Mr. Nick vanished mid-sentence. One second, he was handing out the essay topics; the next, his body dissolved into a cloud of dust. The paper slipped from her fingers and fluttered across the floor.

Everyone looked around in stunned silence.

Greyson Newman smirked and glanced at Scarlett Russell, who was staring down at her phone. She'd left it charging on the floor before Mr. Nick disappeared. Now the screen was completely black.

One student named William Conley opened the classroom door and peeked down the hall. "No teachers! It's time to party!" he shouted with a grin.

Some students climbed onto the desks, shouting and laughing as they jumped from one to another. Others raided Mr. Nick's desk drawers, stuffing chocolate bars and confiscated items into their pockets.

Scarlett lifted her gaze to Greyson, her dark-blue eyes narrowed with amusement. "Well, isn't this an unfortunate situation? All the teachers just happen to disappear," she remarked. "Is the Dauntless Leader going to deliver his moving speech?"

"You know me well." Greyson brushed his thumb across her cheek, his smirk widening.

Scarlett smoothed her skirt and stepped back, watching Greyson stride to the front of the room. She wasn't surprised. He had been taking charge since the day she arrived at Uden Academy.

Uden Academy wasn't a school families always chose out of love. It was where wealthy families parents sent their troublesome children when they became too inconvenient to keep at home.

Her mother had always cared more about men than motherhood. Sending Scarlett to Uden had been easier than raising.

Apparently being rich and troublesome was enough to get you shipped off like unwanted luggage.

"Scarlett, let's check the halls. I want to see what else is going on," Greyson said, turning to her.

They walked together down the long corridor, lined with maroon lockers and walls painted in Uden's colours—maroon and black. They passed students peeking out of classrooms, some whispering and others wandering around.

"Greyson!" Preston Ellis exclaimed, waving a hand and holding a bunch of magazines. He walked towards them and handed one to Greyson. "Victoria's Secret magazines!"

Greyson hit Preston hard with the magazine, causing Scarlett to laugh and raise her eyebrows.

"I'm not a pervert like you," Greyson said sharply as Preston picked up the magazines from the ground. "Did your teacher disappear?"

"Apparently, everyone's teachers are gone," Preston explained. "I haven't checked downstairs, but Mia told me that nobody was in her class."

Greyson's eyes narrowed. "Everyone fifteen and older?"

None of it made any sense. People fifteen and older were gone. Teachers. Staff. Adults. Anyone who'd ever told Scarlett what to do.

Nobody understood exactly what happened yet. But beneath that confusion, excitement spread quickly.

Scarlett watched as Greyson re-entered the classroom and came back with a wooden desk chair without a cushioned seat. He climbed onto it effortlessly.

He flicked two fingers. A discarded sneaker shot across the hallway and smashed into a locker.

She didn't flinch, but everyone else went quiet, every head turning toward Greyson.

"I know we are all worried," Greyson began, standing tall on the chair. "The reality is that everyone aged fifteen and over has disappeared. We need to gather information first, then head to Simcoe. This might be their doing. We need to group together and make sure a few of you bring the children to Simcoe. I'm sure some of you know how to hijack cars."

He flashed that charming smile that made people agree before they realized. Scarlett noticed it worked faster now.

Greyson jumped from the chair like it was nothing, and the chaos unfolded exactly how he wanted. Somehow, he could turn a disaster into a campaign speech.

"What an excellent speech. So moving," Scarlett mocked, hand to her chest.

"We need to find Luke and Emma. They will have information," Greyson said, already scanning the hall.

Greyson wasn't the type to throw punches. He just had a power that made people listen. He had the supernatural ability of telekinesis. Many students had developed powers before the disappearance.

Scarlett could sense the strength of people's power. Her power was a low rank, while Greyson's was a high rank.

Preston's invisibility was considered a medium-ranked power. He couldn't do anything special but spy on people.

He was useful, which was the only reason Greyson tolerated him. Scarlett still found him unbearable.

"I assume you have a plan?" Scarlett asked, raising an eyebrow.

