UNSEEN SHADOWS

The bustling asylum, named Ironhold asylum, echoed with the sounds of cell doors clanging shut and officers' boots resonating against the cold, hard floors. Officer Daniels made his way down the dimly lit corridor, his eyes fixed on a particular cell.

"Prisoner 105," he called out, stopping in front of the cell occupied by Mrs. Thompson.

Mrs. Thompson stood up slowly, her expression weary but defiant. "The only time you call me is for meals, and it's not time for our break. What's the occasion?" she asked.

Officer Daniels smirked slightly. "Well, I won't be calling you for that again any time soon. Your trial is coming up this week. We'll see what happens to you next. But for now, there's a visitor that wants to see you."

"Visitor?" Mrs. Thompson echoed, her eyebrows knitting in confusion. She wondered silently, *Could it be Alex?*

"Yeah, he says he wants to see you," Daniels confirmed as he unlocked her cell. "Plus, I've got the go-ahead from Captain Murray to allow you to meet him."

As she was escorted down the corridor, Mrs. Thompson's mind raced. *Who could this person be?*

Daniels led her to the visitor's area, where a man sat waiting. "You've got five minutes," Daniels said before stepping back.

The man looked up, his eyes locking with Mrs. Thompson's. "Well, long time no see, Mrs. Thompson," he said with an innocent smile.

Meanwhile, at Genesis International School, Ethan was chatting with his friends when the teacher walked in, prompting everyone to take their seats.

"Alright class, time for attendance," the teacher announced, scanning the room and marking the roll call. "Ethan Carter?"

"Present, sir," Ethan replied.

The teacher continued, "Alex Thompson?" Silence filled the room as everyone turned to look at Alex's empty seat. The teacher called out again, "Alex Thompson?"

Ethan glanced at the vacant desk, thoughts swirling. *He didn't come to school today?* he wondered, recalling Alex's distant demeanor from their last conversation.

"New student and he's already started missing class," the teacher muttered, marking Alex as absent. "Oh, and before I go, you are all needed in the assembly hall. The principal has asked for you guys."

Murmurs filled the room. "Assembly hall? At this time?" students whispered among themselves.

"Hmm, maybe it's about what we did in school yesterday, Ethan," Drex teased.

"Haha, very funny," Ethan replied as they made their way to the assembly hall. The hall filled with students, curiosity evident on their faces.

The sound of drums and instruments interrupted the chatter, drawing everyone's attention. Teachers gathered as the microphone was tested.

"Welcome, students," the principal, Mr. Zartumus Breckenridge, announced. "I'm sure you're all wondering why you've been called here. Let's make this interesting. Any student who guesses correctly why we're here will get a handshake from me!"

Hands shot up eagerly.

"A handshake personally from Mr. Breckenridge? Boy, I'd want one," a teacher joked, admired by the students.

"Really? A handshake?" Ethan asked, puzzled.

"Uhmm... yeah?" Drex replied. "Do you know what it means to get a handshake from Mr. Breckenridge?" He started hyping the principal to Ethan.

"What's the big deal in that?" Ethan asked.

"Trust me, I've gotten more than that!" Ethan said nonchalantly.

"More than that? What do you mean?" Drex asked, surprised.

"Guess what? What if I tell you the principal has shaken my hand and called me elegant?"

"No way... he called you that?" Drex asked, astonished.

"Yeah, it's a long story," Ethan replied. "So getting another handshake isn't that big of a deal."

"Well, yeah. You're the smartest kid in our class. Won't be surprised if that happened," Drex said, folding his arms.

From behind, their friend Saturn placed his arms on Ethan and Drex's shoulders. "Blah blah blah... no one cares about this crap," he said, making them turn to face him. "You know why I'm happy here?" he asked, his face lighting up. "The ladies, boys! The ladies!" he declared, referring to the girls.

"Tsk, a pervert with zero luck," Ethan joked, choosing a less harsh word.

Drex laughed. "Well, you have none too," Saturn retorted as he sat down.

The principal started calling on students to guess the reason for the assembly, but none got it right. Mr. Breckenridge said, "Alright kids, seems none of you are getting the handshake."

As he was about to announce the occasion, Ethan had an idea. *What if I use my powers and tell Drex what the announcement is? It's not cheating, right? I'm using my power to help my friend.*

Ethan foresaw the announcement and whispered to Drex. "Sir, sir, sir, I know what it is!" Drex interrupted, standing up with his hand raised.

