Mark By The Hollow Star

Sophia stopped walking. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up. One moment she was moving, the next her feet were glued to the ground like something unseen had grabbed hold of her. Her chest tightened. It felt like something heavy had dropped inside her, sinking slowly, pressing against her lungs. Linda’s words were still ringing in her head, clear and confident. I’ll fight for love. Whatever it takes. Sophia swallowed. Why did it sound wrong now? She turned around slowly, scanning the playground. Students were everywhere—laughing, shouting, running, arguing, living. Some were seated on benches, others leaned against walls or stood in small groups gossiping. Everything looked normal. Too normal. Like nothing bad was about to happen. But Sophia knew something was off. Her hands were shaking. She hugged her books closer to her chest and took a step back toward the classroom. That was when the feeling hit her again. That cold, crawling feeling. Someone was watching her. Sophia spun around sharply. No one. Nothing. Just open space and noise. Yet the fear didn’t leave. It stayed, wrapping around her chest like a warning she didn’t understand. High above the school building, on the third-floor corridor, Aira froze. Her head snapped up suddenly, like her body had been yanked by invisible strings. Her breath caught in her throat. The name came again. Sophia. Not spoken. Not whispered. It echoed inside her skull like a warning bell that refused to stop ringing. Aira grabbed the railing hard. Her fingers dug into the cold metal as her camera slipped from her grip and hit the floor. Her vision shattered. Images crashed into her mind—fast, broken, violent. A girl screaming. School tiles stained red. Blood too bright to be real. A smile. Slow. Wide. A smile that didn’t belong to a human. Aira gasped and staggered back. “No,” she muttered. “Not here… not today.” Her heart hammered wildly as she pressed her palm against her chest, trying to breathe. Since when did her visions come without warning? Since when did they feel this close… this urgent? With trembling hands, she picked up her camera. “I need to record this,” she whispered. “I need proof.” She turned it on and faced the lens. “My name is Aira,” she said quietly, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I just transferred to Aderyn Heights College. I don’t talk much. I don’t like attention.” She paused, swallowing hard. “But strange things have been happening to me. And I think if I don’t document them, I might forget… or lose my mind.” She took a slow breath. “There are demons living among us. We sit with them. Laugh with them. Call them friends.” Her fingers tightened. “They can’t use their powers on humans. That’s the rule that binds them. That’s why we don’t know. That’s why we feel safe.” Her eyes flicked to the corridor behind her. “There are witches. There are jinns—beings that can possess people and push them to do things they never planned to do.” She hesitated. “There are time travelers. They can freeze time. Go back. Change things that already happened.” Her eyes darkened. “And there are seers.” She stared into the camera. “I’m one of them.” The bell rang loudly. Aira flinched. Students rushed past her, bumping into her shoulder, laughing and complaining as they hurried to class. Aira lowered the camera and exhaled slowly. As she walked toward her classroom, something made her stop. Ella. Ella sat alone by the music room, smiling at empty air. “So tell me,” Ella said softly, brushing her hair back, “how do I look?” Aira slowed her steps. Ella tilted her head slightly, like she was listening to someone speak. “Just good?” Ella pouted. “That’s all?” A soft laugh escaped her lips. “Well… I know I did this for you.” Students passing by shook their heads. “She’s talking to herself again,” someone whispered. Aira’s heart skipped. She saw it. Not with her eyes. With her gift. A boy stood beside Ella. His uniform looked old, like it belonged to another time. His eyes were full of love. Dead eyes. Aira sucked in a sharp breath. She sees ghosts. Ella’s smile faded. “I miss you,” she whispered. “It’s been hell without you.” Aira stepped back slowly. This school wasn’t normal. And Ella wasn’t pretending. A sharp voice cut through the moment. “What is this?” Irene, the school head girl, stood at the gate, arms crossed. Her eyes burned with judgment