Jill Brooks and The Three Runes

Mr. Thorne.....Again

Jill and Maria didn't stop running until they reached the far end of the school playground. Their breaths came in ragged gasps as they ducked behind a cluster of trees, finally feeling safe enough to stop.

Jill's mind was racing. The old leather book was now sitting in her backpack, and with every step, she felt its weight grow heavier. What if someone knew they had found it? What if those footsteps had belonged to Mr. Thorne?

She wiped the sweat from her brow and tried to calm down, but it was no use. Everything about the situation felt wrong—too many secrets, too many questions.

"That was close," Maria panted, leaning against a tree. "Who do you think that was? Mr. Thorne?"

Jill nodded grimly. "It had to be. He's been acting so weird ever since he showed up. And if he's really after the relics, then he must know something we don't."

"Do you think he knows we found the book?" Maria asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"I hope not," Jill whispered, glancing around nervously. "But we can't take any chances. We need to figure out what's in this book and fast."

Maria bit her lip, clearly unsure about the plan. "But how? We can't even read it."

"I don't know yet," Jill admitted. "But if Miss Nettleberry was using this book to protect the relics, there has to be something in here that can help us."

The sound of the school bell ringing in the distance made both girls jump. Lunchtime was over, and they were supposed to head back to class. The last thing Jill wanted to do was sit in Mr. Thorne's class while her head swirled with questions. But there was no way to avoid it.

"Come on," Jill said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "Let's get back to class before anyone notices we're missing. We'll look at the book later."

Maria nodded, and together they made their way back to the building, blending in with the crowds of students returning from lunch. As they approached their classroom, Jill's stomach twisted into knots. Mr. Thorne was waiting at the front of the room, his usual unsettling smile fixed on his face.

"Ah, there you are, Jill, Maria," he said smoothly, his eyes narrowing slightly as they entered. "I was beginning to wonder where you had gone."

Jill's heart skipped a beat. There was something in the way he said it, something that made her feel like he knew more than he was letting on. She forced a smile and quickly took her seat, trying her best to appear calm.

"We were just—" Maria began, but Mr. Thorne held up a hand, cutting her off.

"No need for explanations," he said, still smiling. "Just make sure you're on time in the future. Now, let's continue with the lesson, shall we?"

Jill felt his gaze linger on her for a moment longer before he turned back to the chalkboard. Her palms were sweaty, and her mind raced with thoughts of the book hidden in her backpack. Did he know? Could he sense it somehow?

As Mr. Thorne began writing equations on the board, Jill's thoughts drifted away from the lesson. She glanced around the room, noting how her classmates were either engrossed in their work or daydreaming. No one seemed to notice anything strange. But Jill couldn't shake the feeling that she and Maria were being watched more closely than anyone else.

Halfway through the lesson, Mr. Thorne's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Jill, would you mind staying behind after class? There's something I need to discuss with you."

Her heart dropped into her stomach. She barely nodded, feeling Maria's concerned glance from across the room. Jill could almost hear her friend's unspoken question: What does he want?

The rest of the class passed in a blur. Jill couldn't concentrate on anything Mr. Thorne was saying. The seconds ticked by agonizingly slowly, each one dragging out her anxiety. She glanced at the clock, willing it to move faster.

Finally, the bell rang.

Jill remained in her seat as the other students filed out, her heart thudding louder in her ears with each passing second. Maria lingered by the door, shooting her a look of pure worry before disappearing down the hall.

Mr. Thorne waited until the last student had left before walking over to Jill's desk. His movements were slow, deliberate, almost predatory. Jill swallowed hard, clutching her backpack tightly.

"Jill," he began, his voice soft but with an underlying edge, "I've noticed something about you lately."

Jill forced herself to meet his gaze, even though every instinct told her to look away. His eyes were dark, unreadable, and she couldn't tell if he was about to scold her—or worse.

"You seem... preoccupied," he continued, his smile returning. "Is there something on your mind? Something you'd like to share with me?"

Jill's throat went dry. She had to be careful. She couldn't let him know about the book—or anything else they had discovered.

"I'm fine," she managed to say, though her voice was barely above a whisper. "Just... tired, I guess."

Mr. Thorne raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "You're sure? Because I have a feeling you might be hiding something from me."

Jill's heart raced. Did he know? Had he seen them in Miss Nettleberry's classroom?

"I—I'm not hiding anything," she stammered, her hands gripping the edge of her desk.

Mr. Thorne studied her for a moment longer, his eyes narrowing just enough to make Jill's skin crawl. Then, to her surprise, he straightened up and smiled again, as if the moment of tension had never happened.

"Well, if you say so," he said lightly. "Just remember, Jill, if there's ever anything you'd like to talk about... anything at all... my door is always open."

With that, he turned and walked back to his desk, his casual demeanor making Jill's blood run cold.

"You're free to go," he said over his shoulder, waving a hand dismissively.

Jill didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed her backpack and practically bolted from the room, her heart still pounding in her chest. As she raced down the hallway, she spotted Maria waiting for her near the entrance to the playground.

"What happened?" Maria asked, her voice trembling with worry.

Jill shook her head, struggling to catch her breath. "I don't know... but he definitely suspects something."

Maria frowned. "What are we going to do?"

Jill didn't have an answer. All she knew was that they had to be more careful than ever. Mr. Thorne was onto them, and if they weren't careful, he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

As they hurried out of the school and into the safety of the streets, Jill's mind raced with thoughts of the book and the secrets it held.

They needed to figure out what it all meant—and fast—before Mr. Thorne got too comfortably close.