Tyler pushed the scooter harder. The academy gates were still several minutes away and the clock was not on his side. Wind pressed cold against his face and forced the stiff uniform collar against his neck.
The engine's vibration ran up through the seat and into his legs as he weaved through the last stretch of traffic. When the familiar gray walls of Nexlark Regional Academy finally came into view, relief hit him harder than he expected.
Made it, barely.
He parked quickly. The scooter's metal was warm under his palm as he stepped off. Gravel shifted beneath his shoes. He walked through the main gate, and the moment both feet crossed the line, the system chimed—a clean, high tone that seemed to vibrate faintly behind his eyes.
[Congratulations]
[Objective complete: Arrive at Nexlark Regional Academy by 0930 hours]
Rewards: 100 EXP, 1 Bonus Status Point, Temporary Regeneration
Tyler frowned at the glowing blue panel. "That's it?"
A hundred experience and one point? After almost dying in a dirty apartment and racing across the city?
[The bonus status point has been automatically assigned.]
A second window opened with a soft electronic hum.
**Personal Information** Name: Tyler Mason Age: 19 Level: 1 EXP: 100/300 Type: Ability User Class: None Height: 5'11"
Strength: 20 (−5) → 15 Speed: 10 Dexterity: 15 Health: 15 (−5) → 10 Ether Control: 9 → 10 Stamina: 12 (−6) → 6
"You put it into Ether Control?" he muttered, "I wanted Strength."
Of course it did. Why would this thing ever make it easy?
A few students nearby glanced at him. One of them whispered something to a friend, the words lost under the general noise of morning arrivals—shoes on pavement, locker doors, distant voices.
Tyler closed his mouth and kept walking. The weight of their stares settled on his back like a physical pressure.
[Notification]
Bonus points are assigned at random. Only regular status points earned later can be distributed by the user.
"Could've told me that earlier," he thought.
So I get the penalty for the old Tyler's habits, but I don't even get to choose where the first reward goes. Perfect. This body is already a mess, and the system seems happy to remind me of it.
He was still turning that over when a familiar voice called out.
"Yo!"
Greg Meyer stood near the entrance to the main building, hands in his pockets. The morning light caught the edge of his jacket. He was one of the better-known delinquents on campus, though he belonged to a different group than the old Tyler. The two of them had always stayed on decent terms.
"Hey," Tyler answered. His own voice still sounded slightly foreign in his ears.
Greg looked him over, eyes narrowing a fraction. "You're early. And you look… clean. What happened to you?"
"Hit my head last night. Woke up feeling different."
Different is an understatement. I woke up dead and then not dead, with someone else's life jammed into my head.
Greg raised an eyebrow. "You're acting weird. Anyway, I heard you had people over. Tony Mavis's guys, right?"
Tyler gave a short nod. The movement pulled at the stiff collar again. "They left me there. I woke up alone."
They left this body to rot. If that spirit hadn't shown up, Tyler Mason would've been just another dead delinquent on the floor.
Greg's expression tightened. A faint crease formed between his brows. "I don't trust that group. Stay away from them if you can. They're not just regular troublemakers."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Tony Mavis. The name sits wrong in the memories. Connected to Jessica somehow. Something to look into later… if the system ever gives me room to breathe.
Greg studied him for a second longer, as if trying to decide whether this was really the same Tyler. Then he shrugged, the leather of his jacket shifting with the movement. "Stay safe. Try not to skip every class today."
He walked off toward the classrooms, footsteps fading into the general noise of the courtyard.
Tyler watched him go. In the old memories, Greg was one of the few people who had never fully turned on him. That small fact sat strangely in his chest, a quiet pressure beneath the ribs.
He actually seemed concerned. The old Tyler probably never noticed. Or never cared.
Around him, other students continued to glance his way. Some looked curious. Most looked wary or openly judgmental. The reputation of the previous owner hung over him like a bad smell—something sour that clung even in the open air.
Damn it, Tyler. You made this body hard to live in. Every stare feels like an accusation I didn't earn… but this face did.
The system window appeared again, the blue light reflecting faintly in his eyes.
[Notification]
Memories can be reviewed through the Archives.
Access is restricted while inside academy grounds or in immediate danger.
Two memory fragments are currently available.
[About Memories]
Tyler Mason's past is essential. Certain memories will unlock through situations, dreams, or new experiences.
Understanding them is required for your purpose in this world.
Tyler closed the panel with a blink. The afterimage of the blue light lingered for a second.
So the system wants me to dig through this guy's life. Fine. If I'm stuck in here, I might as well know exactly what kind of damage he left behind. Those memories might be the only real advantage I have.
The bell rang for the first period—a sharp, metallic sound that cut across the courtyard and left a brief ringing in his ears.
He joined the flow of students heading inside. The temperature dropped slightly as he entered the building. The hallway smelled of floor polish, old paper, and the faint trace of too many bodies in one space.
Conversations mixed around him—complaints about homework, plans for the weekend, quiet laughter. Shoes squeaked on the polished floor.
He kept his head down and walked, the stiff fabric of the uniform rubbing against his shoulders with each step.
Just get through the day. Don't draw more attention. Figure out the system. Find a way to deal with Bruce later… if he'll even look at me again.
Near the end of the corridor, just before he reached his classroom, a prickling sensation touched the back of his neck—like the light brush of unseen fingers. The feeling of being watched.
Tyler slowed for half a step. The air in that section of the hallway felt slightly cooler. He glanced over his shoulder.
Students moved past in both directions, backpacks brushing against him, voices overlapping. No one stood out. No one held his gaze.
Still, the sensation lingered, a faint tightness across his shoulders, as he stepped into the classroom and found an empty seat near the back. The chair was hard under him. The desk surface felt smooth and slightly cold when he rested his hand on it.
Someone's paying attention. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know yet.
Whoever it was, they did not approach.
For now.
Chapter discussion