The hallway was quieter now.
Not normal quiet.
The kind that comes after something goes wrong.
Classes had been dismissed early, but no one was really leaving. Students stood in small groups, whispering, glancing back toward the scene like they were afraid to look… but couldn't stop themselves.
I didn't go closer again.
I'd already seen enough.
The words on the wall stayed in my head anyway.
COME OUT, LITTLE WOLF.
People were already talking.
"Did you see it?"
"They said it was carved—like, deep."
"Who would even do something like that?"
No one had an answer.
Teachers moved through the corridor, trying to push people along, telling everyone to go back to their rooms or head home. Their voices sounded controlled, but their eyes weren't.
Something about that made it worse.
I turned away from the crowd and headed back toward the classroom.
The door was open.
Most people hadn't bothered coming back.
Chairs were out of place.
A few bags left behind.
Normal things, but they didn't feel normal anymore.
I walked to my seat.
For a moment, I just stood there.
Then I sat down.
Silence.
I told myself it wasn't about me.
It couldn't be.
"Little wolf" didn't have to mean anything.
It could be a joke.
Something random.
Something stupid.
People do weird things all the time.
The thought didn't last.
I rested my hand on the desk.
Something brushed against my fingers.
I paused.
Looked down.
A folded piece of paper sat there.
Small. Plain.
It wasn't there before.
I was sure of it.
I stared at it for a second longer than I should have.
Then I picked it up.
Unfolded it.
You saw it.
Don't pretend you didn't.
Come alone.
My eyes stayed on the words.
No reaction.
Not on the outside.
Someone knew.
I folded the paper slowly.
Carefully.
Like it might change if I moved too fast.
"Jeremy."
I didn't turn.
Philip stepped into the room a second later.
He stopped when he saw me.
Then his eyes dropped—just briefly—to my hand.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
"What is it?" he asked.
I didn't answer.
I just held the paper out.
He took it.
Read it.
Silence.
When he finished, he didn't look surprised.
That bothered me more than it should have.
"This isn't random," I said.
My voice sounded steady.
Too steady.
Philip folded the paper again.
"Looks like it," he replied.
Calm.
As always.
I let out a quiet breath and leaned back in the chair.
My eyes moved to the doorway… then past it.
To the hallway.
To where everything had happened.
First the message.
Now this.
Not random.
Not coincidence.
Focused.
"…someone's trying to draw me out," I said.
Philip didn't deny it.
I looked down at the paper again.
At the last line.
Come alone.
A trap.
Obviously.
But then—
What happens if I don't?
The image flashed in my head again.
The student on the ground.
The wall behind him.
My grip tightened slightly.
"Don't," Philip said quietly.
I glanced at him.
He was watching me now.
Carefully.
"Don't what?" I asked.
"Don't play into it."
I looked back at the paper.
Then at the empty classroom.
Then toward the hallway again.
"…and if I don't?" I said.
Philip didn't answer.
That silence said enough.
I folded the paper once more and slipped it into my pocket.
This wasn't over.
And whatever was behind it—
It wasn't guessing anymore.
It knew I'd seen it.