004| WHITE HAIRS

~IVY~

I subconsciously took a step back, not from fear, but from something else I couldn’t quite explain, something I saw in his eyes.

But then, I lost my step and fell back downwards. For a moment, I thought I was going to break my head, but he was fast enough to grab and steady me.

“Why are you looking for that book?” he asked, his voice cold.

He wasn’t even asking if I was alright.

I shook him away. “What do you think?”

Sighing, I continued, “Rumors spread fast about it. I want to get a glimpse of it too. Happy now?”

He looked unconvinced, then his eyes flickered.

Maybe I was just overthinking it.

“Thank you for your help. Let’s not see each other again.” With that, I walked past him, the sound of my footsteps the only noise in the hallway.

His being here was good. The fact that he knew who I was, for even a bit, could destroy my whole plans.

---

The fire was fierce and terrifying.

They tore through the night light hungry beasts, are through the night like hungry beasts, lit by my own default, curling and cracking as they devoured everything I once called home.

The wooden beams from above cracked under the heat, snapping one after the other, until pieces of it began raining down like fiery tears.

The smoke made it impossible for me to see clearly, so thick that it filled my lungs.

“Mama!” I screamed, my voice breaking.

Then I saw her, her eyes wild but steady. She grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the back exit.

Behind us, the fire only got worse, swallowing everything in its path.

That was when I saw them. The shadows of the hunters making their way through the frame, as though it was nothing but an illusion.

Only that it was all real, just as the sharp pain of their arrow they shot at us scratched my arm.

Mama pulled me behind her, while I held onto the bleeding arm.

“Run Ivy, don’t stop until you get to Grandma.” She coughed, shoving me towards the door.

“No, No, I won’t leave you!” I tried to hold onto her, but she pulled away, facing the hunters who were now closer than before, their faces still remained unseen.

The flames surged between us, and in the next moment.

“You must live. Do not trust anyone.”

Those were her last words to me, before she disappeared deeper into the fire, to join my father in the fight. Before, I found myself outside, watching my building and family collapse.

All because of me.

The next moment, I found myself running through the woods, crying and panting.

But then I heard their footsteps, the hunters. They didn’t die in the fire like I had thought.

They were coming after me.

I hadn’t made it far before someone grabbed me.

Cold, iron-strong fingers clamped around my arm, jerking me to a stop.

I tried to scream, but no sound came, only the suffocating terror that this was the end.

And just as the darkness closed in—

I jolted awake.

My chest heaved, sweat dripping down my temples, the phantom sting of fire still clinging to my skin.

It took a second to realize I was no longer in the woods. My dorm room ceiling loomed above me, pale in the moonlight.

I checked my arm, just to see the arrow wound still there, a reminder that the events had been real and not a dream.

Then, I saw her. I jumped in shock.

Roxie, my new roommate, sat at the edge of my bed, her eyes fixed on me behind the sheen of her round glasses.

“What are you doing?” I fought to keep myself from snapping at her.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. You were shouting,” she whispered in a bird-like voice, “I wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

There was something about the way she was looking at me that unsettled me.

I sat up, moving away from her.

“I’m fine,” I lied through my teeth.

She looked at me like she didn’t believe a word I said. Good, because I didn’t believe it either.

Roxie lingered there for a second, her eyes soft.

“You can always talk to me if you want to, you don’t have to keep whatever that is, locked in.”

She smiled and then returned to bed.

I didn’t respond, my voice felt too heavy to.

Sleep refused to come after that. I stayed widely awake, trying to stop my mind from wandering to the past.

It still felt as though I was still in the fire, watching my mom’s hand slip from mine.

As soon as dawn came, I quickly got dressed. If there was anything I needed more right now, it was to chase the rumors I’d heard about Blackthorn.

If this academy really kept the records of the creatures that passed through its gates as was said, then maybe, just maybe, it might hold something about me. Something about the night that destroyed everything, and the hunters that chase me.

Grandma had directed me to find the Ebon Testament, the book of secrets.

The history class seem like the best place to start.

I kept my head down as I left the room, luckily avoiding Roxie.

I watched the students stroll in, noticing how some kept staring at me, whispering among themselves.

It was obvious whatever they had to say of me wasn’t good.

I almost scoffed. If they knew who I truly am, and what I’m capable of, they would run a mile away.

