It was a sunny May day at a prestigious university and the spring semester was about to end. However, the atmosphere was anything but sunny. It was the death of one young student named Once-ler. News of his death shocked the college and how he was killed was more shocking. The police found him dismembered into pieces and scattered around the city a few weeks ago. The details were announced on every class intercom. It especially affected the 10 am Biology class.

"Class," a woman announced mournfully. It was an older woman in a white blouse and matching skirt with white pixie-cut hair and blue eyes. Her name was Erika Dracula. People have made rumors about her being the descendant of the great Abraham van Helsing, but no one knows the truth. "As Once-ler's professor, I'm in great grief as you guys are. As far as the police know, the suspect is still at large, so please be careful when you head home. For those who walk home, I'd advise not to. Instead, it's best to take an Uber or have a professor drive you home for your safety."

Of all the students grieving, none grieved more than one man. A tall man with short blonde hair, blue eyes, and glasses, wearing a white collared shirt and gray pants named Wheatley. He was born in England but came to the US as a teen.

He only stared at the desk where Once-ler used to be. It was now bare except for a vase with white lilies in it. He still couldn't believe that he was dead. They hung out sometimes. Looking back, he didn't understand why. A handsome popular guy hanging out with an awkward nerd like him is still hard to understand.

"Not only was Once-ler's death tragic," Erika continued. "But, unfortunately, gruesome. If any of us had the power to bring him back, we'd gladly do so. However, we can't. All we can do now is hope that his evil killer will be brought to justice."

Suddenly the door opened. "Man, did someone die?" the voice remarked.

At the door was a tall skinny man with deep blue eyes, a smooth little mole under his left eye, short black hair banged at one side, and a round face with fading freckles. He wore a white collared shirt with a blue vest that matched his striped pants and ribbon around his fedora.

"Hey, guys," he greeted with a warm smile. "Sorry for being late."

The whole room almost stood up at the sight of him in shock. Wheatly was especially shocked to see him. "O..Once-ler?" he shivered.

Yes. It was Once-ler. They were told he was dead, but there he was standing at the door like his death never happened and there was neither a scar nor a missing limb on him. Did he miraculously survive? Was his death a cruel hoax? How was all this even possible?

"I'll cut to the chase," Erika said bluntly looking crossed. She and Once-ler were in her office. "If this is your idea of a prank, it's a twisted one."

"No clue what you're talking about, ma'am," he replied with a straight face.

"Enough of this," she replied glaring at him. "Are you Once-ler's twin that he'd never mention about?"

"As I've said before," he said mundanely. "I've got no siblings. Only child."

"And as I've said before!" she shouted. "Cut this act right now!"

Since they were standing in front of her desk, he seized an opportunity. He slowly raised his hand. "Relax," he said calmly and chuckled seductively. He began to stroke her thigh, but she quickly pushed it off, shocked at this action. "Stop it!" she commanded.

He was just getting started. He quickly embraced her in a hug. "Erika," he wooed.

"Once-ler, I..." she was too stunned to say anymore.

Keeping her in the hug, he pushed her until she sat at the front of the desk making her gasp. "We'll be together when graduation comes around, right?" he asked in an arousing manner.

"My God," she gasped. "Once-ler, l-let go of me!" She tried to put her foot down, but she sounded more intimidated than anything. This only made him giggle and hug her tighter. The hug wasn't suffocating her, but she felt as if something else about him was. She suddenly started to shake, sweat, and try to hold back something. It felt like a strong maddening infatuation was boiling inside her and about to explode.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, the students were abuzz about Once-ler's mysterious return.

"Is this even possible?" a man asked.

"I thought ghosts have no legs," mentioned a woman.

"Well considering he's in the flesh, he's clearly alive," another woman added.

They stared at the lilies as they pondered this phenomenon. At that moment, another student appeared. She looked in a panic.

"Yo, guess what?" she informed. "Professor Dracula is being taken to a nuthouse!"

"What?" a man gasped. "Why?"

"Some of the other professors heard her shouting in her office alone, and when they found her, she was going bonkers, yelling crazy things!"

"What crazy things?"

Four other women were having trouble holding Erika down. She was writhing like an angry cat. She was sweating beads and breathing heavily, and there was a mad smile on her face.

"Erika, please!" a woman shouted.

She couldn't hear them, or rather didn't want to hear them, as she was chuckling deranged. "Once-ler," she giggled.

"Mrs. Dracula, please calm down!"

"Once-ler!" she grinned madly.

"That can't be Once-ler," Wheatley whispered. He was still in shock since his return.

"What the hell's going on?" A petite woman around Once-ler's age shouted. She had brunette poofy hair, brown eyes with glasses, and a pink dress. Her name was Norma. "How come she's screaming his name all of a sudden?"

"I have no idea either," another blurted out. "I mean, the cops found him hacked to pieces, didn't they?"

When a loved one comes back from the dead, normally you would rejoice. These students, however, didn't, and there is one question to that: Why?

Due to the class in chaos and the professor's sudden mental breakdown, the class was dismissed early. With rumors spreading about his return, the dean had to do damage control to not cause worry.

Wheatley was walking out of the college quad. He didn't even bother about other classes he had to take because halfway through the other, he couldn't concentrate. All that was on his mind was the chaos that man caused.

He was silent in his thoughts for hours until they were interrupted by someone calling him and running toward him. "Wheatly?!" He knew that voice, but he dared not flinch or look back. It was Once-ler. "Wheatley, wait up!" Now he was walking side by side with him looking carefree. "Learn to wait next time. Something's bugging me about Norma lately. Recently, she's been acting distant towards me, but why? Do you think she's still salty about me and Professor van Helsing being together?"

Wheatley was listening but refused to say a word or even look at him, and Once-ler noticed. "Hello, Earth to Wheatley," he joked. Silent. "Now, you're not talking to me. Come to think of it, the whole class is acting weird. If you know what's up, don't keep me in the dark."

When Wheatley looked up, his blood began to run cold. He stopped at a bridge that Once-ler was now in the middle of. Seeing the bridge suddenly brought back bad memories he longed to suppress. He dropped his briefcase and ran for his life, leaving Once-ler confused.

He didn't care that his legs were getting weak, and his lungs and heart were in overdrive. Wheatley ran and ran like his life depended on it. Out of the blue, a pair of hands wrapped around him. He screamed and screamed until he heard a familiar woman's voice. "Wheatley! Wheatley, it's me!"

When he turned, he sighed in relief. "Norma," he sighed. "Thank God it's you."

"Listen," she warned. "I've thought about this since what happened this morning." At first, she hesitated, but she finally said it. "We need to come clean."