St. Jude's Academy loomed through fog like a tomb, its iron gates rusted shut with what Zara soon realized wasn't just rust—it was dried blood. She'd transferred here after her sister Lila had killed herself to escape bullies, and she'd sworn she'd never let it happen again.
The moment she stepped onto campus, a football flew past her head, shattering a window. "Watch where you're walking, nerd!" Vince Reyes shouted, surrounded by his crew—Jazz, Miguel, and Lyra—all laughing.
A boy in thick glasses scurried past, clutching a textbook to his chest. Vince tripped him hard. The book slid open, revealing pages covered in equations. "What's this, Ike? Trying to be smart again?"
Ike. Zara would later learn that was Isaac Domingo—who'd "vanished" two years prior.
As she helped the boy pick up his book, she noticed Kairos Montes leaning against a tree, laptop open, staring at them. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away.
That night, Zara unpacked in her aunt's guesthouse. A noise from the backyard made her freeze—she peered through the window to see a figure in black, wearing a terrifying red oni mask with jagged teeth. It hefted a heavy axe, then vanished into the mist.