This sudden change of attitude that Michael had was somewhat nerving for Alexander. All he could do was stand there in place while watching the two walking together. They seemed so close that it was hard not making any assumptions. When they both stopped and signaled him to hurry, accompanied by the bell’s ringing, did he run to catch up with them.

They were barely able to beat their homeroom teacher to the classroom and avoid being marked late at the start of the day. They didn’t interact much after entering the class as their seating arrangements had Alexander in the back and Felix and Michael being up front. The morning classes were so boring for Alexander that he wished he had asked to go to his brother’s ceremony. Atleast at the Foundation he could entertain himself with some of the Slayers. In addition, being in class meant that he couldn’t text his parents to find out how it is going.

The door to the classroom violently slammed open with a panting student standing in the doorway. He was so out of breath that it was clear he ran all the way there. Their teacher at the time went to the student and was handed a piece of paper. The look on the teacher’s face made it clear to everyone that it certainly wasn’t good news. The teacher made direct eye contact with Alexander that caused him to flinch.

“Alexander, I am so sorry.” The teacher said after sending the messenger off, “Please come here, the message is for you.”

Alexander wondered what it could be to illicit this kind of response from the teacher. He got up from his seat and slowly approached the front with all eyes being placed squarely on him as he walked. It made him even more nervous. The teacher handed him the paper and when he read the first sentence his body went limp and the paper fell from his hands. His world went silent even as his name was being called out by Felix, it was as if he was standing in an endless unmoving ocean. All the voices of the classroom being heard as faint whispers on the wind to him. Felix got up from his seat and approached Alexander, he picked up the paper and read it, gasping at what he read.

“What does it say Felix?” Michael asked as Felix’s reaction started to match the teacher’s.

“Michael!” Felix exclaimed and ran over to Michael, throwing away the paper, and crying in his arms.

“What the hell is happening?” Michael asked.

“Alexander, his parents were killed.” Felix whispered to Michael.

Michael’s disbelieving gaze fell onto Alexander who was lost in his own thoughts. He took a deep breath and walked, with Felix still in his arms, and brought Alexander into a hug on his other side. Alexander grabbed onto Michael’s arm and started to cry into his shoulder like Felix was. The rest of their class was just left confused at the whole event unfolding before them.

“I can smell your filthy blood coming from here, it wrecks like theirs’.”

The classroom erupted into screams, breaking the trio’s moment, as they all watched as a muscular man hung outside their window while staring inside at Alexander. They watched as two red tendrils rose out of the man’s back shoulders and then violently whipped against the windows, shattering the glass, and sending not only his class but their adjacent classrooms into a panic.

Those nearest to the windows were flung to the back of the classroom. Luckily their desks seemed to have absorbed the brunt force so no one got seriously harmed. However, it sent those furthest away into a massive panic and they stampeded towards the door to run away. They blocked the doorway as a result while the hallway became flooded by more panicked students and teachers. The man jumped into the classroom and menacingly looked at Alexander while sniffing the air.

 “There you are.” He said while approaching.