The bell rang, signaling the start of another day at Springdale High. Asher Blackwood trudged through the crowded hallways, his eyes fixed on the floor. He knew every inch of this school, every worn-out spot on the linoleum, every faded graffiti on the bathroom walls.
Asher was a ghost in the halls, invisible to his classmates. He had no friends, no one to sit with at lunch, no one to partner with in class. He was the kid who always ate alone, always walked alone, always sat alone.
People avoided him, not because he was mean or scary, but because he was...different. Asher didn't fit in, didn't belong. He was like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit, a song that was always slightly off-beat.
Asher's classmates would whisper to each other when he walked by, their eyes darting toward him with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. Some thought he was weird, others thought he was arrogant, but the truth was, Asher was just...lost.
He didn't know how to connect with people, didn't know how to be friends. He felt like he was speaking a different language, one that no one else understood.
Asher's only solace was his love of books. He devoured fantasy novels, escaping into worlds where magic was real, where heroes fought dragons, and where good always triumphed over evil.
In those worlds, Asher felt like he belonged. He felt like he could be himself, without fear of judgment or rejection.
But in the real world, Asher was just a loner, a kid who didn't fit in. And as he walked through the crowded hallways, he couldn't help but wonder if things would ever change.
As he turned a corner, Asher collided with a locker, causing the door to swing open. A piece of paper slipped out, fluttering to the ground. Asher picked it up, expecting it to be a forgotten note or a crumpled up worksheet.
But instead, it was a mysterious invitation, written in elegant script:
"Meet me in the old oak tree courtyard at midnight. Come alone."
Asher's heart skipped a beat as he read the words. Who could have written this? And what did they want with him?