A/N: Well I just saw that I still had an unrealised chapter so I decided to post it not that am continuing this book
Chapter 4: Unraveling the Puzzle
The air in Thak's room was thick with tension. The faint glow of a desk lamp illuminated the scattered papers, half-empty coffee mug, and the Memory Note that lay open before him. Its blank pages seemed to mock him, a silent challenge he couldn't ignore. Lara's immunity—her inexplicable resistance to the Memory Note's effects—left a bitter taste in his mouth. Doubt gnawed at him. Was the notebook's power limited, or had he simply miscalculated?
Thak wasn't one to back down from a challenge. If anything, Lara's immunity only fueled his determination. He needed a new target, someone whose life he could change with absolute certainty. Someone who deserved the wrath of the Memory Note.
Lucas.
The name burned in his mind like a brand, reigniting old wounds. Lucas had been the bane of his existence for years, a walking embodiment of cruelty and unchecked privilege. Thak could still hear the echoes of Lucas's laughter as he'd humiliated him in front of their classmates. The jeers, the whispered insults, the smug grin that made Thak's blood boil. Lucas had never faced consequences for his actions, shielded by his father's political power and the blind adoration of his peers.
But no one was untouchable. Not anymore.
Thak's fingers tightened around the pen as he opened the Memory Note. He envisioned the moment he would rewrite. Lucas's infamous meltdown during a school debate—a rare crack in his otherwise impenetrable facade. Thak remembered every detail: Lucas fumbling over his words, the nervous sweat beading on his brow, and the way he'd stormed off the stage amidst a chorus of confused murmurs. It had been humiliating, but not nearly enough.
In his version, Lucas wouldn't just falter—he would break. Thak's pen moved with purpose as he crafted the scene. The audience would erupt in laughter, their derision echoing louder with each second. His peers would sneer, teachers would whisper, and worst of all, his father would be there, his expression carved from stone, a silent testament to his disappointment. Thak wove every thread of Lucas's humiliation with meticulous care, ensuring the memory would scar him deeply.
When he finished, the ink shimmered faintly before vanishing into the page. A cold sensation rippled through Thak, leaving him breathless. He closed the notebook, his heart pounding. This time, it had to work.
---
The next morning, Thak arrived at school, his gaze immediately scanning the bustling hallways for Lucas. At first, nothing seemed different. Lucas strode through the crowd with his usual swagger, his entourage trailing behind him like shadows. His laugh rang out loud and sharp, as if he owned the world.
But as the day wore on, Thak noticed the cracks. During lunch, Lucas's boisterous laughter faltered. His eyes darted around the cafeteria, lingering on groups of students who whispered and giggled amongst themselves. For a brief moment, his confident facade slipped, replaced by something Thak could only describe as uncertainty.
By the end of the day, Lucas was a different person. He walked through the halls with a tension that hadn't been there before. His jaw was tight, his movements stiffer. Thak couldn't help but smile as he watched Lucas retreat to the library—a place he rarely, if ever, visited.
Intrigued, Thak followed.
Lucas sat at a corner table, staring at an open book. But he wasn't reading. His eyes were unfocused, his fingers drumming nervously against the table's edge. Thak approached cautiously, feigning nonchalance.
"Everything alright, Lucas?" he asked, his tone light.
Lucas's head snapped up, his glare as sharp as a blade. "What's it to you?"
Thak shrugged. "You just seem... off. Thought I'd ask."
Lucas scoffed, turning back to his book. "Mind your own damn business."
His words carried a veneer of strength, but Thak didn't miss the flicker of doubt in his eyes.
---
Over the next week, Lucas's paranoia blossomed. He began snapping at his friends, accusing them of plotting against him. During lunch one day, he slammed his tray down, his voice trembling with anger as he demanded to know what they were whispering about.
"Relax, man," one of them said, raising his hands. "Nobody's talking about you."
"Don't lie to me!" Lucas barked, his face red with fury.
His friends exchanged uneasy glances, and by the following day, they had started to distance themselves. Lucas sat alone in the cafeteria, his usual charisma replaced by a simmering frustration that bubbled just beneath the surface.
Thak observed it all with quiet satisfaction. The Memory Note was working. Lucas's carefully constructed image was crumbling, and Thak relished every moment of it.
One afternoon, Thak found Lucas sitting on a bench outside the school, his head buried in his hands. The sight of his former tormentor looking so defeated sent a surge of triumph through him. But there was also something else—a faint whisper of guilt that he quickly silenced.
"Rough day?" Thak asked as he approached.
Lucas looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "What do you want?" he muttered, his voice lacking its usual venom.
"Just checking in," Thak said with a faint smile. "You've been... different lately."
Lucas's gaze hardened, but he didn't respond.
For a moment, Thak considered walking away. But he didn't. Instead, he sat down beside Lucas, his tone softening. "Sometimes it helps to talk, you know. Get it off your chest."
Lucas scoffed, shaking his head. "You wouldn't understand."
"Maybe not," Thak admitted. "But whatever's eating you, it's winning."
Lucas didn't reply, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
---
As the days turned into weeks, Lucas's descent continued. His paranoia grew, his grades slipped, and the once-boisterous bully became a shadow of his former self. Teachers whispered about his sudden change in behavior, but Lucas brushed off their concerns with curt replies.
Thak, meanwhile, reveled in his victory. The Memory Note had proven its power, and Lucas's downfall was a testament to its potential. Yet, even as he celebrated, a nagging thought lingered in the back of his mind.
Lara.
Her resistance to the Memory Note remained a mystery, one Thak couldn't ignore. If the notebook had a weakness, he needed to understand it.
Sitting in his room one evening, Thak opened the notebook and stared at its blank pages. His fingers brushed over the smooth surface as he thought about Lucas, about Lara, about the power he now wielded.
This was just the beginning.