Edge’s thumb grazed over the glossy edge of the photo in her hand. A handsome young man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes stood there. Edge’s mother was beside him, her black hair and green eyes in stark contrast. They were smiling, frozen in a moment of pure joy.

Occasionally, shards of memory pierced through her mind. Her father’s hand in hers, a forest, a voice saying: “I love you, Edge. You mean the world to me.”

Then the screams came. Nightmares.

Her mother yelled at her father. Her father yelled at someone else, begging her mom to stay. He insisted he’d be alright and that things would go back to normal. Edge always woke up in pain—because that’s all she could feel.

The photo slipped through her fingers, landing face-up on her nightstand. Moments later, she locked herself in the bathroom, scrubbing the memories away. At 7:50, she darted out and nearly crashed into her mom in the hallway.

“Sorry, Mom,” Edge mumbled.

Her mom sighed. “It’s fine.” She handed over a small paper bag. “Your lunch. I packed it special.”

“Thanks,” Edge replied, slowly taking the bag.

“Have a good first day.”

“Yeah, sure,” she muttered.

“I love you,” her mom added, her eyes searching Edge’s face. A thought pried its way into Edge’s mind, no matter how hard she tried to block it: She’s so much like her father. I just hope she won’t make the same bad decisions he did.

Looking away, Edge blinked hard. She had always hidden the fact that she could read minds, and more often than not, she discovered things she never wanted to know in the first place.

Her eyes traced the pavement’s cracks as she walked down the driveway. Not even the breeze could lift the weight pressing down on her. Her mother had never told her what happened to her father, only that it was a tragic accident. It had to be bad, though. Why else stay silent?

The bus pulled up, and Edge hopped on, heading to the back. Thoughts trailed behind her like whispers. Some hissed like steam, others scraped like metal, and a few slithered through her brain like a cold snake. She tried not to react, but they coiled tighter, pressing in until breathing felt impossible.

Look, there’s the girl with the weird name.  

Isn’t that the girl who got expelled? Twice?  

There’s the girl with the dead father.

Digging through her backpack, she shoved in two earbuds. They didn’t help. If anything, the voices grew sharper.

It was a long ride. Finally, the bus stopped, and students poured out. She waited until the last kid got off, then slipped off the bus. Head down and earbuds in, Edge tried to drown out everything around her, but thoughts still crept through.

A tall boy in a leather jacket passed by, and his thoughts struck colder than the rest.  

She’s a freak. The expelled one. Probably goth or something.  

“I’m not goth,” she muttered under her breath.

The boy stopped and stared. “Huh?”

“Nothing.” She pushed past him, heat rising in her face.  

She looks so weird.  

Maybe she is crazy.

Fists clenched, she ducked her head and pushed through the crowd.

Next to her locker, a girl with curly blond hair and soft brown eyes struggled to open her own locker. It was Crystina.

“Hey… Edge,” she said, fiddling with her shirt. “Looks like my locker’s next to yours.”

“Guess so,” Edge replied flatly.

Crystina, her only friend once, had traded Edge for the popular crowd halfway through grade ten.

“Things don’t have to be weird,” Crystina said, almost hopeful. “We could maybe—”

Edge turned away, ready to walk off and forget about this encounter entirely. She didn’t need this today; it was too much.

But Crystina grabbed Edge’s wrist, forcing her to turn around and look at her. “Wait. Please.”

Edge froze, her expression hard. “Why should I?”

Crystina hesitated. “I have to tell you why I did what I did.”

“You left me. That’s all I need to know.”

“You’re just so different, Edge… I didn’t know how to be a good friend. I still don’t!” Crystina admitted. Her grip loosened on Edge’s wrist, but Edge didn’t move.

“You know what I needed?” Edge asked. “Someone who didn’t bail.”  

“And I needed people I could relate to.”  

Edge scoffed. “They only talk to you when they want something. That’s not friendship.”

“They’re… not perfect, you know.”  

“Yeah, sure.” There was a pause. “Listen, I don’t have anything to say to you, so can I go now?”

Crystina’s voice dropped. “I messed up, Edge. I know I did. I… I just wish I could take it back.”

