Kelvin stumbled into class the next morning, his head pounding with a mix of confusion and dread. His mind replayed the events from the previous day, but he couldn't bring himself to tell anyone what had happened. The girls… they had noticed something. They had to have noticed. But they didn't ask — not a single word. It was as if they were avoiding him.
He remained silent the entire class, a quiet tension filling the air around him. When the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Kelvin stayed rooted to his seat, lost in thought.
"Kelvin… Kelvin… Kelvin!"
The sound of his name broke through his fog. He blinked up to find Mr. Hatcher standing beside him, an unreadable look on his face. The teacher sat down, his gaze intense but kind.
"I know you just moved here a couple of weeks ago, and settling in can be… tough," Mr. Hatcher began, but his voice trailed off as if searching for the right words.
Kelvin didn't let him finish. "Do you believe in demons? Monsters? Possession?"
Mr. Hatcher's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well, what I believe doesn't matter much, Kelvin. The truth doesn't depend on belief. What exists is real whether I acknowledge it or not."
Kelvin scoffed, unable to hold back. "Come on, you've been teaching here for nearly ten years. You must've heard the stories — the weird stuff that go on in this school…"
Mr. Hatcher sighed, his expression unreadable. "I've heard stories. But my advice to you is simple: leave the things beyond your control alone."
Kelvin's eyes narrowed. "Why do you sound like you're afraid?"
"Because I like staying sane. And I like staying alive." The teacher stood, his chair scraping against the floor. "We'll talk later, alright?"
With that, he walked away, leaving Kelvin to stew in confusion.
As soon as Mr. Hatcher left, Emilia and Stephen entered the classroom.
"Running late, are we?" Emilia joked weakly, as Kelvin stood and grabbed his bag to follow them.
"I was just coming," Kelvin replied, and the three of them headed for the library together.
But when they arrived, the doors slammed shut behind them — the windows followed suit. The room plunged into darkness. Then, out of the gloom, a circle glowed ominously at the center of the room, outlined with flaming candles.
As his eyes adjusted to the light, Kelvin's heart dropped into his stomach. Emilia… two Cynthia's… and two Jessica's stood at the edges of the circle. It took everything in him not to scream. What was this — magic? He thought.
"Jess, are you done? Can we begin?" Stephen's voice cut through the air, calm and casual.
One of the figures — Jessica — looked up and nodded. "Yes, we can."
Kelvin's jaw slackened in disbelief. "Jessica? Cynthia?" He sputtered, recognizing his classmates among the cult-like group. "Wait — are you the cult I saw yesterday? What is this?"
"No," Emilia said her voice cold but steady. "Those people you saw are followers of Mr. Smiley. We're here to stop him — and the ones who follow him." She shot him a suspicious look.
Kelvin's stomach churned. "I will not be involved in any cult."
Stephen's gaze hardened. "Hmm. Now you've found your voice. Yesterday you were nothing but a scared little mouse trapped in a cage. You told us you weren't one of them. If that's true, then you'll be fine. But if not… well, we'll have one less demon to worry about." He stepped closer. "Now step into the circle before I make you."
Kelvin backed away, panic rising. "No! Let me out! None of this is real! It's all in my head! You're taking advantage of me — let me out!"
Stephen's response was swift — his fist crashed into Kelvin's face, knocking him unconscious.
When Kelvin came to, he was being dragged toward the glowing circle. Desperation surged through him. He struggled, but an unseen force held him in place, lifting him off the ground and pulling him into the center. The moment his feet touched the floor again, the pressure released — but he couldn't move. His body felt frozen.
"Let's begin."
The group began their incantation, voices rising in eerie unison:
In shadow's grip, in flame's light,
Reveal the truth, dispel the night.
Demon, follower, mortal — lost or found,
Show thyself, let truth resound.
By blood, by soul, by ancient law,
Unveil thy form, expose thy flaw.
So mote it is, so it is told,
the truth within — let it unfold…
Kelvin's mind screamed in disbelief as the incantation continued, but nothing happened. He let out a shaky breath, the weight on his chest lifting slightly.
