21. Slithering Sand

The recent events had left everyone on edge, their anxiety evident in the musty air of the school. Yet amidst the collective unease, there was one person who appeared far more troubled than the rest. She was a woman no one had seen before. With quick, restless strides, she paced from one wall to another, her eyes darting around as though searching for something invisible to everyone else. “Who’s that?” Jayden whispered to one of his other teachers, his curiosity piqued. “That’s Miss Patricia,” the teacher replied in a low voice. “She arrived today. She’s the new archery instructor.” Jayden’s gaze lingered on her. Patricia’s thick black ringlet curls framed her strikingly beautiful face, her big hazel eyes seeming both watchful and wary. There was something about her presence that didn’t quite fit the image of a calm, collected teacher. The day unfolded in a tense haze. By principle's orders, the students were kept locked inside the school all day, the administration claiming it was for