as she stared at Anna, who stood shaking in front of her. “Why are you dressed like this?” Irene asked coldly. “I—I’m sorry, ma,” Anna stammered. “Are you sure you want to join this school?” Irene sneered. “Or are you here to join a circus?” Students laughed. “Learn class, dumbass,” Irene added, flipping her hair as she walked away. Aira clenched her fists. Power. Cruelty. Control. She felt it mixing together like poison. In physics class, noise filled the room until Mr. Nelson walked in. “Good morning, sir,” the students chorused. “Sit,” he said, pointing at Sophia. “Explain capacitance.” Sophia stood up. “Capaci… capa…” Her voice failed her. Laughter exploded. Her face burned with shame. She grabbed her bag and rushed out, tears blurring her vision. Outside, she collapsed onto a bench, breathing hard like she had been running. Linda found her minutes later. “Hey,” Linda said gently. “You okay?” Sophia looked up, eyes red. “What if you love someone who doesn’t love you back?” she asked. “Someone who makes you feel small?” Linda smiled. “I’d fight for love.” Sophia’s stomach twisted. “Whatever it takes?” Linda nodded. “Whatever it takes.” As Sophia walked away, fear wrapped around her chest. Upstairs, Aira dropped her camera again. The vision hit her—clearer. Sophia. A choice. A sacrifice. Something ancient waking up. Her hands trembled. Sophia was in danger. Not later. Now. Sophia’s phone vibrated in her bag. Unknown number: You deserve to be loved back. Her heart skipped. Sophia: Who is this? Someone who sees you. Someone who knows how much you hurt. Her breathing grew shallow. Meet me after school. Behind the old lab. Sophia stared at the screen. Then typed one word. Sophia: How? The reply came instantly. There’s always a price. But love is worth it. Sophia felt cold all over. Ella stood suddenly. “No,” she said. “I don’t like this.” Johnson finally spoke. “It’s an old thing.” “You said they were gone,” Ella snapped. “I thought they were.” Ella grabbed her bag. “Then they’re back.” Aira ran. She didn’t wait for the bell. She didn’t look back. Because she finally understood. This wasn’t about demons breaking rules. This was about humans inviting them in. And Sophia… Sophia was already listening. Behind the old lab, as the sun began to set, Sophia stepped forward. A voice greeted her from the shadows. “Welcome,” it said softly. “I’ve been waiting.” Something stronger was nearby. Something that even the dead were afraid of. Aira couldn’t focus in class anymore. Numbers on the board made no sense. Words refused to stay still. Her gift was screaming. She closed her eyes for just a second. That was a mistake. The vision crashed into her fully this time. Sophia standing alone. A mirror cracking. A voice whispering promises. Blood dripping, not forced—offered. Aira gasped loudly and knocked her chair back. Students turned. “Aira?” the teacher frowned. “Are you okay?” Aira nodded quickly. “Yes, sir.” But she was lying. This wasn’t just a vision. It was a summoning. Sophia’s phone buzzed again. Unknown: Meet me after school. Behind the old lab. Sophia’s fingers hovered over the screen. Sophia: Why should I? This time, the reply took longer. Too long. Then— Unknown: Because I can make him see you. Sophia’s chest tightened painfully. Her eyes filled with tears she didn’t let fall. She typed one word. Sophia: How? The response came with no hesitation. Unknown: There’s always a price. But love is worth it. You said so yourself. Sophia’s blood ran cold. She hadn’t said that out loud. Ella suddenly stood up from the piano. “No,” she said firmly. “I don’t like this.” Johnson finally spoke, his voice low and tense. “It’s an old thing,” he said. “Older than this school.” Ella turned to him sharply. “You said they were gone.” “I thought they were,” he replied. Ella grabbed her bag. “Then they’re back,” she said. “And someone is about to make a very bad deal.” Aira packed her bag faster than anyone else. She didn’t wait for the final bell. She didn’t care if anyone noticed. She only had one thought in her head. I have to stop her. Because Aira finally understood the core of her vision. This wasn’t about demons breaking rules. This was about humans inviting them in. And Sophia… Sophia was already listening. Aira whispered the question she was afraid to answer. “Was love really worth whatever it takes…” Or had something already chosen Sophia as its next victim?