Suspicious New Professor

Ominous Signs

15

Jenissa had always sensed something unsettling about Professor Elias Noir. But as days turned into weeks, her suspicions seemed to permeate beyond her and Emile, casting a shadow over the entire campus. Rumors swirled, growing stronger with each strange occurrence in and around Elias's CGR classroom. It started small—a misplaced folder, a flickering light, an eerie silence during his office hours. But soon, the unusual became the norm, and an unspoken tension settled over the students.

One day, Jenissa entered the computer lab where Elias held his CGR lectures, noticing that a strange hush had fallen over the room. The usually buzzing space was eerily quiet, and students who would typically chat between classes sat glued to their screens, casting wary glances at one another. Emile, who had saved a seat for her, leaned in as she sat down.

“Did you hear?” he whispered, his voice low enough not to carry.

Jenissa shook her head, her curiosity piqued. “Hear what?”

“People are saying that Elias’s office was broken into last night,” Emile replied. “Apparently, some files are missing, but no one knows who did it.”

A chill ran down Jenissa’s spine. She instinctively glanced around, noting the nervous energy of the other students. She could tell that they all shared a collective unease, as if they, too, sensed something was very wrong.

“Do you think it’s related to…?” she began, letting her words trail off, the implication clear.

Emile nodded, looking equally uneasy. “I don’t know, but it’s hard not to feel like everything strange happening around him is connected somehow. He’s got this… aura, you know? And I swear, everyone’s feeling it now. It’s not just us.”

As class started, Elias entered the room, his familiar clumsy gait seeming even more forced than usual. But there was a subtle shift in his demeanor. He walked to the podium with his typical awkwardness, but his gaze—briefly catching Jenissa’s and then Emile’s—held a darker, more calculating glint. It was as if he was challenging anyone to question him, to confront the rumors head-on.

Jenissa could feel her pulse quicken as she met his eyes. For a fleeting second, she felt as though he could see right through her, as if he knew she and Emile had been snooping into his past. She quickly looked away, hoping he hadn’t picked up on her anxiety.

“Good morning, class,” Elias greeted them, his tone smooth but laced with something else, something almost menacing. “I’ve heard that some of you are finding my classes… intriguing.”

The room fell silent, each student suddenly hyper-aware of Elias’s presence. He paused, scanning the class with that same piercing gaze, his mouth quirking into a half-smile. Jenissa shifted in her seat, the sense of dread building.

“Today, we’re diving into new territory,” he continued, gesturing to the projection on the board. “Computer graphics has a way of revealing layers, of showing what lies beneath a surface. But remember, not all layers should be peeled back. Sometimes, it’s best to leave certain mysteries as they are.”

A murmur rippled through the room, and Jenissa’s hand tightened around her pen. Was that a warning? She stole a glance at Emile, who looked just as troubled. They didn’t have time to dwell on it, though, as Elias launched into a lecture, his tone more intense than usual. Every example, every phrase he used seemed carefully chosen, laced with double meanings that made Jenissa’s heart pound harder. It was as if he was taunting her, daring her to keep searching for the truth.

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Later that afternoon, Jenissa and Emile met up in the library to go over what little information they had gathered. Emile, ever cautious, had taken to documenting every detail they could find on Elias and the strange happenings in class.