A Blessing or a Curse

Chapter Four: The Unbelievable Machine

Jack was lounging in the tech lab, watching his friend Amilia tinker with yet another of her wild inventions. Amilia was a genius, and her gift as a Blessed was the ability to create gadgets that seemed straight out of a sci-fi movie. Over the years, she'd made everything from miniature drones to portable shield generators, and every time, she swore her latest project would be the one to blow Jack's mind.

"So, what's this one supposed to be?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed. The lab was cluttered with spare parts, wires, and half-finished devices. The air buzzed with the faint hum of machinery, and the room smelled faintly of burnt metal.

Amilia turned to him, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You're not going to believe this," she said, a grin spreading across her face. She pulled a sheet off her latest invention, revealing a small, sleek device that looked like a polished silver wristwatch. "This," she said, "is a time machine."

Jack raised an eyebrow, half-expecting her to be joking. "A time machine? Seriously? Amilia, you've made a lot of cool stuff, but this... this is pushing it, even for you."

"I'm serious!" Amilia said, almost pouting. "It's not like a big, bulky machine that'll take you back to the Jurassic era or anything. It's more of a... temporal displacement device. You can move a few seconds back, maybe a minute or two, but it works!" She lifted the device, showing it off like a trophy. "I've tested it."

Jack laughed, shaking his head. "Okay, fine. Show me. Jump back five seconds or something."

Amilia hesitated for a moment, glancing at the device, then back at Jack. "It's... not that simple. I can't just demonstrate it without a bit of preparation. But I swear it works. You'll see."

Jack smirked, still skeptical. "Right. I'll believe it when I see it. But if you're telling the truth, I guess you've officially become the craziest Blessed at Silverstone."

Amilia grinned, happy to see at least a hint of Jack's interest. "Oh, trust me. When I get it perfected, you'll be begging to borrow it."

Before Jack could respond, the lab door swung open, and a group of students walked in, accompanied by one of the teachers, Mr. Vaughn. "Hey, Jack, Amilia," Mr. Vaughn said, his voice brisk and authoritative. "I want you to meet our new transfer student."

Jack turned, mildly curious. He hadn't paid much attention to the new transfers that had been trickling into Silverstone recently—he had enough on his plate trying to figure out who this "Eli" killer was, and whether he was a real threat to the academy. But as soon as he saw the new kid step into the room, his curiosity piqued.

"Everyone, this is Leo," Mr. Vaughn continued, gesturing to the boy beside him. "He just transferred here from a different school, so be sure to help him get settled."

Leo smiled politely, his expression calm and unassuming. He had dark, slightly wavy hair and sharp features, and there was something about his eyes—an intensity that Jack couldn't quite place. "Nice to meet you," Leo said, his voice smooth and friendly. "I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone."

Amilia gave a small wave, her attention already drifting back to her gadget. Jack, however, felt a strange sense of déjà vu. There was something familiar about Leo, though he couldn't put his finger on it. Maybe it was the way he stood, or the way his eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail.

"Welcome to Silverstone," Jack said, trying to shake off the weird feeling. "I'm Jack, and this is Amilia. She's the one responsible for most of the cool gadgets around here."

Leo's eyes flickered over to the device in Amilia's hand, and he smiled. "A time machine, huh?" he said, sounding genuinely impressed. "That's ambitious."

Amilia perked up, pleased to have someone new to talk to about her invention. "Oh, totally! I mean, it's still a work in progress, but if I can get it right, it could change everything." She looked at Jack, nudging him with her elbow. "See? He gets it."

Jack chuckled, but there was still a hint of suspicion gnawing at him. "Yeah, sure. So, Leo... where'd you transfer from?"

"Oh, just a small school out in the country," Leo said casually, as if it was the most boring place on Earth. "Nothing like this. Silverstone is... impressive."

Jack narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to read Leo's expression. There was nothing there, just a polite smile and calm demeanor. But something about his answer didn't sit right with him. "Well, if you need any help finding your way around, just let us know."

"Thanks," Leo said, his smile widening a fraction. "I appreciate it."

Mr. Vaughn nodded, satisfied. "Alright, Leo, I'll leave you here with Jack and Amilia for now. I've got some things to take care of, but I'll check in with you later." He left the room, leaving the three of them alone.

As soon as the door closed, Leo's polite smile shifted, just for a moment. It was subtle, but Jack caught it—a flicker of something darker, almost predatory. But then it was gone, replaced by the same friendly expression. "So, what's Silverstone really like?" Leo asked, leaning against one of the lab tables. "Anything I should know about?"

Amilia launched into a quick explanation of the school, the different cliques, and how things worked among the Blessed. Jack let her talk, his mind still trying to piece together why he felt so uneasy around this new guy. Maybe it was nothing—just paranoia after everything that had happened with Crestwood. Or maybe it was something more.

As Amilia talked, Leo nodded along, his eyes never leaving Jack. It was as if he could see right through him, as if he was studying him, evaluating him. Jack met his gaze, refusing to look away. For a moment, they were locked in a silent battle, neither willing to break eye contact.

Then Leo spoke, his voice soft and almost playful. "So, Jack... have you heard about what happened at Crestwood?"

Jack's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, I heard," he said, trying to keep his tone casual. "Pretty messed up. They still haven't found the guy who did it."

Leo's smile returned, as if he knew a secret no one else did. "Yeah... I guess some people just hide who they really are."

Jack couldn't tell if it was a threat or just an innocent comment. But something in the way Leo said it made his skin crawl. He forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, as long as you don't turn out to be some kind of psycho, I think you'll fit in just fine here."

Leo's smile didn't falter. "Don't worry, Jack. I'm just here to blend in."

But as he said it, Jack could have sworn he saw that same flicker in Leo's eyes—the same dark, unsettling glint that had made him uneasy before. It was as if, just for a moment, Leo had dropped the mask, letting something far more sinister slip through.

Jack's mind raced, trying to make sense of it. Was he overthinking things, or was there something seriously wrong with this new transfer student? Either way, he knew one thing for sure: he was going to keep a very close eye on Leo from now on.