Chapter 13 — The Shadow Was Watching
Morning didn't feel different.
But something had changed.
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Dev sat on the edge of his bed.
Phone in his hand.
Not using it.
Just holding it.
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His eyes stayed still.
His mind didn't.
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Kai.
The graveyard.
The hoodie.
Arjun.
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He replayed everything.
Not from last night.
From before that.
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Kai had been off.
Not suddenly.
Gradually.
Small things.
Easy to ignore.
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Dev didn't ignore them.
He just didn't confirm them.
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"…So it wasn't random," he muttered.
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He stood up.
Walked toward the window.
Pulled the curtain slightly.
Outside—
people moved like nothing had changed.
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Dev watched.
Not them.
Just the movement.
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"Graveyard… at night," he said quietly.
"Kai doesn't do things without reason."
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He paused.
Then—
"Someone called him."
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The thought stayed.
Clear.
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"And someone was already there."
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Arjun.
Sky.
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Dev's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Not coincidence."
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Silence.
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He stepped back.
Sat again.
This time—
leaning forward.
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"If they knew each other…"
He stopped.
Adjusted the thought.
"No… they didn't act like strangers."
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The hoodie.
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Dev exhaled slowly.
"That was the trigger."
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He didn't rush the conclusion.
Didn't force it.
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Just one thing became clear.
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"This isn't over."
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The room stayed quiet.
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Elsewhere.
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A phone screen lit up.
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A message thread.
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Placed flowers. Nothing else.
What about the hoodie?
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No reply after that.
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The number was blocked.
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A faint pause.
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Then—
a new message was typed.
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You blocked too early.
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Sent.
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Another line appeared.
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You should've stayed a little longer.
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The screen went dark.
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Silence returned.
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Not empty.
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Watching.