The laughter of passers-by heard from a distance. Whatever we got going, we stopped and stared at each other until the people from beyond the parking lot disappeared from our sight. The parking lot was normally unpopulated in a time before the people from work had gone home. For a few more minutes, this lot would be full of cars, and thus our conflict would end. Lance had deep breaths, tried to relieve the pain he had on his wounded shoulder. I saw the flesh was slowly burning away, emanated from where the dagger had been buried.I saw the source of the laughter and they were young adults like me but with different uniforms. They were from another school. They seemed amused by themselves, their voices echoed to the walls of the three-story buildings that heaved the block.For a few seconds, the passers-by vanished and without hesitation, I sprinted towards him. Swung my dagger to slice his throat and he evaded it an inch away from my blade but he stumbled as I tripped

“Hey! Layla. Happy to see you. How have you been?” My emotions rosed to positivity.“Yeah. 3rd year now here in Fortis. How about you, I heard you transfer, so here you are. Found you.” She sniggered with a friendly expression on her face.“Yeah, it’s been tough for me though in the city. Maybe a place like this would give me peace of mind,” I confessed. The thought of Maria and the memories we shared in the places at school gave me nostalgia. It was also for the best for my mum, whenever the witches threatened me, it would also impose a threat to my mother.“Do not stress yourself too much, Luke. It does not look good on you. I do not want to see that handsome face of yours, frowning,” she chuckled while smacking my shoulder.“Do I look stressed?”“Yeah. It’s written all over your face. Or, are you just anxious in this new school?”“Maybe. I