Silent Havoc

Silas’ Aura

Silas gave a slight, humorless smile as he looked at Zulie, her hand still gripping his. His eyes flickered with something unreadable.

“You’re still worried about that, huh?” he said in a low voice. His tone wasn’t comforting; it was almost distant, as if the question wasn’t worth answering.

Zulie didn’t pull her hand away. She didn’t care how cold Silas sounded, or how distant he acted. He’d just been through so much, and she couldn’t understand why he was so different now.

“You fell from that height,” she insisted, her voice rising slightly in desperation. “How are you standing here? How are you still alive?”

Silas stopped walking. His cold gaze finally met hers, and for a brief moment, it seemed like he was about to tell her everything—every detail of the fall, of what happened after—but then he simply shook his head, a bitter smile playing at the edges of his lips.

“It’s not something I want to talk about,” he said firmly. His voice didn’t waver, but the steel edge in it was enough to make her step back.

Zulie bit her lip. “Fine,” she muttered, but the unease lingered in her chest. “But don’t think I’m not worried about you. I don’t know what you’re becoming, Silas. This… this version of you is something I don’t recognize.”

Silas turned away, his expression unreadable once more. He kept walking, his footsteps steady as he left her standing there, holding onto his words more than his hand.

“You’ll have to get used to it,” he called over his shoulder. “The world doesn’t stop changing. Neither do I.”

Zulie watched him walk away, feeling that familiar ache in her chest. She knew he was right—things had changed. He had changed. And she wasn’t sure if she could keep up.

The next day, Friday arrived with a heavy tension hanging in the air. Silas had told her he was going to handle it, but Zulie couldn’t shake the feeling that things were going to get much worse before they got better.

The day passed slowly, the hours dragging on as she waited for the inevitable confrontation with the “big boys.” She had tried to reach Silas throughout the day, but he hadn’t answered. The weight of her anxiety was almost suffocating. What was he planning? What was he going to do?

As the final bell rang, Zulie’s stomach twisted in knots. She waited outside the school gates, hoping to see Silas walking toward her. When he finally appeared, his eyes locked onto hers. There was something different about him—something colder, more calculating.

He didn’t speak, just motioned for her to follow him. Without a word, they made their way toward the abandoned building where the “big boys” were known to hang out.

Zulie tried to speak, but Silas cut her off with a sharp glance.

“Stay quiet,” he ordered, his voice laced with authority. “I told you, I’m handling this.”

She didn’t argue. They reached the building, and Zulie hesitated at the door, her heart racing. She didn’t want to walk into this lion’s den, but Silas was already inside, moving with purpose.

Zulie followed reluctantly, trying to gather her courage. Inside, a few of the big boys stood around, their faces hard and unfazed. They were used to intimidation, to fear. But there was something about Silas now that made even them pause.

He didn’t show any sign of fear. In fact, he didn’t even flinch when Victor and his gang walked in, their eyes scanning the room.

Victor smirked when he saw Silas standing there. “So, you decided to show up,” he sneered.

Silas didn’t respond immediately. He just looked at Victor with a cold, unwavering stare, as if measuring him up.

“I’m not here to make deals,” Silas said finally, his voice low but confident. “I’m here to end this.”

Victor’s smirk faded, replaced by a more dangerous look. “You think you can take on all of us? Do you really think you’re in a position to talk like that after everything you’ve been through?”

Silas stepped forward, his movements controlled and deliberate. “I’m done being afraid,” he said quietly, the words cutting through the tension like a knife. “This ends now.”

Victor’s expression darkened. He wasn’t sure what game Silas was playing, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn’t going to let someone like Silas ruin his plans.

“You’ll regret this,” Victor growled.

But Silas was already prepared. He was no longer the boy who had once feared them. He had come too far, seen too much, and now, nothing could stop him.

“That won’t be today. I’ve work to do,” he said firmly.

“What?” Victor asked, confused.

“Name your price,” he added.

“I’d do the job for you, but not today,” John repeated.

“Oh, just say you’re not capable. What made me waste my time looking for you? Anyways, I’ll tell the X boys to do the job, and you’ll regret rejecting me,” Victor said as he moved without waiting for another word from John.

John was already rejecting offers like that, seeing as he was almost done with school. He wanted to finish what he started, but he couldn’t end it like that. So, he began laying low, refusing offers from anyone except if they met his brother James, who’d gladly accept them. James couldn’t wait for his brother to leave school so he could take his place as the leader of the team.

But apart from that, John knew Silas wouldn’t be that easy to deal with.

“I’ll deal with Silas on my own, not because of anything… I just don’t need your money to do the job,” he said out loud enough for Victor to hear.

But Victor wasn’t interested anymore and angrily walked away.

As the school day ended, Silas and Zulie were on their way home. She walked next to him like she was afraid of walking alone.

“Silas, I’m afraid,” she said with emotion.

“What’s that?” Silas replied, his face unreadable. His voice was composed. He wasn’t like he used to be before, when he’d sound weak or sluggish. Now his tone was sharper.

“Tomorrow is Friday, and they’ll ask me for their money. I don’t have enough money with me. I don’t think I can make it happen. I don’t know what would happen if I don’t pay it,” she said, almost like she wanted to cry.

“Make me understand,” Silas said, his aura cold as he walked without any emotion showing.

“I’ve got to pay the big boys their price tomorrow, or else I’ll be in trouble,” she explained further.

“Oh, you pay them to keep it secret?” he asked.

“Yes… they’ll expose me if I don’t.”

“I don’t think you’ve got to anymore… I’m here now.”

Silas taunted her. She paused in her steps for a bit, but Silas kept moving without glancing at her face. He walked on to catch up with her.

“What would you do? Fight them again and get your ass kicked off again? That you almost died the last time… I mean, you should be—” Zulie started saying before she shut up for a moment and held Silas’ hand.

“Wait… how did you survive the fall?” Almost like she suddenly remembered that he fell from an unbelievable height and was standing right in front of her alive.