Shadow of Death (SOD)

Chapter 21

"Asher..."

A sinister, hauntingly familiar voice could be heard calling the boy.

It sounded like he had been thrown into a horror novel and a ghost was calling out to him.

His skin crawled instantly.

Cold sweat trickled down his temples.

"Asher..."

The piercing sound came again. This time, it was louder than before, almost haunting the boy.

"Asher..."

Almost immediately, a loud gasp could be heard as Asher sat upright, as straight as bamboo.

His body was drenched in sweat.

He could be seen and heard panting loudly while staring ahead with a blank expression on his face.

His heart thudded with every pant and breath he took.

His mind reeled.

Then it hit him... hard.

"Ow..."

His hand shot towards his head, which was beginning to pound like one who had a hangover.

It seemed like his brain and heart were in sync with how much they were pounding every second.

Gripping his head tightly as if it was going to soothe him, Asher closed his eyes, trying as much as possible to soothe the pain.

It took a few minutes for the pain to settle back down as he finally calmed his loud breathing.

Then,

"Asher!"

His name was called out once more, and his head snapped upward.

The voice... it was familiar.

It took a second for it to click in his mind.

That was his dad’s voice.

’Huh? Dad? Wasn’t I...?’

Slowly, he began taking in the sight of where he was.

He was back in his room.

Quickly glancing down at his body, he was under his blanket, still in his uniform pants.

"Huh?"

Then,

"Ba... thump."

His head thudded once as memories flooded his mind.

Memories of the previous night.

How he was attacked by a fellow student. The struggle that followed, his attempt to escape, and his eventual rescue by an unknown female and her non-human companion.

"Wha...?"

Touching his body all around, he could feel his neck was healed as if he hadn’t been injured there.

Squeezing his hands in and out, he realised that his fingers were back to normal.

And even his back didn’t hurt as much as it did earlier.

"I’m healed? But how?"

The memories of the woman feeding him a strange liquid resurfaced.

"Who was that? And how did she know things about me?"

Then he blinked once as he looked around.

"Wait. How am I back in my room?"

Before he could think up an answer, he could hear footsteps hurrying to the front of his door.

Bam! Bam!

Jack could be heard hitting the door with irritation.

"Asher! Aren’t you going to school today?"

’Wait. If that woman brought me here, why isn’t da—’

"Asher!"

"Uh... Ye-Yes, I’m coming." He replied and then quickly got out of bed.

Rushing to the door, he unlocked it and then pulled it open to reveal his father was fully dressed for work.

Jack scanned the boy from head to bottom with a raised brow.

"You aren’t ready?"

Asher thought for a few seconds and then shook his head, which he was grabbing with his hand.

"I-I don’t think I will be able to go to school today."

Jack raised a brow.

"Why?"

Asher decided to put on his most convincing act yet.

"I-I have a pounding headache, and my eyes keep watering for whatever reasons."

Jack’s face softened in worry as he stepped closer and placed the back of his hand on the boy’s neck.

"You aren’t running a fever."

He thought for a few seconds before stepping back.

"It seems your overnight reading has affected you. Tch. Get some rest. Tomorrow, you can resume if you feel much better."

Asher nodded with a warm smile.

"Well, I’m off." Jack waved while turning around.

A thought immediately appeared in the boy’s mind.

"Uh... Dad?!"

Jack stopped and then slowly turned around.

"Yes?"

"Uh... how did I get home?" Asher asked while still massaging his temples with his fingers.

Jack raised a brow in confusion before looking the boy up and down.

"Are you sure that you are alright?"

Asher nodded weakly.

"It’s just that the headache and dream I had are making it hard for me to think clearly, so my brain is in a bit of a mess. I don’t want to stress it too much, hence I asked."

Jack thought for a few seconds, then shrugged.

"You walked in by yourself. Your mother and I had been waiting for you in the living room when you walked in by yourself a few minutes to eight. You looked drained, tired, and zombie-like."

Jack paused for a few seconds, then added,

"...Clara asked you to come take your dinner, but you said you weren’t hungry but exhausted, so you were allowed to head back to your room to rest."

’Huh? I walked in by myself? But how? I was already unconscious when that woman took me from the scene.

Wait. They didn’t see my torn uniform from the clash with Nuel?’

"Is that all? Hope you are fine?" Jack asked worriedly.

Asher gave a reassuring smile.

"Yes. Thank you. I just need rest and I will be fine soon."

Jack waited, looking at him for a second or two.

Then left.

The moment Asher saw his father’s back retreating, the boy closed the door shut and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I’m sorry, Dad. I lied. I just need time to figure things out." He muttered under his breath.

Then he began dragging his feet towards the reading table.

Before he could sit, his leg hit the chair, and he felt something prick him in his pocket.

His gaze sharpened as he rushed to search for whatever was in his pocket.

But the moment his hand reached his pocket, he yelped as something cut his finger.

Quickly bringing it back out, he sucked on the finger for a bit with a frown on his face.

’Isn’t that the pocket I kept my phone?’

"Ba... thump."

He quickly but cautiously slid his hand into his pocket to pull out the cause of his cut.

The moment he did, dread and pain filled his eyes and heart.

It was indeed his phone.

But it was smashed beyond repair.

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