Void (The Youngest, Book 3.B.)

Chapter 十七 (B)

Mr. Yukimura was seated at his desk in the high school, organizing and grading tests. It was a Saturday, and the school was quiet, giving him a rare moment of peace to concentrate on his work. The stillness of the room was interrupted by a slight buzzing noise. His eyes scanned the area until he saw it—a fly, darting around until it landed on the edge of his desk. Without a second thought, he grabbed a textbook, hovering it over the insect before slamming it down.

"Now, that is not nice at all," a child's voice echoed through the empty classroom, carrying a chilling mix of innocence and reproach.

Mr. Yukimura's head jerked up, his gaze fixing on a little girl perched on top of one of the student desks, her feet dangling, her expression a strange combination of a smile and a frown. He knew this child—Kylie McCall, the young girl who had been with Scott's pack. But something was different. The unsettling air around her made him swallow nervously.

"Coming in on a Saturday?" Another voice added. "Now that's dedication."

Mr. Yukimura barely had time to react when he heard footsteps approaching. He looked to the door and saw him—Stiles. But something was wrong. The way Stiles held himself, the cold emptiness in his eyes—it wasn't the Stiles he knew. This was something far worse.

Stiles strolled in casually, almost as if he owned the place, his eyes lazily scanning the shelves. "Where's she hiding them?" he asked, his voice laced with annoyance.

Mr. Yukimura frowned, trying to maintain his composure. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about."

Stiles wandered over to a bookshelf, his fingers brushing over the spines of the books. "Her little knives," he muttered, pulling a book off the shelf and letting it fall carelessly to the floor. "Daggers." He picked up another and tossed it aside. "I know what they are," he added, knocking down the rest of the books with a sudden, violent movement. His gaze returned to the teacher, a flicker of amusement dancing in his darkened eyes. "Physical representations of her tails. However the hell that works."

Kylie hopped off her desk, her small feet tapping lightly on the floor as she made her way towards Mr. Yukimura. Her eyes never left him, an eerie smile still etched on her face. She moved silently, weaving through the aisles of desks like a predator cornering its prey.

Mr. Yukimura tried to swallow his unease, attempting to keep his voice steady. "Perhaps you would like to do some reading on the subject. I can direct you to the section on Japanese myth in the library."

Stiles smiled at that—a chilling, mocking smile that sent a shiver down the teacher's spine. "No," he said softly. "I'd rather talk to you." He leaned in, his voice dropping lower, almost conspiratorial. "The older the tail, the stronger the Oni, am I right? I know there's one left. I know it's the strongest."

Mr. Yukimura felt his heartbeat quicken. He could feel the intensity of Stiles' eyes boring into him, the cruel smile, the predatory stance. He forced himself to shake his head. "Unfortunately, I don't know what you're referring to."

Stiles' gaze hardened, the smile fading from his lips. "Oh, you'll talk," he said, a hint of menace creeping into his voice.

Mr. Yukimura followed Stiles' gaze, his eyes widening in horror as they landed on Kylie. She had picked up the fallen textbook, and with a sinister smile, she lifted it, revealing the fly—still alive, struggling against the pages.

Kylie let the fly go, watching it with a sense of fascination as it buzzed briefly in the air before making a beeline straight for Mr. Yukimura. He barely had time to react before the fly shot into his open mouth. He gagged, his eyes widening in panic, his hands clawing at his throat as he tried to expel it.