The ride home was silent.
Derek stared out the passenger window while trees blurred past in streaks of green and gray. His backpack sat at his feet, heavier than usual — like it carried more than books.
Expelled.
The word replayed endlessly in his mind.
His mom gripped the steering wheel tighter than normal. His dad sat unusually quiet in the back seat, which somehow made everything feel worse.
Nobody yelled.
Nobody asked questions.
And that scared Derek more than anything.
When they pulled into the driveway, his mom turned off the engine but didn't move.
"We need to talk," she said softly.
Derek exhaled. "Yeah… I figured."
Inside, the house felt different.
Dimmer.
The afternoon light barely reached the living room, shadows collecting along the walls like silent listeners.
His parents sat across from him.
Not angry.
Not disappointed.
Nervous.
His dad spoke first. "What happened today… wasn't just a fight, was it?"
Derek hesitated.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Things have been weird since I woke up yesterday. I keep remembering stuff that never happened. And—"
He stopped.
"…and sometimes the shadows move."
The room went completely still.
His parents exchanged a look — one filled with relief and fear at the same time.
His mom nodded slowly. "We were hoping it wouldn't happen yet."
Derek frowned. "Wouldn't what happen?"
His dad leaned forward.
"Derek… you're not a normal human."
The words landed heavily.
Derek let out a small laugh. "Okay. Funny. I just got expelled, can we not—"
"I'm serious," his dad said gently.
Silence followed.
The shadows along the wall stretched slightly, reacting to Derek's rising heartbeat.
"You're an Outcast," his mom said.
The word felt strangely familiar.
Like hearing his own name.
"What does that even mean?" Derek asked.
"It means," she continued carefully, "you were born with abilities most people don't understand. Powers connected to something deeper… older."
Derek's voice dropped. "The shadows?"
His dad nodded.
"You control them. Or… you will."
Derek stood abruptly, pacing. "No. No, that's not possible. Powers aren't real."
But even as he said it, the lights above flickered.
The shadow at his feet stretched toward him like it was listening.
His breathing quickened.
"…Then why does this feel normal?" he whispered.
His parents didn't answer.
Because they didn't need to.
After a moment, his mom spoke again.
"There's a school. A place for people like you. Somewhere you'll be safe."
Derek stopped pacing.
"What school?"
His dad hesitated before saying the name.
"Nevermore Academy."
Everything froze.
The room.
The air.
Even Derek's thoughts.
"…No," Derek said slowly. "That's not real."
But flashes filled his mind instantly—
Dark stone towers.Black uniforms.A girl with braids and emotionless eyes.
His stomach dropped.
"That's from—" he started, shaking his head. "That's from Wednesday. The Netflix show."
His parents exchanged confused looks.
"I don't know what show you're talking about," his mom said carefully. "Nevermore has existed for centuries."
Derek stared at them.
Then laughed once — a stunned, disbelieving sound.
"You're telling me… I got expelled… because I have shadow powers… and now you're sending me to the school from Wednesday Addams?"
No one corrected him.
The realization hit all at once.
The memories.The visions.The girl watching him.
"I'm… in that world," he whispered.
Shock spread across his face.
"That means… she's real."
Outside, the sky darkened rapidly.
The sun slipped below the horizon.
Night arrived faster than it should have.
His dad looked toward the window.
"It's starting."
The moon rose.
Or rather—
it didn't.
A new moon swallowed the sky, leaving only darkness overhead.
The house lights flickered violently.
Derek gasped as cold rushed through his body. Shadows peeled away from walls, stretching across the floor toward him like living smoke.
Pain surged through his chest.
"What's happening?!" he shouted.
"Your awakening," his mom said, calm but tense. "Don't fight it!"
The shadows spiraled upward, wrapping around his arms without touching him, responding to every spike of emotion.
Fear.
Confusion.
Power.
The room darkened until only his glowing silhouette remained visible.
For a brief moment, Derek felt everything — every shadow in the house, every dark corner, every place untouched by light.
He could feel the darkness.
And it felt like home.
The shadows snapped back suddenly, collapsing into his feet.
Silence returned.
Derek stood there, breathing hard.
His parents stared at him in awe.
His dad finally spoke.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "You're definitely ready for Nevermore."
Derek looked down at his hands, then toward the window where the empty sky stared back.
One thought echoed louder than all the others.
Wednesday Addams is real.
And somehow…
his story had just begun.