[START]

Palflic University

In one of the rooms of the male dormitory, a scene that had played out many times before was unfolding again.

"JOE! WHY DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF MY SISTER ON YOUR PHONE?" A tall, light-skinned boy with curly hair, named Alex, bellowed at his roommate.

Joe, unfazed by Alex's outburst, glanced up from his bed and shrugged with infuriating nonchalance. "So?"

Joe was tall and handsome, his dark skin complemented by his plaited hair and a pair of earrings that gleamed under the dorm's dim light. He had the look of an athlete—the kind of guy who seemed to naturally attract attention from women. And that was precisely what was driving Alex mad.

It wasn't just the idea of someone having his sister's picture; it was the fact that Joe had it. Alex knew his roommate far too well, and he understood just how bad of an idea it was to let this continue. But what could he do besides shout?

And shout he did. Over and over.

Palflic University was located in West Africa, renowned across the globe for the strict discipline it instilled in its students and the opportunities it promised to those who made it through. Students from all over the world came to Palflic, lured by the prestige and the promise of a bright future, whether it was in sports, acting, modeling, or any other career that demanded dedication and hard work.

At least, that was the image the university sold to outsiders. Inside these walls, however, things could be quite different—something Jon, another occupant of the room, knew all too well.

Jon shared the same dorm room with Alex and Joe. They were all studying the same course, a deliberate arrangement by the university to foster familiarity and collaboration. But for Jon, the setup felt more like a punishment than a benefit.

Lying on his bed, Jon sighed as the shouting match between his roommates dragged on. After a good five minutes, he could take no more. He sat up, his frustration boiling over, and yelled, "WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Alex and Joe responded in unison, their voices dripping with irritation.

"SCREW YOU!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

Jon gritted his teeth, his thoughts running wild. 'Two more years... I have to live with these guys for two more years.' He collapsed back onto his bed, exhaling heavily.

As he lay there, trying to drown out the bickering, Jon's phone buzzed. A notification flashed on the screen. Two messages had come through. He hesitated, a familiar knot of anxiety tightening in his chest.

'A bank alert… and a message from Dad?' His pulse quickened. Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good. Nervous, he chose to check the bank alert first.

[Credit Alert

Sender: Mr. Whyte

Amount: 5,000,000

Current balance: 5,067,500]

Jon sat up so fast he nearly dropped his phone. "WHAT THE HELL?" His shout echoed even louder than the ongoing argument, causing Alex and Joe to pause, if only for a moment, before they resumed their verbal war.

Staring at the numbers on his screen, Jon couldn't believe it. Five million? He powered his phone off, then back on, just to make sure it wasn't some sort of mistake.

'Okay, calm down,' he told himself. 'Dad sent this, so the message must explain it.' He opened the second message, his heart still racing.

[Sender: Mr. Whyte]

[Hey son, use the money we sent you wisely. And don't forget, your mum loves you (not me). Meet us soon.]

Jon blinked, trying to process the bizarre message. "WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?" His frustration boiled over, and he shouted again, though this time the room fell silent. His roommates stared at him like he'd lost his mind.

He stared at the message, reading it over and over. It didn't make any sense, but that was how his father communicated. Cryptic. Unsettling.

Still, there was something that comforted him—five million in his bank account. Maybe that was his dad's twisted way of making up for his weirdness. Jon decided, almost immediately, that he would blow the money. Why not? The message was ridiculous, so why not punish his father by using the money however he wanted?

Yet, as his thoughts wandered, they circled back to the strangeness of the whole situation. Only a year ago, he had been in South Africa, living a relatively normal life. His parents had suddenly shipped him off to West Africa to study at Palflic without providing much of an explanation. And now, out of nowhere, they sent him enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his university days.

He hadn't even been able to contact them for months. He had started to believe they had abandoned him, but now they sent this… and that cryptic message. None of it added up.

'I'll have to confront them when I go home,' Jon thought, though he knew that would be a long time from now. He shoved the phone into his pocket and tried to forget about it for the moment.

It was Tuesday morning, and classes at Palflic had started as usual. Jon had left the dormitory early, trying to distract himself from yesterday's events by getting to class ahead of time.

He usually sat at the back of the lecture hall, zoning out while the professors droned on. But today was different. His mind was preoccupied, not with the lectures, but with the small fortune now resting in his bank account. What was he going to do with all that money?

The hours passed, and by 4 p.m., the day's lectures were over. Students dispersed, free to pursue whatever activities they wanted.

Jon decided to treat his roommates to something special, so he led Alex and Joe to the campus's largest supermarket, Pal-Mart.

"Why are we here?" Alex asked, eyeing Jon curiously.

Joe grinned. "Maybe he's decided to spoil us. What, feeling generous?"

Jon shrugged. "My parents sent me a lot of money, and I figured I'd take my friends out. Thought it might be fun."

"How much are we talking?" Alex asked, his curiosity piqued.

Joe laughed. "Man, I've been dying to try—"

The requests began pouring in, and soon enough, the trio found themselves buying so much that the cashier paused, unsure if they were serious. But when she saw the total, she simply shrugged. If you had the money, you could buy half the supermarket if you wanted.

They returned to their dorm that evening, their arms loaded with bags. After organizing their purchases, Joe left to train with his athletics club, Alex headed off to his art lessons, and Jon? He went straight to bed.

Strangely enough, Jon was just as fit as Joe despite barely exercising. It wasn't that he trained; it was more that he simply slept a lot. In fact, ever since he'd turned nineteen, his dreams had become so captivating that he couldn't wait to sleep just to experience them again. At first, it had been unsettling, but after a while, it became normal. The content of those dreams? Well, that would reveal itself in time.

By the end of the week, Jon noticed something odd—he seemed to be gaining weight. Feeling sluggish, he decided to head to the sports arena that Sunday evening.

"Hey, am I seeing this right? Or did Alex piss you off again?" Joe teased when he saw Jon in sports gear. "Are you seriously going to work out?"

"Yeah," Jon shrugged. "I felt like jogging after all the junk we've eaten this week."

"YOU ASSHOLE!" Alex suddenly realized the insult and launched into a fresh tirade of curses. Jon rolled his eyes and headed out of the dorm.

The sports arena at Palflic was nothing short of impressive, designed to support the university's focus on discipline and excellence. From standard football fields to basketball and tennis courts, the place was bustling with activity. But today, Jon decided to jog the track.

He hadn't been running for long when he realized just how out of shape he'd become. After only two laps, he was panting heavily, his body rebelling against him. He then went up to the raised platform and collapsed onto one of the benches to catch his breath.

'Not a bad idea to do this once in a while,' he thought, glancing around the stadium. The cool breeze swept over him as he gazed absentmindedly at the other students.

Then it happened.

CRACK… CRACK… CRACK.

A series of loud, unnatural sounds shattered the tranquility, reverberating through the sky above. Jon's heart raced as he looked up.

CRASH… CRASH… CRASH.

It was like the sky itself was breaking apart, though no one could see what was happening.

Suddenly, a blinding light engulfed the stadium, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

And then came the voice. A voice so horrifying, so bone-chilling, that it made Jon's skin crawl and his head pound with unbearable pain.

[START]