The entire dormitory was alive with panic. The students were gathered outside, whispering among themselves, their faces pale and fearful. Marvin was missing.
"Everyone, return to your quarters," Mr. June commanded, his voice stern but calm, masking the worry in his sharp yellow-brown eyes. "I'll find Marvin. It's too dangerous for you all to stay out here."
The students hesitated but ultimately obeyed, shuffling back to their rooms. Vincent tried to guide Theodore inside, but the young prince had other plans. The moment he reached his quarters, he slipped out through a side door, the cold night air prickling his skin.
Theodore moved quietly, his small frame cloaked by the shadows. He didn't know exactly where Marvin could have gone, but the pull of the forest was undeniable. The dark treetops loomed over the edge of the village like watchful sentinels, and Theodore couldn't help but feel the woman's presence waiting for him.
As he crept through the village, a sudden tap on his shoulder made him freeze. His heart raced, his body reacting instinctively. He swung his elbow back with all his strength, but it hit nothing solid.
"Calm down! It's just me!" Cai hissed, stepping back and rubbing his nose, having narrowly avoided the blow.
Theodore exhaled sharply, his body still tense. "What are you doing here?"
Cai glared at him, his voice a furious whisper. "What am I doing here? What are you doing here? You know we'll both get punished if they find out we left!"
"I don't care. If you're scared, go back," Theodore replied coldly. "This is my problem."
Cai crossed his arms, his irritation clear. "I can't. If you disappear, they'll come after me next. Besides…" Cai's voice softened slightly. "You're the prince. If anything happens to you, we're all dead."
Theodore turned away from Cai, frustrated by the conversation. "I don't need anyone's help. But if you're going to follow me, stay quiet. I don't have time to argue."
Cai hesitated, then nodded. "Fine, but I swear, if that… thing… comes out again, I'm running."
Theodore scoffed in his mind. Of course Cai was afraid. Who wouldn't be? But Theodore had no intention of finding Marvin out of altruism. The truth was, he didn't trust this village. The chief's overly polite demeanor, the cursed land, the crying woman—it all felt like a puzzle he needed to solve.
"Let's go," Theodore said, his voice low.
The two boys crept through the village, their footsteps silent on the damp ground. Every shadow seemed to stretch unnaturally, flickering as if alive. The air felt heavy, thick with something unspoken, something wrong. Cai shivered as they ducked behind a fence, his fear nearly palpable.
"I don't like this," he muttered.
"Then leave," Theodore shot back.
Before Cai could reply, the sound of voices nearby made them both freeze.
Peering from their hiding spot, they saw the village chief, Mr. Smith, standing near a darkened house. Opposite him was Mr. June, his silhouette barely visible under the faint moonlight.
"What are you doing out here this late, Mr. June?" Mr. Smith asked, his tone calm but oddly firm.
"I'm looking for something," Mr. June replied.
"Do you mean the missing student?" Mr. Smith's voice was eerily casual, as though the disappearance of a child was a trivial matter.
Theodore's eyes narrowed. How does he know?
"Yes," Mr. June admitted. "One of my students is missing, and I want to find him before it's too late."
Mr. Smith stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The boy, right? You won't find him tonight. It's too dangerous to be out here. The spirit is still lurking."
Theodore's heart skipped a beat. Mr. June had never mentioned the student's gender, yet Mr. Smith had casually referred to Marvin as "the boy."
"I can't leave him out there alone," Mr. June said, though his voice held a note of hesitation.
Mr. Smith smiled faintly, his expression almost mocking. "The spirit won't let you find him. Go back. You'll only endanger yourself."
After a long pause, Mr. June sighed. "Fine. But if I don't find him tomorrow…"
"You will," Mr. Smith assured him. "Good luck, teacher."
Theodore watched as Mr. June turned and walked away, his shoulders tense with worry. Mr. Smith stood there for a moment, his smile fading. He muttered something under his breath, then disappeared into the shadows.
Theodore and Cai sat frozen in their hiding spot, neither speaking for several seconds.
"That was… weird," Cai finally whispered, his voice shaking.
Theodore's mind raced. Mr. Smith knew Marvin was missing, and he knew he was a boy. But how?
"We're going back," Theodore said abruptly, standing up.
"What? But—" Cai started.
"We're going back," Theodore repeated, his tone sharp. "Now."
*****
Back in their quarters, Cai collapsed onto his bed, his face pale and drawn. He stared at the ceiling, mumbling, "What if Marvin's… you know, already gone?"
Theodore didn't respond. He sat on his own bed, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
Cai didn't know it, but Theodore had already pieced together part of the puzzle. Mr. Smith wasn't just some harmless village elder. He knew more about the spirit than he let on, and he was hiding something—something important. But there was a larger question gnawing at Theodore's mind: Why does the spirit target children?
He didn't care about Marvin, not really. What he cared about was unraveling the truth. The ghost woman, the cursed village, the crying in the night—it all pointed to something darker, something deeper.
But the answers would have to wait.