EPISODE 2

I got ready, dressed, though it took me a while to adjust to the toes—those strange things humans call feet. And their hands? Why on earth did their wings look like this? Useless. They don’t even fly, of course, only adding to the long list of limitations humans have. I grabbed the handle of the door, awkwardly slinging the bag of books over my shoulder, then paused for a moment, glancing back at the room before stepping out.

As I followed the mysterious girl, who had now taken to blabbering incessantly about who knows what, I scanned the area around me. It looked like a university, much like the ones back home. Despite their limitations, humans seemed to have built a world not too different from ours—gossip, universities, and other familiar structures. The similarities were strange, almost unsettling.

We arrived at the classroom, and as I sat down, the blabbermouth next to me showed no signs of stopping. I half-listened to her while my mind wandered, piecing together why Silverfish would come here, of all places. Humans were fragile and slow, after all. What could he possibly want in this dimension?

The teacher entered and began to speak. "Hello class, this is Jacob. He’s going to be part of our department today."

I glanced around the room, the pieces slowly falling into place. It looked like I was in a department of law. Of all the places Silverfish could send me, it had to be a human university... and of all things, law. But there had to be a reason for this. Something much bigger than I could see yet. I just had to keep looking.

The teacher spoke again, her voice cutting through the hum of idle conversation in the room. "Charlotte Whitlock, move next to Michael Rofsworth. And Jacob, you may sit next to Arigale."

I suppressed a sigh of relief, thinking, At least this Jacob won't be as much of a chatterbox as Charlotte. But as the lesson went on, I couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on me. Every time I glanced sideways, Jacob was staring—watchful, calculating, like he knew something I didn’t. It wasn’t the casual glance of someone lost in thought; it felt deliberate, like he was studying me.

Class dragged on, the words from the teacher becoming a dull hum in my ears. My mind raced with thoughts of Silverfish and the mission—Why here? What was his plan?—and Jacob’s unnerving attention wasn’t helping.

When the session finally ended, Jacob leaned over, extending his hand, his voice low and casual. "Hey, I’m Jacob. I figured we should get to know each other, since we’re sitting next to each other now."

I didn’t respond, just shook my head curtly and turned back to my notes, ignoring him. I didn’t have time for pleasantries, and I certainly didn’t need the distraction. This was a mission, and any unnecessary interaction could be dangerous. Silverfish could be watching—he could be anywhere.

Jacob hesitated for a moment, his hand still hovering awkwardly between us, before pulling it back. I didn’t look up. I was here for a reason, and that reason wasn’t him. Whatever role Jacob played in all this, I couldn’t let him get too close.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the confused look on his face as he finally gathered his things and left. I stayed focused on the task at hand. Silverfish is the target. Stay on track.

After class, I wandered through the university, trying to shake the unease that had settled over me since Jacob sat next to me. The campus was sprawling, with winding paths and old buildings that mirrored those back home in a strange, unsettling way. Eventually, I stumbled upon a secluded courtyard, a small garden tucked in academic building. It was quiet, peaceful even—trees casting cool shadows over stone benches and the smell of damp earth hanging in the air.

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I found a spot next to a tall tree, its wide branches offering shade and a small sense of security. I sat down, leaning my back against the rough bark, my eyes scanning the area. Despite the beauty of the place, a voice in my head kept warning me: Don’t fall asleep. You need to stay alert.

But exhaustion was creeping in. My mind, heavy from the constant strain of trying to understand Silverfish’s plan, started to slow. The gentle rustle of leaves and the distant hum of students moving through campus created a lullaby I couldn't fight off. Against my better judgment, my eyelids grew heavy, and before I knew it, I had drifted into a restless sleep.

Stay awake, I told myself over and over, even in the haze of my dreams. But the next thing I knew, I was jolting awake, only... I wasn’t in the garden anymore.

I blinked in confusion, my heart pounding in my chest. I was lying in my bed—in my dorm room. The familiar walls and the soft glow of my lamp greeted me. I sat up quickly, the covers tangling around my legs. What? How did I get here?

The last thing I remembered was closing my eyes under the tree. I ran my hands through my hair, trying to make sense of it, but no answers came. There was no one else in the room, no signs that anyone had moved me. The door was locked, just as I had left it before class. But somehow, I had gone from the garden to my dorm without any memory of moving.

A chill ran down my spine. Something was wrong. Was it Silverfish? Could he have done this? Or was it something else lurking in this dimension, watching me while I slept?

I threw the covers aside and got out of bed, pacing the room. I needed answers, and fast. But one thing was certain—nothing here was as it seemed. And I couldn't trust anyone... not even myself.

I checked the room for anything out of place. My heart pounded in my chest as I replayed the sequence of events over and over in my head. Everything felt off. This dimension was playing tricks on me, and if I wasn’t careful, I’d lose my grip on reality.

There was a note on the table. My head pounded as I read the scrawled handwriting:

“Hey, you were sleeping under a tree and causing a lot of attention, so I carried you back to your dorm room. – Jacob”

Jacob. What was his motive? My mind raced with suspicion. Was he part of Silverfish's plan? Or was he just trying to distract me? The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. Trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford, not in this dimension, and especially not with someone like him.

I shoved the note aside and focused on finishing the work from the university lecture. Just as I was getting back on track, the door flew open, and there she was—her—the blabbermouth from earlier.

"ARIGAAAALE!" she squealed. Her voice hit my ears like nails on a chalkboard. "Did you hear about it?? JACOB carried you all the way from the courtyard to your room! I mean, I liked him, but I think he likes youuuuu!"

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself not to react. Of course not, I thought bitterly. It might seem like that to outsiders, but I knew better. Jacob wasn’t some lovestruck fool; he had a motive. He had to. But what was it? Was he another pawn of Silverfish, sent to throw me off?

The girl kept talking, her voice like a relentless buzz in my ear. "Ugh, I have to sit next to that disgusting Michael kid now. YOU’RE SO LUCKY!" she moaned, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

I wished she’d leave, but she lingered for what felt like an eternity, filling my room with endless chatter about Jacob, Michael, and every trivial thing I didn’t care about. Finally, after an hour of my life I would never get back, she left.

The silence was a relief. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and lay down, my mind still spinning with thoughts of Jacob, Silverfish, and the mission. Exhaustion washed over me, and I finally drifted into sleep, no dreams to disturb me. Just the void, deep and dark.

Then I woke up.

My heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong. I could feel it.

Silverfish.

I could sense his presence before I saw him. He was standing by the door—watching. My body froze. My muscles refused to move, paralyzed by a heavy weight of confusion and shock.

Then, slowly, he moved closer. I wanted to scream, but my throat clenched, the sound trapped inside me. Silverfish raised a hand, and the glint of steel caught the dim light of my dorm room. A knife.

Before I could react, he plunged it into my chest.

“Gahhh!” I screamed, pain ripping through my body. It was cold, so cold.

Is this the end of me? The question echoed in my mind as my vision blurred. The room spun, darkness closing in around me. I tried to reach for something—anything—but my limbs were useless, heavy as lead. Everything started to fade, the last image in my mind that twisted, cruel smile of Silverfish, victorious at last.