ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ɴᴏᴛᴇ : ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀɪɴs ɪɴᴛᴇɴsᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇs ᴏғ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ. ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴅɪsᴄʀᴇᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴀᴅᴠɪsᴇᴅ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴍғᴏʀᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ɪᴛ, ᴋɪɴᴅʟʏ sᴋɪᴘ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ sɪɢɴs ○○○
_________________________________________

The Monday after Mateo's death, Alex stepped out of the police car in front of his school. He turned to the officer and said, "Thank you for the ride."

The cop nodded and drove off, leaving Alex to face the day ahead.

As he turned toward the school, he saw his friends hurrying towards him. Their faces were filled with lots of concern.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Lily asked, her eyes wide with worry.

Andy chimed in, "Bro! What happened after the party?"

"Is it true they found Mateo dead? At your house?" Kimmy added, her voice trembling slightly.

Alex shuddered as memories of Saturday night flooded back. He could still see the image of Mateo's lifeless body dangling from the tree outside his bedroom window. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady himself.

"Yeah, it's true," Alex began, his voice barely above a whisper. "I went home from the party on saturday and... Mateo was in my tree... dead."

Kimmy's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God. Do your parents know?"

"Yeah," Alex replied, his voice strained.

"My mom's freaking out. They're trying to find a flight back, but the weather over there is really bad."

Ava, who had been listening intently, leaned in closer. "Are you a suspect? My dad wouldn't tell me anything!"

Alex shook his head. "I'm not a suspect. The cops said... based on Mateo's wounds, he fell into the tree."

Noah furrowed his brow. "How do you fall into a tree?"

Andy looked puzzled. "Hold on, was he on your roof or something, Alex?"

Alex glanced around, feeling the weight of their stares. "The cops think he was trying to break in..."

Before Alex could elaborate, Leo interjected, "Okay, so what do you think Alex?"

Dwayne, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his tone dark. "I think it's Dylan who killed him."

Everyone exchanged nervous glances. The implication hung in the air, heavy and unsettling.

Alex's heart raced as he struggled to find the right words to express the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him.

"This is messed up," Alex finally managed to say, his voice tinged with disbelief and sorrow.

"Mateo was a jerk, but he didn't deserve to die, I mean not like this."

Leo nodded gravely, his expression mirroring Alex's turmoil. "So, it means things are getting even worse. If Dylan is willing to kill for us... there's no telling what else he'll do."

Noah's voice broke the heavy silence. "Okay guys, let's put a stop to it, once and for all. We march into those woods, find Dylan's ruins, and kill it."

But Lucy's voice trembled with apprehension. "That's what started this mess! The closer we all get to him, the stronger he becomes! And clearly, he's too strong already!"

Kimmy's eyes widened in fear.

"Seriously? What are we even supposed to do against a freaking shadow monster that impales people on trees?!"

Andy's fists clenched in frustration. "There's gotta be something we can do. I am not just gonna sit around while people die!"

Lucy's voice quivered as she spoke up again. "B-but if he's doing all this for us... maybe he'd go away if we just ignored him!"

Ava interjected, her tone firm and resolute. "Sure, and maybe if we all wish real hard, the clouds will turn into cotton candy. We can't just ignore Dylan; we need to understand him. It's the only way to get some control over the situation."

Noah's brows furrowed in disbelief. "What are you trying to, do you want to control Dylan, after what he did?"

Ava met Noah's gaze, her eyes unwavering. "You got a better idea?"

As the group grappled with their options, the weight of their predicament settled heavily upon them. In the face of uncertainty and fear, they knew they had to confront the darkness that loomed over their town, but the path forward remained shrouded in shadow.

Alex's voice broke the stillness, hesitant yet resolute.

"Hold on a second... I think Noah is right. We should go after Dylan," he said.

Andy nodded in agreement, though uncertainty clouded his features. "I'm in, but I don't know if Dylan's got a butt to kick. But we have got to try," he admitted, his resolve tinged with doubt.

Dwayne, his tone gruff and unyielding, offered a more drastic solution.

"I say we kick his balls instead," he declared, a hint of aggression coloring his words.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, startled by Dwayne's blunt suggestion. His obliviousness was evident as he shrugged off their reaction.

"What?" he asked, oblivious to the discomfort he had caused.

Kimmy's voice, soft yet laced with concern, pierced the air.

"And what if it doesn't work? What if it just makes him mad at us?" she wondered aloud, her words echoing the fears that lingered in their minds.

Leo, spoke with a heavy heart. "Look, we are the ones who are closest to this. We should do everything we can to find a way to stop Dylan, but the ugly truth is that there may be nothing we can do. Dylan may simply be too powerful," he confessed, his gaze haunted by the specter of defeat.