Greyson nodded, leading the way down the maroon corridor. She followed alongside him with Preston just behind.

Inside the classrooms, kids were scribbling drawings on the chalkboard or rushing outside to gather the younger students into the school's SUVs.

"We need to find Emma and Luke first," Greyson said. "Then we're going to Simcoe."

Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're going to confront him?"

Greyson glanced back at her. "People usually refer to him as a hero."

"That wasn't an answer."

His smile returned. "It wasn't suppose to be."

Jason Harp blinked.

Mr. Cranley was gone.

One second, he had been explaining covalent bonds with his usual enthusiasm. The next, he there was nothing—no flash, no sound, not even an empty chair to explain where he'd gone.

"The teacher was in the class, right?" Vicki asked, scanning the room with wide eyes.

Jason rose, the chair scraping loudly. He stepped into the hallway of Simcoe High that was packed with confused students—some wandering aimlessly, others frantically at their lockers.

Bella Foster emerged from a nearby grade ten classroom, her long blonde hair swaying behind her. She was known as the prettiest girl in their grade, but right now, even she looked pale and uncertain.

"Everyone in the fashion class is gone," she said. "Including the teachers."

Jason hesitated at the door before stepping inside. The fashion room looked frozen in time: circular tables neatly arranged, sewing machines lined up, thread still looped through needles. A half-finished scarf hung awkwardly on a mannequin. No buzzing, no chatter, just silence.

All the seats were empty.

"Our teacher's gone too," said a girl from the doorway, her voice trembling.

They hurried back into the main hallway, the walls painted in Simcoe's trademark dark green and white. More students were pouring out of classrooms now, eyes wide, mouths half-formed into questions no one could answer.

He darted classroom to classroom, checking each door. Desks sat empty. Chalkboards were untouched. No teacher at the front, no older students at the back. A cold knot of dread tightened in his stomach—this wasn't just one classroom. They were all gone.

Then someone shouted, "That means no teachers!"

The words rippled through the crowd like a shockwave.

Some kids cheered.

Others just stared.

Voices rose, echoing off the walls, blending into chaos.

Bella turned sharply toward Jason. "If it's not just the teachers, then it's age, isn't it? It's got to be."

Jason didn't answer. He stepped toward the large hallway window and peered out. In the schoolyard, a few kids ran after each other, their voices rising in short bursts. Others stood in small clumps, glancing down at their phones or looking up at the sky.

He turned from the window, his mind spinning. He headed for the black double doors near the washrooms.

He looked outside, but the world felt wrong.

The traffic light at the intersection blinked red.

Again.

Again.

Again.

A silver sedan was crumpled against a streetlight pole, its hazard lights flashing uselessly without a driver.

Across the street, the park lay empty with swings motionless, sand undisturbed.

"Jason..." a small voice whispered.

He turned to see his stepsister, Ashley, clutching the straps of her backpack. Her green eyes shimmered with tears.

Ashley was his stepsister, a fifth grader who had spent most of her life following Jason like a shadow.

Their family was complicated—divorce, remarriage, and a biological father Jason had never known. His father had died in a car accident only a week after Jason was born.

None of that mattered now.

Ashley was here and their parents weren't.

"It's okay, Ash," he said softly, resting a hand on her head. "We're going to find out what happened. I promise."

"Yo, Jason!" someone shouted over the noise.

Jason turned to see Mark Riggs cutting through a group of panicked students. They'd been best friends since third grade, when Mark moved from Ohio and declared Simcoe's cafeteria pizza "a national tragedy."

He was hard to miss with a green t-shirt, ripped jeans, red sunglasses, and a black bucket hat. His phone was raised like a lifeline.

"No signal," Mark said grimly. "No bars, no Wi-Fi, nothing. Do you have any idea what's happening?"

Jason shook his head. "No clue." He glanced at Bella. "Any siblings?"

Bella shook her head, glancing around at the swarming students. "Only child."

She pressed her lips together.

"Most of the grade nines are still here," she said. "I don't think any grade tens."