"Can I go now?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
But their faces remained grim. Stephen's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"Your fate has been sealed," he said flatly.
"What does that mean?" Kelvin demanded confusion and fear twisting in his gut.
Stephen stood his movements slow and deliberate. He pulled a knife from his belt — the blade glinting ominously in the dim light.
Kelvin's heart raced. "Wait — wait! You did your ritual and nothing happened! Nothing changed!"
Stephen's expression darkened. "That's the problem, Kelvin. Whether you're a demon or a human, something was supposed to happen. The truth was supposed to be revealed. And it wasn't." He glanced down at the knife. "I'm sorry, but it's time to say goodbye."
"No — please! Don't!" Kelvin's voice broke as he begged.
In one swift motion, Stephen knelt beside him and slashed his throat. The blade cut deep. Kelvin gasped, choking on his own blood, his vision dimming until—
FLASHBACK
"Dad, I had another dream," Kelvin's voice echoed in the dark.
Kelvin's small hands gripped his father's arm. "Son, was it the same dream?"
"Yes. You and I were fighting bad people… and they killed you. Are you going to die?"
His father's reassuring smile faltered. "Kelvin, I won't die. I'll always be here with you."
"But Dad," Kelvin whispered, eyes wide with fear, "before Grandma died… I saw her death in a dream. And Aunt Shallot, Uncle Evans… even Mom. I saw all of their deaths before they happened. Mom said it was a gift, but Dad, this gift is killing everyone I love."
His father pulled him close, the weight of the words heavy between them. "Son, it's just dreams. Grandma, Auntie, Uncle, and Mom… they were sick. They didn't die because of your dreams. Now, let's get some sleep. I'll keep you safe. You know no one can beat your dad. I'm like James Bond — I take down the bad guys, but no one can take me down."
Father and son hugged, and Kelvin fell asleep in his father's arms — the weight of his words lingering in the air like a promise.
END OF FLASHBACK
Kelvin's eyes snapped open, sweat trickling down his face. He heard pounding at the door before he even saw it. His heart was racing. It was all a dream, he told himself. Going to see demons, getting kidnapped, the ritual — it was all a dream.
He heaved a sigh of relief, but it didn't feel relieving. These dreams never brought anything good.
He opened the door to find Victor, pale as a ghost, staring wide-eyed.
"Did you see that?" Victor's voice was barely a whisper.
Kelvin blinked in confusion. "See what?"
Victor shook his head. "Never mind. Just… let's go."
Kelvin hesitated, and then asked, "Have you heard of any cults at this school?"
Victor raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?"
"They dress in red?" Kelvin felt his heart pounding.
Victor frowned. "Yeah… why?"
Kelvin took a breath, his mind racing. "Did you see an image in the wind? Like… a whirlwind of rubbish?"
Victor's eyes widened. "Yeah… but how did you—?"
"Did you feel claws? Like something brushing your face?"
Victor recoiled. "Yeah, but how did you know?"
Kelvin's chest tightened with dread. "It's happening again. No, no, no…" he whispered, voice trembling.
Victor grabbed his shoulders. "Kelvin, what's going on?"
Kelvin shook his head, terror flooding his eyes. But Victor hadn't been among the Golden Circle — he didn't see him there. "Victor, I'm sorry. You need to stay in here. It's not safe. All of them… they're coming out tonight."
"What do you mean? How do you know?" Victor asked, still lost.
Kelvin pulled away, his mind spinning. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Victor's eyes filled with worry. "Try me."
Kelvin closed his eyes, the weight of everything pressing down. "Tomorrow. We'll talk tomorrow. But right now, I need to sleep. My head's spinning."
Victor nodded, stepping back as Kelvin closed the door.
"Okay… but something's not right, Kelvin," Victor muttered under his breath as he walked away.
Kelvin collapsed onto his bed, the looming sense of dread never leaving his mind. He couldn't sleep. Something terrible was coming.