"Uh... okay, you there, can you tell us what the occasion is?" the principal asked.

"Sir, you're here to announce the next Genesis Challenge competition!" Drex exclaimed, referring to the school's biennial event.

Drex answered him. "Whoa...haha...you got it!" the principal said, visibly impressed. The assembly hall erupted in applause. Drex looked at Ethan, gratitude evident in his eyes.

"Well, come up, young man," the principal beckoned. Drex walked up to the stage, and the principal asked, "What's your name?"

"Drex, sir!" he replied.

"Just Drex? No surname?" the principal queried.

Drex hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Uh, no sir, I don't have a surname. Just Drex, sir!"

"Hmm, well then, Drex," the principal said, shaking his hand. "Well done." Drex's eyes sparkled with joy as the hall clapped for him. He returned to his seat, beaming with pride.

The principal continued, "Just as Drex there said, we're all here to bring good news. The annual Genesis Challenge is here again! And this time, it's bigger than ever! Competitions between students in sports, academic contests, and the ultimate showdown of the chess competition! All will happen in the tournament, and it's coming up next month. So be ready, my students. And one more thing, the winner of each event will be honored by the mayor of Mishap City! And that's not all—the student who stands out the most in this competition will receive a special surprise!"

The students buzzed with excitement. "The annual Genesis Challenge," Ethan thought to himself. "I was waiting for this. The last time I participated, I didn't do well, and I messed up some things. Now I can fix everything again! And who knows? I might get the surprise he's talking about."

The principal noticed Alex wasn't around and concluded, "Alright, guys, that's it. This time all students will participate! Thank you."

The principal left the stage, and one of the teachers told the students, "Alright, you can return to your classes now."

Ethan and his friends stopped by the café. "Yo, Ethan, how did you know about the event?" Drex asked.

Ethan lied, "Well, uh...I heard one of the teachers discussing it last week."

"So you mean you're the one that told Drex?" Saturn questioned. "If you knew about it, why didn't you say it?"

Drex interrupted, "Hey! Forget about that. Now? You should be talking to Ethan and me with respect!" He hung his arm around Ethan's shoulder. "We're the only two students who have received a handshake from Mr. Breckenridge!"

They all laughed until some bullies interrupted. Ethan had interacted with one of them before.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" said one of the students, flipping his shirt collar. "Oh no, just because the kid got a handshake, he's gone crazy! Oh my," another student joked, and the bullies laughed.

"Come on, guys, let's get out of here," Saturn said, trying to avoid trouble. One of the students stretched his hand to stop Saturn. "Hey hey, where do you think you're going? The fun just begun."

"Hey Drexie, I heard you don't have a surname," the leader of the gang said. "Or maybe you don't have a father? Or did you just come out of a dumpster and decided your name was Drex?"

"No no," another student chimed in. "I'm sure when they gave birth to him, his dad was disgusted by giving him his name, so they just thought of the name 'Drex' and gave the bastard!" They all started laughing at Drex.

"Oi oi!" Ethan interrupted as he walked towards them. "So what if he doesn't have a surname? That doesn't change anything about who he is. He's still human, unlike some people who are just empty shells."

Drex and Saturn both laughed at the joke, and even the bullies' own friends laughed. The leader shot them a look that silenced them immediately.

He walked up to Ethan, "Hey, you wanna fight, boy?"

Ethan replied coolly, "No, I mean we both know how you ended up the last time we did." The leader's face reddened. "So why don't you take your little roaches with you and leave us alone?"

Angry, the gang leader said, "We're not going any-" but Ethan interrupted him with a chill voice, "Get out of here unless you want your face in your ass." His blue eyes pierced through the leader's facade, and the bullies backed down, scared. They ran off.

"Whoa, that was cool, Ethan," his friends said, praising him.

"Thanks for sticking up for me, Ethan," Drex thanked him.

Ethan smiled. "Don't mention it, Drex. Remember, not having a surname doesn't define you. It's your actions and character that matter. You're as strong and important as anyone else."

Drex nodded, feeling bolstered by Ethan's words as they headed back to class, ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.

So they all went back to class. After some time, school was over. Drex came to meet Ethan. "Hey, you free after school? Me and the boys from class B are hanging out," Drex asked.