Noah's frustration simmered beneath the surface, his retort dripping with sarcasm.

"Great, thanks for the pep talk," he muttered, his disappointment palpable.

Leo's patience wore thin, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "What, did you want me to sugar-coat it? I am just trying to be honest about our situation," he snapped, his words sharp with exasperation.

Noah's defiance flared, his tone tinged with bitterness.

"Funny, it sounds a lot like you are trying to talk yourself out of doing anything," he accused, his eyes flashing with defiance.

Alex, interjected with a note of encouragement.

"Hey, nobody's giving up yet. We just gotta figure it out," he urged, his words infused with determination.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of their discussion, Noah shook his head in resignation, stepping back from the group.

"You know, for a second I thought you were all with me. I thought just maybe we were going to make things right," he reflected, his disappointment evident in his voice.

With a heavy sigh, he turned and began to slouch toward the college, his footsteps echoing in the silence that followed.

"Guess I was wrong," he muttered, the weight of their impossible task settling heavily on his shoulders.

As the group hesitantly left Noah to his solitude, tension simmered just beneath the surface, a silent specter haunting their every step.

Andy's voice broke through the uneasy atmosphere, a feeble attempt to salvage the shattered camaraderie.

"Somebody wanna go after him?" he offered, his gaze darting around the group, seeking validation.

Ava's indifferent response hung in the air like a heavy fog. "Nah. Let him have his hissy fit," she shrugged, her voice devoid of empathy.

Uncomfortable glances were exchanged among the remaining members as they trailed after the thinning crowd of students, seeking solace in the bustling halls of the college.

But their brief reprieve was short-lived as a sudden eruption shattered the fragile peace. A furious shout cut through the air like a knife, sending shockwaves rippling through the crowded corridor.

"YOU!" Emma's voice rang out, sharp and accusatory, her finger pointed like a dagger at Alex, her eyes ablaze with raw fury.

The group turned as one, their hearts lurching in their chests as they beheld the storm of emotion hurtling toward them. Emma's rage was a palpable force, her eyes locked on Alex with a fiery intensity.

"You piece of shit! you killed my best friend. You killed him," she spat, her words laced with venom as she closed in on Alex like a predator stalking its prey.

Alex's feeble attempt to defend himself was swiftly quashed as Emma shoved him aside, her focus shifting to Ava with a ferocity that left them all reeling.

Ava, caught off guard, crumpled to the ground as Emma's fist found its mark, the sickening thud echoing in the stunned silence. Andy moved to intervene, but Emma's fury brooked no resistance as she pushed him aside with a force that sent him staggering.

"Get the hell out of my way, you freak!"

Emma snarled, her eyes blazing with a hatred so intense it seemed to scorch the very air around them.

Overwhelmed with pain and struggling to draw breath, Ava lay helpless on the floor as Kimmy and Lucy rushed to her side, their faces etched with concern.

Meanwhile, Leo, Dwayne, and Andy turned to face the enraged Emma.

Alex, torn between aiding Ava and confronting Emma, knelt down beside his friend, his voice trembling with worry.

"Ava, are you alright?" he asked, his hands hovering uncertainly over her trembling form.

Lucy spoke up, "Should we get help?"

Ava, her voice trembling with pain and distress, stuttered, "Just keep that idiot from me."

Emma's response was immediate and incredulous, "Seriously?! You are all going to defend her after what she did?!"

Leo intervened, attempting to calm her down, "Emma, please calm down. Ava wasn't anywhere near Mateo when he died."

Emma's anger and frustration boiled over, and she retorted, "You think I am stupid? I know what she is!"

Dwayne, his patience wearing thin, stepped forward with a steely glare, his words a warning to the furious Emma.

"You are talking nonsense here and Ava is our friend, so how about you leave before we make you leave?" He threatened, his fists clenched at his sides.

Emma, momentarily taken aback by his intimatiding stance, hesitated for a moment before reluctantly backing down, her trembling fists a stark reminder of the tempest raging with her.

Alex spoke softly, his words laced with regret, "I am sorry about Mateo."

Emma's expression turned dark, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Don't lie to me!" she spat, her voice venomous. "You hated him. You killed him."

Alex's face twisted in anguish. "That doesn't mean he deserved to die," he said, his voice heavy with sorrow.

"Believe me, if there's anything I could have done, I would have done it."

Emma's anger boiled over, and she lunged at Alex, her fist cocked and ready to strike.

"You wanna do something? Get the hell out of my way!" she snarled.

