The morning air was thick with questions. Nova Lane sat in homeroom, pretending to pay attention while her eyes flicked toward Liam's still-empty seat. His disappearance had shaken everyone—but no one dared to speak about it. As if the silence could keep the fear from spreading.
When the bell rang, Nova walked to her locker in a daze. She twisted the lock, opened the door—and froze.
A folded piece of paper lay neatly on her top shelf. Not crumpled. Not dropped. Placed.
She picked it up with trembling fingers.
The paper was old, yellowed, like it had been hidden somewhere for years. She unfolded it carefully. In bold, black ink, five words stared back at her:
"They come when it's quiet."
Her breath caught. No name. No explanation.
Nova glanced down the hallway, but no one seemed to notice her. Everyone moved as usual—laughing, talking, rushing.
Except Nova.
All day, her mind spun. Who left the message? Why her? And what did it mean?
During study hall, she snuck the note out of her bag and read it again. This time, she noticed something else. At the bottom right corner, nearly invisible, a strange symbol had been drawn — a small spiral within a circle.
Nova had seen it before.
Last night. On a tree trunk near the woods.
That night, she couldn't sleep. The symbol burned in her thoughts. The message echoed in her mind.
They come when it's quiet.
She gripped the note tight, her heart racing.
Someone knew something.
And they were trying to warn her.