Ike's POV:
I trudged into my lodge, exhausted from the afternoon lectures. As a 400-level Computer Science student at Unizik, life was hectic. I dropped my backpack on the floor and booted up my laptop, eager to post on my blog.
Scrolling through the news, one headline caught my attention: "Egypt in Chaos: Riots and Violence Spread, Countries Close Borders." I wondered, "Was this another pandemic or something else entirely?"
I quickly typed out an article, my fingers flying across the keyboard. "Nigeria will not act fast, as usual. Another story for my blog."
Just as I hit publish, my door burst open. Abdul and his cult members stormed in, demanding the usual "tax" from students.
"Where's the 15k naira?" Abdul growled.
I swallowed hard. "I don't have it."
The next thing I knew, they were pummeling me. My laptop lay shattered on the floor. I managed to hide my phone, thankful for small mercies.
As they left, Abdul sneered, "Pay up within two days, or you're dead."
I stared at my broken laptop, despair washing over me. My blogging career, barely begun, lay in ruins.
But I refused to give up. I'd use my phone to continue blogging, though it wouldn't be the same.
Needing a distraction, I headed out for a walk and bumped into Maryam. We'd met in our first year, and despite being from different departments – she was an Art student – we'd grown close.
Over ice cream and Shawarma, Maryam listened intently as I recounted my ordeal. Her parents were wealthy, and I knew she'd offer to help.
As we laughed and joked, my worries temporarily faded. Maryam had rejected my past advances, citing she wasn't ready for a relationship. Yet, we shared a deep connection, more than friends but not quite lovers.
That night, sleep eluded me. I wandered to a nearby bar, watching the news. Egypt's chaos had reached Nigeria's shores – the airport announcement declared border closures.
Unbeknownst to me, a demon-possessed body had slipped into Nigeria before the borders shut. The darkness was spreading, and I was oblivious.
I sipped my drink, lost in thoughts of Maryam and my shattered dreams. Little did I know, the real nightmare was just beginning.
Marcus POV:
Night had fallen over Britain, and I snuck into Mr. Castor's office. My heart raced as I swapped the Sword of Azaddon with a fake replica. I knew Mr. Castor planned to travel to Egypt with it the next day, but I had no idea why. All that mattered was getting rid of the sword.
I made my way to the beach, the cool night air calming my nerves. With a deep breath, I hurled the sword into the ocean, watching it disappear beneath the waves.
The next morning, news of Mr. Castor's departure to Egypt filled me with relief. The borders were closing due to chaos, but he'd arrived with the fake sword. It would take him a while to discover the truth.
I spent the day at home, ignoring my ringing phone. Twice. The sleeping pills worked their magic, and I slept like a baby.
At night, I checked my phone and saw Astra's calls. I considered calling her back but decided against it, opting to wait until tomorrow.
A visit to the local pub revealed more countries closing borders to Egypt. The media spoke of terrorist organizations mobilizing civilians, spreading chaos and lockdowns. I sighed, sensing something more sinister.
The next day, I called Astra. "How are you?" I asked.
"I'm fine, just worried about you," she replied.
I suggested I'd come over to Los Angeles, but she declined, saying she'd visit with her brother instead. They planned a vacation from Los Angeles' troubles.
Elated, I agreed to expect her.
At the museum, I supervised the transfer of artifacts from Scotland. After work, I strolled through the streets when a commotion caught my attention. A man attacked his wife, claws piercing her chest. Police rushed to the scene, taking the man and woman to the hospital.
Unbeknownst to the bystanders, the man was a demon-possessed body, infecting his wife with a fatal claw strike. Another demon would soon claim her.
I passed by, oblivious to the horror unfolding before my eyes.
The darkness was spreading, hidden in plain sight.
Astra's POV:
As James and I arrived in Britain, Marcus greeted us warmly. Despite my suggestion to lodge at a hotel, Marcus insisted we stay at his apartment.
The day flew by in a blur of laughter and catching up. James strolled out, leaving Marcus and me alone. We shared a bottle of wine, discussing Egypt's chaos.
"I'm glad we left when we did," Marcus said.
"Me too," I agreed. "I heard Mr. Castor traveled to Egypt before the borders closed."
Marcus nodded, his expression neutral. "Yes, he did."
Our conversation flowed effortlessly, and as the night deepened, our bodies drew closer. Marcus' eyes locked onto mine, and I felt the spark of attraction.
Just as our lips were about to meet, James burst in, grinning mischievously. "Oh, were you two about to kiss? Sorry about that. Don't worry, you can continue. You won't even notice I'm here."
I rolled my eyes. "You're going to stand there and watch two people kiss and possibly have sex?"
James chuckled. "Yes, of course. But not when he's doing it with you, sis. Seeing you naked? Ugh!"
"James!" I said
Marcus laughed, and we all shared a moment of amusement, but I was irritated. James had ruined the moment.
Later, we strolled through the streets, James flirting shamelessly with a girl. They disappeared together, leaving Marcus and me to enjoy ice cream and a movie.
As we walked home, James texted me a provocative photo with three girls, captioned: "Be home late."
Marcus and I exchanged a knowing glance.
Suddenly, a bus hit a man, but he sprang up, attacking the driver. We watched in horror as the man's claws pierced the driver's chest before he fled.
The driver, eerily, continued driving.
"What the…?" Marcus trailed off.
I felt a shiver run down my spine. "Something's off."
Marcus' concern mirrored mine. "These strange occurrences… it's like something's spreading."
We quickened our pace, the darkness closing in around us.
As we reached Marcus' apartment, James still hadn't returned. I couldn't shake the feeling that our world was unraveling.
"Stay close to me, Astra," Marcus whispered, his eyes locked onto mine.
I nodded, my heart pounding in anticipation of what was to come.