Echoes that shouldn't Exist the ticking stopped

"Every blueprint hides a secret. Every secret has a ghost."

Chapter Three: Echoes That Shouldn't Exist

The ticking stopped.

Elara's breath caught.

The sound had lasted only a second.

One tick.

Then silence.

Julian heard it too.

She knew because his eyes snapped toward the ancient clock hanging above the western arch. Dust covered its face. Rust devoured its hands.

Broken since 1927.

Everyone at Westbrook knew that.

Yet both hands had moved.

One second.

One impossible second.

Julian stared at it with an expression she couldn't understand.

Not surprise.

Recognition.

As though he expected the impossible.

Then he looked back at her.

And whatever strange thought had crossed his mind vanished.

"I should leave," he said softly.

Elara blinked.

"What?"

His fingers tightened around the black book in his hand.

"I shouldn't be here."

The words sounded wrong.

Not awkward.

Not embarrassed.

Afraid.

Like a man standing too close to the edge of something he couldn't see.

"You just said you know me," Elara whispered.

Julian frowned.

Confusion filled his silver eyes.

"I did?"

Her heart skipped.

"You don't remember?"

His face grew pale.

"No."

The answer came instantly.

Too instantly.

Like he'd spoken before thinking.

His hand rose to his temple.

For a moment, pain crossed his face.

Not physical pain.

Something deeper.

Something old.

"I…" he whispered.

His voice stopped.

And then—

A whisper echoed through the library.

Not from Julian.

Not from her.

Somewhere deeper.

Far below the sub-basement.

A voice.

Faint.

Broken.

Calling.

"Julian…"

Both froze.

Elara slowly stood.

Julian's breathing stopped.

"Did you hear that?" she asked.

His eyes widened.

"No."

She frowned.

"What do you mean no? Someone just—"

"I didn't hear anything."

But his voice trembled.

And suddenly—

The lights flickered.

One.

Two.

Three times.

Her laptop screen went black.

The air became colder.

Not naturally cold.

Wrong.

Every instinct inside Elara screamed.

Run.

Yet neither moved.

Another whisper.

Closer.

"Julian…"

This time his face lost all color.

He heard it.

He definitely heard it.

"Who's there?" Elara called.

Silence.

Nothing answered.

Julian grabbed her wrist.

His touch was warm.

Too warm.

"Leave."

The command startled her.

"What?"

"Now."

His voice wasn't calm anymore.

It was desperate.

Terrified.

The lights exploded back on.

Everything looked normal.

The cold disappeared.

Her laptop restarted.

As though nothing had happened.

Julian immediately released her wrist.

And stared.

Not at her.

At his own hand.

As though touching her had shocked him.

His breathing became uneven.

"What is happening to me?" he whispered.

Elara had no answer.

Because she was wondering the same thing.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed upstairs.

Students.

Voices.

Laughter.

Reality returning.

Julian stepped back.

The fear returned to his eyes.

Not fear of ghosts.

Not fear of darkness.

Fear of her.

Or perhaps—

Fear of what she made him remember.

"I have to go."

"Julian—"

But he was already walking away.

Halfway to the stairs, he stopped.

Without turning around, he spoke quietly.

"Whatever happens…"

His voice shook.

"Don't come looking for me."

Then he disappeared.

Elara stood frozen.

Her pulse raced.

The air felt heavy.

And then—

Her laptop screen flickered.

Lines of code appeared by themselves.

Not hers.

Not anyone's.

A single sentence slowly typed itself across the screen.

HE REMEMBERS HER.

Elara's blood turned to ice.

Because beneath the message—

Someone had signed it.

—THE GHOST

And deep beneath Westbrook University—

Something awakened.

And smiled.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***