I had enough food at home to last a few days, so I shut the curtains, kept the fire going, and drew in my notebook. Although I was on high alert, and jumped at every noise, I decided this could be a good opportunity to come to a greater understanding of my studies while I figured out what to do next.

I most certainly did not want to be on the run again. This was my new home. I was a student at the university. I had great friends. I loved my studies. I was not going to let Mr Bishop drive me out of town.

I knew Mr Bishop would not let up. Even if he left town for a while to cover his tracks, he would surely return for me.

I ran the palms of my hands over my notebook and felt the current of its knowledge tingle up my arms. Electric blue pulsed through my body, and lit up my eyes with a golden warmth. I could see it all. I understood it all. I could feel it all through my body.

In my mind’s eye I traced the patterns of the day’s encounter. From there I could backtrack through the cause and effect, through the relationships between each subject, through the ripples of time. Mr Bishop got a job at the university. He was working as a cleaner at The Republic. That made it easy to find me. And somehow, from this present moment in time, I had to get him removed. Not only from campus, not only from Dunkel, but from life itself. He would always be causing trouble. Not only for me, but for everyone he worked for. Right now the whole university – the whole town – was at risk. He had to be locked up, and it was up to me to figure out how.