mine — protective, steady. I felt the warmth of him, solid and real, grounding me when everything else suddenly felt unreal."Stay behind me," he murmured."I can't," I whispered, my throat tight. "That's my house."The porch light flickered again, casting long shadows across the yard. The front door swayed slowly on its hinges, creaking in the quiet evening air.Nothing inside moved.No footsteps.No voices.Just darkness.Nick glanced at me, searching my face. "Is your dad supposed to be home?"I shook my head. "He works late on Thursdays.""And your gran?""She was resting when I left this morning."A chill slid down my spine.The voice came again, drifting from somewhere deep inside the house."Aili... come inside."My breath caught.Nick's j

Aili's POV"Aili... why did you bring him here?"The voice drifted down from the top of the staircase again — soft, familiar, and completely wrong.My entire body went rigid.Nick's hand tightened around mine, warm and steady, but I could feel the tension in him too. His jaw locked, his eyes fixed on the dark landing above us.That voice.It sounded exactly like my dad.Same tone. Same rhythm. Same gentle authority.But my dad wasn't supposed to be home yet.He had called this morning. Told me he was still at the hospital with Grandma. Said they would be back later — maybe tomorrow.So who was upstairs?Or worse...What was upstairs?The air in the house felt heavy, pressing against my chest like invisible weight.Nick leaned closer to me, his voice low and controlled."Stay behind me."I shook my head immediately."No."He glanced at me, surprised."I'm not hiding," I whispered. "This is my house."For a second, something flickered in his eyes — respect, maybe. Or worry. Probably bot

Aili's POVThe second student hit the floor with a loud thud.A collective gasp rippled across the cafeteria, sharp and panicked, like the entire room had inhaled at once and forgotten how to breathe.My heart slammed against my ribs."No," I whispered under my breath.This wasn't random.This wasn't coincidence.This was happening again.The boy who collapsed — Marcus, I think — lay on his side, completely still. His tray clattered across the floor, food spilling everywhere, but no one cared about the mess. Students backed away quickly, fear spreading like wildfire.A teacher rushed forward."What is going on today?" she shouted, her voice shaking.Nick stepped closer to me, his shoulder brushing mine. I could feel the tension radiating from him — alert, protective, ready."Stay calm," he murmured quietly.Easy for him to say.My pulse felt like it was trying to escape my body.The nurse burst through the cafeteria doors moments later, moving fast, followed by another teacher carryin