Chapter 45: Revelation
Across from him sat a female student, her posture tense, shoulders drawn up as if trying to make herself smaller in the face of his simmering rage. Her long, blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of gold, its luster dimmed by the dread that clung to her like a second skin.
Her face was delicate, almost fragile, with soft features that might have evoked innocence, but right now, it was tight with fear, her eyes downcast as if they dared not meet the burning intensity of the man before her.
"So, you\'re telling me you saw Silas Griswold kill my son last night?" Sensei Josh\'s voice broke the silence, low and dangerous, each word dragged from the depths of barely contained fury.
Lucy, the female student, lowered her head even further, her voice trembling as she struggled to speak, her heart pounding violently in her chest. "Yes… I saw it," she said, her voice faltering but her words unwavering. The gravity of her statement made the air around them seem heavy, almost suffocating. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap, though she tried to still them.
She could feel the heat of Sensei Josh\'s burning gaze, his fury radiating from across the desk like a palpable force.
At her admission, Sensei Josh\'s fists clenched so tightly that the skin across his knuckles turned white. His breath came in slow, deliberate bursts, each one controlled with great effort. His face, already flushed with anger, darkened even further.
A pulse throbbed violently at his temple, and for a moment, it seemed as if the chair beneath him might buckle under the weight of his barely suppressed fury.
"Silas Griswold," he muttered, as though saying the name alone could explain the unthinkable. His voice was low, but the fury simmering beneath it was unmistakable. His mind reeled. He wanted—needed—to understand.
"Tell me," he demanded, leaning forward slightly, his voice sharper now, more intense, "tell me exactly what you saw." The command carried the weight of desperation, his eyes narrowing into slits as he searched for answers.
Lucy swallowed hard, her throat dry, her gaze dropping to the floor as if the very act of recalling the events made her weak. "Last night," she began, her voice trembling as the memory unfolded in her mind, "after dinner, I went to the back yard to clear my head. You know, blow off some steam. I was smoking jelly weed, like I sometimes do when I need to think.
That\'s when I saw it…" Her voice wavered, her eyes still fixed on the floor.
"The way he killed them all… it wasn\'t human. It was like something had taken over him—something evil. I didn\'t understand it, not at first. It all happened so fast. But one thing was clear—Silas killed them. He killed them all.
I saw it with my own eyes." Her voice, despite its shakiness, rang with conviction.
Sensei Josh remained silent, his face a mask of barely controlled rage. His son—his boy—dead. The thought was like a blade twisting in his chest, each revelation cutting deeper. His hands, still clenched into fists, trembled slightly with the effort it took to keep himself composed. For a long, agonizing moment, he said nothing, his thoughts a violent swirl of disbelief, grief, and anger.
After what felt like an eternity, he spoke, his voice low and almost strained, "Could it have been energy pills? Did you see him take anything before the fight?" There was a desperation in his tone, as though he were searching for some explanation—any explanation—that made sense of the nightmare Lucy was describing.
Lucy shook her head slowly, her hair shifting slightly with the movement. "No, it wasn\'t him. Caleb and Sammy were the ones who took the energy pills, hoping they\'d stand a chance. But it didn\'t matter. Silas killed them all, like it was nothing." Her voice was quieter now, haunted, as if she were still trying to comprehend the horror of what she had witnessed.
Sensei Josh\'s eyes widened slightly, his disbelief written plainly across his features. Caleb and Sammy were both Grade 3s, trained and capable. Silas Griswold, on the other hand, was a boy without any mutant ability, a student with no active skills. How could someone like that—someone so unremarkable—overpower not just Caleb, but multiple Grade 3s? The very thought seemed impossible.
"That… that doesn\'t make sense," he muttered, more to himself than to Lucy. His mind was spinning, trying to connect dots that refused to align. "Something is off here. We\'re missing something." His voice was louder now, his frustration building. He couldn\'t wrap his mind around what Lucy was telling him. "Are you sure you didn\'t see anyone else?
