Jack

I woke up early, careful not to disturb Dad, and decided to go for a morning walk. The air was thick with fog, colder than usual. I started running, letting the crisp air fill my lungs, the rhythmic pounding of my feet on the ground giving me a strange sense of solace. I ran longer than usual, pushing myself until I was gasping for air. Eventually, I collapsed onto the ground, looking up at the sky, letting the silence wash over me. Sometimes, all you need is a moment of peace to feel whole again.

I must've dozed off because the next thing I knew, a sound startled me awake. Propping myself up on my elbows, I scanned the area, trying to shake off the drowsiness. I sat up, but the sound came again, this time from directly behind me. My heart skipped a beat as I turned around, catching a glimpse of someone ducking behind a tree.

"Who is it?" I called out, my voice steady despite the unease creeping into my chest. There was no answer. I stood up, cautiously moving toward the tree, where I noticed a piece of black cloth sticking out. I reached for it, but when I circled around the tree, there was no one there—just the cloth fluttering in the breeze.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps. My heart raced as I scanned the surroundings, feeling a shadow darting around me, too fast for me to focus on. Panic began to rise, my earlier confidence slipping away. I realized how vulnerable I was, alone in this foggy morning, far from anyone who could help. My head started spinning, vision blurring as fear gripped me. I stumbled, reaching out to grab the tree for support, my breaths coming in shallow gasps.

The voice echoed in my mind, neither distinctly male nor female, just a cracked, hoarse whisper that pierced through my thoughts. "Erin, you have to accept me and your fate," it said, each word hammering into my skull. The pain was unbearable, a searing pressure that made me scream as I knelt, clutching my head with both hands. Tears streamed down my face as I realized I was losing control. This presence wasn't my mother—it was something far darker, something I couldn't identify.

"Ahh..." I groaned, the pain intensifying, as if my brain was being crushed from the inside. My vision blurred, and I felt myself slipping away, the voice growing louder, more insistent. "Erin, Erin, you only belong to me." The words echoed endlessly, wrapping around my mind like chains. Just before everything went black, I saw a shadow—a dark, looming figure—hovering over me.

When I came to, I felt a light slap on my cheek and cold water splashing onto my face. Blinking, I focused on a boy leaning over me, concern etched on his face.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice pulling me back to reality.

I propped myself up on my elbow, still groggy and disoriented. My head throbbed with a dull ache, the remnants of that agonizing pain still lingering. "What happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I-I don't know," he stammered. "I was just passing by and found you here, on the ground. You were murmuring something."

I looked at him more closely, noticing his strong features—a chiseled jawline, brown eyes that held a mix of worry and curiosity, and a physique that suggested he was no stranger to physical activity.

"How do you feel now?" he asked, offering me his hand.

I hesitated for a moment, still dazed, but then I took his hand, allowing him to help me up. His grip was firm yet gentle, grounding me in the present. I stood there, catching my breath, my thoughts swirling as I tried to make sense of what had just happened.

"I'm well now," I replied, trying to sound more composed than I felt. The boy smiled at me, his expression gentle and sincere. "Where is your residence? Let me walk you there."

"It's okay. I can go by myself," I said, not wanting to impose or seem too vulnerable.

"But," he continued, "we have only one way out of this forest. Can I be with you until then?" His voice was kind, with no hint of ulterior motives. I found myself in an awkward position, torn between my usual independence and the sense of comfort his presence offered. I sighed and nodded.

We walked side by side in silence for a while. The forest was peaceful, the morning fog lifting as the sun began to peek through the trees. Suddenly, he broke the silence. "What's your name?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.

"Erin," I replied, relaxing a bit. "And you?"

"I'm Jack," he said with a friendly smile.

As we walked, I found myself enjoying his company more than I expected. We talked about simple things—nothing too deep, just enough to make the journey through the woods feel less daunting. It was strange for me; I rarely opened up to people, but Jack had a way of making me feel at ease.

Before I knew it, we had reached the street. "We arrived at our destination, Erin," Jack said, stopping and looking around as if confirming we were out of the woods.

"Yeah," I smiled at him, a little disappointed that our time together was ending. It had been a surprisingly enjoyable walk.

"So, can you go alone, or do you need my help?" Jack asked, his concern genuine.

"I can go alone," I replied, then hesitated before adding, "but I want to offer you a cup of coffee as a thank you. Would you join me?" I knew my dad might not be thrilled about me inviting a stranger home, but considering Jack had helped me, I thought he might make an exception.

Jack flashed a polite smile and said, "I'd love to, but I have college today. So, I need to go."

So, he's a student, I thought to myself. Just as I was about to respond, the sudden blare of a car horn broke the moment. Irritated, I turned toward the source and glared at the tire. Without even realizing it, I had punctured it with a mere thought.

"Oh nooo," I heard one of the boys in the jeep groan as they realized what had happened. Their expressions were a mix of disappointment and frustration.

"Jack!" one of them called out, waving him over.

Jack walked over to them, concern evident in his tone. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, bro, the tire's punctured," the boy explained, confirming they knew each other. Jack sighed, realizing I had unintentionally caused the problem.

"It was fine last night," Jack said, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, check the trunk for the spare."

As two of the boys got out to check, they couldn't resist poking fun at Jack. "Who's she? Where did you find her?" one of them, named Liam, asked with a smirk.

"Not now, Liam. She's not your type. She's a student," Jack replied, trying to brush them off.

"Student, huh? Even better," Liam said, then raised his voice, calling out to me. "Miss, hi!"

I managed a polite smile and waved back.

"Fix the tire first, Liam," Jack huffed, clearly exasperated with his friends, before walking back over to me. "Sorry about that. They're here for me."

I nodded, trying to appear unbothered, though my heart was racing from the earlier incident. "It's okay."

Jack glanced back at his friends, who were fumbling with the spare tire, and sighed. "Looks like it'll take them a while. I can walk you the rest of the way."

I widened my eyes in surprise, then quickly smiled. "Please, I have no problem with that."

We continued walking together, chatting lightly until we reached my house. As we approached, I turned to Jack and offered, "Would you like to come inside for a bit?"

He shook his head, smiling warmly. "Another time, maybe. I should get back to those guys."

"Okay, bye, Jack," I said, giving him a small wave as he turned to leave.

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it with a sigh of relief—only to jump in surprise when I saw my dad standing right there, staring at me with a concerned expression.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, clutching my chest. "You scared me!"