Chapter 2
Chapter Two
It was nearly nine when Augustine prepared to leave the university library.
The hallways were practically empty, but she could still feel the warm spring air lingering even at that late hour.
Despite the time, she needed to check on her YouTube channel—would she make it home with enough time left to edit her latest footage?
She was exhausted after working all day on her thesis project, but her hard-won economic independence and her tuition depended almost entirely on the income generated by her platform.
What had started as a simple, childish hobby showcasing domino chain reactions had evolved as her designs grew increasingly sophisticated, capturing the internet's interest and drawing in an ever-growing wave of subscribers.
Her channel had recently crossed the one-million subscriber milestone. While it was wonderful to see years of relentless effort finally recognized, she couldn't help but feel a crushing pressure to maintain the quality of her content, even if it meant working late into the night.
Checking her cell phone to review the analytics of her latest uploads, Augustine walked briskly, paying little attention to her surroundings.
The campus had formerly been a convent, and it beautifully preserved the aesthetics of its old interior courtyards, complete with manicured vegetation, walkways framed by thick stone pillars, and ancient religious sculptures tucked into the carved grottos of the walls.
Her footsteps echoed hollowly down the darkening corridors as she approached the exit.
“Augustine! Wait for me!” an enthusiastic male voice called out from somewhere across the courtyard.
She stopped, confused, searching the shadows for the source of the shout until she recognized Milán in the distance—a classmate who had lately been showing far too much interest in her.
By the time he finally reached her, he was panting, clear evidence that he had run across campus just to catch up.
“Are you going home already?” he asked, pausing to catch his breath.
“Yes, it’s late and we have exams first thing in the morning. I really need to get some rest.”
“Don’t you want to grab a coffee or something nearby first? It might help you relax.”
Augustine smiled kindly, a bit shy, but shook her head in a gentle refusal. “I have a few things I need to finish before going to bed,” she excused herself, resuming her pace.
“Oh, I noticed you haven’t uploaded anything new lately. Are you working on a fresh video tonight?”
She blushed slightly, surprised that Milán kept such close tabs on her hobby. “I didn’t know you followed my channel. Yes, I plan to edit a piece I have ready so I can schedule it for tomorrow.”
“Great! I’ll be looking out for it.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes toward the university's main gates.
“Do you want me to walk you home? It’s dark out, and I think it’s safer if you don’t walk alone.”
Augustine declined immediately. “Don’t worry! The bus I take drops me practically a block from my house. I’ll be completely fine, but thank you so much.”
Milán looked somewhat disappointed, but he didn’t push.
Even though his large, imposing build could offer a certain sense of security, her intuition warned her to handle his advances with caution to avoid sending the wrong signals.
In a quiet, tacit agreement, Milán accompanied her to the bus stop instead, waiting until she safely boarded before waving goodbye.
Once she was finally alone in her seat, she let out a relieved sigh; she couldn't deny she grew tense every time she found herself alone with him.
The commute took less time than she expected.
She lived alone, but since her family resided in the same city, her mother often stopped by to check on her, especially when she knew Augustine was under academic pressure.
During each visit, her mother would stock the fridge with her favorite home-cooked dishes—a gesture Augustine appreciated from the bottom of her heart.
She would never tire of the comfort found in her mother’s cooking.
Tonight, her mother was already waiting, setting the table for a late dinner together.
“You’re home, honey?” she asked affectionately.
Augustine wrapped her arms around her, sighing with sheer exhaustion.
“Wow, you’ve had a brutal day. Wash your hands and sit down.”
Her mother moved away like a hummingbird toward the kitchen, cheerful and light.
They ate in quiet comfort while her mother updated her on all the family drama: the news of her younger siblings, her father’s workload, her aunt’s ongoing illness, and her cousin’s financial troubles.
Once she finished her thorough report and both had cleared their plates of spaghetti, she prepared to leave.
“Honey, don’t stay up too late, okay? You have an early exam tomorrow, so don’t oversleep. Oh! And come home one of these days. You should visit this weekend and stay over with us.”
She left, leaving a warm, quiet silence in her wake. Yet, despite her mother's warnings, it wasn’t until three in the morning that Augustine finally managed to shut her eyes.
The next morning, she snapped awake in a panic. She knew instantly that something was wrong. She glanced at her watch and... damn. She had completely missed her alarm.
If she ran, she might just make it in time for the test. She dressed frantically and, skipping breakfast entirely, bolted toward the bus stop. She was in such a desperate rush that she didn’t notice the car speeding around the sharp corner. The driver didn’t see her coming either.
She was just about to step off the curb and into the path of the oncoming vehicle when a choked, terrifying scream tore through the depths of her mind:
“Augustine! Stop!”