Someone helping him, maybe? Anything at all that could explain this?" His eyes bore into her, searching for any hint of something—anything—that could make this make sense.
Lucy shook her head more firmly this time, her voice stronger as she answered, "No. It was just Silas. No one else. After I saw him kill your son, I ran. I didn\'t want to be next." Her words, though simple, were heavy with meaning, each one a blow to Sensei Josh\'s already fragile composure.
He sat there, motionless, his thoughts a chaotic mess. For several long minutes, he said nothing, the silence in the room oppressive. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the incomprehensible. But no matter how hard he tried, the pieces refused to fit. Slowly, he rose from his chair, his movements deliberate as he straightened his shirt, his expression hardening into one of grim resolve.
"Listen to me, Lucy," he said finally, his voice low but commanding, "you are not to speak of this to anyone. No other students are to hear about what you saw. Do you understand?" His eyes locked onto hers, unyielding.
Lucy nodded quickly, her fear palpable. "Yes, Sensei," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Good. You may go." His tone was dismissive, leaving no room for further discussion. Lucy stood hastily, her movements quick and nervous as she fled the room without looking back.
With the office now empty, Sensei Josh stood still for a moment, gathering himself. His thoughts were a storm, raging and relentless. But there was no time for hesitation. He needed answers. Without another word, he stepped out of the office, his footsteps echoing through the hall as he made his way toward Sir Dominic\'s office.
The journey was long, the distance between the regular staff section and Sir Dominic\'s secluded quarters stretching on. It took nearly ten minutes for Sensei Josh to reach his destination, but once he did, he wasted no time. Without so much as a knock, he pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Sir Dominic looked up from his desk, surprise flashing across his face. A female staff member, Mary, sat across from him, equally startled by the sudden intrusion.
"Can\'t you knock?" Sir Dominic\'s voice was deep, laced with irritation.
Sensei Josh barely registered the rebuke, his mind focused on the task at hand. "I\'m sorry, Sir Dominic, but this is urgent. I need your attention now."
Sir Dominic frowned, glancing at Mary before turning his gaze back to Josh. "Can\'t it wait? I\'m in the middle of a meeting," he said, his tone growing impatient.
"It can\'t wait," Sensei Josh replied firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Sir Dominic relented. "Fine. Sit down."
Josh nodded and took a seat next to Mary, leaning forward as if the weight of his words were too heavy to bear.
"Speak," Sir Dominic commanded, his tone sharp and expectant.
"It\'s about my son, and the other students who died. I think I know what really happened," Sensei Josh began, his voice tight with emotion.
"What are you talking about? We know what happened. They were killed by mutants when they attempted to raid a Grade 4 mutant realm on their own. Kara found their bodies and brought them back," Sir Dominic stated, his tone matter-of-fact.
Sensei Josh\'s hands slammed down on the desk, his voice rising. "That\'s not true! They didn\'t raid any realm. My son was murdered—by another student. And I have a witness who saw everything."
Sir Dominic\'s brow furrowed, his expression hardening. "What are you saying, Josh?"
"I\'m saying Caleb and the others were killed by one of their own. A boy named Silas Griswold," Sensei Josh declared, his voice filled with conviction.
At the mention of the name, Sir Dominic\'s eyes narrowed in recognition. "Silas Griswold? The boy with no mutant ability? What nonsense is this, Josh?" His tone was laced with skepticism, though a flicker of unease crossed his features. "I\'ve heard that name recently. He was the only one who survived the last raid, wasn\'t he?
The rest of the team—trained staff—were all killed, but somehow, Silas survived. And now you\'re telling me he killed your son, who was a Grade 3? This doesn\'t add up."
Sensei Josh\'s hands clenched into fists once more, the frustration boiling over. "I know it sounds impossible, Sir, but it\'s true. I have a witness who saw everything—she saw Silas kill them. I don\'t know how he did it, but I\'m telling you, this boy is hiding something. He\'s not what he seems."
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A/N: Vote with your Golden Tickets and Power stones for a mass release of five chapters.