"Wake up, Jane!!!"

  Jane was still buried in the warmth of her bed when her heart nearly stopped beating. Her legs were pulled by a sudden force, dragging her halfway off the mattress. She knew exactly what this was. It was her mom, Katherine.

  A little tap would have been much easier for both of them.

  "This is the fifth time this week," her mother said while grabbing the car key from the dining table."You went to bed late again, didn't you?"

  "I couldn't sleep, Mom."

  She saw her mother’s eyes squint; the tension was instant and familiar. And here came the usual disbelief. Jane sighed.

  "You go to bed late, and mess up your body’s biological clock. That's it."

  Her mom had always been an easy sleeper, so she couldn't seem to grasp the idea that someone else might close their eyes and stay awake.

  Luckily, her mom still gave her a ride. Jane’s school was too far to walk, and the bus had already left her behind. Jane was grateful, but a road trip with her mom wasn't exactly relaxing. There was no radio, no music, only the heavy silence breathing inside the sealed car.

  "Mom! There's something on the window!!" Jane screamed.

  A massive insect, of a species she couldn't name and didn’t want to, was clinging to the glass right next to her face.

  "It's just a bug. No need to scream," Kathrine said. The line between her eyebrows was sharp enough to kill anything that dared to approach. She shoved a handful of paper into Jane's hand. "Just grab it and throw it out."

  Jane stared at the ball of tissues, then at the wriggling thing. In her head, she could already feel the way its tiny legs wiggled underneath the paper, and the crunch of its body being crushed.

  She bundled the tissue until she was sure it was thick enough to feel nothing, and forced her hand down.

  “See, it wasn’t that hard,” her mother said while rolling down the window lock. “Throw it out.”

  Jane hesitated. Her mom didn’t exactly stop at the trash can, and her throwing skill wasn’t that good. She looked down at the white tissue again. Nothing leaked through. She rolled it tighter in her hand, trapping the corpse inside, and waited for the destination.

  The rest of the drive was peaceful. Nothing else happened.

  Jane made it to class just in time, sliding into her usual spot: second from the back, next to the window. The perfect place to hear the teacher, but far enough to remain invisible. A spot she had to beat others to get, using her grades, of course.

  A cool breeze blew through the glass, carrying the scent of fresh morning air. Jane laid her cheek against her palm and let herself recover from the morning’s adrenaline.

  The thought of just "a little rest" turned into "a little sleep". And before she knew it, her eyelids had given up entirely.

  A tap on the shoulder brought her back. Has class ended already?

  Jane sat straight. Her face was hot, mostly from being pressed against the desk, partially from the wave of embarrassment and guilt pouring in at once.

  "Come with me," said Ms. Ellen. Her expression was odd, too pleasant - and that, more than anything, woke Jane up.

  As they walked down the hallway, Jane had a million thoughts running through her head, most of them ending with how her mom gonna kill her.

  Katherine did care about Jane. She cared about Jane's grades, her future, and her well-being. But she also cared a little too much about other people's views, hiding it all in "it's for you."

  Deep down, Jane was grateful. Her mother's obsession gave her a reason to study, because she certainly wouldn't have done it out of passion.

  While Jane's head was in the clouds, Miss Ellen had stopped at the doors. Behind them were no longer the gym but mazes of students lining up like clockwork, each queue ending with a doctor in a white coat.

  It was a standard medical check-up: open your mouth, step on the scale, read the letters on the chart … until the last station.

  “Arm out,” the nurse demanded.

  Watching the tube slowly fill with red liquid, Jane thanked God she had eaten something this morning. Even so, the amount of blood taken made her knees tremble. She stumbled away from the station and sat on a nearby chair.

  "Candy?"

  A body appeared in her vision. A boy she had never met, because if they had, she would definitely recognize his face. Golden curly hair, round eyes, and a voice so sweet it could break through walls. He reminded Jane of a dog, the kind with floppy ears and a wagging tail.

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  Normally, her instinct was to say no, but the world was tilting slightly to the left, and she needed sugar.

  "Thanks,” Jane said, her hand reaching out to the small, red-wrapped circle. ”My blood is not sufficient right now."

  The candy tasted like a garden of roses, a flavor that lingered on her tongue. It was too pungent for her liking, but somehow she couldn’t stop eating.

  Jane flipped the packaging. It was blank.

  "Good candy,” she said. The nausea started to fade. “May I know the brand?"

  He smiled while watching her eat. A small crunch passed between them as the candy broke into pieces in her mouth, then he answered.

  "I made it."

  His gaze stayed on her, tracking every micro-expression on her face. Jane tried to keep a calm demeanor, but the faint line between her eyebrows told the truth.

  "If you want more," he said while leaning forward slightly. Hands in his pockets, he cast a shadow over her, blocking out the harsh gym lights. "You can come find me."

  It felt almost like a dare, had it not been for that teasing smile.

