On screen, Mr. Aris reached out a hand, his fingers stretching toward the lens until they seemed to press against the glass of my monitor.

When I clicked play, the video opened to a static-heavy shot of an empty classroom. The sun was setting, casting long, orange shadows across empty desks. In the center of the frame stood Mr. Aris, a man with a smile that was just a bit too wide, his eyes obscured by the glare on his thick glasses.

The screen went black. In the reflection of the monitor, I could see the silhouette of a tall man standing in the corner of my room, holding a piece of chalk. I haven't looked back since.