CHAPTER 6, THE WARNING IN THE HALLWAY
Jay walked through the school hallway slowly, his bag hanging over one shoulder. The corridor was full of students moving between classes, talking, laughing, and complaining about homework. From the outside, everything looked completely normal.
But for Jay, nothing felt normal anymore.
He could feel it.
Every few steps, someone looked at him.
Some quickly turned away the moment their eyes met his. Others whispered to their friends while secretly glancing in his direction.
Jay pretended not to notice.
Still, the feeling of being watched stayed with him.
He turned the corner near the staircase and headed toward the courtyard. The next class would begin in a few minutes, but he didn't feel like sitting in the classroom yet.
The cool morning air outside felt better.
Jay stopped near the railing and leaned against it, staring down at the school field below. Students were gathered in small groups, some playing with a ball, others scrolling through their phones.
He tried to clear his mind.
But the same thoughts kept returning.
Red eyes.
A fight he couldn't remember.
And the strange shadow he had seen inside his mind.
Jay rubbed his temple slowly.
"Why can't I remember anything…?"
The dull pain in his head returned for a moment, then faded.
Just then, footsteps approached behind him.
Jay turned slightly.
The girl from his class stood a few steps away. She looked hesitant, as if she wasn't sure whether she should come closer or not.
When she realized he had noticed her, she gave a small, awkward nod.
"Um… hi."
Jay straightened slightly.
"Hi."
There was a brief silence between them.
The girl looked down at the floor for a moment before speaking again.
"I just… wanted to say thank you again."
Jay sighed quietly.
"You already said that."
"I know," she said quickly. "But… I didn't really get to say it properly."
Jay studied her face.
She seemed sincere.
"What's your name?" he asked.
The girl blinked, surprised by the question.
"You don't know?"
Jay shook his head slightly.
"I guess I never asked."
She hesitated before answering.
"Aisha."
Jay nodded slowly.
"Aisha."
She looked relieved for some reason.
"Your name is Jay, right?" she asked.
"Yes."
Another short silence followed.
Aisha seemed to be thinking about something.
Then she asked quietly, "Do you really not remember yesterday?"
Jay looked back toward the field.
"No."
"Nothing at all?"
"I remember going into the classroom," he said. "I remember seeing what they were doing to your desk."
Aisha's fingers tightened slightly around the strap of her bag.
"And after that?"
Jay shook his head.
"Everything goes dark."
Aisha looked confused.
"But… you stood up after they hit you."
Jay turned to face her again.
"That's what everyone keeps telling me."
Her voice became softer.
"You looked different."
"How?"
Aisha hesitated.
"It's hard to explain."
Jay waited patiently.
"Your eyes," she finally said. "They were red."
Jay felt that strange uneasiness again.
"And?"
"You weren't angry," she said slowly. "At least… not the way people usually are in fights."
"Then how was I?"
Aisha tried to find the right words.
"You were calm," she said.
Jay frowned slightly.
"Calm?"
She nodded.
"Too calm."
She looked up at him.
"It was scary."
Jay didn't respond.
The bell suddenly rang loudly across the school, echoing through the courtyard.
Students around them began rushing back toward the classrooms.
Aisha stepped back slightly.
"I should go," she said.
Jay nodded.
"Yeah."
She turned to leave but stopped after taking a few steps.
Then she looked back at him.
"Be careful," she said.
Jay blinked.
"Why?"
But Aisha didn't answer.
She simply gave him a worried look before disappearing into the crowd of students.
Jay remained standing near the railing for a moment longer.
Be careful?
What did she mean by that?
After a few seconds, he pushed himself away from the railing and headed back toward the classroom.
The next lesson passed slowly.
Jay tried to focus on the teacher's words, but his mind kept drifting.
Every time he relaxed his thoughts, the same image returned.
A dark empty space.
And a shadow standing inside it.
Watching.
Waiting.
When the final bell of the day rang, students quickly began packing their bags and leaving the classroom.
Jay waited until most of them were gone before standing up.
The three boys from earlier had already left.
The classroom slowly became quiet.
Jay slung his bag over his shoulder and stepped into the hallway.
The afternoon sun shone through the windows, casting long shadows across the floor.
He walked toward the exit of the school building.
But as he passed the staircase—
A voice called out.
"Jay."
Jay stopped.
He turned around slowly.
The three boys stood at the end of the hallway.
They weren't smiling this time.
Their expressions were serious.
The tallest one stepped forward.
"We need to talk."
Jay looked at them calmly.
"About what?"
The boy's eyes narrowed.
"You know what."
Jay sighed quietly.
"I told you earlier," he said. "I don't remember yesterday."
The boy studied his face carefully, as if trying to decide whether he was lying.
"You really don't remember breaking my friend's nose?" he asked.
Jay shook his head.
"No."
Another boy spoke up.
"You threw me across the room."
Jay looked at him.
"I did?"
"Yes!"
Jay frowned slightly.
"That doesn't sound like something I can do."
The boys exchanged glances.
That uncertainty appeared in their eyes again.
The tallest boy took another step closer.
"If you're pretending," he said quietly, "you should stop."
Jay's expression remained calm.
"I'm not pretending."
The hallway became silent.
Students nearby slowly moved away, sensing the tension.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Then the tallest boy finally said something unexpected.
"You should stay away from us."
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that what you want?"
The boy shook his head slightly.
"That's not what I mean."
His voice lowered.
"There was something wrong with you yesterday."
Jay didn't respond.
The boy continued.
"You weren't normal."
Jay held his gaze.
"I never said I was."
For a moment, the boy looked as if he wanted to say something else.
But instead, he turned away.
"Just stay out of our way," he muttered.
The three boys walked past Jay and headed down the hallway.
Jay watched them leave.
Something about that conversation felt strange.
They weren't threatening him anymore.
If anything…
They sounded cautious.
Jay turned back toward the exit and left the school building.
The sky outside was slowly turning orange as the sun began to set.
Students walked along the road in groups, talking about their day.
Jay walked alone.
Halfway home, he suddenly stopped.
A strange feeling passed through him.
For a brief moment—
His vision flickered.
The world around him faded slightly.
And for a split second—
He saw it again.
That endless dark space.
And the shadow standing inside it.
This time…
The shadow moved.
Very slowly.
Its head tilted slightly, as if observing him more closely.
Then—
A faint voice echoed in the darkness.
"Soon…"
Jay blinked.
The vision disappeared instantly.
He found himself standing on the same quiet street as before.
The evening breeze brushed past him.
Jay frowned slightly.
"What… was that?"
He shook his head and continued walking home.
But deep inside his mind—
The shadow remained.
Waiting patiently.
For the moment…
When Jay would finally remember everything.