READY OR NOT - Landoscar

9 - You're Gonna Have to Face it

The classroom was bathed in the soft, slanted light of early afternoon as Lando walked in, sliding into his seat near the back. Around him, the buzz of chatter faded as students settled, the room filling with an expectant quiet. The faint, musty smell of old books and worn leather permeated the air, grounding Lando and easing him into the routine of his studies. He tried to shake off the strange tension that had clung to him since his research the night before, but his mind kept wandering to the mysterious figure he couldn't escape, even now.

The professor, an older man with greying hair and an intense gaze, moved to the front of the class, a thick, weathered book resting in his hands. With a slight clearing of his throat, he began, his voice deep and rich, every word woven with a sense of reverence that captured the room's attention.

"Once upon a time," the professor started, a faint smile playing on his lips, "there was a boy, and his name was Oscar Jack Piastri."

Lando's heart seemed to skip a beat, the name reverberating through him like an echo. He sat up straighter, suddenly captivated, his gaze fixed on the professor as he continued.

"Oscar Jack Piastri was a remarkable young man, known not only for his wisdom but for a beauty that no one could match. He was quiet and enigmatic, his presence commanding attention even without a word. But it was his eyes that truly set him apart... deep, warm caramel-brown eyes that seemed to hold countless secrets, eyes that seemed to pierce through to one's soul."

Lando felt the words seep into him, resonating in a way he couldn't fully explain. Caramel-brown eyes. The description painted Pia's image in his mind so vividly that he could almost feel that familiar, unblinking gaze watching him from somewhere beyond the room. A chill spread along the back of his neck, tingling as he strained to catch every word.

"Oscar was known to be a man of ethics, a figure whose beauty and compassion were unparalleled," the professor went on, his voice dipping into a softer, almost wistful tone. "Yet he was cursed with a fate that none of us would wish upon another. In his time, he was believed to be something... more. The villagers began to fear him, their suspicion growing with every whispered rumour, every wary glance cast his way."

Lando's fingers tightened around his pen, his focus narrowing. The room faded away, the story wrapping around him, pulling him into the tragic life of this haunting figure.

"Though he harmed no one, people's fear knows no bounds, and soon, Oscar was seen as a threat to be driven away," the professor continued, his tone turning dark. "It is said that he fled under the cover of night, escaping the pitchforks and torches of those who had once called him friend and neighbour."

A murmur of unease rippled through the classroom, students shifting in their seats as the weight of the story settled on them. Lando's mind raced, each detail connecting Pia's silent presence in his dreams with the tragic tale of Oscar.

"Oscar disappeared into the shadows of an ancient forest," the professor said, his voice dropping to an ominous whisper. "No one dared follow him, and in time, he became a legend, a figure woven into the folklore of the village. They say he still lives in that forest, untouched by time, carrying the weight of his curse in solitude. And some even claim that on certain nights, when the moon is full, you can catch a glimpse of him, watching from the shadows, his caramel-brown eyes still as striking, still as haunted as they ever were."

Lando felt his pulse quicken; his mind flooded with memories of his dreams—the moonlit forest, the silence, Pia's eyes watching him from the shadows. The parallels felt almost too perfect as if his dreams were stitching themselves into reality, refusing to be ignored.

A hand raised near the front of the class, breaking the trance-like atmosphere. "Professor," a student asked, leaning forward with a sceptical grin, "are we supposed to believe that this guy's still around, just chilling in a forest somewhere?"