Whisper of Doubt

Kanu sat in his car outside Martist Boys and Girls High School, watching the schoolyard through the windshield. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, his mind racing with unease.

Something was wrong with the kids.

Victory, Adah, and Destiny had always been sharp—too sharp for their own good sometimes. But lately, they had been acting like strangers in their own bodies. Their laughter, once free and full of life, had grown hollow, their eyes unfocused when they spoke. It was as if they were listening to something no one else could hear.

The last time he visited, they barely reacted to his presence. No running into his arms. No complaints about school. They answered questions in short, mechanical phrases.

And then there was the school itself.

It had changed.

Gone were the familiar old structures. Everything had been rebuilt—too quickly, too perfectly. There were new walls, reinforced gates, security systems far beyond what a regular school should have.