Chapter 3 Shadows of the Past

Elira's footsteps echoed hollowly down the dim corridor, the unfamiliar weight of this borrowed body making each step feel foreign and uncertain. The buzzing fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting restless shadows that seemed to twitch and dance just beyond her vision. She swallowed hard, trying to steady the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind.

Why did that whisper say, *You don't belong here*? Was it a warning-or a threat?

She paused by a classroom window and caught sight of her reflection again. The girl staring back was a stranger-a girl marked by secrets and scars she didn't remember earning. Her eyes traced the delicate floral tattoo peeking out from beneath her sleeve, a permanent reminder that this body held a story she hadn't been part of... yet.

A sudden chill ran down her spine. From the corner of her eye, a shadow moved-quick, fleeting-vanishing before she could fully focus on it. Heart pounding, Elira scanned the hallway. Empty.

Her breath hitched. Was someone watching her? Someone who knew more about this body, about her.

The door at the far end of the hall creaked open, breaking the silence. A figure slipped inside-a boy with sharp eyes and a confident smirk that didn't reach his cold gaze. He moved closer, and Elira's pulse quickened.

"Lost something?" he asked, voice low and laced with something unreadable.

Elira took a step back, instinctively shrinking from his presence. "I-I don't know what you mean."

He chuckled darkly, stepping into the flickering light. "You think you can just slip in here, play her part, and no one will notice? You're playing with fire."

"Who are you?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

The boy's smirk deepened. "Someone who knows what really happened to her. Someone who's been waiting-for you-to make a mistake."

Before Elira could respond, the bell rang, and the hall suddenly filled with noisy students rushing to their classes. The boy melted into the crowd, leaving behind only the echo of his words-and a chilling certainty that this was far from over.

As the day dragged on, Elira found herself plagued by flashes of memories that weren't hers-snatches of conversations, hurried glances, and whispered threats. Each fragment pulled her deeper into a dangerous game, where trust was a luxury she couldn't afford, and every ally might be a hidden enemy.

Back at home, she studied the tattoo again in the mirror. What secrets did it hold? Why had her real self been trapped away, while this new life, this new danger, had taken its place?

One thing was clear: someone wanted her gone. And the closer she got to the truth, the darker the shadows around her grew.

But Elira was no stranger to fighting. And she was determined to uncover the lies-no matter the price she had to pay .

---