Vena’s POV I kept staring at the message on my phone.
If you want the truth about your blood…
come alone.
Below it was a location pin.
Blackwood Chapel.
The message disappeared after a few seconds.
Not deleted.
It simply…
Vanished.
I immediately checked my notifications.
Nothing.
No unknown number.
No chat history.
As if the message had never existed.
“…What the hell?” I wasn’t imagining this.
I had read every single word.
Then why…
Did it disappear?
I looked outside my bedroom window.
The blue light was still there.
Far away.
Floating between the trees.
It wasn’t blinking anymore.
It was waiting.
Almost…
Like someone knew I was watching.
I tightened my grip around the silver pendant.
It felt warmer than before.
Almost like…
It wanted me to follow that light.
“No.” I shook my head.
“This could be another trap.” Last time…
I trusted people too easily.
This life…
I wouldn’t.
I closed the curtains and placed the pendant inside my drawer.
The moment I let go— The room suddenly became freezing cold.
Every hair on my body stood up.
A notification sound broke the silence.
TING.
My laptop…
Had turned on by itself.
The screen was completely black.
Then white letters slowly appeared.
YOU CAN RUN FROM PEOPLE.
YOU CAN’T RUN FROM YOUR BLOOD.
The screen immediately went dark.
My heartbeat became irregular.
I rushed to the laptop.
Nothing.
Normal desktop.
No files opened.
No signs anyone had accessed it.
“…Someone is playing with me.” But who?
Nikhil?
No.
He wasn’t this type of person.
He manipulated people.
Not technology.
Unless…
He had someone helping him.
The next morning…
I walked into college pretending everything was normal.
Inside…
Nothing felt normal anymore.
Students were busy taking selfies near the fountain.
Some were recording reels.
Others rushed toward their lectures with coffee cups in hand.
The campus looked alive.
Yet…
I couldn’t stop feeling like I didn’t belong here anymore.
As I entered my classroom…
My phone vibrated.
Unknown notification.
I unlocked it.
Nothing.
No message.
No app.
Just my lock screen.
“…Again?” The strange feeling returned.
Someone…
Was watching me.
Halfway through the lecture…
Professor Sharma suddenly stopped explaining.
He looked directly at me.
“Miss Vena.” “Would you answer the next question?” I stood up automatically.
“Yes, sir.” He smiled.
“What does inheritance mean?” For a second…
The classroom disappeared.
One word echoed inside my head.
Bloodline.
Inheritance…
Blood…
Awakening…
Everything was somehow connected.
“Miss Vena?” I blinked.
Everyone was staring at me.
I quickly answered.
“It’s the transmission of genetic information from one generation to another.” “Correct.” I sat down.
But something felt…
Wrong.
Professor Sharma wasn’t looking at me anymore.
He was looking…
At the pendant hidden beneath my shirt.
Only for a second.
Then he continued teaching.
Did he notice it?
Or…
Did he recognize it?
Lunch break.
I decided to visit the library again.
Not because I wanted books.
Because libraries keep records.
Old newspapers.
Archives.
Forgotten things.
If that symbol existed…
Someone must have documented it.
I spent almost an hour searching.
Nothing.
Finally…
An elderly librarian noticed me.
“Looking for something specific?” I hesitated.
Then opened my notebook.
“I want information about this symbol.” His smile disappeared instantly.
He adjusted his glasses.
Looked carefully.
Then closed the notebook himself.
“You shouldn’t ask about this.
My heart skipped.
“So you know it?” He remained silent.
“I’ve never seen it.” “You just said—” “I said…” “You shouldn’t ask.” His voice had become serious.
Almost frightened.
He quietly leaned closer.
“If someone gave this to you…” “Burn it.” “And pretend you never saw it.” Before I could stop him…
He walked away.
Leaving me standing there.
More confused than before.
Rain started pouring outside.
Heavy.
Relentless.
I decided to leave campus early.
As I walked through the underground parking area…
The lights flickered.
One after another.
The entire parking lot became strangely quiet.
No footsteps.
No cars.
Only the sound of rain hitting the concrete ceiling.
Then…
I heard someone whistle.
A slow…
Carefree tune.
I turned.
Nobody.
The whistle continued.
This time…
Behind me.
I spun around again.
Still no one.
“Who’s there?” No reply.
Only silence.
Then…
My phone rang.
Unknown Number.
I answered immediately.
“…Who are you?” A distorted voice spoke.
“You shouldn’t have searched for the symbol.” My throat went dry.
“Who are you?” “The people chasing your blood…” “…have already found you.” The call disconnected.
At the exact same moment— Every light in the parking lot went out.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
I could barely breathe.
Then…
Footsteps.
Not running.
Walking.
Slowly.
Toward me.
One…
Two…
Three…
My pulse pounded in my ears.
I backed away until my back touched a pillar.
The footsteps stopped.
A figure stood just beyond the emergency light.
I couldn’t see the face.
Only a black hoodie.
Hands inside the pockets.
The person spoke.
“Wrong place.” Wrong place?
“What?” “If they see you with the pendant…” “You’ll die before your memories return.” My eyes widened.
“My memories?” What memories?
Before I could ask— Headlights suddenly lit up the parking lot.
A car turned the corner.
The hooded figure was gone.
Just…
Gone.
As if they had never been there.
That evening…
I couldn’t stop thinking about one sentence.
“…before your memories return.” Return?
Hadn’t I already regained my memories?
I remembered my previous life.
Didn’t I?
Then…
What memories was that person talking about?
Were there…
More?
I reached home exhausted.
The house was unusually quiet.
“Nikhil?” No answer.
I walked upstairs.
As I passed his room…
The door was slightly open.
I wasn’t planning to look.
But something caught my attention.
Voices.Nikhil was talking to someone.
“…She’s changing faster than expected.” Silence.
Then he spoke again.
“No.” “She hasn’t awakened.” “Not yet.” Every muscle in my body froze.
Awakened.
That word again.
I slowly moved closer.
Trying not to make a sound.
“…If she remembers that night…” “…everything we’ve built will collapse.” A deep voice answered from inside the room.
I couldn’t hear the words clearly.
Then…
Nikhil laughed.
Not the warm laugh of an elder brother.
The same cold laugh…
From the warehouse.
“I’ll make sure…” “…she never reaches the Chapel.” My breathing stopped.
The Chapel.
He knew.
He knew about the message.
How?
I instinctively stepped backward.
My foot touched a flower vase.
It wobbled.
I caught it just in time.
No sound.
I sighed in relief.
Then…
A calm voice came from inside the room.
“Standing outside someone’s door…” “…isn’t a good habit, Vena.” My heart stopped.
How…
How did he know I was there?
The bedroom door slowly began to open.
I couldn’t move.
The handle turned.
One inch…
Two inches…
Three…
And just before the door fully opened— My phone vibrated loudly in my pocket.
A new notification flashed across the screen.
DON’T LET HIM SEE THE PENDANT.
I looked up.
The door…
Was still opening.
**To Be Continued…