Chapter 1: Introduction
A lock of my wild, fiery curls tumbled into my eyes as I hunched over my desk, flipping obsessively through the pages of my notebook. The black ink I'd used to scribble down feverish, frenetic notes about Shakespeare's complex language in King Lear had long since transferred to my hands, staining them a light gray.
The door to the classroom creaked open, yanking me out of my thoughts. The fluorescent lights overhead flickered as a tall figure stepped inside.
Klark, the impeccably groomed man who wore tailored suits and had a mane of short, dark hair; he was the epitome of perfection. As the room looked up at him, the countless faces of staring students seemed to pale in comparison to the radiant glow he exuded.
There was a subtle rhythm to the composition of the classroom, those of us seated at our desks a symphony of bodies hidden within the shadows. Quiet whispers danced through the air, each word a shared secret as we observed the tendrils of power that drew Klark towards me.
My heart hammered in my chest, threatening to burrow its way out of my ribcage. But I remained still, my eyes never leaving the page in front of me.
Klark leaned against the desk situated at the head of the room, a knowing smile gracing the edges of his lips. "Class, I want you all to take your seats. We've got a lot to cover today." The collective energy of the students around me surged forward like a wave cresting onto shore.