A sharp rush of fear jolted through Elara's body as the hand muffled her scream. She struggled, her breath ragged, but whoever held her was strong. Her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out everything except the fire alarm's distant wail.
Then, just as suddenly as she was grabbed, she was released.
She stumbled forward, gasping, spinning around.But no one was there.
Her wide eyes darted down the hallway. Empty. The flickering overhead lights cast long, shifting shadows, stretching unnaturally against the walls.
Her breathing came in short, shallow bursts. What was that?
The fire alarm suddenly cut off, plunging the school into a suffocating silence.
And then, The library doors creaked open.
A slow, deliberate sound that sent a shiver crawling down her spine.
She shouldn't go in.
She should turn around, run back to class, pretend none of this was happening.
But something deeper, something she couldn't explain, urged her forward.
Her feet moved against her will, crossing the threshold. The dim glow of desk lamps flickered in the vast room, casting eerie shadows between the towering bookshelves. It was too quiet.
And then she saw him.
Jian.
He stood at the center of the library, motionless.
His back was turned to her, his posture unnervingly stiff.
"Jian?" she whispered.
Slowly, he turned his head, only his head.
And something was wrong.
His expression was blank, his eyes unfocused, as if he wasn't entirely there. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Elara took a hesitant step closer.
"Jian… what's happening?"
Then, a voice, low and amused, broke the silence behind her.
"You really should've just stayed in your seat, Elara."
She froze.
Slowly, she turned, And came face to face with Damien and Raven.
They stood just inside the library doors, blocking the exit, their usual charming smiles in place.
But this time, there was something wrong behind their eyes.
Something dark.
Something inhuman.
Elara's breath hitched as Darien took a slow step forward.
"You've been watching us,"
Raven murmured, tilting his head, his voice silky and unreadable.
Damien chuckled.
"That's not very polite, you know."
Elara's fingers curled into fists.
"What did you do to Jian?"
Damien's smile widened.
"Oh, he's fine. Just… adjusting."
She whipped back toward Jian, but, he was gone.
Her stomach dropped.
The weight of reality crashed over her like ice water.
She wasn't getting out of here.
Not alone.
Not unless she did something now.
Elara's mind raced, her instincts screaming at her to run, but her feet felt frozen in place. Adjusting? What did they mean? Where did Jian go?
Damien and Raven stepped closer, their movements slow and deliberate, like predators toying with their prey.
"You shouldn't have come here, Elara,"
Raven sighed, his voice almost disappointed.
"Now you know too much."
"Much more than you should,"
Damienn added, tilting his head as if studying her.
"But that's okay. We'll fix it."
A flickering sound, like a lightbulb struggling to stay lit, echoed through the library.
And then, the bookshelves started moving.
At first, it was subtle. A slight shift, as if the towering cases of books had trembled. Then, suddenly, they slid, twisting and rearranging themselves, closing in like a shifting maze.
Elara's breath hitched as her exit was swallowed by moving walls of books, sealing her inside. The space between her and Damien and Raven grew smaller.
"This place isn't just a library,"
Raven murmured, watching her reaction with amusement.
"It's much older than the school. Older than the town."
"Older than you can imagine,"
Damien finished, a strange light glinting in his eyes.
Elara's back hit a bookshelf—trapped.
"What do you want from me?"
"You saw what you shouldn't have. That means you have two choices."
Damien held up a single finge.
"One—forget. Walk out of here as if none of this ever happened. You'll wake up tomorrow and remember nothing."
Raven's voice followed, eerily calm.
"Or two—join us."
Elara's stomach twisted.
Join what?
Elara's breath came in shallow gasps, her back pressed against the bookshelf as Damien and Raven closed in. The library
The bookshelves trembled. The air grew thick, heavy with something unseen.
Then, footsteps.
A steady, deliberate rhythm approaching from behind them.
Elara's pulse spiked.And then—Jian stepped forward.
He looked… normal. Just Jian. His usual black hoodie, his relaxed posture, his ever-present half-smirk. His dark eyes, always sharp, always knowing.But something in them—something behind them—made her stomach twist.He didn't say a word as he walked past Damien and Raven.
Instead, he held out a small glass cup.
A strange, dark-purple liquid swirled inside. Almost black, but when the dim library light hit it, it shimmered, rippling unnaturally.
Elara's body stiffened.
Jian stepped closer, his expression unreadable. His presence felt different—like there was a weight in the air around him.
Then—he leaned in.
Close enough that she could feel his breath against her ear.
And in a whisper so soft, so broken, he said,
"I'm sorry."
Her eyes widened, her breath hitching.
Then, he grabbed her jaw.
And before she could even struggle , before she could scream,
He forced the liquid into her mouth.
The taste was bitter, thick, almost suffocating. It coated her throat like ink, her limbs going weak as an unnatural heaviness took over.
Her vision blurred...
The library faded...
And then—
"Elara!"
Her head snapped up.
She was in the classroom.
Her teacher stood at the front, arms crossed, looking down at her in irritation.
"If you want to sleep, do it at home. Not in my class."
Her heart hammered against her ribs.
She looked around.
Everything was… normal.
The students. The desks. The sound of pencils scratching against paper.
And then,
She saw Jian.
Sitting in his usual seat. Watching her.
Smiling.
Like nothing ever happened.
But her hands trembled under the desk.
Because she could still taste it.
The bitter, dark-purple liquid lingering on her tongue.