What Are The Odds?

Prologue

You see, there's this obnoxious political system in our high school where only a fifth-year student can run for a vice president position in the Students' Council Alliance (SCA) and similarly, only a sixth-year student can run for a presidential position. Back when I was merely a first-year, I really despised this idea and constantly ostracized this system due to the fact that this would create a dynasty monopoly- the SCA's president would often be predictable as the vice position would instantly replace him even without the election formalities. This made me strive to do everything in my power to win this election, in hopes that I can amend this rule in our by-laws.

Well, look how the tables have turned, as soon as I got elected for the presidential position, my eyes woke to the sudden truth of realization. This system really was needed for secrecy. Unbeknownst to the students, this school is not an ordinary one. I mean, yeah, it is a government-funded high school where the leading scientists usually originate from, but there is something much bigger than that.

Honestly, as soon as I pledged for the position, a letter from the former SCA president, which was now an alumnus, came to my table. The text on the sandalwood-scented specialty paper, which was written in the fountain, made my shoulders shiver as I read through it. Attached to the envelope was a parcel containing documents regarding a matter that nobody other than my eyes should read. It was addressed to my name, and my name only. It mentioned the existence of the "odd cases".

I sat on the far edge of the long table inside our office, which was only functional at times after classes, which was around 4:30 in the afternoon. I was reminiscing about the school's long, old, and rich history to try to understand further the context of what's written.

Our school campus was founded in the year 2006, and though merely a regional campus, we still strive to create outstanding leaders and scientists. With over 6 campuses all over the Philippines. A funny story to tell, I and my friends would usually get bitter at the first campus, the one in Luzon, the "main campus", which was established way back in 1990, because their academic opportunities are far greater than ours compared to us, the Western Mindanao Campus. But what do you know, the more you stay in this school, the more you get numb to these all kinds of crazy stuff.

The breeze of the air-conditioned room woke my sinuses.

Going back to the crazy documents I have to unpack. It seems like there are unfinished cases in this student government that only the president must do, but what bugs me is that some of these records go back to 2009, and the contents inside them usually are related to the supernatural- oh wait... I guess I get the namesake now, what I'm reading right now are "odd cases"- too odd to be even considered solvable by formal logic alone. It's nothing like the "used condom case" a week ago or the "ID Forgery case" prior to when I was elected- back when I was still a vice. 

Some of the folders contain accusations, and theories, too fact-blind that it would even be considered a conspiracy. As I read through all the documents, one strange theme reoccurs. Each document supports some part of the previous document- making each and every one of them support the other. Thus, we cannot say all of them are baseless assumptions. What in heaven's name is happening?

There are twelve cases in the parcel, each stapled into a plastic folder. No two folders have the same color, thus, it's easy to navigate which is which. The first case in red struck my head the most, what is the School Year 2009-2010 SCA president thinking at that time? I cannot pinpoint the exact name of the alumnus, but I can assume that the "odd case #1" is pretty vague. It's titled "Odd Case #1: The Student's Count Mandela Effect of 2009", and to elaborate, it originated from an SCA meeting wherein the council clearly remembered there were exactly 536 students, but when they check the records, it was exactly 531- at that time, nobody dropped out, transferred schools, or any cause similar. Soon, the School Year 2012-2013 SCA president conducted a survey regarding this matter and noted on this folder, 88% of the student body believed that there are 536 students at that time, when in fact, there are only 533. The case assumed that there is something happening behind the scenes about the student count dropping compared to what we remember the student count was.

Wait, I want to test myself. In fact, I clearly remember that the last time I checked the student count, it was obviously 542. I took my tablet and checked the student list, I went as far as counting each student one by one with several repeats. Just to disprove the case's point, I spent at most an hour counting them. Unfortunately, I... failed.

It really did drop to 541...

But I really did remember it being 542 a week ago! Did someone transfer? I should be informed. Did someone drop out? I should have been shared by the guidance counselor, I should have had a say as I am also included in signing their student clearance. This phenomenon is not funny, and I am not amused nor am I entertained.

The second case was labeled "Odd Case #2: The Area Restriction Case of 2010.", it was under the discretion of the former campus director back in 2010 to restrict the entrance of other areas. At the time, it was said that the Mandela Effect halted. When the restrictions were lifted, it resumed.

And literally because of that reason, in order to prove or disprove it, an individual study conducted by the School Year 2015-2016 SCA president, now an alumnus, states that when they reannounced the restriction of the academic building 2 floor 3 utility room's entrance from 6 pm to 9 pm, the so-called " Student's Count Mandela Effect" subtly halted as compared to a week prior to the announcement which the council experienced great count decrease according to their hunch and intuitions.

What the hell are these cases? I skimmed through the remaining folders only to find out that Odd Case #6 has no papers at all. The most latest folder was odd case #12 which was called "Odd Case #12: Fountain at Night." and was submitted by my predecessor, Lenard Choi, now an alumnus. I didn't really read the details much, but I am intrigued. These were sent to me by Lenard without any, even a single context. I should have a chat with him later regarding these matters. Though, I have to say... he hasn't been active online for a while. I only heard he graduated and it seemed like he disappeared for good.

As I was skimming through the folders, an SCA representative from the second-years, Lyz Morun, entered the SCA office, leaving me to hide the folders back in the parcel with haste. Shit, they're here, I should hide these.

"Hey, Lyz" I awkwardly riffed as I hid the parcel right under the oakwood table.

To which she replied with grace, "Hey upperclassman Zed." she sighed, "I'm terribly conflicted about the news."

I cleared my throat. "What news exactly?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" she chuckled, "I heard a fifth-year disappeared in academic building 2. I was about to laugh about that because just why?"

Academic Building 2?! I was dumbfounded. "Where exactly inside?"

"I'm not really sure..." Lyz took a seat on our long table and grabbed a soda from her pocket. "But some said it was somewhere on the third floor...?" she took one long sip.

I looked back at the folders in the parcels in my hand. Could it be? In the utility room? What kind of coincidental nonsense is this?

"Lyz." I let out a deep sigh as I stood up and locked the folder-filled parcel in the SCA safe. "I might need you to do something for me..."

"Oh, anything." the lady chuckled. "I'm not that particularly busy. What is it?"

"Bring me the people who witnessed the event first-hand." I locked the safe and a huge thump echoed throughout the office.