One week later

The town plaza sat in eerie silence as dusk settled in, its emptiness from the chaos that had shaken it just days ago.

The vanishing incident—stopped only by Jason and Greyson intervention—still hung over town like a storm cloud. People now refused Ashley's trick, whatever it had truly been, through she herself had disappeared without a trace.

Inside the dim lights of Burger King, Nevaeh sat slouched in a cracked beige booth. She dragged the last of her chicken nuggets through a pool of honey mustard sauce, her eyes drifting to the wall across from her.

Bullet holes glared back—grim reminders of Luke's attack. Zane had patched them up with mismatched plaster, but the attempts only highlighted the damage, making it looked more ragged than before.

"We need to do something," she said flatly.

Nelson emerged from the bathroom, damp hair clinging to his forehead. He wore a faded hockey sweatshirt and loose sport shorts, the Burger King uniform slung over one shoulder. He took a casual bite of his burger as he dropped into the booth across from her.

"You feel it?" he asked through a mouthful of food.

Nevaeh nodded slowly, dabbing at sticky honey mustard on her fingers with a crumpled napkin.

"The depression," she muttered. "Teagan and Melany are dead. Cindy hasn't shown up at the infirmary. Bella and Jason haven't left the house in days. And now, we've got new Uden transfers wandering around, clueless about to do."

Nelson dropped into the seat across from her. "Props to Esme for doing whatever she did to Luke."

Rumours have been flying. Nevaeh had heard that Esme had tied Luke up to a hospital gurney, knocked him unconscious, then cut off his eyebrows, the remaining part of his arm, and even hacked parts of his hair off like a maniac. The image made her snort. Seeing him walking around without eyebrows had been funny, until she caught sight of his new arm.

"People are scared of him," Nevaeh said. "Even after what Greyson did, Luke's shadow still looms. Some kids won't sleep unless a light's on. And Zane? He dodges every question about whether Luke will come back and attack."

Just then, the Burger King doors swung open with a sharp whoosh, and Ilya rushed inside, her dark eyes flickering nervously as if she was hunting for something or someone

"Do you guys know where Cindy is?" Ilya asked, clutching her sleeve.

"No one's seen her in days," Nelson replied. "Maybe it's best to give her some space. If you need anything, Emma's in the infirmary."

"I asked Emma," Ilya's voice trembled, her eyes wide. "She doesn't know what I take. And I'm scared. What if he comes back?"

Nevaeh glanced at her, realizing how pale she looked. Everyone was carrying an invisible weight, and Ilya's was definitely the children's safety.

Nelson tried to break the tension with a half-smile. "What about parties? Might be good to have something to look forward to."

Ilya blinked in disbelief. "You want to celebrate that people died?"

"No," Nevaeh said with a smirk, snaking her head. "Parties aren't for celebrating. They're distractions to pull people away from all the crap we've been through. Besides, Greyson's not coming down anytime soon, and—"

Before Nevaeh could finish, the door slammed open and Yara burst in, eyes wide and breathless. "They're stealing food!" she blurted out. "From the grocery store."

Nevaeh waved off Yara's panic with a flick of the hand. "Let Zane or Jason handle it. They're supposed to deal with that kind of mess anyway. Who is it?"

"I don't know," Yara admitted, frustration creeping in her voice. "That's the problem."

Nevaeh sighed, grabbing her bag of food as she headed for the door.

Outside, dusk had deepened into a murky early night. Streetlights flickered hesitantly to life, casting long shadows that stretched across the sidewalk.

Near the black Uden Academy SUV, two teens around her age, lounged crossed-leg on the concrete, slurping microwaved ramen straight from their containers. They looked way too relaxed for people accused of stealing.

Nevaeh tilted her head. "Why aren't they running?"

"I just told them to sit, and they did," Yara replied with a shrug. "Now they're just eating whatever they stole."

Nevaeh stepped closer to them. "I heard you were stealing food," she said casually.

The girl with ombré hair threw her head back, flashing a wild grin. "You can't arrest us," she said with a cheeky smirk. "You don't have a warrant."

The boy beside her leaned back on his palms, radiating effortless confidence. Sunlight caught the highlights in his light-brown eyes, and his shirt clung to his toned frame.

One thought crossed Nevaeh's mind: he was hot.

"I didn't think there were cops around here," he said lazily, tilting his head. "Maybe that's a new rule, now that we're not exactly welcomed." He stretched out his hand with a sly grin. "Bryce Cross."