  Jane didn't know how to respond. There was something odd about this boy.

  Only then did she notice that his uniform was different, and more suspiciously, the spot where his school badge should have been was left with tiny holes, like a rebellious kid trying to erase his own identity.

  Before Jane could say a word, he straightened up and walked away, disappearing into the crowd as quietly as he had arrived.

  ***

  It was just a small friction in Jane's life. She still had no idea what the medical check was for since her mom seemed perfectly normal. Until a week later, when the call came.

  "There've been some changes in Jane's behavior recently, Ms. Katherine," the Principal said. He switched to a more careful tone. "Changes you might've noticed".

  “Changes?” Katherine sat straighter.

  "After further examination, we discovered a mutation, present since birth but only now awakened. Possibly triggered by puberty… or simply part of a natural process for individuals like Jane."

  "What do you mean by individuals like my daughter?" Katherine leaned forward. She usually looked composed, but now, she looked like she was ready for war. She pressed herself back to the chair: "And this… disease, should I be worried?"

  "Two other students have shown similar traits," the principal said quickly. "So far, there has been no sign of danger, other than a reversed biological clock."

  He then handed them a thin document from across the table. The cover was blank, save for the title embossed in gold: North Wing Academy.

  "We believe it would be better for Jane to transfer to North Wing Academy. All fees covered, of course."

  Katherine stared at the document. She didn’t react immediately, waiting for the Principal to speak.

  “The Academy was founded by descendants of Count Lucien North Wing,” the Principal explained. “Anoble with a fascination for the night. Generations later, his estate had become a school, still honoring what he loved the most. The school ran on an inverted schedule: classes began after sunset, while daytime was reserved for rest or extracurriculars.”

  He paused to reach for a sip of water before continuing. "As bizarre as it sounded, it was highly prestigious, a dream of many. Jane has an excellent academic record, and the school has shown a deep interest in her... condition."

  Noticing the fear and disturbance all over her mother's face, the principal quickly continued: "There will be no dangerous experiments. I guarantee. She will receive the best medical care available, far beyond what ordinary schools could provide."

  ****

  That night, the dinner table served a different purpose - a council table, with Katherine, Jane, and her dad on speakerphone. None of them liked the idea of sending Jane off to some secluded place, but they all understood this was a good opportunity. In the end, they gave Jane the final decision.

  "As long as that's what you want," her dad said.

  The thing was, Jane didn't know what she wanted. Everything was... so-so. Her mom liked to control every small detail in her life, yet ran away the moment big decisions came along.

  Sometimes, Jane wished it were the other way around. But she couldn't really blame anyone - after all, it was her life, and facing the bad possibilities was a part of it.

  At times like this, Jane took a bath, went to bed early, and closed her eyes with the help of her mother's old sleeping pills, leftovers from the dáy when Katherine was terrified her husband’s plane would crash.

  Jane lay in bed and closed her eyes, waiting for the chemicals to blur her thoughts.

  "Hi Jane."

  The voice came from the darkest corner of an endless void. That pure, blank space signaled one thing: she was about to get the answer.

  "Hi Dad."

  "I'm not your dad," the figure replied with a heavy sigh.

  "I know." She said, her mouth formed a stiff line with only the corners slightly curled upward.

  Jane didn't know how or when it stared, but she had a Guide. A voice, a shadow in her sleep. She always wanted to ask what it was, but no matter how hard she reminded herself before bed, she always forgot the question once her eyes closed.

  The first time, it took the form of her best friend from primary school. Then her dead cat. And now, her father. Ugh. Jane hated it whenever it showed up as her father. Still, the "thing" had never steered her wrong.

  "Should I go there?" she asked.

  "Go where? You'll have to give me some context, little kid."

  Strange, Jane usually didn't have to explain. Maybe it wasn't a product of her mind after all, or at least, not one that kept up with her daily schedule.

  "Well," she took a deep breath, "There's this new school. Very fancy, very good studying conditions. But it's a boarding school. And on top of that, … there is a chance I'd be some kind of experimental animal."

  The figure paused. He rubbed his smooth chin as his eyes flicked left and right, processing the data. Then he looked at her, steady and certain.

  "It is a place you've got to go, Jane. It's all written.” He spoke with absolute confidence. “And deep down, you know you love a challenge like this. Something so intriguing, so exciting."

  Then he squinted at her. The wrinkles gathered at the corners of his eyes made him look like a real father.

  "Besides,” the Guide said, his voice dropped lower. “Your body no longer adapts to the usual clock anymore, does it?"

  Unlike her father, there were no concerns behind those eyes, only a pure curiosity of a scientist studying his experiment.

  "Yes.” Jane rushed. She could feel the dream slipping away as daylight danced on her eyelids. “Is there anything bad about it?"

  "Nothing, my dear."

  He turned halfway, looking back over his shoulder. He locked eyes with her, a resolute look before vanishing into the dark.

  “Nothing you can control.”