Once Upon a Story [ INCONSISTENT UPDATES ]

The Prodigy III

ִֶָ. ..𓂃🪽་༘࿐

The streets were full of whispers. Rumours formed, changed, reaching even the rats from the underground. Marcus had recovered from his cardiac episode but was traumatized. His memories of the event were blurry, but he clearly remembered the feeling of his heart shaking in place. When he awoke, his parents were overjoyed.

Their son was alive and well.

But Marcus was already thinking. No one in his family had a history of cardiac arrhythmia. This was new. An acute problem with an unknown cause. But he already knew where to look.

"It must be him."

The room stilled. The doctors and investigators listened. "Who?"

He grinned, brows upturned in madness. The opportunity to rid himself of a pest.

"James. James Claudel. He was behind this. "

ִֶָ. ..𓂃🪽་༘࿐

On his way to his morning lecture, Sébastien could feel the tension. Coworkers and students, who normally greeted him with excitement, were silent today. They hadn't come for him yet, but he knew the time was coming. Just as he settled at his desk, Beecham, following his routine, visited him, lingering not more than usual.

Change was a marker for attention. 

Helen did her morning walk through the market with her parasol. Her conversations were short. They always were, yet today, the tone had shifted.

Stale.

Like they didn't want to be seen talking to her.

Confusion slipped through the cracks of her flawless mask. She played it well, hesitating to approach some, lowering her hands when others passed without a word. 

Why, it asked them. Have I wronged you?

The tension never disappeared, but something was different about the way they perceived her.

James went his way, backpack strapped on, jovial as ever. He greeted all those he usually did. None replied, to his disappointment. He lost the skip in his step.

The baker saw him pass without looking up.

Hurt, he went after him, offering the same fluffy croissant he always did. A small light shone in the boy's eyes. Hope.

"Thank you, Mr. Jones."

"Can't lose my best customer." 

James hugged his side before returning to his path, croissant in his mouth. He arrived at the academy and was immediately pulled aside by his friend. Clinton didn't give him a second and shoved him into an empty classroom. Felicity and Kris were there as well.

"You know, in an investigation, the less you know, the better," James explained, fixing his collar. "By the looks of it, you already know too much."

Clinton stepped forward. "He's alive, you know. And he blamed you."

"Don't worry. I expected this to happen." He rocked on his heel, nonchalant. "My family and I will be questioned, and so will Beecham, to rule everything out. They'll search the labs and all the other areas I usually frequent."

He paused, weighing his options. "Marcus will probably push them to investigate further. That means the house and my parents' offices. A thorough search that will get them nowhere."