It started with a new kid—Jason Fox, charming, good-looking, with a smile that made girls melt and guys want to be his friend. He was always around, always showing up just when something weird happened at school.

And weird things had been happening.

First, Jason was at the exact place at the exact time when Lindsay Parker’s math homework went missing—right after she’d handed it in. Then he was spotted with Jordan Turner just before Jordan started acting all… strange, like he couldn’t remember anything.

It wasn’t until Jason showed up next to Sarah Collins right before she fainted in the hallway that Jamie Wheeler started to get suspicious.

Jamie had taken World Mythology last year, and she remembered something from the chapter on Kitsune, those tricky fox spirits from Japanese folklore. Kitsune were clever shape-shifters who could appear as humans and control people, tricking them into doing their bidding. The moment she’d heard the name Jason Fox, a chill ran down her spine.

There was something about him—something off.

It didn’t take long before Jamie started noticing the odd signs. She caught Jason staring at her in the library, a weird glint in his eyes. And every time she saw him, someone else would end up in trouble—locked out of class, accused of cheating, or mysteriously forgetting where they’d been. It wasn’t long before she connected the dots.

Jamie had to act fast.

She remembered from her mythology textbook that Kitsune could be exposed by a simple test of truth—a riddle. Kitsune couldn’t resist playing mind games.

On Friday after school, she cornered Jason in the hallway, near the old lockers. “Got a riddle for you, Jason,” she said, trying to sound cool even though her stomach was in knots. “Answer me this: What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?”

Jason smirked, his eyes narrowing. “I know this one,” he said, stepping closer. “It’s a person, right? It’s about growing up.”

Jamie felt her heart race as she realized something. He was too quick. He’d answered too easily.

“Wrong,” Jamie said, standing tall. “The answer is a Kitsune. A fox who shifts and tricks. You’ve been playing tricks on everyone.”

For a moment, Jason’s expression flickered—a flash of something dark, something monstrous. Then, with a growl, he morphed before her eyes, his human form rippling into a fox-like creature with gleaming eyes.

But Jamie didn’t back down. She’d read the whole chapter. She knew what came next.

With a quick wave of her hand, she held up a mirror she’d grabbed from her purse. The reflection caught the Kitsune off guard. It howled in fury, fading into mist as its power broke.

The halls were silent again. Jason Fox was gone.

And the weird things? They stopped happening. At least, for now.

“Maybe high school isn’t so bad after all,” Jamie muttered, heading home with a grin. The world was a little less weird, and a little more normal… for now.