Nevaeh stared for a moment, studying the handsome boy before slowly shaking his hand.

"This dumbass here is Mia," he added with a smirk, jerking a thumb toward the girl.

"I'm not even dumb!" Mia shot back, slurping noodles with a wink. "The cops aren't gonna show up and charge us."

Yara let out a weary sigh. "Well, we still have to bring you to Jason or Zane."

Nevaeh knew this wasn't going to stop the stealing. The looming food shortage was tightening its grip, with supplies dwindling every day.

Yara glanced back at Nevaeh. "Can we even do anything about it?"

Nelson leaned in, his voice low. "We're not exactly law enforcements, you know."

Since the fight between Jason and Greyson, the consequences for theft had decreased. People discovered they could take whatever they wanted without fearing brutal punishment like before. Uden was operating on their own terms now, especially since Greyson no longer stormed through town.

"We're just here for the food delivery, duh," Mia said with a lazy grin. "Unless you're the cops, then go ahead and arrest us like usual."

Bryce slurped a mouthful of noodles and glanced up. "We still got the food split, right? Because I'm not in the mood to starve again."

That was true—people at Uden had starved because some opposed the freaks. She had heard stories about Andrew Zimmer and Trevor's humiliations, the results of that harsh divide.

"We're pretty sure we do," Yara said with a shrug. "Can't exactly let you guys starve."

Nevaeh scanned the area for Zane or Jason but found neither in sight. Without them, it was harder to explain that Uden was still receiving food deliveries and the food deal remained intact.

She spotted a few people emerging from Foodland, lugging boxes of canned goods and a case of water bottles. Among them, Andrew and Finn struggled to carry the heavy loud as they made their way over to the SUV.

"Alright," Nevaeh sighed, turning back toward Coffee Culture.

She couldn't shake the unease about the people from Uden Academy showing up randomly to town. She had no intel on them and had never seen or met any of them before.

"Hey! Gossip girl!" Mia called out, waving her hand to beckon Nevaeh back.

Nevaeh walked back as Mia dug into her pocket and pulled out a clear plastic bag with chocolate chip cookies—an unusual luxury in a place like this.

"Want one?" Mia asked casually, slurping her noodles. "Freshly baked."

"Sure," Nevaeh replied, reaching out as Mia handed her a cookie.

"Idiot! Don't just hand those out unless they actually want it," Bryce groaned, shaking his head.

"Oh, right, some of these people are total goodie-goodies," Mia sighed dramatically. "Those cookies have weed in them."

Nevaeh immediately tossed the cookie back at Mia, who burst into laugher. At least Nevaeh had a strong guess about who the main drug dealer at Uden might be.

"You can't sell drugs!" Yara exclaimed, horrified. "They're illegal! They can kill people!"

Mia stared blankly at Yara for a moment, then burst out laughing. It was oddly unsettling how much she knew about drugs, considering she looked to be the same age as Nevaeh.

"You're not my mom," Mia said mockingly. "If they want them, they can have them. I've usually got something for anything you need."

"You guys aren't associated with Luke?" Ilya's voice quivered.

"Associated? That's a big word," Mia said, glancing at Bryce with mock confusion. "Hey, Bryce, what's it mean again?"

"It means working with someone," Bryce said smoothly. "We don't work for anyone."

Nevaeh tried to pry into their minds for any secrets or gossip, but their thoughts remained silent. Maybe it was because they felt no guilt about whatever they were hiding.

"I thought you guys had leaders or something?" Bryce asked.

"We do," Yara replied, "but they've just been tied up with all the chaos from the war that and everything going on."

Nevaeh's gaze shifted toward the black SUV parked nearby, where others busily loaded up the remaining food supplies.

"Interesting," Bryce said, slowly rising to his feet.

"I'm heading back to the daycare," Ilya said awkwardly, glancing between them. "Thanks for the info."

Nevaeh spotted Mark, Xander, and James in the distance, puzzling over how to set up a door they'd grabbed from Home Hardware. She had no idea how it worked but assumed they'd figure it out.

Nevaeh walked alongside Nelson and Yara toward Coffee Culture, pushing open the door to an almost empty cafe. Most pastries had been snatched up, leaving only coffee, tea, and a few baking ingredients tucked away in the back.

"We need to do something with this place," she said, approaching the coffee machine. "Something to pull people away from all the fear and gloom."

