Echo Hall

NOTIFICATIONS

The corridors of Echo Hall were unusually quiet after launch- too quiet. Aria stepped out of the library, her fingers still faintly ink - stained from signing the school's welcome register, a formality they insisted on. The scent of old paper and lemon polish still clung to her clothes.

Her phone buzzed again.

Notification: "One hour until she disappears." Sender: Unknown.

She froze that was the third message since morning. The same format, the same vague threat.

Aria glanced around. A few students were lounging by the wide stained - glass windows. A group of boys from Upper Six were gathered near the bulletin board laughing at something on someone's phone. No one else had received it?

She pocketed her phone and made her way toward the South Wing - this part of the school wasn't mentioned in campus map. Earlier, a talk girl with scarlet braids had said in passing, " If you're brave peek around the South Wing after three that's where the app gets hungry."

What app?

As she neared the South Wing she had footsteps approach. A girl, lean with sharp cheekbones and clear glasses, stood in her path.

" Aria right?" She asked arms crossed. "I'm Lina. You were in Dr. Cardwell ethics class earlier?" Aria nodded, a bit startled.

"Yeah. I didn't catch your name then."

"No one does. I sit at the back." Lina smirked.

"Look up you're new. You should know some students are..... disappearing, but no one talks about it."

"I saw those notices." Aria said slowly.

"Missing students. But they treat it like it's normal."

"Exactly. Everytime someone vanishes, their name disappears from the attendance record, and their room is reassigned. It's like they were never here." Lina responded with a hint of fear in her voice.

Buzz. Notification. "47 minutes."

Lina leaned closer. " You've been them haven't you?"

Aria's breath caught in her throat, "The messages?"

Lina nodded grimly. " Everyone who gets it is a potential witness. Or target."

They stared at each other for a moment a mutual understanding settling like a fog.

Then a voice from behind made them jump.

"Talking about the app again, Lina?"

It was professor Marlin, the school's digital systems teacher. She smiled politely but something in her eyes was cold, calculating.

"Let's not spread rumors. This school prides itself in structure and calm."

Aria forced a polite smile. Lina said nothing.

As the teacher walked off, Aria turned to Lina again. " Do you think she's involved?"

Lina didn't answer. Instead, she slipped a folded note into Aria's hand. "Meet me after lights - out, in the observatory. There's something you need to see."