After a while, the bell rang, snapping Sarah and the class president out of their daze. Both remembered they needed to get back to their classroom immediately. Only Kelly remained standing, still shocked by the realization that the bronze boy might not be a ghost after all. She stood there, lost in thought.
"Hey, Kelly, we need to go! Our teacher will be here soon," Sarah urged, grabbing Kelly's arm and pulling her along as they hurried with the class president back to their room.
"Ah! Wait, slow down!" Kelly protested, stumbling a bit. But Sarah didn't relent, her fear of being late pushing her forward. Kelly eventually gave in, allowing herself to be pulled along.
Once they reached their classroom, they were relieved to see that Ms. Clarkson, their strict and intimidating teacher, hadn't arrived yet. Sarah sighed in relief, her face flushed from running. "Thank goodness," she whispered. "Ms. Clarkson would have been terrifying if we were late."
"Yeah, you're right," the class president agreed. "Let's sit down before she comes." Kelly and Sarah took their seats. Kelly, however, remained preoccupied, her mind still racing with questions about the bronze boy.
Noticing Kelly's distracted expression, Sarah leaned over and nudged her. "You're still thinking about that boy, aren't you? You know, you never told me you had a friend like him. Traitor!" she teased, giving Kelly a playful grin. "What's his name anyway? What grade is he in? Is he part of any club?" Sarah's curiosity was evident as she fired off questions.
Kelly turned to look at her friend, her mind still foggy. *Name? Right, I never even asked for his name. How could he even know who he is when he doesn't remember what kind of being he is?* Kelly mused. All she could recall was their shared dream about the clock.
"Hello? Are you even listening to me?" Sarah waved a hand in front of Kelly's face, trying to snap her out of it. At that moment, Ms. Clarkson walked into the room, her strict demeanor instantly commanding the students' attention. The class stood up and greeted her in unison.
"Good morning, Ms. Clarkson," they chorused.
"All right, sit down," she replied curtly, moving to the front of the room. "We will continue from where we left off."
The students settled back into their seats. Sarah leaned over and whispered, "You know, she's already fifty and still single, with no kids. Imagine how lonely that must be. I'd hate to end up like her."
Kelly stared at Ms. Clarkson, her mind drifting. *Yeah, that must be lonely,* she thought, her focus shifting once more to the strange beings she had encountered: the bronze boy and Lucid. *What are they, really?* Kelly wondered. *Lucid's appearance is demonic, but why do I feel safe around him?*
Kelly's mind replayed Lucid's words from earlier that morning: *"Your name is Amara, the real you."* She couldn't make sense of it. *What did he mean? Why would he know me when I don't even know myself? How old was I when I met him?* She pondered, conflicted about whether to ask her grandmother, the only person who might have answers. Yet she knew she couldn't trust her entirely. *Maybe the bronze boy knows something, but he barely remembers his own identity. Perhaps Lucid could help me recover his memories.*
Ms. Clarkson's voice cut through her thoughts. Kelly tried to appear as though she were paying attention, but her mind was elsewhere.
Suddenly, something caught her eye near the window. An old man stood there, facing her. No, not just any old man—a horrifying apparition. His pallid skin was corpse-like, and his bony torso was exposed. His eyes were nothing but black voids, and he had no ears or nose. Only a gaping, toothless grin stretched across his face.
Kelly's breath hitched. The room felt colder, her body frozen in fear. The ghostly figure leaned closer, his wide smile growing even more grotesque. "Ahh," he rasped, his voice crackling like dry leaves. "You... you can see me?" he asked, his mouth stretching disturbingly as blood trickled from his cracked lips.
Kelly trembled uncontrollably, her mind blank. Her classmates remained oblivious, laughing and paying attention to Ms. Clarkson's lesson. The apparition moved even closer, his empty eye sockets locked onto hers.
Just when Kelly thought she might scream, Ms. Clarkson appeared behind the apparition, her face twisted with fury. "Oi! You stinking corpse, get out of my classroom, or you'll regret it!" she barked.
Kelly's eyes widened in shock as the ghostly figure vanished into thin air. Her teacher, strict and composed moments ago, had banished a ghost. Ms. Clarkson then turned her attention to Kelly. "You there! Answer question number seven. I've noticed you staring at the board but clearly not paying attention," she demanded.
Kelly jolted upright, still shaking. "Ah... um... Kelly," she stammered.
"Kelly, answer the question," Ms. Clarkson said, her voice steely.
"S-sorry, ma'am," Kelly managed.
Ms. Clarkson's face tightened with irritation. "Tsk, students these days have no respect for education. If I catch you daydreaming again, there will be consequences. Understood?"
"Y-yes, ma'am," Kelly replied weakly.
At that moment, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Ms. Clarkson left the room in a huff. Kelly slumped in her seat, her heart still racing. *Who... who is she?* she thought, her mind spinning. *And what was that old man? This isn't even the first time something like this has happened...*
Kelly sighed, feeling the weight of the mysteries pressing down on her. *My life is just getting weirder and more terrifying by the day.