Nelson shrugged from his seat on one of the small brown stools. "I could always start selling Burger King food here since we're running low," he offered. "At this point, there's no point in charging anymore."

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Esme, Jade, and Emma tumbled inside, sprawled on the floor. All three of them were medium ranks from Uden Academy who had recently switched sides.

"I thought you said there were donuts here," Esme whined, tugging on Emma's arm.

"I said there used to be," Emma groaned, slowly pushing herself off the floor.

Nevaeh scooped ice into a plastic cup and poured freshly brewed coffee over it. She then reached into the fridge, grabbed the last of the cream, and stirred it into her drink.

Iced coffee had become Nevaeh's lifeline since she took over managing Coffee Culture. Behind the counter, boxes of various coffees blends and unfamiliar tea brands were still stacked neatly.

"What do you guys need?" Nevaeh asked, taking a sip of her iced coffee.

Esme flopped down on a seat beside Nelson. "We need some plan to get Jason out of the house. He's been holed up with Bella for days," she groaned.

Suddenly, Yara burst out laughing, pointing at Esme. "What happened to your face?"

Nevaeh leaned in, squinting at Esme's face under the lights. Thick smudges of orange and blue eyeshadow clung unevenly to her eyelids. Her eyeliner was crooked and shaky, trailing past the corner of her eyes, and a streak of foundation had begun to cake.

"I told you it was a mess," Jade sighed. "I'm not showing you how to do makeup again."

"What!" Esme exclaimed. "Emma, tell me that my makeup looks fine!"

Emma didn't answer right away. She pressed her lips together into a tight line, shoulders shaking slightly as she tried not to laugh. Her own makeup was simple with just a light sweep peachy eyeshadow and a little mascara, perfectly intact.

Nevaeh was well aware that Jade had an interest in makeup, despite playing sports. She liked experimenting with her own looks too, like trying different colours, glitters and styles makeup in her free time.

"That's it!" Nevaeh said suddenly, her eyes lighting up as an idea struck. "What if we turn this place into a party hub? People could come dressed however they want, wear makeup, go wild, just be themselves."

This was an excellent idea. It was like seeing all those television shows where they'd go to clubs, and there'd be lots of flashing coloured lights and loud pop music.

Nelson looked intrigued. "So, people could just show up however? Some might wear fancy dresses, while others have just sweatpants and hoodies?"

"Exactly!" Nevaeh beamed. "And we could even sell food from Burger King here. We could sell drinks like water, soda, or even alcohol since we still have that here."

It would give them the opportunity to distract from the chaos they still live in or remember that their parents are gone. Well, people at Uden seemed adjusted to that since their parents had transferred them to the school.

"Have people been sent to Uden because of partying?" Nevaeh asked.

Jade slumped into a nearby chair with a tired sigh. "Yeah, there's underage drinking, smoking, and even drugs. Some students have managed to sneak off escaped to party," she said. "I'm surprised they haven't caused havoc yet."

"Who?" Yara asked, tilting her head.

"The crackheads," Jade replied. "Have you heard the news why they weren't a group anymore?"

That was something Nevaeh hadn't heard yet, especially with all the people lurking around town. While she was used to hearing gossip about stoners or delinquents, this situation seemed intriguing.

"They were caught shoplifting at Walmart in Toronto, and they stole one of the Uden CRVs to drive away. All four of them went into the store to steal ice cream sandwiches and popsicles, but they got caught," Jade explained. "Except one assaulted the people greeter and a police officer."

"What's assault?" Yara asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"They beat someone up," Nelson said bluntly. "Why aren't they in jail then?"

"No one knows for sure," Jade said, shaking her head. "I'd look it up, but the internet doesn't work."

The story about the police officer's assault sounded ruthless. It didn't sound like anyone else did anything about it, unless they attempted to but failed.

"It wasn't Luke?" Yara interjected with disbelief.

"Lukey's always been part of Greyson's little crew," Esme said. "They're bullies, not shoplifters."

Nevaeh knew the best way to figure out who these people really were was to create that party place. It would be the easiest way to catch whispers, spot faces she hadn't seen before, and unravel the tangled drama lurking just beneath the surface.

"We'll create the party place," she declared firmly. "Maybe then The Bubble will burst."

The through of the barrier dropping was just a fantasy. The lurking monster Ashley still roams somewhere, leaving them in this secluded place to probably starve and turn into those people on My Strange Addiction.

"Is there even a way we can still play music?" Nelson inquired.

