Chapter 6: RUN!
1051 Words
Maeve's Pov
It was morning again.
I didn't sleep.
Or maybe I did.
I couldn't remember.
I held my head in pain as memories of last night flooded back in.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it again.
RUN IT BACK.
RUN IT BACK.
RUN IT BACK.
Like a voice stuck on repeat inside my head.
At some point during the night, I stood up and scanned the doors and windows like something was sitting there in the darkness watching me breathe.
Nothing was there.
But my body didn't believe the same thing my mind did.
I checked the laptop once.
It was dead.
But I still didn't trust it.
Because nothing made sense anymore.
By dawn, my eyes felt heavy and swollen.
Still, I had to get up.
School didn't pause for nightmares.
Dragging my tired body to the bathroom, I caught my reflection in the mirror.
Wavy hair.
Pale skin.
Freckles.
Dark, ugly circles under my eyes.
"Uurrrghhhhh"
I groaned and washed up.
Packed my things.
Then stepped out of the apartment.
"Today... please be better."
I tried to comfort myself.
The sky outside looked too normal.
Too bright.
People moved through the streets.
Cars passed.
Morning chatter filled the air.
Everything looked calm, like it had always been.
At least for everyone else.
But for me....
Everything had changed two days ago.
The school grounds were filled with laughter.
Students talked about normal things.
Exams.
Assignments.
Teachers.
Once upon a time, the world felt like this to me.
Simple.
Peaceful.
Unbothered.
But now...
"Boo!"
I jumped so hard my heart nearly stopped.
Spinning around, I found Ariel laughing.
"Oh dear Arielll, what was that? You scared me!"
I pressed a hand against my chest.
"Ooh, my bad," she said dramatically.
"I didn't know someone was a scaredy cat."
Before I could react, she started tickling me.
"Haha... s-stop... p-please stop!"
I struggled through my laughter.
She knew every one of my weak spots.
"Alright, alright."
She finally backed away.
"I was just trying to cheer you up a little. You've been acting weird these past few days."
Concern filled her eyes.
I sighed.
I didn't want to talk about it.
I never did.
"Ariel, I'm fine."
I avoided her gaze.
But I wasn't.
Every part of me wanted to scream.
How was I supposed to explain any of this?
Hey, I watched a man get murdered.
And if not for a psychopath's decision, I would've probably died too.
"Are you sure?"
"I said I'm fine."
The words came out louder than I intended.
Instantly, regret hit me.
She was only worried about me.
She looked hurt.
Maybe even shocked.
"A... Ariel..."
I reached for her hand.
She pulled away.
Then turned and walked off.
The look in her eyes made my stomach twist.
I didn't chase after her.
What was I supposed to say?
I remained rooted where I stood.
Little did I know...
The day was only getting worse.
I don't know how I got to class.
But somehow I did.
Same seat.
Same desk.
Same classroom.
I looked up just in time to see Ariel enter.
Her eyes briefly landed on me.
Then she looked away and sat somewhere else.
I didn't blame her.
I had pushed away my best friend and couldn't even explain why.
Guilt settled heavily in my chest.
I stared at my notebook for a long time.
I tried reading.
Tried taking notes.
Nothing stayed in my head.
The announcements started mid-morning.
At first, I ignored them.
Until I heard the tone change.
That subtle shift teachers use when something important is coming.
My fingers slowed.
Something tightened inside my chest.
The principal's voice echoed through the speakers.
"Good morning, students."
A pause.
"We are introducing a new development program for final-year students."
Whispers spread through the hall.
Everyone seemed surprised.
"But before that, we would like to welcome a guest instructor joining the institution under the Elite Academic Partnership Board."
My pen moved across the page.
Slowly.
Meaningless words.
Meaningless lines.
I was writing.
But I wasn't.
My mind wasn't there.
I still didn't look up.
But something felt wrong.
And I didn't know why.
"Mr. Lucian will be overseeing selected students' placement and field mentorship assignments."
The name struck something inside me.
Like I had heard it before.
But where?
My fingers suddenly went cold.
My brain started spinning.
Wrong.
"No..no...T...h..is is w..ro..ng..."
I muttered under my breath.
Why did I react like that?
Around me, students reacted normally.
"Is he new?"
"Ouuuuuu .....Sounds rich." Another said giggling
"Probably some corporate guy."
But I barely paid attention to them.
My ears had stopped translating them
Only one word stayed inside me.
Lucian.
Lucian.
Lucian.
I finally looked toward the front.
The projector screen was still blank.
Yet I couldn't stop staring.
Like it would suddenly reveal the answer.
My throat tightened.
I swallowed.
Once.
Twice.
Nothing changed.
And then I realized something.
I wasn't imagining it.
A teacher walked onto the stage.
"Please welcome—"
He paused.
Then—
The side doors of the hall opened slowly.
Footsteps.
Unhurried.
Calm.
Precise.
Measured.
My fingers curled beneath the desk.
My stomach twisted.
At first, I only saw the outline.
A dark suit.
Controlled posture.
The same suffocating calm from the video.
Then—
I saw him.
Lucian.
The same dangerous eyes.
The dragon tattoo creeping up his neck.
Gasps echoed around me.
But they faded into the background.
I couldn't hear anything anymore.
My brain refused to process what I was seeing.
His eyes moved.
Slowly.
Casually.
Scanning the hall.
One student.
Then another.
Across the noise.
Across the crowd.
Until—
They stopped.
Not on the teachers.
Not on the students around me.
On me.
Directly on me.
He held my gaze
Immediately my entire body went still.
And for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
Then I saw it.
The slightest curve at the corner of his lips.
Barely noticeable but enough.
And in that instant
I understood.
the words from that night echoed inside my head.
Run!
RUN LITTLE MOUSE.
DON'T LET ME CATCH YOU.
Back then it sounded like a warning.
Now–....
And judging by the slight curve at the corner of his lips...
My eyes widened in horror
"No..”
- Writer