"Uh..." Ethan thought, then remembered, "I have to see Mr. White." He told Drex, "Uh, no...sorry. I'm really gonna be busy today."

"Bruh...you're always cool in school, but you don't wanna hang out with the cool kids? Come on, Ethan," Drex said.

"Cool kids?" Ethan asked. "Yeah, I'll pass. Maybe another time, buddy," Ethan said.

"Well...okay. Don't blame me for missing out on fun, though," Drex said as he exited the class. "I already told Mom and Dad I'll be going out with my friends to keep them busy," Ethan lied to his parents, saying he'd be late so they shouldn't bother picking him up. Well, all kids lie sometimes, don't they? Ethan went to the hospital where Mr. White was. He stood outside the building, squeezed his fists, and said, "Well, Mr. White, here I come!"

Meanwhile, at Alex's new house, Alex was still trying to grasp what had happened. His gut still told him whatever happened in that other house was connected to his mom. "What are you hiding from me, Mom?" Alex said with a chill voice as he was deep in thought in his room. "Could it...could it be the key?" Alex wondered. "I'll have to find out," he said as he stormed out of his room. He called out for Arnold.

"Yes, Master Alex?" Arnold replied, as he was arranging the stuff they brought from the old house.

"Get the car. We're going to the station."

"Uh...sir? Station? For what, Alex?" Arnold asked, confused.

"I'm going to give my mother a visit," Alex replied, buttoning his shirt.

"Uh, sire...I'm sorry, but you can't just go to a station and decide to visit a prisoner just when you feel like. It's not done that way, Alex!" Arnold tried to talk sense to Alex.

"Prisoner?" Alex asked with a chill voice. Arnold, realizing the mistake he made in calling his mom a prisoner—even if she was—apologized quickly.

"Uh...sorry, sir. I should've watched my tongue. I'm sorry for calling Mrs. Thompson a prisoner, but Alex, you have to understand...we can't go visiting her like that, and it's not even the visiting time."

"Then go fix an arrangement. I don't care. I have to see my mother now!" Alex said as he banged his hand on a nearby table, then sat down on a chair and placed his hands on his head. "Sorry, Arnold...it's...it's just too much."

Arnold, feeling pity towards him, went to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Alex. I understand how you feel. You haven't been the same since that day, when everything happened. I'm sorry, Alex, but remember...her trial is coming up this week, and we're trying our best. Hopefully, everything works out fine, Alex."

"You're...you're right, Arnold. Yeah...everything's gonna be fine," Alex replied.

Arnold thought to himself, "Yes, Alex, I understand. But what am I even saying? I know your mom's guilty...guilty of everything placed on her. You still find it hard to believe, Alex. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do to save her..."

Then he told Alex, "Alright, Master Alex. We'll go check on your mother. I'll inform the lawyer to make arrangements. How's that?"

"Thank you, Arnold," Alex replied. Arnold left, still trying to grasp what had happened and what was happening, how Alex decided to set the house on fire. The thought still echoed in his mind. "Alex is going through a lot."

Talks continued in the asylum as Mrs. Thompson engaged the man who had come to see her. They both sat in the visitors' area, where prisoners received their visitors.

"You!" Mrs. Thompson exclaimed, recognizing him.

"Long time no see, Thompson. How have your days in the cell been?" the man joked, a smirk playing on his lips.

Mrs. Thompson glanced around, making sure no one could hear their conversation.

"Don't worry, they can't hear us, but they can still see us on the cameras," the man assured her, his voice growing serious. "Now, let's get down to business."

"What do you want now, Mr. Kline?" Thompson asked, her tone icy.

"You know why I'm here, Thompson. Tell me where the key is," Kline demanded, leaning closer.

"Oh God, I've told you people over and over again, I don't have the key with me. I don't even know where it is!" Thompson retorted, frustration edging her voice.

"You don't know where the key is? It's not with you? Are you even listening to yourself, Thompson? You know what this key means to us. We gave you one job to do, just one job, but you failed, and now you're here, suffering from your mistake. How about this: if you tell us where it is, we'll help you get out of here," Kline offered, his tone softening in an attempt to coax her.

"Get me out of here?" Thompson laughed, a hollow sound. "Ha! This is the most heavily guarded asylum in the city! There's no way you're capable of that. And besides, I like it here."