Nevaeh considered the possibilities. She knew that connecting phones or iPads via Spotify to speakers probably wouldn't work in their current situation. She has heard of record players before, but that seemed outdated.

"Radios sometimes have CD players if we can find CDs or MP3 players," Nevaeh said, glancing at Emma. "We need to hunt down whatever equipment we can salvage."

Nevaeh narrowed her eyes at Emma, seeing her bite her lip. She knew that was something she did when she was nervous about something she knew.

"I know one of the crackheads," Emma finally whispered. "But he wouldn't be the one to assault anyone."

At Uden Academy, the fear of Luke's attacks has mostly faded. Scarlett spent her days mocking him, a habit that never failed to rail Luke up, so much so that he has once tried to kill her. As always, Greyson had stepped in to throw Luke at a wall.

In the dining hall, Bryce was sprawled out at the table, head resting in his arms. "Why does it have to be a cliché?" he muttered.

He had just returned from their weekly food delivery—a task he never volunteered for but could never avoid.

Life around Uden Academy had settled into a dull routine, predictable in ways that made every day feel the same. At least these deliveries offered a break from the monotony.

Besides, Jason hadn't officially called off the deliveries, so they still took whatever supplies they could find.

"What's a cliché?" Tumbles asked curiously from beside him, trying to pull the tab of a can of potatoes open.

Bryce sighed before answering. "It's when something's so predictable, it loses its meaning," he explained. "Like when you expect two people who care about each other to end up together."

Tumbles tilted her head, her dark eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Like my parents?" she asked.

Bryce looked up at Tumbles, noticing how her dark hair was pulled back tightly into a ponytail, exposing the fresh scrapes and bruises on her face from falling down.

"Sure," he said casually, resting his elbow on the table. "Do you miss them?"

Tumbles pressed her lips together tightly, fingers trembling as she tugged to pry open at the stubborn can. It wouldn't budge.

Bryce reached over, snatching the can from her and snapping it open with ease, the lid peeling back with a sharp hiss.

Tumbles let out a relieved breath. "Yeah, but I try not to think about them too much... Do you miss yours?"

"My parents aren't like yours, Mallory." Tumbles widened her eyes at his words. "To them, I'm nothing more than a disappointment."

"You actually called me by my real name..." she murmured.

Bryce was one of the rare few who used Tumbles's real name—Mallory—occasionally, and never casually. Usually, it slipped out during moments when they talked about things happening in Simcoe.

"Do you like someone?" Tumbles asked quietly.

Bryce pushed himself up from the table and reached out to ruffle Tumbles's hair. "Yeah, I do," he admitted. "But it's not something I know how to handle very well."

He gaze drifted across the room to where Eden sat quietly, her hand gently covering another girl's trembling ones. Tears streamed down the girl's cheeks, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Suddenly, the girl pulled her hands from Eden's and cupped them over her mouth, letting out a shaky breath before rushing out of the dining hall. Eden stayed behind, her lips pressed into a thin line as she tapped her pencil against her temple, scribbling something down on a piece of paper.

Bryce called out from across the room with a smirk, "What's that about, Jesus freak?"

Eden glanced up, her smile unwavering. "I was just helping Faye come to terms with her situation. I reminded her that she can turn to God for guidance in fixing her relationship with her boyfriend."

Bryce arched an eyebrow. "Well, isn't that awfully kind of you?"

"Every answer lies within the Lord," Eden replied.

He sauntered over to Eden's side, leaning in to peer at the piece of paper she's been scribbling on. The list was numbered, filled with names he recognized.

"Is this your hit list?" he asked with a smirk.

"Of course not," Eden said firmly. "It's a list of those who need saving by the Lord. I've got big plans for two of them."

Bryce's eyebrows lifted as he caught sight of the two names she had scrawled in bold, capital letters. He wasn't a religious freak himself, but with Eden, he knew there was always more beneath the surface.

"I don't know the first one well," she admitted, snatching the paper back, "but my power works on the other. Actually, it works on most."

Bryce leaned close, positioning himself close to Eden's ear. "It won't be that easy."

"My power helps people, Bryce," she said evenly. "Like how Greyson's power serves his ambitions."

Eden rose from her seat and stepped into the hallway, Bryce trailing behind her. He slipped his hands into his pockets, as she paused by the window, gazing over the sprawling schoolyard below.

"Did you hear they're running out of medicine in Simcoe?" Eden asked casually. "We've got a nurse who could help them."

