"I want out."
The words still echoed in my head.
Even as we kept walking.
Even as everything around us returned to normal.
Students laughing.
Teachers shouting.
Life… continuing.
Like nothing had changed.
But for me—
Everything had.
"There is no 'out,' right?" I said quietly.
Neither of them answered.
That was answer enough.
"…Yeah," I exhaled. "Thought so."
Kiara glanced at me.
"You'll get used to it."
"I don't want to get used to it."
"Not your choice."
I gave a dry laugh.
"That's becoming a pattern."
Luna slowed down slightly.
"We need to test something."
I stopped.
"Test what?"
She turned toward me.
"That mark."
"No."
"No?"
"No," I repeated. "Absolutely not."
Kiara smirked.
"Relax, we're not cutting you open or anything."
"That doesn't make it better!"
"It should."
"It doesn't!"
Luna stepped closer.
Her expression serious.
"This is important."
"Everything is 'important' with you."
"And this is more important than the rest."
That… didn't sound good.
At all.
"What kind of test?" I asked cautiously.
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"We need to see if it responds."
"…Responds how?"
Before she could answer—
Something happened.
Again.
That same feeling.
Cold.
Heavy.
Watching.
My body tensed instantly.
"…No," I whispered. "Not again."
Kiara's expression changed.
"You feel it too?"
"Yeah."
Luna looked around sharply.
"It's not the same one."
"Wow, that's supposed to make me feel better?"
"No," she said.
Great.
Just great.
The air felt different again.
But this time—
Subtler.
Like something was hiding.
Not showing itself completely.
"What do we do?" I asked.
"Nothing," Luna said.
"What do you mean 'nothing'?!" I snapped.
"Stay still."
"Why?!"
"Because it hasn't fully locked onto you yet."
That didn't help.
At all.
My heartbeat started rising again.
That heavy pounding returned.
But this time—
Something else came with it.
A strange pull.
From my chest.
From the mark.
Like it was—
Calling something.
Or responding to something.
"…Do you feel that?" I asked.
Luna's eyes widened slightly.
"Yeah," Kiara muttered. "That's not good."
"What is happening to me?!"
"The mark," Luna said quickly. "It's reacting."
"To what?!"
Before she could answer—
My body moved.
On its own.
A step forward.
I froze.
"…I didn't do that."
"I know," Kiara said.
"Then who did?!"
Another step.
My breath hitched.
"Stop it!"
But my body didn't listen.
It moved again.
Slowly.
Like something was pulling me.
"Ayaan, fight it," Luna said.
"I'm trying!"
But it was useless.
That pull—
It was getting stronger.
Not physical.
Something deeper.
Like a command.
Like a connection.
"Where is it taking me?" I whispered.
Luna looked ahead.
Her expression darkened.
"…There."
I followed her gaze.
At the end of the corridor—
Near the staircase—
Someone was standing.
Again.
Still.
Watching.
But this one—
Was different.
It looked normal.
Too normal.
A student.
Just… a student.
But something felt off.
Very off.
"…That's it?" I said.
"No," Luna replied. "That's not a student."
"Then what is it?"
Kiara stepped slightly forward.
"Tch… they're getting smarter."
"They?" I repeated.
No answer.
Of course.
My body took another step.
Closer.
Closer to it.
"Stop me!" I said.
Kiara grabbed my arm.
But—
It didn't work.
"What the—?"
"It's stronger than before," she said.
"No kidding!"
Luna moved in front of me.
Blocking my path.
"Look at me," she said firmly.
"I can't—"
"LOOK. AT. ME."
Something in her voice—
Snapped through the pull.
For a second—
My body stopped.
My eyes met hers.
"Good," she said softly. "Stay with me."
The pull weakened.
Just a little.
But not gone.
Not even close.
"It's trying to sync with you," she said.
"Sync?!" I breathed. "What does that even mean?!"
"It means," Kiara added, "your mark is resonating with it."
"Resonating with WHAT?!"
"That thing," Luna said.
I looked past her.
The "student"—
Was still there.
But now—
It was smiling.
A normal smile.
Too normal.
Fake.
And then—
It raised its hand.
And waved.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Like it knew me.
Like it was greeting me.
My chest burned again.
Stronger.
Brighter.
"Ayaan, don't respond," Luna warned.
"I'm not trying to!"
But my hand—
Twitch.
It moved slightly.
Like it wanted to wave back.
"No. No no no—"
Kiara tightened her grip.
"Fight it!"
"I AM!"
The pull intensified.
My vision blurred for a second.
And then—
A voice.
Not outside.
Inside.
Clear.
Smooth.
"You are connected now…"
My breath stopped.
"Come…"
"No," I whispered.
"Come closer…"
"No!"
My body jerked forward.
Luna grabbed me instantly.
Both of them now holding me back.
"Snap out of it!" Kiara shouted.
"I CAN'T—!"
The "student" took a step forward.
Still smiling.
Still watching.
"Just one step more…"
That voice again.
Calm.
Inviting.
Deadly.
Something inside me—
Cracked.
Not physically.
Something else.
And suddenly—
I felt it.
That same energy Kiara released earlier.
But this time—
It came from me.
Uncontrolled.
Wild.
A sharp pulse exploded from my chest.
The air shook.
Literally shook.
Kiara and Luna both stepped back.
Surprised.
"What the—?!" Kiara said.
The pull—
Broke.
Instantly.
I stumbled back.
Breathing heavily.
The "student" froze.
Its smile—
Faded.
For the first time—
It reacted.
Its body flickered.
Just like the other one.
"…Interesting," Kiara whispered.
The thing tilted its head.
Studying me.
Not pulling anymore.
Just—
Watching.
Again.
Then—
It stepped back.
Slowly.
And disappeared into the crowd.
Gone.
Like nothing happened.
Silence.
I dropped to my knees.
"What… was that?" I panted.
Kiara looked at me.
A small smile forming.
But this time—
Not playful.
Excited.
"…That," she said,
"was you."
My head snapped up.
"…What?"
Luna stared at me.
More serious than ever.
"You just pushed it back."
"I—I didn't mean to—"
"That doesn't matter," she said.
"What matters is…"
A pause.
A heavy one.
"You can respond to them."
My chest tightened again.
"But that also means…" Kiara added,
"They can respond to you."
Not comforting.
At all.