“You can’t.”

“I…” Crystina wiped a tear. “I know. And I’m sorry. If that matters.”

“No. It doesn’t.”

Crystina’s eyes glistened. She let go of Edge’s wrist and stormed off, tears streaking down her face.

“Wait—” It was too late.

Edge kicked her locker hard. The echo rang louder and longer than it should have. Crystina had cared once. Now it was over.

***

Leaning against the brick wall outside her classroom, Edge stared at the rusted lockers in front of her. The air was musty, as if the school had forgotten to install vents when they built the place. Worst of all, though, were the students. Their footsteps rang throughout the cold hall, but their thoughts rang louder.

Why is she always dressed like that?  

What a freak.  

Then another voice jumped in. Warm. Curious.

Should I say something? She looks like she could use a friend.

A girl sat on the floor in the corner. Ponytail. Bright green backpack. Sketchbook on her lap. Ninth grader. Great.

Sure enough, the girl stood and came over. Her smile didn’t seem forced as she said, “Hey! I’m Kate. What’s your name?”

Edge hesitated. “Edge.”

“Cool name!” Kate said. “Kind of… dangerous. Like a superhero or something.”

“I bet.”

Kate let out a nervous laugh, her smile twitching in uncertainty. Edge’s eyes dropped to the drawing in the half-open sketchbook. A large, grey castle. It looked slightly familiar. Too familiar.

“Oh! Um…” Kate snapped it shut. “Sorry, those are kinda private.”

But the thought slipped out anyway.

Did she notice the mark of Paz? I hope not. Evan barely got it, and this girl… she’s different. Too different.

“Paz?” The name echoed like it had been waiting in the back of her mind. It was heavy. Sharp. It was as if there was something her mind was trying to remember about that place but couldn’t.

Kate froze, sketchbook thudding to the floor. She chewed her lip and looked around, unsure if she should say something. However, she leaned in and whispered, “How do you know that name?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice cracked. She bit it back, but the fear was already there. Raw, stupid, and real.

“I showed someone else the drawing earlier and he recognized it too. Paz.” Kate looked her over. “Do you see it in dreams like we do?”

A chill tightened in her chest. “I don’t dream. But I see things. Hear things. Mostly thoughts. But sometimes…”

Fire. Shadows. Screams. A castle swallowed by smoke.

Things that didn’t belong in the real world.

Kate’s hands turned white. “You’ve seen it. You’ve been there. I know you have.”

Edge shook her head. “You sound insane.” More to herself than to Kate.

“Something’s going on. You feel it too.”

Edge turned away. Wanted to shut it out. But something inside whispered: Don’t push her away. Not this time.

Without warning, something sharp cut through her head. Half a thought, half a sound. She blinked, and it disappeared, leaving her shaken.

“Look, I’m sorry I…” Edge closed her eyes, trying to get her pounding headache to go away. “This is just a lot. And I’m already weird enough without—”

“No,” Kate cut in, firm. “You don’t get to ignore this.”

“Ignore what? Some fantasy a ninth grader made up?”

Kate flinched but held firm. “I know you feel it. Me and that other boy—Evan—we’re meeting at lunch to talk about it. If you come, maybe we can figure it out. Together.”

Edge started to say no.

Then everything spun.

The hallway tipped sideways. Her knees buckled and she crumpled to the ground, her hands over her ears as thoughts surged through her mind. A thousand voices hit her at once, screaming, whispering, blurring into white noise. Her head pounded as they slowly dimmed and single words shone through.

“Edge... Safe… Come… Belong… Home…”

“EDGE!”

The scream snapped her back. Kate stood over her, shaking.

“What… What happened?” Kate’s hands trembled.

“I—” Edge bit her lip. Her heart thundered. Cold sweat clung to her skin. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Edge struggled to her feet and walked away, trembling. The voices in her mind had regained their volume, and it made her head pound harder than it ever had before. She didn’t notice anything else as she walked through the hall. 

Suddenly, as if there was an off switch, the voices stopped. Edge froze, listening. Only one thought echoed this time. Not her thought. Not her voice. Just a warning, cutting through her like ice.

You’re not safe.