Chapter 2: The Normie Tour
The boys' dorm door burst open, a blast of color shattering the gloom. Enid Sinclair stood in the doorway, pastel sweater a riot of pink and yellow, blonde hair with pink streaks bouncing as she grinned.
Her lavender-and-citrus perfume sliced through the musty staleness, a sensory jolt that made Oliver blink. The metallic tang from the mirror lingered, a faint thread tying him to the previous night's mystery.
"She's a walking rainbow. I'm gonna ruin her day, aren't I?"
His hazel eyes widened, fingers pausing on his tie, the fabric a lifeline against her vibrant chaos. The memory of the Serpent's message pulsed in his mind, a shadow over this bright intrusion.
"Welcome, new guy!" Enid chirped, voice bright but with a nervous edge, blue eyes scanning him like a puzzle. "I'm Enid, from the girls' dorm next door. You look like you just saw a ghost, but don't worry, they're friendly here!"
Her laugh pushed back the room's weight, but Oliver caught the tremble in her hands, fidgeting with her sweater's hem, echoing the strain he'd heard through the wall. She was hiding something, just as he was.
"Oliver," he said, voice rough, lips twitching into a hesitant smile. "Just… getting used to this place."
He stood, lanky frame awkward under her gaze, boots scuffing the floor. He was a fraud—a transmigrator, not a student—and her brightness threatened to expose him.
But her warmth was a lifeline, and he clung to it, the System buzzing coldly in his mind, a secret he couldn't share, tied to the mirror's warning.
Enid grabbed his arm, touch warm and insistent. "Come on, I'm giving you the grand Nevermore tour! You'll love it!"
Her enthusiasm was infectious, fingers lingering as if she needed the contact. Oliver let her pull him toward the door, tie slipping through his fingers, a nervous tic.
"She's too bright for this place. Like a firecracker in a crypt. That strain in her voice… she's hiding something. Just like me."
The hall was cooler, the metallic tang fading but not gone, replaced by damp stone. Enid chattered about Nevermore's history, words a mix of facts and gossip, but Oliver's mind split—listening, waiting for the System.
He couldn't tell her about it, couldn't let anyone know. The secret was his burden, linking back to the Serpent's message, a puzzle piece in Nevermore's maze.
The Nevermore Quad sprawled with gothic arches and mist-draped stone, air cool and damp, carrying wet grass and a faint electric hum of magic. Oliver's teeth ached, like static crawling under his skin, echoing the dorm's anomaly.
Enid bounced ahead, sneakers squeaking on cobblestones, pointing out outcast factions: sirens by a fountain, laughter sharp; gorgons with stony glares, scarves hiding snakes; vampires moving with eerie grace, eyes glinting in the mist.
[SYSTEM: Anomaly Detected: Dormant Gorgon Power, 10 Meters.]
The message flashed, eyes flicking to a gorgon student, posture rigid, hands balled in pockets. Her scarf shifted, revealing scales that made his stomach lurch.
The System's tone was mocking, a cold weight in his chest, tying to the metallic tang of the dorm. "Dormant power? What am I supposed to do, hug her?"
He brushed his tie, fingers trembling, the fabric grounding him. Enid's voice cut through, oblivious. "That's Medusa's cousin, sorta. Don't stare, unless you want a bad hair day forever!"
Her laugh was bright, but her eyes darted to the gorgon, unease flickering. Oliver caught it, chest tightening. She's nervous too.
He wanted to connect, but the System's secret chained his tongue, a barrier as real as the mirror's warning. The Quad's electric hum linked to the dorm's anomaly, a thread pulling him deeper.
They moved toward the library, mist thickening, air heavy with old parchment and mildew. Enid chattered about secret tunnels, but her voice faltered, mentioning her family.
"My parents… expect a lot. Wolf-level expectations." Her tone hushed, eyes distant, seeing a version of herself she couldn't reach.
Oliver's heart twisted, her vulnerability mirroring his own, tied to his own fear of failing in this strange world. "You're enough," he said, voice soft, surprising himself.
His hand brushed her shoulder, clumsy but real. Enid's smile returned, faint but genuine, eyes brightening. "Thanks, Oliver. You're not so bad for a newbie."
"She's not a catalyst, System. She's Enid. I'm not letting you reduce her to a game piece."
The library was a cavern of shadows, shelves like sentinels, air thick with old parchment and mildew. Oliver's skin prickled, a chill in his bones as the System blared:
[SYSTEM: Scan Complete. Unnatural Residue Detected. Source: Non-System Warlock Magic.]
He touched a bookshelf, wood warm under fingertips, a lingering trace of someone else. The chill deepened, ears ringing with a faint, sinister whisper.
"Not the System. Not me."
His heart raced, room spinning, the metallic tang returning, linking to the dorm's anomaly and the Serpent's warning. Enid chattered about rare books, but her voice was distant, fingers twisting her hair.
Oliver scanned the shadows, catching a book shifting, nudged by an unseen hand. He stepped closer, boots silent on the rug, air colder, teeth aching with magic's intensity.
"Someone's been here. Playing a different game."
Enid's voice softened. "This place gives me the creeps. Like it's watching." She hugged her arms, cheer dimming.
Oliver felt protectiveness, but the System's secret held him back, a wall tying him to the mirror's message. The residue was a clue, a piece of Nevermore's puzzle.
As they left, the sun dipped, casting claw-like shadows across the Quad. Enid's gaze caught a black car at the gate, fingers tightening on her sweater.
"Oh, no," she whispered, dread in her voice. "The new girl's here. She looks… moody."
Oliver spotted a figure in black, posture rigid, a storm cloud. The air grew colder, mist thicker, and the System stirred:
[SYSTEM: Psychic Catalyst Approaching. Prepare.]
The shiver down his spine linked to the library's residue, the mirror's warning, the dorm's anomaly. Another player. Dangerous.
Enid's hope clashed with unease, and Oliver felt his secrets—warlock magic, the Serpent, the System—pressing down, tying him to the next step in Nevermore's maze.
"This isn't a tour; it's a mission. Enid's more than a quest marker. The gorgon's power, the library's residue—it's connected. Someone's pulling strings, not just the System. The new girl… psychic catalyst? Bad news. I'm a wizard who can't cast spells, in a school of monsters. Enid's smile keeps me grounded. Her parents are tearing her apart, but she's fighting. If she can, I can handle this. The library's magic was older, darker. Nevermore's a puzzle, and I'm not failing. But I can't tell her. The System's my secret, and it stays that way."
"Oliver's so lost, isn't he? Those twitchy hands, eyes seeing too much. I want to make this place home, but I'm barely holding it together. My parents say I'm not wolf enough. Why can't I transform? Oliver's kind, but hiding something. That library chill—I felt it, but didn't say anything. I can't scare him off. He said I'm enough, and I wanted to believe him. That car, that girl in black—she'll change everything. The magic, the school, it's bigger than me. I'm Enid, the girl who smiles too much, but I'll keep smiling for him. If I fall apart, who'll hold him together? I'm scared, but I'm here."
Love [ Im A In Wedneday ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ Im A In Wedneday ] with exclusive access to 35+ chapters on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [Grimm, Teen Wolf ,blacklist,Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!