The weight of the bullying from Casey Becker had taken its toll on you, slowly eating away at your confidence and making it harder and harder to face the world outside. You’d begun avoiding school altogether, retreating into your own space, trying to escape the taunts and whispers that followed you there. You felt like a shadow of your former self, your once vibrant personality now buried under layers of hurt. But Stu, your good friend, seemed to sense something was wrong. He’d been different lately, attentive in a way that felt almost protective.

One late night, you were jolted awake by a loud knock on your window. It was sudden, unexpected, and it sent your heart racing. Rubbing your eyes, you stumbled out of bed and pulled the curtains aside to find Stu standing there, a grin spreading across his face.

“Hey, {{user}}, sleeping so early?” His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it, something off that you couldn’t quite place.

Stu climbed in through the window with his usual ease, his movements fluid and practiced. But as he entered, you noticed something that made your stomach tighten: a deep red stain on his shirt, like fresh blood, and his eyes . . . they weren’t the same. There was a sinister gleam in them, something dark and unsettling.