(Beep! Beep! Beep! Click)
Another school morning. Another alarm.
Ethan didn't want to get out of bed. He lay there with his eyes open, twisting in his sheets, his thoughts restless, his chest tight. Then that cursed presence returned.
It was watching him from the mirror.
"You need to get up…"
Anger surged through Ethan as memories of the night before flooded his mind.
"It's your fault! Because of you, I killed an innocent person!"
"Me?.. You killed him."
"How… how did I get that angry?"
"Because you used too much of my power."
Ethan slowly stood up and walked toward the mirror. His reflection looked normal, except for his eyes. They were glowing red.
"What do you mean, too much?"
"Normally, that thief killed you."
"But I gave you more of my power, shocked your body, and brought you back to life."
Ethan touched the spot where the bullet had entered his head.
"That power drove you into madness."
"It made you more violent than you already were."
"It would've been better if I had died there! Instead of that police officer!"
"I warned you, Ethan."
"I told you to stop."
"We have an agreement. You help me, and I help you."
Ethan began pacing around the room, his thoughts tangled. Only now did he understand how dangerous this power was. He never thought it could take control of him so easily.
A knock came from the door.
"Ethan, aren't you up yet? Hurry, the bus is almost here."
After a moment, Ethan opened the door and went to the bathroom. He washed his face and looked at the mirror one last time. His eyes were normal again. He got dressed, grabbed his bag, and went downstairs.
His stepfather was eating breakfast.
"Good morning, Ethan. The bus is waiting. You can eat later."
As his stepmother put a sandwich into his bag, the TV caught Ethan's attention.
"Last night's brutal murder—"
The news talked about how a police officer had been killed and mentioned a figure with red eyes.
Ethan left the house silently and walked toward the bus. He sat in the back seat, his mind still confused. His life had changed in a single night. Mia wasn't on the bus. He assumed she hadn't come to school because of what happened.
At school, Ethan walked toward his classroom without saying a word. He never liked school anyway. As he turned into the hallway, he bumped into the toughest player on the football team.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see you."
The boy stared at him angrily.
"You didn't see me?"
He stepped closer, clenching his fists.
"What's your name again?" Ethan said calmly. "You're the best player on the team, but I forgot it."
Students nearby stared in shock.
"My name?"
The boy punched Ethan hard. It hurt, but not much. Ethan fell, then stood back up and looked him straight in the eyes.
The boy looked confused.
"My name is Joseph."
Without another word, Joseph walked away.
Ethan felt no pain. After a short pause, he entered his classroom.
During the lesson, Ethan noticed a police car outside the school. His heart started racing.
"Did they come for me?" he thought.
"Teacher, may I go to the bathroom?"
"Of course."
Ethan quickly left the classroom and walked toward the exit. That's when he saw Mia. A police officer dropped her off and left. Mia noticed Ethan at the end of the hallway and looked at him for a moment before entering her classroom.
Ethan felt relieved. For a second, he thought the police had come for him.
When the break started, Ethan hurried into Mia's classroom. Many students were gathered around her. He pushed through them and finally met her eyes.
"Mia!"
"Ethan… how are you?"
"Mia, I'm sorry about last ni—"
Time suddenly froze. A cold sensation ran through Ethan's body, followed by a whisper.
"If you tell her… you will regret it."
The feeling vanished as quickly as it came.
"Are you okay, Ethan?" Mia asked.
Ethan gathered himself.
"I-I'd feel better if we could talk alone."
The students slowly moved away. Ethan sat at the desk next to Mia.
"Why did a police officer bring you to school?"
"It's a long story…"
"Okay… how are you now?"
Mia looked into Ethan's eyes and smiled faintly.
"I'm fine. About that police officer who was brutally killed last night…"
"Yeah… it's terrible, isn't it?"
"I was there. I saw the thing that killed him. The police asked me a few questions because of it."
"What? Seriously? That's awful. But isn't it strange?"
"What do you mean?"
"The guy you saw… he didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No. He just looked at me. I was terrified."
"Don't worry, Mia. It's over now."
Ethan gently held Mia's hand. She smiled, even though tears filled her eyes.
When the break ended, Ethan stood up to leave.
"Hey, Ethan…"
He looked back.
"Thank you… for being there for me."
Ethan smiled, nodded, and walked away. His heart was pounding in the hallway. The feeling inside him was strange, warm, and addictive. It made him happy.
After school, he went home, fell asleep almost immediately, and didn't go out that night.
End of Chapter 4.