Chapter 2: The Hidden Note
The next day dawned bright and clear. Students of Brightwood High School were buzzing with excitement—or at least as much excitement as a school trip could muster. Orin, however, was practically vibrating with anticipation. Today, he would finally see the images and artifacts linked to Luminara, the mythical song that had birthed the universe.
The school bus had already filled with chattering students by the time Orin reached it. Liriya was already seated, her arms crossed, scanning the crowd with her usual mix of curiosity and skepticism. Orin sprinted across the school yard, catching his breath as he leapt onto the bus.
"Hey, Liriya! How are you?" he asked, sliding into the seat beside her.
"You're late today," she teased lightly, "but judging by that grin, you must be thrilled."
"Thrilled? Of course I am!" Orin replied, his eyes shining. "I might finally get to see the Luminara images. Today is going to be great."
As the bus rumbled to life, the teacher settled in at the front, keeping a watchful eye on the students. But after a while, she noticed something strange—the bus seemed to be heading in the wrong direction.
"Excuse me," she called out to the driver, "where exactly are we going?"
"Don't worry, ma'am," the driver said casually. "We're going to the museum. This is just a shortcut."
The teacher's eyes narrowed, suspicion lingering, but she said nothing and stayed alert.
Soon, the museum came into view, its grand entrance gleaming in the afternoon sun. Relief washed over the teacher—yes, this was the right place. The students spilled out of the bus, chattering excitedly as they entered the building.
"Wow," Orin breathed, looking around in awe. "I should have come here sooner… though I doubt my mom would've given me money for the trip back then. Today feels like a lucky day."
Liriya raised an eyebrow. "You think it's lucky? We took a completely unfamiliar route to get here. Everything seemed so… normal."
"Relax," Orin said, chuckling. "The driver just picked a shortcut to get us here faster."
Inside, the museum was a blend of ancient relics and educational placards. The teacher guided the students through the displays, narrating the history behind each artifact. But Orin's mind wandered. There was a different part of the museum he wanted to explore—the upper floor. And, of course, he wasn't going alone; Liriya followed, curiosity getting the better of her.
At the top of the stairs, they stumbled upon a strange, locked room. A faint, almost negative energy seemed to emanate from it, making Liriya uneasy.
"Orin… we should leave," she whispered, her voice tense. "This place… it doesn't feel right."
"That's exactly why we have to explore it," Orin replied, his heart racing with excitement.
As they examined the door, a tiny hole caught Orin's eye. A golden, shimmering wave shot out at blinding speed. Orin ducked instinctively, but the wave surged straight into Liriya.
"What… what's happening?!" she gasped, panic rising in her voice. "Something… something's inside me!"
Orin froze, sweat forming on his brow. Shadows began emerging from Liriya's body, dark, twisted figures that resembled burned, ghostly forms. One of them lunged and grabbed Orin by the throat.
But strangely, Liriya saw nothing. She could only feel the air around her shift as Orin struggled in midair, his panic growing with every passing second. She tried to reach out, but her hands passed through the ghostly figures, unable to touch them.
In desperation, Orin kicked, sending the shadows scattering, and together they bolted down the stairs. When they finally reached the ground floor, the sun had begun its descent, painting the museum in long, golden shadows. Other students were packing up to leave, oblivious to what had just transpired.
Still catching his breath, Orin recounted the event to the teacher, expecting shock or concern. But to his disbelief, she calmly said,
"There's no second floor in this museum… only the ground floor exists."
Both Orin and Liriya were frozen in disbelief. Their minds struggled to process what had just happened. Later, as they sat in Liriya's home, the air thick with lingering unease, Orin whispered,
"That golden wave… it's still inside you."
"I don't understand what happened," Liriya admitted, her voice trembling. "But I was terrified watching you… hanging in the air, struggling like that."
Orin forced a shaky laugh. "See? I told you… you can't dismiss magical myths so easily."
Liriya rolled her eyes, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Stop trying to act funny. You're the one who's scared right now."
"Yes," Orin admitted quietly, his eyes still wide from the memory. "Seeing that burned, ghostly figure grab me… I panicked. Completely."
"You kicked a ghost, though," Liriya teased softly. "Not everyone could do that."
Orin forced a smile, trying to mask the lingering fear. "Don't worry. I'll protect you. No harm will come to you."
Liriya's expression softened, though a hint of tension remained. Together, they sat in silence for a moment, minds racing with questions, before heading home—both aware that this was only the beginning of something far greater than they could imagine.