"If we wanted to get you out of here, we'd have done it in under 30 minutes, Thompson. You know very well what we're capable of," Kline replied, his voice low and menacing. "And I don't mean getting you out illegally. You have a trial coming up, isn't that right? We can help you win the case, and you'll be free. All the charges against you will be dropped."

Thompson thought to herself, "If I tell them where it is, they might actually help me. But no, I can't tell them the key is with my son Alex. No... I can't let them hurt him. And I trust Alex. He's going to finish what I started." She looked Kline in the eye and said aloud, "I already told you, I like it here. And I'm sorry about the key, but I have no idea where it is."

Suddenly, Kline started laughing, a chilling sound that made Thompson uneasy.

"Oh Thompson, you have no idea how deep this organization runs. You were only told 2% about us. You don't know the rest," Kline said, his voice dripping with malice. "He tried to give you another chance, but it seems you've chosen not to accept it."

Thompson, confused and wondering who he was referring to as "he," thought, "Who's he talking about?"

As Kline stood up, he said something that sent a jolt of fear through her. "Oh, you have a nice kid too. What was his name? Alex..."

Thompson, shocked that he knew about her son, stood up suddenly and grabbed him by the shirt. "Don't you dare do anything to my Alex. I'm warning you."

The security guards saw the commotion and quickly rushed over, pulling Thompson away. "I never want to see this man's face again," she shouted as she was dragged off.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Thompson, because this will be the last time I'll see you," Kline thought to himself as he walked away.

Some time passed, and Thompson was back in her cell. She was still trying to process what had happened and understand Kline's cryptic words. Just then, alarms blared—a sign that someone had broken out of the asylum.

Thompson, worried, stood up and gripped the bars of her cell as she watched security personnel sprinting up and down the corridor. She managed to stop one guard to ask what was going on. "Excuse me," she said to a passing guard. "What's happening? Why did the alarms go off all of a sudden?"

"Uh, nothing to worry about," the guard replied hastily. "We're handling it. It's just that a prisoner broke out. Now go back to your cell," he said as he hurried off.

Taking a few steps back, Thompson leaned against the wall, dread settling in. She knew her fate was sealed. The alarms were a diversion orchestrated by the assassins. They had created chaos to confuse the guards and break in.

The hallway lights flickered ominously, casting unsettling shadows. Thompson's cell light shook, the uncertainty of the moment heavy in the air. Just then, a figure appeared in front of her cell. It was a man dressed in a white suit, wearing a Japanese demon mask, the kind that looked like a fearsome oni. He held a sword in his right hand. Thompson saw him and smirked. "It's only been 20 minutes since he left," she murmured.

Meanwhile, Alex and Arnold were already en route to the Ironhold Asylum. Arnold was driving when he said, "Just as you wanted, Alex, we made the arrangements, and now we're on our way."

"Yeah, thank you, Arnold," Alex replied, glancing out the window. He saw a car approaching them on the same road. As the car came closer, time seemed to slow down. Alex made eye contact with the driver—the man who had just been discussing with his mother, Mr. Kline. The car passed, and Alex felt a strange sense of foreboding but didn't dwell on it.

"Uhm, Master Alex, there's something that's been bothering me," Arnold said, breaking the silence.

"What is it?" Alex asked, still staring out the window.

"When the lawyer spoke to me after arranging the visit, he mentioned that the officer in charge told him someone else had already come to see your mother. I found it strange. Perhaps a friend of your mum's came to visit her? Anyway, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier."

"HUH?????" Alex shouted. "What do you mean someone came to visit her? Who?"

"I don't know, sir. I'm sorry," Arnold replied, worry creasing his forehead.

Alex's heart pounded in his chest. "Oh no... I hope we're not too late," he thought. "Hurry, Arnold," he urged, trying to get to the Ironhold Asylum as fast as possible.

When they arrived, Alex quickly jumped out of the car and rushed to the entrance. "Wait, Master Alex!" Arnold shouted, trying to keep up.

A guard at the gate stopped Alex. "And where do you think you're going, boy?" he asked sternly.

Arnold quickly caught up. "Sorry, sir. I'm Mr. Arnold. The captain must have told you about us. We're here to see Mrs. Thompson," he explained.

"Oh... yeah, he mentioned you. But I'm afraid you can't see her," the guard said, his tone grim.

"WHY NOT??" Alex demanded, panic rising in his voice.

The guard hesitated, then said, "Because she's dead."