2026-08-20 03:48:17
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Chapter 39
"We just found our starting point."Nick's words still echoed in my head as I stared across the cafeteria.At the woman.She hadn't moved.Not even a little.Still standing near the exit, perfectly still in her navy suit, watching us like we were specimens under a microscope.My skin prickled."Nick," I whispered again.He followed my gaze, his expression hardening instantly."Yeah," he murmured."You see her too?"I nodded slowly.Something about her presence felt wrong — not loud or dramatic, just cold and deliberate. Like she knew exactly what she was doing.Lisa shifted beside me."Why is she staring at us like that?" she muttered.Maya's voice dropped."Because she knows we're onto something."That realization landed heavily in my chest.Ethan stepped slightly forward, his tone calm but tense."That's one of them," he said quietly.My breath caught."You're sure?" I asked.He nodded once."I saw her at my old school."A chill ran down my spine.So this wasn't just local.This was
Chapter 38
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
Chapter 37
Aili's POVFor the first time in what felt like forever, I woke up without fear sitting in my chest.No whispers.No shadows.No cold air creeping across my skin.Just sunlight.Warm, golden sunlight spilling through my bedroom window, stretching across my blanket like the world had decided to give me a break.I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, letting the quiet settle around me.Yesterday had been... intense.Terrifying.Confusing.But also strangely comforting.We had solved it.We had helped that spirit move on.And somehow, through all the chaos, something between Nick and me had changed.Not dramatically.Not in a fireworks-and-violins kind of way.Just... closer.Safer.Like we trusted each other now in a way that didn't need explaining.I rolled onto my side and grabbed my phone from the nightstand.No missed calls.No emergency messages.No supernatural disasters.Just a text from Nick.Nick:You okay this morning?My heart did a tiny, embarrassing flip.I stare
Chapter 36
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
Chapter 35
Aili's POV Nick's reflection was smiling. Not at me. At something behind us. My breath stopped. The mirror flickered once more, the light above the fireplace buzzing faintly like it couldn't decide whether to stay on or die completely. I felt Nick's hand tighten around mine — warm, steady, real — but the cold dread in my chest kept spreading. "Did you see that?" I whispered. His voice came out low. Controlled. "Yeah." We both turned slowly. The living room behind us looked exactly the same. The couch sat untouched, cushions neatly in place. The curtains swayed slightly from the open window, letting in the cool night air. The hallway stretched into darkness, quiet and still. Nothing stood there. Nothing moved. But the feeling remained — thick and watching. Nick stepped half a pace in front of me without thinking, his body forming a barrier between me and the room. The protective instinct in that simple movement made my heart flutter in the worst possible mome
Chapter 34
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
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