She looked toward the senior hallway.

"But I haven't seen a single eleven or twelve."

"Hey! Everyone, listen up!" Jason called, climbing onto a bench. "I know this is scary and confusing, but we have to think smart. Some of us should check the daycare and the grocery store. Others should go house to house to make sure no one's stuck or hurt. We need to stay in groups."

His voice carried over the crowd as people listened.

He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he'd always been the kid who acted when everyone else froze. In sixth grade, he'd performed CPR on his teacher while the rest of the class stood screaming around him.

He hadn't thought about that day in years, but this was different.

"Hey! There's an Uden Academy car!" someone shouted near the windows.

Students surged toward the glass.

A sleek black SUV rolled to a stop at the curb, its paint glinting under the afternoon sun. Jason watched as the passenger door opened, and a girl—maybe in eighth grade—stepped out. Her short amber hair caught the light, and her eyes, lined with dark makeup, seemed to pierce him.

Behind her, five younger kids in maroon-and-black uniforms spilled out, clutching stiff backpacks and blinking against the light.

A younger student followed. He struggled with a pile of chocolate bars, his blonde hair sticking out in all directions.

"No fair! Why do they get chocolate bars?" someone called.

"It's probably to control their behaviour," Matthew Fields—better known as Stick—muttered. "Right, Bella?"

Bella shrugged. "Wouldn't surprise me. That school's a circus."

Everyone in Simcoe knew of Uden Academy.

Half the rumours said it was an elite private school. The other said it was a dumping ground for rich kids with nowhere else to go. Fights, theft, and lockdowns—Jason had heard them all.

He'd never expected Uden's students to end up at his school, especially not today.

The amber-haired girl approached with an expression that suggested she'd decided panic was a waste of time. The small kids clustered behind her, confused and exhausted.

The boy with the chocolate bars pointed to the front doors Jason had gone through earlier and pushed one open.

"I'm Lucy from Uden Academy," she said flatly. "We don't know what to do with the younger kids. They're the littlest and someone needs to watch them."

Jason nodded slowly. "Yeah. Same thing here. Everyone over fifteen is gone."

Lucy glanced at the boy, who was now corralling three tiny kids into a row. Their maroon blazers gleamed under the sunlight, gold buttons polished to perfection. The girls wore black skirts and tights; the boys had pressed slacks and shiny loafers.

"This is Oscar, and we don't exactly know much. We were sent here because nobody really knows what to do with them," Lucy said flatly, turning and walking back toward the SUV.

Oscar lined the kids up in front of them. "Put them somewhere," he said in a monotonous tone, then turned and walked back to the vehicle.

The SUV glided away, its dark windows reflecting the empty street.

Jason looked at the little kids.

One had a backpack almost as big as his body. Another was crying silently, rubbing both eyes with fists.

They weren't old enough to understand what had happened. All they knew was that the adults were gone.

Jason swallowed hard.

Suddenly, getting everyone home didn't seem like enough. Someone had to keep these kids alive.

The hallway had begun to quiet, but the silence felt like a weight pressing against Jason's chest. His heart thumped rapidly, and his hands twitched to do something. Anything.

Everyone was staring at him, even the little ones, and the thought of everyone expecting him to know what to do next made his stomach twist.

Jason could feel that pull again, the one he thought he'd buried years ago. Back then, it had been instinct: CPR, adrenaline, a single moment that decided everything.

But this wasn't one life. This was hundreds. And if he stepped up now, it wouldn't just be quick thinking—it would mean responsibility. Decisions. Mistakes.

He looked at Ashley, standing close to his side, her small fingers twisting the strap of her backpack. Her eyes were wide and wet.

Part of him wanted to run home and lock the doors.

The other part already knew he wouldn't.

"I think we should start by checking our houses," Bella said, breaking the silence.

Jason nodded slowly, the weight in his chest deepening. "Yeah. We'll figure it out from there."

Outside the air felt strange. The sunlight hit the windows in bright, empty flashes. Students began scattering in all directions: some crying, others shouting names.

