(Back to the present where Alvin and Sofia were in her room)

Alvin sighed deeply, a weight seemingly lifted off his shoulders, and smiled. “Phew! So that was my story.”

Sofia, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over her from hearing the entire saga, stared at him with wide eyes filled with awe.

"Oh my God, I still can't believe you guys went through all that," she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief.

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "So, what now? Where do you live? Are you guys still together?"

Alvin’s smile widened. “Yes, we are still together. It’s me, my mom, and Alice. We live in a small town called Ambrette Town, you know, the one close to Riverwood, about a 10-12 hour journey away. We’re both in college now, and things are going well.”

Sofia’s face lit up with a smile. “That’s great to hear.”

Alvin ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture that made him seem both relieved and self-conscious.

“I’m sorry I came by like this, and I didn’t mean to go on and on about myself and I wish we could've meet in proper way."

Sofia felt a blush creeping up her cheeks, her face growing warm as she watched him.

“It’s fine, really. It’s not a problem at all. I’m just glad you and Alice are safe.”

Alvin’s smile faded, and he began to fidget with his fingers.

“I wish we were safe, but we aren’t anymore.” His voice wavered, revealing the lingering fear and uncertainty beneath his calm exterior.

Sofia’s mind flashed back to the skeletal attack, her pulse quickening as she recalled the bone-chilling encounter. The memory sent a shiver racing down her spine, each vertebra tingling with a sense of dread. The image of the skeletal faces that attacked her.

She hugged herself tightly, seeking solace in her own embrace as she struggled to shake off the lingering fear.

"About that… what was that?" Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the unease that still gripped her.

Alvin’s expression grew serious. “It’s Dylan. He’s back. And before you ask, ‘Are you sure?’ I’m 100% certain. A few days ago, Dwayne called me at midnight, frantic about the texts he received from Dylan. The moment I got his call, I knew something was wrong. I jumped on my bike and headed straight for Riverwood. I had a feeling something would happen, so I went to the pep rally and managed to stay hidden. During the rally, I heard a voice say, ‘I will pay each and every one of you a visit.’"

Sofia felt a cold dread settle in her stomach. She was already scared, but now fear gripped her even tighter, rendering her speechless.

Alvin continued, his voice tense. “I was attacked by skeletons, Alex too, and now you. I don’t understand why he targeted you specifically. I don’t even know why he’s doing all of this. What does he want and what is he after?”

Sofia’s voice trembled as she spoke. “I don’t know either. I didn’t do anything to him.”

Alvin nodded, frustration etched on his face. “Exactly, in our group, you’re the only one who didn’t see Dylan. There are so many pieces of this puzzle we still need to figure out. I think there’s something much deeper going on.”

Sofia swallowed hard, her fear mingling with curiosity. “I think so too.”

The room seemed to grow colder as they sat in silence, the weight of their shared uncertainty pressing down on them.

Alvin stood up and placed both hands firmly on Sofia’s shoulders, looking into her eyes with a determined expression.

“Sofia, I need you to take care of yourself. I can’t protect everyone. You have to be strong and fight for your own safety. I know you can do this.”

Sofia nodded, feeling the weight of his words. Alvin removed his hands and added, “And please, try to stay inside as much as possible. Don’t wander off at night and avoid buying groceries at night too, do you understand?”

A flush of embarrassment colored Sofia’s cheeks, but she nodded again. Alvin walked toward the balcony, slipping on his white shoes. He knelt to tie his laces, methodically tightening each one. Sofia watched him, a mix of concern and confusion on her face.

“Wait, hold on. What about you? What are you going to do?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Alvin stood up and brushed off his jeans. “Going home. Isn’t that obvious?”

Sofia frowned slightly. “I know that. I mean about Dylan. What should we do about him?”

Alvin sighed, a hint of frustration in his eyes. “About that stupid ghost… I’ll think of something. But for now, just try to stay safe, okay?”

Sofia watched anxiously as Alvin opened the balcony door, the cool night air gently drifting into the room, carrying with it the promise of rain. Her heart pounded in her chest, her concern for his safety palpable as he prepared to make his daring descent.

Then, without hesitation, Alvin jumped from the balcony, plunging into the darkness below. Sofia gasped, her hand instinctively flying to her mouth as she braced herself for the possibility of disaster. Time seemed to slow as Alvin plummeted through the air, but to her immense relief, he landed on the ground below, rolling to absorb the impact before springing back to his feet.

