Woman narrating... "Humans are born with pure hearts, untainted by malice. But as they grow, the world begins to shape them scarring their innocence. Within every soul lies a dormant darkness, buried deep, waiting for the right moment to rise. And when it does, it consumes everything in its path, leaving behind only ruin, pain, and despair."
Present day...
11:50am, Sawana district 4, Asawe,
Waiver Freshers Day..
"Morning, Meli," said Alice as she stood by the gate, watching her friend step out of the house.
"Morning!" Meli replied with a quick smile. "Come on, let's go before we're late."
They picked up their pace, walking briskly through the quiet streets. Before long, they reached the college campus only to find it unusually empty.
Meli glanced at her watch. "There's just one minute left before the ceremony starts!" she gasped.
Without wasting another second, they broke into a run, following the signboards that pointed toward the auditorium where the Fresher's Day celebration was taking place
They entered the auditorium, breathless and gasping for air. A teacher standing near the entrance frowned slightly and said, "Why are you two so late? The program is about to begin. Go on, take your seats."
He guided them quickly to two empty chairs near the back. As they sat down, he handed them a bottle of water.
"Thank you!" Alice said, still trying to catch her breath, while Meli nodded gratefully and began gulping down the water.
Moments later, the Freshers' Day program began. One by one, students came up to give speeches, perform dances, and showcase their musical talents. The seniors had clearly put in a lot of effort, and the atmosphere was lively and welcoming.
Three hours later, the program drew to a close. The President of the student council stepped onto the stage and addressed the crowd with a warm smile.
"If you have any problems or need any help, feel free to reach out to the student council we're here for you. Before we officially end, I'd also like to invite you to take a look around the campus. Since it's your first day, it's a great time to explore. And if anyone needs a tour, I'd be happy to show you around myself. Thank you, and once again welcome!"
Meli let out a sigh of relief. "Whew! It's finally over. I swear, that chair was out to kill me three hours on that thing and my butt's officially numb."
Alice chuckled. "So, what are you planning to do now?"
Meli stretched and groaned. "First thing? I'm heading home and sleeping like there's no tomorrow."
Alice tilted her head. "You're not gonna check out the campus a bit? You know, explore?"
Meli shrugged. "Eh, I've got three years to look around. What's the rush? If you're curious, you can go ahead and explore. As for me I'm going home."
Alice laughed. "Alright, fair enough."
Meli started walking. "You coming or staying?"
Alice shook her head with a smile. "I think I'll stick around for a bit, maybe wander and see what's what."
Meli gave her a thumbs up. "Cool. Catch you later, then!"
Alice waved as Meli walked off. "See you!"
As soon as Meli disappeared around the corner, Alice smiled to herself and whispered, "Okay… let's get exploring!"
She wandered through the campus, taking in everything with wide eyes the trees lined along the walkway, the soft breeze brushing against her arms, the distant chatter of students. It was all new, and it made her feel alive in the quietest, happiest way.
Along one of the shaded paths, she noticed a boy standing by himself. His clothes were muddy, his bag soaked and drooping from one shoulder. Alice slowed for a second, unsure whether to say something, but decided against it. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable or say something wrong. So she simply offered a polite, brief smile as she passed, then turned her attention back to the winding paths of the campus.
Near the entrance of the college library, she turned a corner and collided into someone. She lost her balance and fell back with a startled gasp.
"Oh! I'm so sorry..!" she began, flustered.
"You okay?" a calm voice asked.
She looked up and found the student council president standing over her, already reaching out a hand. Gratefully, she took it and got to her feet.
"Thank you… I should've been watching where I was going," she said with an apologetic smile, brushing off her skirt.
"No worries," he replied. "You just exploring?"
"Yes," Alice nodded, eyes lighting up. "Everything's so new. I wanted to get a proper look around before things get too busy."
He smiled. "Mind if I tag along?"
Alice blinked. She wasn't used to people joining her when she wandered she usually explored alone. But he seemed kind, and saying no felt too sharp.
"Oh… sure," she said softly. "If you're okay with that. I don't talk much when I'm walking, though."
He chuckled. "That's fine. And hey, you don't have to be formal with me."
Alice tilted her head slightly. "I'm not trying to be formal, really… It's just how I talk," she admitted honestly. "But I'll try to be a bit more casual."
Then she paused and asked with a sheepish smile, "Um… may I know your name again? I wasn't really paying attention during the program. I was too focused on how big the hall was."
"Okay," said the President with a friendly smile. "My name's Jeremiah, you can call me Jeremy."
Alice returned the smile gently. "Alright. I'll remember it this time."
They began walking together through the campus, the air quiet between them. Neither spoke much Jeremy occasionally glanced at buildings, while Alice kept her eyes ahead, her mind spinning with thoughts. The silence wasn't uncomfortable exactly, but it wasn't easy either.
After a few minutes, a group of boys approached from the distance, waving at Jeremy.
"Hey! There you are," one of them called.
Jeremy turned toward Alice. "Looks like I've got to go. I'll see you around, okay?"
Alice gave a small nod. "Okay. Take care."
Once he was gone, she let out a quiet sigh and spoke to herself, almost whispering, "That was… really awkward. My heart was beating so fast I thought I'd pass out."
She laughed softly under her breath, shaking her head. "I didn't know what to say, or how to act. If his friends hadn't shown up, I don't even know what I would've done."
Looking up at the fading afternoon sky, she murmured, "I think I'll head home now. I've explored enough for today. I don't want to end up in another situation like that…"
[4:50pm, Sawana district 4, Asawe, footpath]
As Alice walked home alone, the quiet of the evening wrapped around her like a soft blanket. The sky had turned a pale orange, and a gentle breeze brushed through the streets.
On her way, she passed a small dessert shop the same cozy little place she often visited. The warm scent of baked sugar and cream drifted out through the door. Without thinking twice, she stepped inside.
"Hey, Alice! Good to see you again," the shop employee called from behind the counter.
Alice smiled. "Good to see you too, Wendy."
Wendy leaned over the counter, eyes shining. "You're going to love this we've just got a new sweet in! It's been flying off the shelves, completely sold out… but lucky for you, I saved one."
Alice's eyes lit up, her face bright with excitement. "You did? Really?"
"Of course! I had a feeling you'd stop by today," Wendy grinned, disappearing into the back for a moment before returning with a neatly wrapped dessert. "Here you go!"
Alice reached into her bag to pay, but Wendy gently waved her hand.
"Oh no, no this one's on the house."
"B-but…" Alice stammered, blinking in surprise.
Wendy chuckled. "Don't worry about it. You're here almost every day. Think of it as a small thank you for always supporting our shop."
Alice paused, unsure for a second, then offered a warm, grateful smile. "Thank you, Wendy. That's really kind of you."
As she turned to leave, Wendy called out behind her, "We'll be waiting for you again tomorrow. Have a good night, Alice!"
"You too!" Alice said over her shoulder as she stepped back onto the street.
The cool air felt sweeter with the warm treat in her hand. But just as she rounded the corner between two quiet buildings, she noticed someone slumped over near the garbage bags in the alley. At first, she froze.
Then her eyes widened.
It was the same boy she had seen earlier on campus the one in muddy clothes and the soaked bag. He looked even worse now: pale, weak, and barely conscious.
Without hesitation, Alice walked over and knelt beside him, her voice soft but concerned.
"Hey… are you okay?" she asked gently. "What happened to you?"
Her tone was filled with worry not out of fear, but from a quiet kind of kindness. She didn't know who he was or what he'd been through, but she knew she couldn't just walk away again.