I ignored them, and kept my face buried in my book.

This was history class. Maybe I will be able to learn something new, about everything happening, about myself.

Just then, the class fell into a hush. I looked up, thinking it was the instructor who entered, but it was Karl.

Karl strolled in, accompanied by his two followers.

I wanted to look away, I really did. But there was something about him that kept making my eyes go towards him, and my body act like it was never mine.

His eyes met mine suddenly, and held.

For a moment, it felt as though everything else disappeared. All I noticed was him.

Crazily enough, my heart began racing at the same time, something that hasn’t happened since… Damon.

Even from this distance, I could feel the tension, one I tried hard to ignore.

I looked away, half cursing. I must be losing my mind.

He and his friends walked past me, only to settle into a seat adjacent to mine.

I couldn’t help but notice how the guys who had looked ready to kill me, just yesterday, were now grinning from ear to ear, staring back at me from time to time.

Weird.

Damon entered the class too. For a moment, I wondered why the hell I was hiding anyway.

It would be difficult to stay away from him.

He sat on the row beside mine, I could feel his gaze burning through me.

Damn this history class.

Roxie came in too, grinning widely as soon as she spotted me.

“Ivy, you didn’t wait for me. I looked everywhere for you.”

I almost sighed with relief. There was this thing about her that almost made me want to relax around her.

At least with her, I could pretend I didn’t notice how Damon, Karl and the two other guys were consistently staring at me.

“I’m sorry, you looked like you were asleep.”

That wasn’t true. I had sneaked out to make sure I didn’t wake her.

“You should have woken me. I wanted to show you around.”

I forced a smile to my face. “Sure, maybe you could show me to the library later.”

The teacher entered soon after that, a bald man with a stern look.

He didn’t seem approachable anyway, he always looked angry. Just how I like it.

I tried my best to focus on class, but the stares were making me very uncomfortable.

I subconsciously met Damon’s gaze. He had that look of confusion and… deep sadness.

I looked away.

So, what if he’s sad? We had nothing to do with each other, why should I feel sorry for him?

I looked the other way, only to find myself staring into Karl’s grey eyes.

He tilted his head slightly, raising a brow.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. Guess I will need to drop this class.

I nudged Roxie lightly. “This is a full class. I thought the course was elective.”

She looked confused at first, then she nodded. “Yeah, but this is one of the most attended elective courses, even though it is extremely boring.”

I looked away then. Great, just great.

Suddenly, the double brass door that led to our class opened, and then a woman walked in.

At first, I thought nothing about it, until I saw the people behind her.

My breath hitched.

Two white-haired students walked in also, a guy and a girl, but they looked almost identical.

They weren’t my problem; it was the man with them.

He was dressed in black overalls, with a deep scar that ran across his face.

I could no longer breathe. All I could see was him stabbing dad, over and over again.

My heart began pounding so hard, while I tried hard to breathe.

I should kill him. I would kill him for what he did to my parents.

But I couldn’t, not yet.

That brought tears to my eyes. The thought of being powerless, unable to kill those who harmed your loved ones.

I clutched my chest, hiding my face away.

He shouldn’t see me. If he discovers me, then there is no hope of finding the Ebon Testament, my only ticket to revenge.

“Listen up students. This is important information. A suspicious individual has entered the academy. The gender is unconfirmed, but this person is considered to be extremely dangerous to all paranormal beings.”

Everyone stilled and exchanged glances. I didn’t dare look straight at them. I could be discovered.

“That’s the principal,” Roxie whispered.

The principal continued. “This person is currently being hunted by the vigilance team, but it is important that we all remain vigilant at this time.”

My blood ran cold. They were talking about me.

“Students, we must all be on the lookout for any suspicious person or behavior, and report the said person to a faculty member immediately for investigation.”

My stomach tightened painfully.

With that, the principal left, the scar-faced hunter following behind her. But he stopped slightly, his eyes scanning the class. I stared down at my book, hoping and praying he doesn’t notice me.

When I looked up again, the man was gone, but surprisingly, the two white-haired twins remained.

Their eyes scanning the class like hawks. I didn’t know what they are, but I have no doubt they are part of the hunters.

Then, they began walking towards me. Every step brought me closer to my end, and worse still, they were staring straight at me, like they knew just who I was.

For the first time, my fingers shivered as I got ready to use my powers.

One I promised not to use again.