Jason pushed open the heavy doors and stepped into the open air with Bella and Ashley beside him. Around him, the noise of panic was growing, spilling across the school grounds like a tide.

He glanced down at Ashley. "Stay close," he said softly.

She nodded.

The chaos was about to begin.

Greyson paced across the ruby-painted office, his footsteps echoing against the polished floor. Portraits of former headmasters and the academy's founders watched him from the wall, their painted eyes seeming to follow every step.

He was waiting for Lucy and Oscar. It wasn't a long drive from Simcoe, but Uden Academy had been built on the outskirts for a reason.

"If you wear a hole through the floor, you're fixing it," Scarlett said without looking up from her phone.

Greyson stopped.

"The phone doesn't work."

"I know."

"Then why are you looking at it?"

Scarlett finally glanced up.

"Because watching you pace is getting boring."

Every cellphone had died. None would charge, no matter how long they were plugged in. The landlines were dead too. Whatever had happened, it had severed every connection to the outside world entirely.

Greyson narrowed his eyes at her as she crossed her legs in her seat. "It helps," he replied curtly.

Scarlett had always been there for him. She mocked him constantly, but he knew better than to take it personally. At Uden, her sharp tongue was practically part of her reputation. Plus, telling him people's rank in power compared to his helped. It showed the difference in balance between him and the others.

Suddenly, the door swung open to reveal Emma, Luke, Lucy, and Oscar entering the room.

"Well, it's about time," Greyson snapped, dropping into the black leather office chair behind the desk.

"The children have been dropped off," Lucy said. "The two of them were there, along with that slut Bella."

"Luke hijacked the dean's convertible," Emma added quietly. "We can head out whenever you want."

"I think that's a great idea," Greyson replied, turning to Emma, Lucy, and Oscar. "I want you three to hang back. We don't need everyone attending like it's a parade. Get the convertible started; we're going early. We need to get the rankings of some children there."

Greyson strode from the office, Scarlett, Preston, and Luke trailing close behind. The maroon and black halls of Uden were lined with lockers, echoing faint chatter from students still inside.

As they stepped into the sunlight, Greyson's gaze landed on a red convertible gleaming in the lot. He climbed into the driver's seat and ran his hand over the wheel.

"Scarlett, shotgun. Luke—make sure the pervert doesn't do anything stupid," he said.

Luke grinned and flicked open his pocketknife, holding it close to Preston's face.

Preston clutched the magazines tighter against his chest, shrinking into his seat.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Scarlett asked, one eyebrow arched.

Greyson tightened his grip on the wheel. He'd driven golf carts on vacation, but this was no golf cart.

"There are signs," he snapped. "I know what I'm doing."

The gear clicked forward, and the convertible sped down the deserted road toward Simcoe. Wind whipped through Scarlett's hair as fields rolled past in long streaks of green and brown.

Here and there, a tractor rusted in the distance.

Wrecked cars littered the ditches, some still running, their headlights shining uselessly in the fields. One car had smashed through a wooden fence. Another sat sideways across the road.

Somewhere in the distance, an alarm wailed continuously.

Nobody came to shut them off.

"This is insane," Preston muttered, eyes wide.

"There are so many crashes," Scarlett said, scanning the road ahead.

Greyson kept his eyes forward, jaw tight. "Whatever caused this... it isn't normal."

"No, really?" Scarlett mocked, her voice edged with amusement.

The road opened to a park.

A stone fountain bubbled in the centre, surrounded by red and pink sky tulips. Children ran between oak trees, shouting as they played tag. A boy kicked soccer ball across the grass.

Yet there wasn't an adult in sight.

The car slowly rolled into the LCBO parking lot, where three boys lounged in folding chairs outside the beige building. One stood lazily as Greyson slammed the brakes.

"Asshole," Preston muttered under his breath.

The group climbed out, forming a line as they walked toward the boy.

"Day drinking already?" Scarlett whispered, smirking.

"You know what to do," Greyson murmured.

