Chapter 7 - “A Step and an Ear Ahead”

In the communication wing of the school, So had just finished the prepwork for his next article that would be released in the university newspaper, an analysis of a survey regarding student opinions on an upcoming election. This year’s election was particularly exciting as the school was getting a massive budget increase thanks to some new donors. Normally the paranormal studies club would apply for sponsored trips to places they’d like to investigate on the off chance an eccentric candidate won but this year’s race came down to the president of the Dance Crew club and the top student of the Architecture program. Neither particularly invested in what the club did.

Despite still carrying the honorary title of ‘newspaper’, it was essentially a short magazine, filled with halves of articles and their scannable code to read the rest online. It was said to be done for environmental reasons and saving paper along with pushing technological innovation but why the budget committee surely realized half a paper is cheaper than the whole thing. Most of the writers still had an old love for putting pen to paper and reading things the old-fashioned way but this is the path that the school had chosen for them.

So packed his belongings into his backpack and set off for lunch in the dining hall a few buildings over. On Wednesdays, he had to eat alone as time was limited and the other members of the club were still in class. He had other friends but none that he was as free to be himself around. None of the paranormal studies club were deliberately anti-social but there’s only so many people who are willing to listen to supposed stories of farmhouse alien visitors or hairy handed cryptids when there’s career decisions, burgeoning flings and final exams to discuss. So was capable of juggling all these thoughts in his head, fitting enough for a multi-sport student athlete.

As he strolled across the grassy squares that separated blocks of cement in the urban-park designed common area, So spotted Druvy across the courtyard. Before the events in the gym, Druvy most often seen with his eyes nearly attached to the screen of his phone, with massive noise canceling earphones that went over his years to block out the sound of organic life on the outside of his attention span. He would burst out laughing with nobody in on the joke besides the friends online that would be forwarded the content - but this time he was without his headphones and his eyes facing forward; the expression on his face could not be more blank. So knew there was now a mandate against any interaction, quickly turning his head and rerouting his path to the hall.

He took one more quick peak to ensure that his presence was still unknown but Druvy’s eyes had widened and he was already standing up and walking straight towards him. So thought to himself, why does he have to come now? They’d only met one time before, when he was only somewhat conscious and So thought surely he had been made aware of the threat that his father sent to the group through the dean.

So turned and weaved through the students that were making their commute to various places on campus, trying to peek and see where Druvy was in his pursuit. All he had to do was lose him in all the foot traffic but his pursuer was resolute in speaking with him. Pushing through the crowd and nearly jogging after him.

“So! Hey, wait just a moment!” Druvy shouted from far away, just loud enough to be heard by So and startling all those around him.

He still pretended not to hear as he turned into the business department building and started walking up the stairs. There were four floors that had large rectangular hallways, with no particular place to hide but in the classrooms themself. So saw that no one was walking in a particular hallway that he peered into as he dashed quickly up the stairs; he turned and entered the third floor hallway and began to lightly jog to increase the distance between the two.

Once feeling comfortable with the separation, he turned into an empty classroom and locked into his foresight ability, peering down into the hallway near the stairs and seeing what the future might hold for the persistent chaser. So’s ability had the unfortunate limit of only peering five seconds at most into the future but that might be enough for him to predict the next move. Out of all the buildings, however, this was one that he was most unfamiliar with so he’d have to play things very carefully. After about twenty seconds of gazing, So saw that Druvy would be turning down this hallway, still hot on the trail but now walking at a much slower pace.

So realized that if he walked out of the classroom now, there wasn’t anyone around to shield him from sight. Druvy would surely shout out once more and there would be no reasonable way for him to deny hearing him. So didn’t mind if he had to hurt the guy's feelings to save his own academic future by ignoring him but the strings that he held due his father’s influence made any interaction unpredictable. So searched around the room and jostled the handles on each of the cabinets as well as the closet before finally finding an empty cabinet that only housed coat hangers. He hopped in and had no other option but to look into the potential futures and see if he would be found out.

The relentless Druvy peered into every classroom that he walked by before finally walking into the classroom just across the hallway, where he sat down and tossed his bag on the table. He was in pursuit of So but it appeared that his upcoming class was conveniently close to the object of his hunt, temporarily giving up for the sake of attending an upcoming lecture. So began to creak open the cabinet from the other room, begging in his thoughts to the inanimate object that they would not squeak and give his presence away. Just as he had tip-toed out of the cabinet, So heard the loud clacking that accompanied leather dress shoes with powerful heels. The footsteps smacked the floor with a powerful strike each time, worn by someone who was walking with intensity that only could be birthed from anger. They neared closer to the very classroom that So was in as he tried to hurriedly but quietly get back into the cabinet.

“Druvy. What are you doing still looking after that student?” It was one of the associate administrators of the university, Dr. Thomas Piller. “We have already notified them of the university distance order. Why are you trying to break it yourself?”

Druvy crossed his arms and looked down, agitated with the surveillance that was taken with his best interest but not his permission. “I just wanted to ask him some questions.”

“Your father has already opened and shut the investigation and the punishment has been delivered. There’s nothing we can do now but we need your cooperation.”

“I’m not so sure I believe exactly what happened though.”

“But you were the one with the story! We listened to what you say you saw and acted accordingly. Were you telling the truth?”

“I…’m pretty sure. Almost a hundred percent but I'm still not sure what exactly happened.”

“They left you on the floor during what I believe is either a freak medical episode or a horrific prank. They’re negligent at best or criminal at worst but our solution keeps things civil. You know how your father is so unless you want chaos to break out on your behalf, think carefully about what’s most important Druvy. Now if you feel bad about their punishment, just know that meeting them will be much worse. For them and not you.”

“...” Druvy was a career loiterer, distractor and lacked any relevant thoughts on most pressing issues in the world, choosing his circle of friends based on sense of humor and media interests over everything. He didn’t need to care so much about the burdens of life because of the extreme wealth that keeps him washed and clean of stress or pressure from outside forces but not enough money in the world kept him safe from the monster that took residence in his very soul. Even now removed, there was a great fear inside him of what was next to come and who would be there to protect him. He only had faith in Arath at this point as he reflected on the fact that only he had the creature captured and bound. Druvy held deep regret inside that it was his subconscious impulses that brought him to the basement to free the beast. Only Alaria saw the aftermath and she had informed his father, but what could his father do about this? Druvy had never seen a superstitious side of the man in all of his life but the recent years of cold distance seemed to shrink as his father finally showed concern after hearing of the new threat. His father had the means to further dive into the matter so all Druvy could do was wait. How he wished to speak to the paranormal club to see if the events were related, only retaining semi-consciousness in the gym until he hit the floor, knowing nothing of the heroic efforts of Arath. He was finally connecting to the real world as a matter of both curiosity and survival, the same forces that drove humanity out of caves and into the wild beyond.

“Do we have an understanding, Druvy?” The administrator asked.

“Absolutely.” Druvy said without conviction.