Bryce raised an eyebrow. "You mean the same girl who tripped into the fountain today? Yeah, I think Simcoe can manage without her help," he said dryly. "Unless we're trying to start an overdose epidemic."

Eden shot him a sharp glance over her shoulder. "I'm sure they've figured out how drugs work by now," she snapped. "And if something goes wrong, they better not pin it on her."

Bryce knew better than most how drugs worked—the difference between painkillers and street garbage, between calming someone down and ruining their body. Most people didn't understand dosages or how easily a high could become an overdose. He knew though. He used to deal.

"If something hits, like a storm, medicine will vanish overnight," Bryce sighed. "People will go crazy, and they'll look for anything to calm their nerves."

Eden stared at him in silence, her expression unreadable. But he knew that look—her mind was already turning, calculating. Whatever she was thinking, it had nothing to do with a scripture.

Without a word, she reached into her pockets, pulled out a pencil, and slammed it against a fractured section of the window. The cracked glass shattered instantly. He watched as she calmly brushed off the pencil, then raised it to her lips like a cigarette.

"That's their problem," Eden said flatly. "People die. Parents disappear. They need to stop clinging to them and move on."

Bryce sighed and stepped beside her, leaning back against the wall. "You should know how grief takes time."

"People can try to play hero over there," Eden said, her voice dark. "But they don't get it until they've truly lived through it. People will die. They'll be broken, used, torn apart by things they never saw coming. If they think someone's going to swoop in and save them every time, they're delusional. This isn't a superhero movie."

Bryce knew exactly who she meant. Over in Simcoe, people were scrambling to rebuild, patch holes, and pretend there was still structure. But it wouldn't last. Not stayed stable here especially with Greyson's scheming in the background and whatever the other thing was.

"Well, well." Bryce turned his head slightly to see Scarlett standing there, her eyebrow raised and a smirk on her lips. "Isn't this an interesting combo to see again?"

"We got the food," Bryce said, raising an eyebrow. "So what are you really here for?"

Scarlett shrugged casually, strolling over the broken window and running a finger along the jagged glass. Then her gaze flickered to Eden. This wasn't a team built for smooth sailing, especially with Scarlett holding the bait.

Scarlett's finger traced a slow line down Bryce's shirt, her voice dripping with teasing seduction. "Bryce, you know you could get anything you wanted with just a word. Girls dream about bad boys talking to them. It would be a pretty easy way to get some food and gossip."

Girls had been fawning over him for years, especially the older ones. It didn't bother him, since he knew he wasn't interested in any of them.

"Bryce isn't desperate," Eden cut in cooly. "I'm pretty sure you're doing just a fine job on your own."

"We're not going to stay cooped up here forever," Scarlett said, eyes flickering between them. "Just while things settle down."

"Word is, Jason's been slacking off lately," he said slyly. "I'm guessing that's why you showed up."

Scarlett smirked, sliding a hand onto his cheek. "So, does that idiot even have birth control pills?"

"That's one thing she doesn't have anymore," Bryce replied.

Scarlett nodded slowly, her smirk never fading. She turned and walked away from the two of them. He couldn't quite grasp why she would want birth control pills from Mia, but he had a pretty clear reason she might.

"But each person is tempted, drawn in by their own desire," Eden said quietly, her eyes darkening.

"What?" Bryce asked in a whisper.

Eden locked eyes with him. "Desire won't just be innocent kisses between them. If something shifts here, those two could be the spark."

Bryce watched as she slipped placed the pencil back into her pocket, then pulled out a small bag of white pills. He knew exactly what they were for, but he wasn't about to stand in her way.

"I had to use one on that pain in the ass, Devon," Eden said casually. "He wouldn't listen when I tried to knock down his pride."

Bryce chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm sure he loved that."

Eden turned back to the window, her gaze dropping to her knuckles, which had scars crisscrossed them. He remembered the day blood had dripped from those hands, scraped and trembling.

"Everything will be fine," Eden assured. "If things stay on course, I won't have to lift a finger."

Simcoe might be safe now that Greyson had returned to Uden, but that wouldn't stop others from slipping through the cracks. Fear still hung heavy in the air, and danger waited silently for the right moment to strike.

"If I have to step in, no one's getting off easy," Eden said, her eyes flashing with cold fire. "Because I'm way smarter than that dumbass Luke."

Don't forgot to check out the next book: Danger!
-Lexi