A pudgy boy with a plastic cup stepped forward. "Can I help you?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm looking for your leader," Greyson said, arms folded. "We're from Uden Academy, if you couldn't tell."

The boy stiffened. "I'm the leader."

Greyson's patience thinned. "Name?"

"Henry Moore."

"Scarlett," Greyson said smoothly.

She stepped forward, smiling sweetly as she took Henry's wrist. He blushed instantly. A tall, unsteady boy stumbled toward them.

"Nice to meet you," Scarlett said with false sweetness, letting go. "None."

"Everything okay, Henry?" he slurred.

"Just fine," Scarlett replied, still smiling. She reached for his wrist next. "And you are?"

"The golden boy of Simcoe High," he said with a crooked smile. "They call me Stick."

"Of course you are," she said, leaning in closer.

Greyson's eyes flickered to Luke. The knife flicked open again.

"We'll stick around for a bit," Greyson said casually.

Henry and the other boy continued to stare at Scarlett. Greyson narrowed his eyebrows and tilted his chin up.

Henry suddenly fell backwards onto the grass with a thud.

"See you around," Greyson muttered, already turning away.

"Someone's jealous," Luke taunted.

"I'll throw you into that building," Greyson shot back.

"Relax," Scarlett said, still smirking. "Stick was a low rank. Enhanced hunger."

They went walking toward the park, where many people were gathered around the large fountain. Most were trying to use their cellphones or iPads to try and contact someone, but from what he observed, it didn't seem any of them were working.

Preston nudged him.

"Hey, isn't that him?"

Greyson followed his gaze.

A boy with messy caramel hair stood near the fountain, staring down at his hands as though he didn't understand what they were capable of.

Greyson's expression hardened.

Jason Harp.

"That's him."

As they went through the crowd, many people stepped aside to give way to them. Everyone seemed to know they were students from Uden Academy based on their uniforms.

"Are you Jason Harp?" Greyson called out, his voice cutting through the noise.

Jason looked up. His caramel hair a mess, and shock flashed across his face.

"Yes." His voice wavered as they stopped in front of them.

"I'm Greyson Newman, from Uden Academy," he said warmly, smiling.

Scarlett stepped forward confidently, taking hold of Jason's hand with a gentle grip. She then placed her other hand against his chest with a smile.

"No need to worry," she purred.

"Scarlett is just ranking your powers. It's an ability she has," Greyson explained.

He watched as Jason's eyes widened in surprise. The conflicted expression on his face made Greyson raise an eyebrow.

Meanwhile, Scarlett reached out and grabbed Ashley's wrist before releasing it immediately. However, Bella put her wrists behind her back and slowly shook her head.

"It's quick. No need to worry," Scarlett said.

Bella stood her ground, shaking her head with her wrists still behind her back.

"Luke," Greyson ordered.

Luke walked towards her and opened his pocket knife, placing it against her neck with a devious smile.

"Give the wrist, or he'll stab you," Greyson said calmly. "Unless you want Luke to get creative.

Jason dashed towards Bella.

Before Jason could reach Bella, Greyson threw him back with an invisible force.

Trembling, Bella held out her wrist as Scarlett grabbed it. "Thank you. We'll be heading back, but we'll see you soon," Greyson stated.

Scarlett winked with a smirk, and Luke took the knife away from Bella's throat.

"Wait!" Jason called, slowly standing as Ashley rushed to his side. "What was that?"

"I can control matter with my mind. You've probably seen it in movies," Greyson explained, walking towards Jason. "You have a high rank like me. We haven't encountered anyone with a high rank before, which makes things different."

Scarlett had told him that someone named Jason might have a high rank. She could figure out a person's power just by being near them.

Most people Scarlett had tested ranked somewhere around medium. Emma was one of them. Her healing could close wounds and mend broken bones, but it couldn't touch psychological damage.

"Bella's a None," Greyson said, glancing toward Ashley. "And she's a Very Low."

Jason knitted his eyes and winced.

"What does that mean?"

