Under the pale glow of the streetlights, I slid on my skateboard past windows wrapped in the warmth of their curtains. The wind, wandering and lonely, tangled with the growl of the shadow wolf, and together they shattered the silence of a street devoid of other souls.

Light from the halonita filtered through my fingers, its warmth brushing against my face. It was the same glow that emanated from Eridanus—that radiance trapped beneath his skin, as if every cell of his being held fragments of stars. Yes, he was handsome, but that wasn’t why I couldn’t stop thinking about him. It was the energy around him, the way it pulsed and pulled me in.

I needed to see him again. Maybe with the halonita, I could find him.

Lost in those thoughts, I barely noticed when the silence turned oppressive. Something felt off. The night weighed heavily over the city, and the shadows—long and stealthy—seemed to lurk with malicious intent. A shiver ran down my spine.

I was being followed. Again.

I hid behind a trash bin, holding my breath. The streetlights flickered weakly, as if they, too, could sense the danger.

And then, I saw him.

A pair of yellow eyes glowed in the dim light, still, locked onto mine. They weren’t the shadow wolf’s… The figure stood on two legs, its outline vibrating with an unnatural energy, as if the world around it distorted to contain it. It didn’t seem made of flesh, but of something older, hungrier. Its face was lost beneath the brim of its cap, any features veiled by the shadows, and its hair, if it had any, disappeared under the fabric of its clothing.

A sudden downpour slammed against the asphalt, drowning out any sound around me. I stood up, ready to hop on my skateboard, but when I looked back at the creature… it was gone.

I pulled up the hood of my sweatshirt and pushed myself forward with all my strength. My heart hammered so intensely it hurt in my chest, and the blood roared in my ears. The wind seemed to scream at me as it passed, while the rain tried to wash away more than just sweat, as if it wanted to purge my aura to prevent me from being tracked.

My hands trembled, my throat burned. Why did they always find me? Wherever I went, would they follow? I gasped desperately and screamed, more to break the weight of fear than to expect an answer. Lights flickered on in nearby houses. Through the slightly open curtain, I saw the silhouette of a woman peeking out, and on a porch, an old man with a book on his lap slowly stood, raising a trembling hand. He asked if I was okay. I didn’t answer.

I knew what was going to happen. I felt it in my bones, in the skin that prickled with more than just the cold. A growl slithered through my mind as the wolf stretched.

Suddenly, I felt the intangible weight of its shadow on my shoulders. Its voice, deep and sharp, echoed:

—You deserve to die, but I like that you resist. The hunting game is fun, and I’ll enjoy it when I rip you open and devour your insides. Do you have any idea what your heart tastes like? It depends. Is it already rotten? Your hands are stained with blood, and your footsteps have ravaged the land.

—SHUT UP! —I screamed, my hands shaking and the rage choking in my throat.

When I reached the cliff, I ran to the trailer and went inside. Immediately, I felt the warmth of my mother’s embrace.

—Juno, I was so worried. Where were you? —she asked as she pulled away.

—I’m sorry, Mom— I pulled my phone out of my pocket— You called me several times… —I murmured, feeling awful for scaring her like that— I needed some air…

—It’s okay, sweetheart— she lifted my chin— But it’s dangerous for you to go out alone at night, there could be crazies on the street.

I sat down on the couch.

—You’ve been crying, what happened? —She sat beside me and stroked my hair— You’re so cold. Why don’t you put on something comfy and let me heat up some soup for you? You must be hungry.

—I’m fine, Mom— I replied, just to get her off my back.

I immediately closed the door to my room and collapsed onto the bed. A scream was smothered into my pillow. It was like opening a crack in my chest and letting the fury and pain spill out until I was empty.

From the kitchen, Mom hummed as she served the soup, unaware of the chaos inside me. But he felt it. He always did.

In a burst of rage, I "gripped" the shadow wolf’s paw. Its fur burned like embers against my fingers, but I didn’t let go. With a strength I didn’t know I had, I hurled it violently against the window.

—Don’t you dare open your mouth again —I screamed, bracing for its mockery, as my body trembled.

It rose calmly, licking its ribs with a crooked grin. Its fangs gleamed under the dim light of my lamp, and as it ran its tongue along the edge of one, a crimson flash tinted its mouth.

—And what about that ten? —he said, with a hint of mockery—. Erid’s looking hot.

—Shut up —I warned him, feeling how his voice poisoned the air.

However, Erid’s fiery eyes hadn’t left my mind, just like the shadow wolf. I could still feel them exploring my face, mapping my freckles and turning them into meteors. His energy still burned inside me. Of course, the only "contact" I’d had with another guy had been James' "water exploration" a year ago. An experience that, if I had to sum it up, was more of a tsunami of drool than anything else. Just thinking about it gave me chills. Ugh!

—The soup is hot —I heard my mom from the kitchen.

I got out of bed and sat at the small metal table, emptying the plate with little enthusiasm. My mom looked satisfied. She ate too.

—I’m going to bed —I told her and added— thanks for the food.

—Alright, sweetie, but brush your teeth first.

I replied with a yes and went to the bathroom. Afterward, I quickly braided my hair and walked back to my room. Once there, I searched my makeshift bookshelf for a book I hadn’t dared to start yet, a gift from Lia: Centellas. I lost myself in its pages for several minutes, letting the words envelop me, until the shadow wolf finally faded away, allowing me to drift into a deep sleep.