As Emma's fist hurtled towards Alex, he prepared to defend himself. But before the blow could land, Dwayne intervened, swiftly blocking Emma's punch and grabbing her arm.

Dwayne's voice was calm but firm, "Pro tip, if you're gonna punch somebody, don't warn them."

Emma struggled to free herself from Dwayne's grasp, but he held her firm.

Finally, she managed to break free and twisted her hips, using her momentum to rip Alex off his feet. She hoisted him over her shoulder, her grip tight and unyielding. With a brutal force, she slammed Alex onto the linoleum, his body crashing to the ground. Alex's scream of pain echoed through the air.

Dwayne stood defiantly, his gaze locked on Emma, his fists clenched at his sides. But before he could utter a word and adavance towards Emma, the scene was interrupted by the arrival of Brian and his cohorts, Brock and David.

Without hesitation, Brian launched a powerful fist at Dwayne's left cheek, the impact sending him crashing to the ground.

As Dwayne groaned in pain, Brian knelt down and seized a handful of his hair, yanking his head back with a cruel force.

"Leave her alone, it's you and us now, Dwayne," he growled, his voice dripping with menace.

"You guys must be the ones who killed my cousin. Now you will be the one who will pay."

○○○

Brock and David, their faces contorted with rage, wasted no time in joining the assault. They grabbed Dwayne's legs and pulled him further away, their movements swift and merciless as they unleashed a barrage of blows upon him.

Despite the relentless assault, Dwayne refused to yield. With a fierce determination, he threw kicks in a desperate attempt to break free from Brock and David's grip. His muscles strained with effort as he struggled against their hold, his movements fueled by sheer adrenaline.

For a fleeting moment, Dwayne managed to stand, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he braced himself against the pain coursing through his body. But before he could regain his footing, Brian struck again, his fist connecting with brutal force and sending Dwayne crashing to the ground once more.

Brian and his cohorts were upon him, their fists raining down upon him like a hailstorm of pain and fury. Each blow landed with a sickening thud, the force of it driving the air from Dwayne's lungs and leaving him gasping for breath.

The impact reverberated through the corridor and Dwayne's bones, sending shockwaves of agony rippling through every fiber of his being. The sound of Dwayne hitting the ground echoing like a gunshot in the stunned silence.

He groaned in pain, his vision swimming as he fought to stay conscious amidst the onslaught.

Desperate to fight back, Dwayne lashed out with all the strength he could muster, but Brian and his friends were relentless in their assault. Punch after punch, kick after kick, they pummeled Dwayne mercilessly, their blows finding their mark with chilling accuracy.

With a fierce growl of determination, Brian seized Dwayne's collar with a vice-like grip, his fingers digging into the fabric as he yanked him forward with savage force and slammed Dwayne into the lockers, the metallic crash reverberating through the empty hallway.

Dwayne's head whipped back against the unforgiving steel, a dull, throbbing pain exploding through his skull. He winced, feeling a warm trickle of blood start to snake down his forehead, mingling with the sweat already beading there.

With a savage yank, Brian pulled Dwayne away from the lockers, only to slam him back again. The sharp edge of the locker dug into Dwayne's spine, sending another wave of agony through his body.

Again and again, Brian mercilessly hurled Dwayne against the lockers, each collision sending shockwaves of pain coursing through his battered frame. The metallic clang echoed through the hallway, a chilling symphony of violence that left the other students frozen in horror and fear.

Dwayne's vision swimming as he fought to stay conscious amidst the onslaught.

The locker doors rattled with each bone-jarring impact, their hollow echoes serving as a grim reminder of the brutality unfolding before their eyes. Dwayne's body sagged with exhaustion, his strength draining with each passing moment as Brian continued his relentless barrage.

As the attack persisted, a palpable sense of terror hung in the air, suffusing the hallway with a heavy weight of dread. The other students watched on in horrified silence, their hearts pounding in their chests as they bore witness to the savage spectacle unfolding before them.

But despite Dwayne's best efforts, he was no match for Brian and his allies. Their combined strength and ferocity overwhelmed him, leaving him battered and bloodied on the cold, unforgiving floor.

○○○

In the end, Dwayne could do nothing but surrender to the onslaught, his body bruised and broken, his spirit battered but unbroken.

As the confrontation escalated, on the other hand Kimmy's voice cut through the chaos like a beacon of reason, her plea echoing through the crowded hallway.

"Emma, stop! Leave Alex alone!" she cried, her words a desperate plea for peace amidst the turmoil.

A hush fell over the crowd as Emma, consumed by rage, moved forward once more, her eyes blazing with fury. But before she could unleash her fury upon Alex, Andy and Leo intervened, their hands gripping her arms with a steely resolve.

