The bell rang out sharply, announcing the start of a new school term. Students swarmed the halls of Trinity High, their chatter mixing with the hum of excitement. For Joshua Eworks, however, the noise was merely background static. He walked through the crowd with practiced indifference, his sharp blue eyes scanning the faces around him. This was his third school in two years. Fitting in wasn't a challenge—it was avoiding standing out that took effort.
Joshua's backpack, adorned with a "blood teeth" keychain a popular anime, bumped lightly against his side as he navigated the crowded hallway. The faint scent of chalk dust and fried puff-puff filled the air, a familiar combination that reminded him of his last school in Port Harcourt. He adjusted the strap on his shoulder, his fingers brushing against the hidden compartment where he kept his katana. It was a risk bringing it to school, but he couldn't leave it behind. Not after what happened in Benin City.
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Joshua's new homeroom teacher, Mr. Obiora, greeted him with a polite smile. The man's salt-and-pepper afro bobbed slightly as he gestured for Joshua to step forward.
"Class, this is Joshua Eworks, your new classmate," Mr. Obiora announced. "Please make him feel welcome."
Joshua gave a polite nod, ignoring the curious stares. His seat was near the back, right between a girl with an intense expression and a boy doodling elaborate machines in the margins of his notebook.
"Hey, new kid," the girl next to him said, her tone friendly but confident. "I'm Chisom. Don't worry, we're not all as weird as Michael over there." She gestured toward a boy munching on a snack, despite the no-eating rule.
"mama shut up if anyone is weird is you jor," Michael protested through a mouthful of chips. "I'm just unique. Big difference."
Joshua smirked faintly but said nothing. Across the aisle, Teniola rolled her eyes. "You're unique, alright. Unique in how often you dey chop cane."
"I'm Teniola," she added, offering Joshua a handshake. Her grip was firm, her gaze steady
Joshua was about to respond when a third girl leaned over her desk. "Ignore her. She's just mad she's not the center of attention," Barakat said, her voice dripping with charisma. "I'm Barakat. You can sit with me at lunch if you want."
Joshua nodded, his sharp blue eyes flickering briefly as he took in the group. They seemed… normal. But something about them felt off—like static electricity in the air before a storm.
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Joshua's attention shifted to the boy with the doodles. His notebook was filled with intricate designs of machines and gadgets, annotated with calculations that even Joshua found impressive.
"Faruq, right?" Joshua asked quietly.
Faruq looked up, startled. "Yeah. How'd you know?"
"Just a guess," Joshua said, tapping the name scrawled at the top of the page.
Faruq chuckled awkwardly. "I like to tinker. Machines make sense. People… not so much."
Joshua nodded. He could understand that.
Faruq leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You into tech? I'm working on a solar-powered drone. Still figuring out the torque ratio, though."
Joshua glanced at the sketch. "You need more weight distribution here," he said, pointing to the rotor design.
Faruq's eyes lit up. "Wait, you watch blood teeth?" He pointed at Joshua's bag.
"Sometimes."
"That final battle where icarus fought against the the Drago teeth holder was just crazy" Faruq mimed slashing, knocking his ruler to the floor "no spoilers" Joshua shouted while putting his hands over his ear "i neva reach there"
Chisom snorted. "both of you. Shut up Mr Obiora is coming"
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Later that day, during a free period, Joshua wandered the halls. He remembered his dad telling him to go the passage. It led him to an old storage room at the edge of the school grounds. Dust motes danced in the sunlight streaming through a cracked window.
Pushing aside a stack of forgotten textbooks, Joshua found a hatch embedded in the floor. It was old but sturdy, its edges sealed with symbols that felt vaguely familiar.
He pressed his hand against the hatch, and it responded, clicking softly. The floor beneath him shifted, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness.
Joshua hesitated, a mix of curiosity and caution warring within him. Then he stepped forward.
The staircase led to a large, Quantum room, its walls lined with dormant monitors and strange machinery. Dust and cobwebs suggested it had been abandoned for years, but the faint hum of power told a different story.
Joshua's sharp blue eyes scanned the room, taking in the details. A cracked whiteboard labeled *"Project Dimensional Anchor Mk III"* hung on one wall, while a workbench littered with soldering irons and *adire*-patterned circuit boards dominated the center. A faded map of Nigeria dotted with glowing pins caught his attention.
He ran his fingers over the map, recognizing the locations—Benin City (time rifts), Oyo (haunted forests), Lekki (void currents). His family had warned him about these places.
"This… could work," Joshua murmured to himself. He could already envision the space transformed—a base of operations for the mission he'd been tasked with. But first, he needed a team.
Joshua returned to class, his mind buzzing with possibilities. As he looks around at his new classmates, he wonders if they might be the allies he's been searching for.
For the first time in a long while, hope flickered in Joshua's heart.