—Another victim of the alarm clock? —asked a blonde guy with chubby cheeks and a smile that seemed permanent.

—No! I’m more of the “five more minutes and I’ll be there” club —I shrugged.

—I’m Ozian. —He pointed to himself with his thumb, like he was in a cereal commercial— And you?

—Juno.

—Juno! Like the asteroid. Cool —he responded cheerfully.

—What? Am I a lost galaxy or something? —I joked.

Ozian and I walked into the school. His hoodie hung loosely on his arms, but not on his torso. His backpack, snug on his broad shoulders, barely swayed with each step he took. I looked at the faded murals in the hallways. The metallic sound of a locker echoed, followed by the hurried footsteps of a student running late.

—A lost galaxy, you say? Well, it could be worse. Like being a black hole. Did you know they suck in everything that gets too close? Kinda like me with comic books.

I laughed, shaking my head.

—Thanks for the basic astrophysics lesson, professor.

Just as we were approaching the classroom, the door swung open suddenly. A tall, albino woman with glasses that magnified her eyes like magnifying lenses stared at us. Her hair, tied up in a tight bun, looked as white as paper. She wore a gray wool jacket and had an expression that mixed mystery and authority.

—I’ve been waiting for you —she said, as if our arrival was part of some cosmic plan.

Ozian raised an eyebrow, but I just nodded, following her cue to enter.

The classroom was spacious, with models of planets floating in the air and posters of galaxies covering the walls. On the board, elegant handwriting announced: "General Sciences," and below it, the day’s class title: "Mysteries of Virewood."

Ozian sighed and, with an automatic gesture, took his round glasses out of his pocket and put them on, adjusting them with a slight push on the bridge of his nose.

—Class, we have a new student —then he looked at me— I’m Professor Velora Dusk, Juno, please introduce yourself.

I felt dozens of eyes fixated on me. I cleared my throat and gave a half smile.

—Hi, I’m Juno. Yes, like the Roman goddess, but don’t worry, I’m not bringing any lightning or thunder, just sarcasm and dark circles.

A couple of laughs escaped, including one from Ozian, who seemed to be watching every one of my gestures as if he were solving a puzzle.

—And today’s class topic works for me to learn more about Virewood —I finished.

—Thanks, Juno. Take a seat. —The teacher turned toward the rest of the group, adjusting her glasses—. Now, let’s talk about a fascinating topic: the Threshold Area.

The room filled with excited murmurs. The teacher took the marker and drew a rough map of the area near the school.

—This territory was cordoned off by the government over 50 years ago. Officially, access is prohibited. Unofficially, well, there are rumors. Some say it’s cursed, that it’s a portal to another dimension, or that it hides secrets that could change the way we understand the universe.

The atmosphere grew tense. Even Ozian stopped joking, focused on the teacher’s words.

—What do you think happens there? Is it possible, from a scientific standpoint, for a place to be cursed?

A girl with dyed blue hair raised her hand.

—What if it’s a military experiment? Something went wrong, and the government is covering it up.

—Or radiation? —added a young dark-haired guy—. It could be something natural but dangerous.

Ozian raised an eyebrow.

—What if it’s a hostile ecosystem? Imagine plants and animals that evolved to protect their territory. They might seem "cursed" because we don’t understand them.

—It’s a portal to the unknown, that’s why people disappear —said another.

—What about you, Juno? —asked the teacher, her voice full of curiosity.

I leaned over the desk, letting the words flow.

—Maybe it is cursed. But not in the sense of spirits or dark magic, more like something older, something that was here long before we were. What if they found a different species that doesn’t understand our concept of humanity? Maybe "curse" is the word we use for what we can’t comprehend.

The room fell silent for a moment, until a guy in the corner murmured:

—You’re weird.

The shadow wolf laughed in my ear, while others continued to comment.

—That’s really scary.
—What do you think, Professor? —someone asked from the back.

She smiled, adjusting her glasses again.

—My opinion isn’t relevant in this context. What’s important is that you learn to question. Science seeks to test its theories with experiments and prove that they are consistent. You must respect those findings, but also leave room for doubt. Don’t believe everything without question—if something doesn’t add up, research it and seek answers —she smiled mischievously, and one of her eyes glowed in a very strange way—. Can a place be cursed? Maybe. But what does it really mean? Is it due to a physical, biological element, or something completely different?

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class, but the questions lingered in the air like stars in the sky. As I gathered my things, I felt Ozian’s gaze fixed on me again.

—Are you going to keep looking at me like I’m a puzzle? —I asked jokingly.

—Sorry —he blushed.

And I felt like this place could be a lot more interesting than I had imagined. By three in the afternoon, classes were over. As I left the school, I hopped on my skateboard, the wind blowing through my hair and a couple of leaves hanging from my hoodie. Suddenly, I noticed Ozian was following me, pedaling quickly on his bike.

—How’s Virewood State School? —he asked, breaking the silence between us.

—Honestly, I thought it would be more "summer camp" style than "school" —I let out a little laugh— Hey, do you guys have a skatepark?

—There’s one near my house. But I’ll warn you, on weekends it gets packed with pro skaters. But if you want, we can go today.

—Are you serious? —I smiled like someone who just won the lottery— Let’s meet up after lunch —I said, reading a message from Mom.

“Sweetheart, I’m waiting for you to have lunch together. I need to tell you something.”