Sofia exhaled sharply, her hand falling from her mouth to rest on her chest, her heart still racing from the adrenaline rush.

"Don't scare me like that," she scolded, her voice trembling with lingering fear. "That was dangerous."

Alvin grinned up at her, his eyes bright with excitement. "Sorry," he apologized, his voice carrying a hint of sheepishness.

Sofia couldn't help but smile in return, her relief washing over her in waves.

"Please, be careful," she pleaded, her concern evident in her tone.

Alvin nodded solemnly, his smile softening. "I will and you too," he promised.

As Alvin walked away from Sofia's house, her waving figure dwindling in the balcony, his steps were heavy with the weight of uncertainty. It took him nearly an hour and a half to reach the docks, where K awaited him, leaning casually against his car Honda Accord.

The two friends embraced, the familiar comfort of their connection evident in the gesture. Alvin wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter.

"Tell me, did you find any lead on Dylan?"

K's expression turned grave as he shook his head. "You won't believe what I've found."

Alvin braced himself, his anticipation tinged with apprehension. "Okay, I'm listening."

"I found… nothing," K admitted, his tone heavy with disappointment.

Alvin's face fell, his frustration evident. "Are you kidding me?"

Kevin shook his head. "No joke. I've asked around, consulted with some exorcists, even visited the church. They all say the same thing – this is a unique case, unlike anything they've encountered before. They promised to look into it, but it could take weeks."

Kevin crossed his arms and remarked, "At first, they thought I was crazy, talking nonsense. But somehow, I managed to make them believe."

Alvin clenched his jaw, his mind racing with the urgency of the situation. "We can't wait that long. Who knows who Dylan might target next?"

Kevin's voice softened, a reassuring presence in the midst of Alvin's turmoil. "So what you will do now?"

Alvin shook his head, his frustration evident.

"No, but I'll figure something out. I have to. I don't want to do this but I will."

Kevin placed a comforting hand on Alvin's shoulder, his support unwavering. "I'm here for you, man. You don't have to face this alone. We'll find a way through this together."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Alvin's lips, gratitude washing over him. "Thanks for being here," he murmured, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes.

Alvin pondered to himself, "I'm glad he's here to assist me; it's as if he's lifted a burden off my shoulders. I need to figure out what to do about Dylan. I hope all my friends will be safe until then."

---In Riverwood---

After the class ended, Alex reunited with his friends, basking in the post-lecture relief until an unwelcome addition disrupted their camaraderie. It was none other than Maria, an unexpected and contentious presence.

"What the hell took you so long, Alex?" Maira's sharp voice pierced the air, her annoyance evident.

Alex's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's she doing here?" he questioned, echoing the sentiments of his friends.

Leo chimed in, his tone skeptical. "Good question."

Ava, ever the pragmatist, offered an explanation. "She didn't suffer a major concussion and wander here in a semi-conscious state, I already asked."

Maria rolled her eyes at the explanation and retorted, "What I am doing here is leaving, don't worry. I just came by to—"

Her sentence was interrupted as Kimmy nudged her with her foot, prompting Maria to continue, albeit begrudgingly.

"To invite you to my party at my house this Saturday."

Noah's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wow, did not expect that."

Andy, always quick with a quip, added, "You sure about that concussion?"

Alex's skepticism mirrored his friend's sentiments. "Woah, you are inviting us to your party? Sounds... suspicious."

Dwayne, voiced his concern. "Very suspicious. Don't tell me she'll put poison in the food or drinks. I mean, I'm all for a spicy meal, but not the 'drop dead' kind!"

Tension hung in the air as the group processed Maira's unexpected invitation, their thoughts filled with suspicion and uncertainty about her true intentions.

Alex's skepticism lingered as he questioned Maria's motives. "Why the hell would you want us at your party? Sounds like a setup prank or something."

Maria's smirk betrayed a hint of defiance. "Great then, don't come."

Kimmy, intervened. "Come on, guys! Maria told me she's trying to turn over a new leaf and stop being a jerk to people, right? Maria?"

Maria's response was affirmative, albeit terse. "Yeah, totally."

