Chapter 146

• Alex
• The school had never been this quiet. Not even during exam week when every hallway smelled of coffee, desperation, and sleepless nights. Tonight, though—this silence was the kind that dug under your skin and made your chest tight. It was a silence born of fear.
• The principal’s voice had boomed earlier, vibrating through the speakers mounted high in every hallway: “All students are to remain in their rooms. No exceptions. For your safety, do not leave until further notice.”