Shadow of Death (SOD)

Chapter 13

DAYS LATER!

It was now Monday.

A school day.

The day Asher was finally going to resume at Vespers University.

Throughout the weekend, he had remained at home, trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened since their arrival in the city.

All while keeping his family in the dark.

He could tell them everything now.

He could warn them about the strange things he had noticed and possibly keep them safe.

But there was one problem.

They wouldn’t believe him.

Not without proof.

Asher knew how ridiculous everything sounded when put together.

People weren’t sleeping.

They were taking pills to stay awake.

Everyone looked exhausted.

A strange face had appeared at his window.

Someone seemed to be watching their house.

And something had whispered directly into his ears.

Without evidence, it would all sound like the paranoid ramblings of someone who had watched too many horror movies.

So he resolved to find the proof first.

And his source?

Vespers University.

Jack had just dropped Jesse off at her newly registered high school and was now driving Asher to his own school.

Throughout the ride, Asher silently conversed with Rick through his phone.

He still hadn’t told his friend about everything that had been happening.

Unless he had evidence, he wasn’t telling anybody.

Who knew?

Maybe he was simply overthinking everything.

Maybe there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of it.

Maybe...

"Listen... I will always drop you at school every morning. But you will have to find your way back home, as I have to report to my new office now."

Asher lifted his head and looked at his father for a moment.

How long had they spent here so far?

He silently ran through the days in his head.

After doing the rough calculations, he finally arrived at an answer.

*Six days.*

*Six days, yet nothing has happened to us.*

His brows subtly furrowed.

*Is it that we are special... or is everything just a figment of my imagination?*

Jack briefly glanced at his son.

Asher was still looking at him, seemingly lost in thought, and hadn’t given any indication that he had heard what his father said.

"Okay? I have given you enough money for transportation back home. And I think your school closes in the evening, so try to be home on time. Okay?"

Asher blinked once before finally realizing that his father had been speaking to him.

"Uh... yeah. Sure, sure. Thanks."

The car soon rolled to a stop in front of the school gate.

Asher stepped out with a backpack hanging over his shoulders and a book clutched in one hand.

He closed the car door and stood there for a few minutes, watching as Jack drove away.

Only after the car disappeared from sight did he turn around and walk toward the gate.

— ID, please?

A security agent standing in front of the gate held out his hand.

Asher brought out his ID card and handed it over.

The agent scanned it.

A moment later, he returned the card and allowed Asher inside.

Asher quickly hurried ahead.

He reached the huge hallway and was immediately met with a bustling noise.

Hundreds of students moved from one area to another, some hurrying toward their classes while others walked in small groups.

The university was alive with activity.

Yet Asher’s attention wasn’t on any of that.

He took in a deep breath and began scanning their faces.

As expected...

They all had bags under their eyes.

Some more prominent than others.

Asher’s expression subtly darkened.

*Still the same.*

His gaze dropped toward the book in his hand.

He sifted through it until he found his timetable and checked where his class would be held.

After locating the room, he quickly continued on his way.

....

Knock—! Knock—!

The lecturer paused mid-sentence.

His attention shifted toward the entrance, where a boy stood with an awkward smile on his face.

The lecture hall was quite spacious, with hundreds of students seated inside and listening attentively.

Until the interruption.

The lecturer stared at Asher for a moment.

"Are you for this class?" he asked.

Asher’s gaze drifted toward the whiteboard behind the man.

The course code was written clearly across it.

He checked it against the information in his book.

Then he nodded.

"Yes, sir."

The lecturer rubbed his face before frowning.

"Why are you late?"

Asher stood upright and rubbed his face.

"I’m sorry. We had to drop my lil sis at her school. That was why I’m late."

The man looked him over from head to toe before his gaze settled on Asher’s eyes.

A faint frown creased his face.

"Come in. And look for somewhere to sit."

Asher walked in briskly before giving the man a curt bow.

"Thank you."

He hurriedly scanned the lecture hall while the lecturer continued watching his back.

’He’s new.’

Soon enough, Asher found an empty seat almost at the back of the hall.

He exhaled in relief.

Dropping his bag beside him, he settled down and opened his book in front of him.

— Now, open to page fifteen of your textbook. I want to speak on that.

Asher quickly opened his backpack and froze.

His eyes widened.

Then widened even further.

He frantically searched through the bag, moving things around as the realization slowly sank in.

He suddenly felt like facepalming himself.

"Fuck. How did I forget my textbook at home?" he mumbled under his breath angrily.

"Forgot it?"

A feminine voice suddenly spoke softly beside him.

Asher quickly lifted his head.

It was then that he finally acknowledged his sitting partner.

A beautiful girl with light brown hair sat beside him, a radiant smile resting on her face.

She shifted slightly toward the boy while making sure to push her textbook closer to the center so they could both get a good look.

Asher dropped his gaze toward the textbook.

That’s when he noticed the pair of black gloves covering her hands.

His gaze lingered on them for a moment before he lifted his head to look at her again.

He could see faint bags beneath her eyes.

It looked like she hadn’t had enough sleep either.

But compared to everyone else he had seen so far, she appeared to be in much better condition.

Asher nodded at her and shifted closer, allowing them both to share her textbook.

’Fuck. I’m breaking my code.’

His eyes remained on the textbook as the lecturer’s voice echoed throughout the hall.

’But I have to. In order to get the necessary answers I need, I need to make as many friends as possible—people who can trust me enough to divulge the secrets of this city to me.’

The lecturer continued speaking loudly, explaining the topic and giving pointers while the students quickly jotted down notes.

Occasionally, however, the girl beside him kept glancing at him.

Almost every few seconds.

"Nuel."

Asher raised his head with a confused look.

"Sorry?"

"Nuel. That’s my name."

"Oh. I’m Asher."

"Nice to meet you."

The girl stretched her hand toward him.

Asher smiled before accepting the handshake.

The moment their hands touched—

He froze.

A chill suddenly ran down his spine.

His smile faded slightly as he stared at the girl’s face.

She was still smiling.

A warm, radiant smile.

Yet something about it made him deeply uncomfortable.

Something was wrong.

He didn’t know what it was.

He couldn’t explain it.

But he could sense something.

Something crazy.

Something deeply off about her.

Asher’s instincts screamed at him that there was something he wasn’t seeing.

And he didn’t like it.

Due to the fact that they were almost at the back of the lecture hall, the lecturer couldn’t see them.

Nuel leaned in slightly, her warm smile never fading as she remained locked in the handshake with the boy.

"Hm. Looks like you are new."

Asher quickly snatched his hand backward.

Almost as if he had just touched fire.

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