Shadows of Revolt  

The morning sun faded to a whisper on the horizon as Avery stepped outside, the chill cutting at her pores and skin as she surveyed the campus. Her thoughts stayed on the weird thing from the night before, his twisted grin still fresh in her mind. She couldn't shake the sense of his lingering danger, an invisible force pressing against her chest, daring her to slip.

However, as Avery's eyes adjusted to the light, she discovered that the college grounds were not only silent, but also vacant. She had a strong sense of discomfort. It became too quiet, the kind of silence that warned of something dreadful in the wings.

Her phone buzzed, startled her. Lucas sent a message: "Meet me in the underground commons." Now."

Avery didn't pause as she made her way through the abandoned halls to the basement meeting site. Lucas stood there waiting, his face strained, his eyes blazing with urgency and an emotion she had never seen in him before: dread.