Chapter 12: Echoes of the Forgotten
The world outside Angelo's window was still shrouded in darkness when he jolted awake. His heart pounded fiercely against his ribcage, the vivid memory of Lysandra's face still etched in his mind. Her words echoed like a haunting melody.
"They're coming, Angelo. And they won't stop until they have you."
The room felt suffocatingly quiet. Angelo sat up, running a hand through his messy black hair, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Was it a dream? A vision? Or something far more real than he could comprehend?
His phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen illuminating the dim room. A text from Jade.
You okay? I can't sleep. Kept thinking about what we found out.
Angelo hesitated before replying.
Same. I remembered her, Jade. Lysandra. She spoke to me.
Almost immediately, Jade's reply came.
What did she say?
Angelo stared at the message, unsure if sharing everything would make it more real. But he trusted Jade, even if he didn't fully trust himself.
"They're coming."
Three simple words. But they carried the weight of a storm Angelo knew he wasn't ready for.
---
The following morning, Angelo found himself at the tutorial center, barely paying attention as the lecturer droned on about contract law. His notebook remained blank, save for the repeated scribbling of one name: Lysandra.
Beside him, Eli leaned over, whispering, "Dude, if you write her name one more time, I'm gonna start thinking you have a crush."
Angelo shot him a glare, whispering back, "It's not like that."
"Sure," Eli smirked, leaning back in his chair.
Angelo sighed, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him. The moment the lecture ended, he grabbed his bag and headed out, only to be stopped by JJ in the hallway.
"Hey, mystery boy," JJ grinned. "What's the plan today? Brooding in your room? Staring dramatically out of windows?"
"Not today," Angelo muttered. "I need answers."
JJ blinked. "Okay... and where exactly do you plan on finding them? Google 'creepy forgotten sisters' or something?"
"Maybe," Angelo said, already typing on his phone.
JJ chuckled. "You're serious?"
Angelo glanced up. "Completely."
JJ sighed, falling in step beside him. "Fine, but if this turns into some supernatural horror thing, I'm out."
Angelo couldn't help but smirk. "Deal."
---
The library was eerily quiet, the soft hum of computers the only sound breaking the silence. Angelo sat in front of an old desktop, typing furiously while JJ leaned back in a chair, spinning slowly in boredom.
"Nothing's coming up," Angelo muttered, frustrated.
JJ peeked over his shoulder. "Maybe you need to think outside the box. Like... I don't know, check old records, newspapers, conspiracy theory blogs—people love writing about creepy stuff."
Angelo paused. JJ had a point.
He navigated through the search engine, diving into the depths of forgotten blogs and obscure forums. That's when he found it.
A blog post titled The Lost Child of Time.
Curiosity piqued, Angelo clicked the link. The page loaded with a black background and red text, clearly designed to be as ominous as possible.
The post detailed the legend of a child who existed outside of time, forgotten by the world, and hunted by mysterious beings who sought to harness their power.
Angelo's breath caught in his throat. This wasn't just a story. It felt... personal.
A line at the bottom of the post sent chills down his spine.
"If you're reading this, it's too late. They're already watching."
JJ, leaning over Angelo's shoulder, read the line aloud. "Well, that's not creepy at all."
Suddenly, the computer screen flickered, and the lights in the library dimmed.
"Uh... Angelo?" JJ whispered nervously.
Before Angelo could respond, the screen displayed a single line of text.
"Run."
---
Angelo and JJ bolted out of the library, adrenaline coursing through their veins.
"What the hell was that?" JJ panted as they stopped to catch their breath.
"I don't know," Angelo admitted. "But whatever it is, it's real."
JJ laughed nervously. "Cool, cool, love that for us."
Angelo's phone buzzed. Another message from Jade.
We need to talk. Now.
Without hesitation, Angelo and JJ headed to the café where Jade was waiting, her face pale and eyes wide.
"I got a call," Jade said the moment they sat down. "No number. Just static. And then... a voice."
Angelo leaned in. "What did it say?"
Jade swallowed hard. "Protect him."
JJ blinked. "Him? As in Angelo? Protect him from what?"
Jade shook her head. "I don't know. But it wasn't just any voice. It sounded... familiar."
Angelo's mind raced. Could it have been Lysandra? Or someone else?
Before they could discuss further, the café door swung open, and a man in a dark suit entered, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Angelo.
Angelo's blood ran cold.
"We need to go," he whispered urgently.
Without waiting for questions, Angelo grabbed Jade and JJ, heading for the back exit.
"Care to explain?" JJ asked as they ran down the alley.
"Later," Angelo replied, glancing back to see the man following them, his expression eerily calm.
---
They ended up at Jade's tiny apartment, all three catching their breath.
"Okay," JJ said, collapsing on the floor. "What the hell is going on?"
Angelo paced, trying to piece everything together. "There's something about me... my past. Lysandra, my sister, she's connected to all of this. And now... they're coming for me."
"Who's they?" Jade asked, brows furrowed.
"I don't know," Angelo admitted. "But they're dangerous."
Jade looked thoughtful. "Maybe we need to stop running and start fighting back."
JJ raised an eyebrow. "Fight back? Against... what? Ghosts? Secret agents? Aliens?"
"Whatever it is," Angelo said firmly, "I need to find out. And I need your help."
JJ groaned. "Why do I always get dragged into this stuff?"
"Because you love me," Angelo smirked.
JJ rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately."
Jade nodded. "We're with you. Whatever happens."
Angelo felt a rare sense of comfort. For once, he wasn't alone in this.
---
That night, as Angelo lay in bed, the locket clutched in his hand, he whispered softly, "Lysandra... I need you."
The room remained silent, but Angelo felt a flicker of hope.
Somewhere out there, answers awaited. And he was ready to face them.