Decoding Shadows

The polished halls of Meriam High gleamed under the morning sun, a deceptive calm over the empire Aliovna had meticulously built. She walked with the familiar weight of valedictorian pride, a title earned through relentless dedication.

But the air was different today, thick with whispers and the unsettling presence of a new challenger. He, the transfer student, moved through the sun-drenched corridors like a shadow, threatening to eclipse her reign. Their rivalry, once a distant hum, had escalated into an undeniable challenge.

Yet, the real threat wasn't the academic one. It was the chill that settled in her bones, a premonition she couldn't shake. Her 'friends,' usually her steadfast allies, had been distant, their smiles brittle. When the invitation to a karaoke party arrived—a sudden, unexpected olive branch—a flicker of hope mingled with a deepening sense of unease.

She arrived at the secluded venue, a place too quiet, too remote for a typical high school gathering. The door creaked open to an empty, haunted space, the silence deafening. A figure emerged from the shadows, familiar yet sinister. Before Aliovna could react, a crushing blow to her head sent her world spinning, pain exploding behind her eyes. The hard wall met her with brutal force, and she knew, with chilling certainty, this was no party. This was a trap.