Chapter Three: The Thing That Knew His Name
Sameer's breath came out ragged, his chest tight as the word echoed in his skull.
Candidate… Nineteen.
It knew him. It had spoken directly to him.
But how?
The figure remained still, its blank white eyes unblinking. The twisted grin didn't move, but its voice—distorted and layered—scraped across Sameer's ears again.
"…Return… to the core…"
Sameer's instincts screamed at him. He bolted for the door.
His shoes skidded across shards of glass as he ran, the lab door slamming behind him. The corridor stretched long and suffocating, the sound of his own footsteps bouncing off the walls.
For a moment, it seemed like he had escaped.
Then—tap… tap… tap…
The sound of footsteps followed him. Not running. Just walking. Slowly. Deliberately.
He turned his head. The figure was there—already halfway down the hall. Its body jerked unnaturally with each step, but somehow it kept pace without ever hurrying.
"Damn it!" Sameer hissed under his breath, sprinting toward the stairwell.
The doors at the far end loomed like salvation. He shoved them open, stumbling down the stairs two steps at a time. His hand gripped the railing so tightly his knuckles whitened.
The stairwell was empty. Silent.
He stopped halfway down, gasping for air, trying to steady his racing thoughts.
What the hell was that thing? How did it know my name? What does "Candidate" mean?
The silence pressed in on him, heavy and unnatural.
Sameer slowly peered up the stairwell.
Nothing.
"…Maybe… maybe it's gone." He forced a shaky laugh.
Then, from directly behind him, a whisper brushed against his ear.
"…Candidate Nineteen…"
Sameer whipped around.
The stairwell was empty.
But the voice lingered, echoing inside his head.
His legs nearly gave out as panic consumed him. He staggered down the last few steps and burst out into the courtyard. The sunlight hit him, harsh and blinding, but it brought no comfort.
The entire university stood silent, still, lifeless.
And yet, somewhere inside those walls… something knew him.
Something was waiting.