Leo's voice, calm yet firm, sought to reason with Emma.

"I know you're upset, but if you don't stop attacking people," he began, his words a gentle admonition.

But Emma's anger knew no bounds as she lashed out in defiance.

"Shut up! I know it was her! I saw what she did at the party," she spat, her accusations ringing with conviction.

Ava, her eyes widening in shock, found herself the target of Emma's unwavering ire. Darting her gaze around at the other students in the hall, she felt a surge of apprehension coursing through her veins.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything," Ava protested, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

But Emma's conviction remained unshaken as she leveled her accusations against Ava, her words dripping with contempt.

"Yeah, uh huh. You might have everybody else fooled like it's some little magic trick, but I know the truth. I know what you did to me and Mateo the other day. I know you're a freak. And I know you killed Mateo," she declared, her voice rising with each accusation.

Ava's brow furrowed in confusion, her mind racing to comprehend the gravity of Emma's claims.

"If that were true, punching me in the gut seems like a pretty dumb idea," she retorted, her words laced with incredulity.

But Emma, undeterred by Ava's defiance, continued to glare at her with unbridled hatred, her resolve unyielding.

"I'm not afraid of you! Go ahead and do something, I dare you!" she challenged, her eyes burning with a fierce intensity.

The tension in the air crackled like lightning, the weight of Emma's accusations casting a shadow over the gathered crowd. And as the standoff continued, the hallway fell silent, the uneasy murmurs of the onlookers echoing in the stillness.

As the tense standoff unfolded, Alex's mind raced with apprehension, a nagging sense of foreboding gnawing at his insides. Wait a minute... what is she planning? And not to mention why she is fixated on Ava?

With a sudden burst of strength, Emma broke free from Andy and Leo's grasp, her movements swift and decisive. Dodging past Alex with lightning speed, she seized Ava by the shoulders, her grip like a vice as she slammed her against the unforgiving metal of the lockers.

Kimmy, her voice laced with desperation, attempted to pry Emma's hands from Ava, but her efforts were futile against the girl's relentless onslaught.

And then, as if in response to the escalating tension, the lights began to flicker ominously, casting eerie shadows across the hallway. Alex's heart clenched in fear as he watched the scene unfold before him, a sense of dread settling over him like a heavy shroud.

"Emma, you need to stop. Please, listen to me!" Alex pleaded, his voice trembling with urgency as he tried to reason with the enraged girl.

But his words fell on deaf ears as Emma's rage reached a boiling point. Ignoring the pleas of her classmates, she turned her fury on Ava, her eyes ablaze with a manic intensity.

Ava, her own anger simmering beneath the surface, attempted to assert herself, but Emma cut her off with a venomous retort.

"Don't make you what? Show everyone what a freak you are?!" she sneered, her words dripping with contempt.

A chill swept through the air as the locker doors began to rattle, their dials spinning wildly as if possessed by some unseen force. The students watched in stunned silence, their faces pale with fear as they bore witness to the unfolding chaos.

"Go ahead, freak. Show them," Emma taunted, her voice laced with malice as she dared Ava to unleash her supposed powers upon the unsuspecting crowd.

And then, with a sudden surge of energy, a wave of force shoved Alex backward, sending him stumbling as Emma hurtled across the hall, her body crashing into the bulletin board with a resounding thud.

The students scattered in panic, their cries mingling with the chaos as Ava advanced on Emma, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination.

But in a sudden twist of fate, Emma's bravado crumbled, her voice reduced to a strangled squeak as fear and shock washed over her.

"No. Wait, this isn't how it's supposed to go!" she stammered, her hands trembling as she stared wide-eyed at Ava, realization dawning too late.

As Emma's voice choked to a squeak, a sense of dread settled over the crowded hallway, the tension thick enough to suffocate. Ava, her grip tightening around Emma's throat, held her captive against the cold, unforgiving wall.

"I... warned... you," Ava hissed, her voice tinged with a mixture of anger and resignation, her eyes flashing with a steely resolve.

Emma, clutching at her throat with desperate hands, felt herself sliding upward against the wall, her feet flailing as panic consumed her. Kimmy and Leo rushed to her aid, their faces etched with concern as they struggled to support her trembling form.

Lucy, her heart heavy with fear and sorrow, sank to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes.

Andy, torn between loyalty to his friend and the horror of the situation, moved to intervene, his fists raised in a futile attempt to diffuse the escalating conflict. What should I do?

"AVA, LET HER GO!" Alex's voice rang out above the chaos, his desperation echoing through the crowded corridor.