Boarding life was… a cycle.
Wake up, clean up, go to school, come back, enjoy siesta, supper, prep, sleep — then repeat.
For some, it was a maddening monotony. For others, it was the structure they needed to keep their lives together.
Kelvin had been transferred in the middle of the school year, and he had trouble making friends. After what he'd witnessed in his vision, terror shadowed his every move.
As he adjusted his shirt on his bunk bed, Victor entered the room fully dressed and struck up a conversation.
"Here," Victor said, tossing a small bottle to Kelvin. "Use this for your face. It'll clear up the pimples and… whatever else is going on there."
Kelvin caught it, narrowing his eyes. "…Okay. Thanks?"
"My mom's a beauty therapist," Victor said smugly. "She always says beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but let's be honest — some things no beholder could ever call beautiful."
Kelvin smirked, the conversation pulling him in despite himself. "Beauty's subjective. What's normal to you isn't normal to someone else. We call things 'normal' because we're used to them. But someone else's normal could be you're abnormal."
Victor raised an eyebrow. "Well, damn. Didn't know you were philosophical."
"And I didn't know your mom was a beauty therapist. Guess we're both learning. Isn't that what life's about?"
"Fair point. You done yet?"
Before Kelvin could answer, a voice bellowed from the doorway.
"One… two… THREE!"
Kelvin's heart sank. The dreaded morning countdown had begun. At precisely 6:45 a.m., the house captain locked the dormitories. If you were still inside, the consequences were brutal.
Kelvin scrambled, shoving his belongings into his trunk. With one hand holding his shirt and sandals, the other gripping his trousers and belt, he bolted for the door — then froze. His bag. He'd left it behind.
The door slammed shut behind him, trapping others inside. No one dared plead with the house captain; those caught would face punishment in dreadful silence.
Kelvin glanced around and realized Victor wasn't with him. He peered through the window and saw him inside.
"Damn it, Victor! You were already dressed — how did you get stuck inside?" Kelvin shouted. "Can you grab my bag when they open the door?"
Victor smirked lazily. "Sure."
Kelvin groaned, got dressed, and made his way to class. He sat down just as chatter filled the room. Suddenly, Cynthia appeared beside him.
"Jesus Christ!" Kelvin yelped, clutching his chest.
"How did it go? Did you see anything?" she asked.
Kelvin's face paled as the memory of the previous night surged back. "No, we didn't see anything," he stammered, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
"How did you…" Kelvin froze mid-sentence.
"Oh, come on," Cynthia teased. "You were curious. I'm sure you went out."
"I didn't even go anywhere—" Kelvin stopped himself again.
"Why are you sweating?" Cynthia asked, raising an eyebrow. "And where's your bag?"
"It's locked in the dorm. Victor's bringing it," Kelvin muttered, trying to regain composure.
"You saw something, didn't you?" Cynthia pressed.
Before Kelvin could answer, the teacher walked in, saving him. Cynthia returned to her seat, and class continued.
When the bell rang for break, Kelvin bolted for the door, desperate to avoid further questions. But the teacher intercepted him.
"Why the rush?" she asked.
"I… I need to pee," Kelvin lied.
"You went five minutes ago."
"Well, I—"
"Clean the board first, and then you can go."
Kelvin sighed, his escape plan ruined. As the room emptied, he shivered, afraid to glance over his shoulder.
Victor stayed behind, watching him nervously.
"What's going on with you?" Cynthia asked.
"Nothing! Why are you asking?" Kelvin stammered.
Cynthia stepped closer. "Whatever you saw, you can tell me. I told you what I saw — I trusted you."
"I didn't see anything! Leave me alone!" Kelvin snapped. He turned to leave, but Cynthia blocked his path.
"Let me show you something," she said.
"What if I don't want to see it?" Kelvin challenged.
"You will."
"I won't."
"I insist."
With that, Kelvin begrudgingly followed Cynthia. They arrived at the library and slipped into a back room filled with towering piles of dusty books.
There stood Stephen, Emilia, Jessica, and — to his surprise — Victor. Kelvin turned to run, but Cynthia blocked his way.
"There was a girl," Stephen began. "She came here just like you. She challenged the school's darkest secrets. But she paid the price. We want you to join us in this fight. You have one of the gifts. Victor told us what happened yesterday — you had a vision."
"You're not alone," Victor added. "I also have visions. I don't know how to control them yet, but we can learn together."
Kelvin's stomach churned. "If you knew what was out there, why did you want me to go out last night?"
"We needed you to see it for yourself," Victor explained. "When someone new arrives, the spirits react differently."
"I was bait?" Kelvin asked, horrified.
Stephen shrugged. "No, it was a test. Call it… initiation."
"Initia—what? I don't want any part of a murdering cult!" Kelvin said vehemently.
"Those monsters murdered our friend!" Emilia blurted out in anger. "Why would you call us murderers for killing them? Call us what you like, but we need you — and you need us."
But what they didn't know was that Kelvin wasn't calling them murderers for killing monsters — but for killing him, even though they hadn't done it yet.
"You're right," Jessica said, stepping forward, her eyes cold. "Why should we even let you join? Sure, you have visions — but so do the Red Hoods. How do we know you haven't joined them? In fact, how do we even know you have visions? Heck, we don't even know who you are."
"There's a way to reveal the truth about someone," she continued.
Kelvin's breath hitched. "A ritual?"
Victor nodded. "Don't you want to know who you really are?"
"Jeez, I know who I am!" Kelvin protested. "I'm Kelvin!"
Victor smirked. "Then you'll stay here until we get back. Cynthia will answer your questions."
"What? You can't make me stay here! And I'm not participating in any ritual!" Kelvin shouted, but the group started walking out, ignoring him.
Kelvin's heart was thumping. Just like in his vision — they would kill him. He had to get out. But wait… they wouldn't kill a student, right? No, they wouldn't.
But what if they didn't think he was a student, but a monster? Then they definitely would.
He had to rethink his plan.
"Wait, I have to go back to the dorm. I need to change and rest. I'm not staying here," Kelvin said.
"Listen," Stephen replied smoothly. "Today's cleanup. All of us are assigned to the library — except you. If you go, they won't let you back in. Not to mention, we'll prep here. Wouldn't you like to stay and unravel the mysteries within yourself?" His tone carried that same malicious edge from Kelvin's vision.
"No. No and no. I'm leaving," Kelvin said firmly — but Victor stepped in his way.
"I'm afraid I can't let you leave."
"You're supposed to be my friend," Kelvin said, his voice breaking. He turned to Cynthia. "You tricked me. You knew this would happen."
"This wasn't our plan," Emilia interjected. "We wanted you to join first, and then do the ritual. But now… we have to improvise."
"This is kidnapping!" Kelvin shouted, but the door clicked shut behind them — leaving only him and Cynthia, who gave him a look that said plainly: I'm not sorry.