The Academy That Was Never Meant to Exist

A letter arrived on a Monday.

Which already felt wrong, kasi nothing important ever happens on a Monday. Mondays are for late alarms, cold rice, and pretending you don't hate your life yet.

I was halfway through brushing my teeth when Mama shouted from downstairs.

"Nak! May sulat ka!"

I spat foam into the sink.

"Ma, sino na naman?"

"Hindi ko alam. Walang return address."

That made me pause.

No return address meant either:

Scam

Government

Something worse

I went downstairs barefoot, still in my school shirt, tie loose, hair a mess. Mama handed me the envelope like it might explode.

It was thick. Old paper. Cream-colored. My name was written in black ink.

SAOIRSE ÁKANNÍ SANCHEZ

Not printed.

Handwritten

And spelled right.

No one ever spells my name right.

"Buksan mo," Mama said.

"Later," I muttered.

But the envelope was already warm. I tore it open.

To the Student Who Was Not Supposed to Be Found,
We regret the delay. We regret the mistake.

You are formally invited to attend Aetherfall Academy, effective immediately.

Your presence has been approved.

Please do not bring memories you are unwilling to lose.

I laughed. "Ma," I said, holding up the letter, "joke ata 'to." Mama frowned. "Anong academy?" Before I could answer-The walls trembled. Not shaking.

Breathing.

The letter burned cold in my hands. And in that moment, I knew two things:

I didn't apply to any academy.

Whatever this place was-it already knew me.