Greyson smiled coldly.

"Exactly what it sounds like. None means no ability. Very Low means an ability is barely use useful."

He didn't have to worry about those two when it came to abilities. If other people in Simcoe were just as low, the only person he would have to deal with would be Jason.

"Ashley can make tissues, and you have... I don't even know... We'll be coming back soon," he growled, dropping his hands to his sides.

"Oh," Scarlett started as she looked back toward Bella. "I wasn't going to hit on him," she smirked at the girl.

Bella narrowed her eyebrows as they walked away from them.

Knowing Jason was a high rank was trouble. Someone else was as powerful as he was, but Greyson had no idea whether Jason could control his ability.

Maybe Jason's power only came out during panic. Tension lingered as they walked down the sidewalk. There were large streetlights with oak trees behind them. There was a Burger King and a variety store nearby, where kids were rushing out with candy and soda.

Many children and teenagers played or sat in the street, delighted or sobbing. It seemed like nobody in this place had a leadership role. This was his time to shine.

"Back to Uden?" Preston asked.

Greyson saw a couple sitting on a bench, sharing candies. It was something he had rarely seen at Uden, since they prevented relationships at the academy. The reason for this is that some students get enrolled for sex or sexuality purposes.

"No, we need to know what's going on," Greyson spat, walking straight to the Burger King.

He wanted to see what other types of people could be used. Better yet, take away Jason's chances of leadership, since there isn't going to be an easy way to have two different sides.

The building was small, with black and beige on the outside. The Burger King logo was planted up top, bare of people and workers up front.

Luke pushed open the aluminium handle, and they all walked toward the front. The dining room was dark brown, with booths and tables surrounding it. You could smell the burning burgers still cooking in the back.

"Seems empty," Luke remarked with a smirk, jumping over the black counter.

They all jumped the counter, walking into the back. Half-made sandwiches sat beside beeping fryers. Preston carefully lifted the crispy fries out of the bubbling fryer using a silver basket and drained the cooking oil. There was another basket of fries next to it, but when he pulled them up, they were all black.

"It looks like we can take whatever we desire!" Preston cheered.

Scarlett grabbed the chicken nuggets that were already bagged and placed them into paper bags. Luke began making sandwiches of all sorts with various condiments, mainly ketchup. Preston poured soda and iced tea and took drinks from the mini fridge under the black counter, placing them on drink trays. Greyson loaded up all the food together as they grabbed all the cooked food they could get.

"Thank gosh they have food, because I literally haven't eaten since those nasty eggs this morning," Scarlett complained.

"Pack as much food as we can," Greyson ordered.

They raided the kitchen.

Chicken nuggets. Fries. Onion rings. Mozzarella sticks.

Whatever had been cooked before everyone disappeared was still sitting beneath the heat lamps.

They stuffed in different sauces for the chicken nuggets and ketchup for the fries.

Preston's arms trembled with all the drinks he placed on the trays.

"What's your plan, Greyson?" he asked.

"Luke and I will give the food to you and Scarlett. If you do perverted actions, I'll throw you into the fryer," Greyson snapped.

Preston tensed at those words as he took some trays to the convertible.

Scarlett and Preston climbed back over the counter, where Luke and Greyson gave them the food. They walked toward the convertible, which was still parked close by.

As they waited for them to come back, Greyson leaned on the counter. This could take a while, considering they had about fifteen large bags filled.

"Your flirting is disgusting," Luke said, rolling his eyes.

"What the hell?" he snapped, almost dropping the food.

"Please don't act oblivious. It's annoying as hell the way you two flirt," Luke groaned as the glass door opened again. He began carrying a large bag to the car as Greyson handed a tray of drinks to Scarlett.

"What's got you looking sour?" she asked with a smirk.

"Nothing," he spat, turning his back away from her.

There were many ideas floating in his mind, but flirting? What mattered now was getting Simcoe under his control.

The adults have vanished, but where to? Who knows, but keep reading to find out.
-Lexi

Cover done by _chanceuxx_