Jin didn't show up to school the next day.
Neither did Ava.
Lena and I met outside the gates, both of us silent.
"They're taking them," I said.
"They're offering them something," she corrected.
I shook my head. "It's not an offer. It's a trap."
She didn't argue.
Instead, she handed me a folded piece of paper.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Someone slipped it into my locker this morning."
I opened it.
Only three words written in neat handwriting:
"You're not alone."
I looked at Lena.
She nodded. "There's someone else. Watching us."
We spent the rest of the day searching for clues.
Then, during lunch, I saw her.
A girl I didn't recognize.
Sitting alone.
Watching us.
I nudged Lena.
She followed my gaze.
"She's new," Lena said.
"Or pretending to be."
We approached her.
She didn't flinch.
Just looked up and said, "You finally noticed me."
I froze.
"How do you know us?" Lena asked.
The girl smiled slightly.
"Because I've been seeing you for a while," she said.
"In your flashes?"
She nodded.
"But I'm not like you."
I frowned. "Then what are you?"
She leaned forward.
"I'm the one who hasn't chosen yet."
And then she whispered something that chilled me to the core:
"But I think I'm about to."