Ava, still suspicious, couldn't shake off her doubts. "Well, this is just adding to the weird pile. Are we sure this isn't Dyla-"

Before Ava could finish her sentence, Andy nudged her sharply in the ribs, his eyes darting towards Maria. Ava's glare conveyed her irritation as she reluctantly acquiesced, "Okay, but we're gonna have to talk about all this later."

Noah, attempted to diffuse the tension. "Yeah, we'll talk about that... uh, school project. For that class we have. That Maria isn't in."

Maria shrugged indifferently. "Okay, whatever you're talking about? Yeah, I super don't care."

Lucy, with her trademark brightness, interjected with hope in her voice. "We're really all invited to your party?"

Maria's demeanor softened slightly as she met Lucy's gaze. "Yeah, really. Does that mean you are coming?"

Lucy's smile widened. "Of course! I would love to."

Maria's expression softened further, a hint of warmth in her tone. "Great! Make sure you save me a dance."

With a final glare at Kimmy, Maria stalked away towards the bus stop, her departure punctuated by an air of tension. Sensing the need for privacy, Alex pulled Kimmy aside, his voice lowered to a hushed whisper.

"Okay, what the hell just happened? Either I got transported into opposite land or..." Alex trailed off, his confusion evident.

Kimmy's expression turned solemn as she divulged the truth. "Alex, it's because I got her phone, remember? She was blackmailing me and stuff. I got her phone, so now she's mine to control."

Ava interjected, breaking the intimate moment. "Not to break up this fun whispering thing you have got going on, but visiting hours are over, in like, ninety minutes."

Dwayne redirected the conversation back to the original purpose. "Yeah, are we gonna see Dan or not?"

Kimmy took charge, organizing the logistics. "I can fit a total of six in my car. Leo, can you drive?"

Leo, startled at the sound of his name, glanced around before nodding in agreement. "Huh? Oh yeah, sure."

With Kimmy unlocking the car, Ava, Andy, Lily, Noah and Dwayne piled inside, eager to continue their journey.

Andy, seeking a more comfortable spot, attempted to strike a deal with Ava. "Yo Ava, lemme trade you for the front. These shoulders don't like the backseat."

Ava's response was playful yet firm. "Fight me, Andy."

Alex, noticing the exchange, chimed in with a hint of amusement. "Guess that means it's you and me, Leo."

Leo nodded at his response.

Alex got into Leo's car, and they followed Kimmy's car out of the parking lot.

As Leo's car trailing out of the parking lot, the atmosphere inside was heavy with silence. Leo's gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, while Alex sat beside him, concern etched on his face.

"Are you alright?" Alex finally broke the silence, his voice laced with worry.

Leo's response was terse. "I am fine."

Unconvinced, Alex pressed further. "Are you sure? I know you were already having a hard time before all this Dylan stuff came back. I can't imagine how stressed you must be now."

Leo's facade of composure wavered slightly as he admitted, "It's really not the best way to start the school year, but I am handling it."

Alex reached out, offering support. "You know you can talk to me, right? I'm a part of this too. I know what you're going through."

A bitter laugh escaped Leo's lips, a mixture of self-deprecation and despair. He shook his head as if trying to dispel his thoughts.

"Sorry. I just don't think you can help with this. I screwed up badly, Alex, and I'm scared of what you'd think of me if you knew what I've done."

Leo's hands trembled on the steering wheel, betraying the turmoil within him. He sniffed, his voice strained as he requested, "Sorry, would you hand me a tissue?"

The vulnerability in Leo's demeanor hinted at a deeper struggle, one that Alex couldn't help but feel compelled to understand and support.

Alex nodded in response, his hand moving instinctively towards the glove compartment. But before he could reach it, Leo's sudden movement startled him. With a lunge, Leo intercepted Alex, yanking the steering wheel in the process, sending the car swerving dangerously towards the left lane.

Panic surged through Alex as he reacted swiftly, his reflexes kicking into overdrive. With a firm grip, he wrestled the wheel back, jerking it to the right just in time to keep the car from veering off course.

Breathing heavily, Alex turned towards Leo, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and incredulity.

"Phew! What the hell, Leo? I was just looking in the..."

His words trailed off as he glanced down at the open glove compartment, his eyes widening in shock. Inside, small plastic bottles with white caps lay scattered, their contents unknown.

With trembling hands, Alex reached for one, his heart pounding with a growing sense of dread as he turned it over to read the label.

Focus pills.