The secret hides

Iris stared at the mysterious sketch in her hands, her pulse racing. The words "Find the truth" burned into her mind. She glanced at Avelia, still fast asleep, her soft breathing the only sound in the eerie silence of the room.

Was she imagining things?

Or was someone trying to tell her something?

The broken clock in the drawing was exactly like the one in Granny Row’s apartment. Iris shuddered at the thought. Was Granny Row connected to all of this?

She tucked the paper into her drawer, deciding not to tell Avelia—at least, not yet. She needed to understand this herself first.

But as Iris turned off the bedside lamp and closed her eyes, she heard it again.

A whisper.

"Iris..."

This time, it was clearer, closer.

Her breath caught in her throat. She slowly turned her head toward Avelia’s bed.

Iris stared at the mysterious sketch in her hands, her pulse racing. The words "Find the truth" burned into her mind. She glanced at Avelia, still fast asleep, her soft breathing the only sound in the eerie silence of the room.

Was she imagining things?

Or was someone trying to tell her something?

The broken clock in the drawing was exactly like the one in Granny Row’s apartment. Iris shuddered at the thought. Was Granny Row connected to all of this?

She tucked the paper into her drawer, deciding not to tell Avelia—at least, not yet. She needed to understand this herself first.

But as Iris turned off the bedside lamp and closed her eyes, she heard it again.

A whisper.

"Iris..."

This time, it was clearer, closer.

Her breath caught in her throat. She slowly turned her head toward Avelia’s bed.

And froze.

Avelia was no longer sleeping.

She was sitting up, her head tilted slightly downward, her long dark hair covering her face.

"Avelia...?" Iris whispered, her voice barely audible.

No response.

"Avelia?" She reached out a trembling hand.

Then, as if nothing had happened, Avelia slowly turned to face her, blinking sleepily. "Hmm? Why are you awake?" she murmured.

Iris quickly pulled her hand back. Had she imagined it? Was she just on edge because of the drawing?

"Nothing," Iris mumbled. "Go back to sleep."

Avelia yawned and lay back down. "You’re thinking too much again," she murmured before drifting off.

Iris didn’t sleep that night.

---

The next morning, Avelia acted completely normal, laughing and chatting as if nothing had happened. She made breakfast, talked about school, and even complained about their professors.

But something about her felt... off.

Iris watched her carefully, noticing little things. The way Avelia sometimes zoned out mid-conversation. The way her fingers traced invisible patterns on the table absentmindedly. The way her eyes darkened for just a moment whenever Iris mentioned Granny Row.

Something was wrong with her.

And Iris was determined to find out what.

---

At the university, Avelia disappeared after their morning class.

Iris searched for her but couldn’t find her anywhere. When she asked around, no one had seen Avelia leave. It was as if she had vanished.

Then, just as Iris was about to give up, she spotted someone near the old library—the same library where she had seen the strange girl the other day.

It was Avelia.

But she wasn’t alone.

She was standing with someone—a tall figure dressed in dark clothing. Their face was hidden in the shadows, but Iris could tell they were talking in hushed voices.

Avelia’s expression was serious, different from the carefree girl Iris knew. She nodded at something the figure said, then handed them a small envelope.

Iris stepped closer, trying to hear.

But before she could get any closer, Avelia suddenly turned her head—her eyes locking directly onto Iris.

Iris's heart stopped.

Avelia’s expression remained unreadable, but her eyes—there was something in them.

Something Iris had never seen before.

Fear.

Iris quickly looked away, pretending to check her phone. When she glanced back up, Avelia and the figure were gone.

---

That night, Iris lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

She couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Avelia wasn’t just a normal friend.

She had secrets. Dark ones.

And now, Iris was a part of them.

---------

Who was Avelia really?

And what was she hiding?

And froze.

Avelia was no longer sleeping.

She was sitting up, her head tilted slightly downward, her long dark hair covering her face.

"Avelia...?" Iris whispered, her voice barely audible.

No response.

"Avelia?" She reached out a trembling hand.

Then, as if nothing had happened, Avelia slowly turned to face her, blinking sleepily. "Hmm? Why are you awake?" she murmured.

Iris quickly pulled her hand back. Had she imagined it? Was she just on edge because of the drawing?

"Nothing," Iris mumbled. "Go back to sleep."

Avelia yawned and lay back down. "You’re thinking too much again," she murmured before drifting off.

Iris didn’t sleep that night.

---
The next morning, Avelia acted completely normal, laughing and chatting as if nothing had happened. She made breakfast, talked about school, and even complained about their professors.

But something about her felt... off.

Iris watched her carefully, noticing little things. The way Avelia sometimes zoned out mid-conversation. The way her fingers traced invisible patterns on the table absentmindedly. The way her eyes darkened for just a moment whenever Iris mentioned Granny Row.
Something was wrong with her.

And Iris was determined to find out what.

---
At the university, Avelia disappeared after their morning class.
Iris searched for her but couldn’t find her anywhere. When she asked around, no one had seen Avelia leave. It was as if she had vanished.
Then, just as Iris was about to give up, she spotted someone near the old library—the same library where she had seen the strange girl the other day.
It was Avelia.
But she wasn’t alone.
She was standing with someone—a tall figure dressed in dark clothing. Their face was hidden in the shadows, but Iris could tell they were talking in hushed voices.
Avelia’s expression was serious, different from the carefree girl Iris knew. She nodded at something the figure said, then handed them a small envelope.
Iris stepped closer, trying to hear.
But before she could get any closer, Avelia suddenly turned her head—her eyes locking directly onto Iris.
Iris's heart stopped.
Avelia’s expression remained unreadable, but her eyes—there was something in them.
Something Iris had never seen before.
Fear.
Iris quickly looked away, pretending to check her phone. When she glanced back up, Avelia and the figure were gone.



---
That night, Iris lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
She couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Avelia wasn’t just a normal friend.
She had secrets. Dark ones.
And now, Iris was a part of them.---------
Who was Avelia really?
And what was she hiding?