It was a day like any other. Cian woke up to the sound of his mother pulling open the window."Wake up, sweetheart. You're going to be late for school," she said in a jolly tone, with just a hint of seriousness."Okay, Mom, but can I at least drive your car this time? Mine barely made it yesterday," Cian replied, his tone with a undertone of irritation."Sure," she said, smiling.Cian rolled out of bed, his hair a tangled mess. The room carried a faintly awful smell—last night's dinner dishes still sat on the desk, forgotten. His bedroom, tucked under the slanted ceilings of the attic, was a mix of chaos and charm. Vintage posters covered the walls, and a dark blue dresser stood nearby, cluttered with personal items. The bed, pushed under the window, had a simple checkered duvet, and books and games were scattered across the shelves. Despite the mess, the room radiated a sense of comfort, a place uniquely his own.Cian pulled out his usual outfit—a black oversized sweater that hung loosely over his frame, paired with faded, slightly distressed black jeans. He slung over a simple crossbody bag over his shoulder He laced up his scuffed black combat boots, the thick soles giving a subtle weight to his otherwise light steps. The muted tones he practicality could walk like a nija , he sometime scared his sister and parents because of how quiet he walks. Cian opened his door and stepped into the hallway. As he walked toward the kitchen, the warm, buttery aroma of pancakes hit his nostrils."Ooo," Cian murmured with joy, his eyes widening as a grin spread across his face. A string of drool escaped like a waterfall."PANCAKES," he whispered, barely containing his excitement.Before he could take another step, his sister bolted out of her room like a flash of lightning. She snatched two pancakes off the plate and darted back to her room without a word."Hey, bud," his dad greeted, seated at the table with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other."Oh, hey, Dad.""What's the plan for today?""Well, school, lacrosse, and maybe hanging out with Logan for a bit," Cian replied casually, reaching for a plate.His dad lowered the newspaper slightly, a knowing look on his face. "Hmm, you've been hanging out with this Logan a lot lately. Got a crush on him, maybe?" he teased, a glint of excitement in his tone."What? No! Absolutely not!" Cian stammered, his cheeks flushing a rosy red.His mom turned from the stove, a kind smile on her face. "Sweetheart, you know it's okay if you do," she said, reassuring him with warmth in her voice."I know, Mom!" Cian said quickly, grabbing a few pancakes and shoving them onto a napkin. "But I really gotta go. See ya later!"Before they could say another word, Cian zoomed out of the kitchen, pancakes in hand, slamming the door behind him.Cian grabbed his keys and started the car, the engine rumbling to life."Man, Mom and Dad can be a little much sometimes," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.As he drove, an uneasy feeling crept over him. The air felt heavier than usual, like an invisible weight pressing down. He couldn't quite place it, but something felt... off.The sky darkened unnaturally fast, thick clouds rolling in. Rain began to fall lightly at first, but by the time he pulled into the school parking lot, the storm had turned ferocious."Great. Guess practice is probably canceled," he said to himself, watching the downpour blur his windshield.BOOM! A massive bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the storm in a brilliant flash."Yup, definitely canceled," he muttered, grabbing his bag and bracing himself for the dash to the building.By the time he reached his classroom, his clothes were damp, and his hair was a mess. Sliding into his seat, he quickly unpacked his notebook, pencil, and eraser.As he glanced out the window, a chill ran down his spine. A dark figure stood in the distance, unmoving, its gaze locked on him.Cian froze, his breath catching in his throat. Before he could make sense of what he was seeing, a cheerful voice shattered his focus."Hi, Cian!""WHAT THE FUCK!" Cian muttered, startled, whipping his head around."Oh, hey, Sam," he said, his heart still pounding.Sam stood beside him, grinning as if nothing strange was happening. She wore her usual light blue oversized sweater, paired with cuffed jeans and white sneakers that squeaked against the floor. Her brown eyes sparkled, a warmth in them that could brighten even the stormiest of days."You okay there?" she teased, tilting her head. "You look like you've seen a ghost.""Uh, yeah. Just—thought I saw something outside," Cian mumbled, glancing back at the window. The figure was gone.Sam plopped into the seat next to him, tugging her sleeves over her hands. "Well, if it was something creepy, I'd say it fits with this weather. Total horror movie vibes today."Cian nodded, his gaze lingering on the now-empty spot outside. "Yeah... something like that."Later...Cian was preparing to head to lunch when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He picked it up, frowning at the screen."Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, hearing his sister's flustered voice on the other end."Uh, well..." she began, but before she could finish, the line went dead.Suddenly, the school's power went out. The lights flickered off, and the faint hum of the air conditioning stilled. Murmurs spread across the classroom as a voice over the intercom ordered everyone to the gym.before she could say the phone went out and soon the entry school power went off and before he knew what was going on all the teachers said they have to go to the gym and the priceable will tell them what to do next. IN CIAN THOUGHTS as he was walking" what is going on??""how is my phone out of power it was at 50%?""why was my sister sound scared""is she okay"In Cian's thoughts as he walked:What is going on?Why is my phone dead? It was at 50%.

Why did my sister sound so scared?

Is she okay?