myself that fear was

gaps that didn't exist, turning shadows into threats. Crescent Valley had always been strange. Quie

nce refused t

r was damp, the fog thick enough that it softened the world into blurred shapes. I moved slowly,

ge looked wors

It had been pulled apart. The grain split outward, deep grooves carved into the posts like so

espite the gloves. I measured the distance betw

allo

ar di

s torn up, pressed deep with footprints that barely looked like footprints at all. They

ped ab

y e

d. Not s

...

he forest was

tched me with knowing eyes as

looking,

understand,

slowly. "Understa

over. "People are disappearing. Animals are being taken. Somethin

"Because naming a t

Instead, I grabbed

answers.

ming behind it. Inside, the halls buzzed softly with voices and footsteps. Life continu

en I notice

him. He didn't blend in, no matter how still he sat. People unconsciously

seat acro

slowly, sharp

ersistent

d," I replied. "Or something

in his ja

ve gone looking,"

d, lowering my voice. "And yet you keep

afeteria noise faded into the background,

e wrong questions

me the ri

town stays silent. Ask why people lock their doors bef

" I p

hings don't wan

nsion. Students stood, chairs scraping

" he said, already turning

ni

rd lin

ruises. The air felt charged, heavy, like the world was waiting for somethin

grandmother lo

she insisted.

ing happening to

. "The moon w

s all s

ntil she w

abbed my

close. The forest felt different at night. Alive. The darkness pulsed with move

choed to

ed too

ve. My breath caught as fear slammed into me, shar

er mo

os

ra

eet as I fled blindly toward the house. A deep grow

cre

hing mad

my feet. I braced for pain that never came. Instead, a

orld

ng movement. A roar th

sil

ned m

d, eyes glowing faintly in the dark. His breathing was steady too st

uch you?"

voice shook.

uch you?"

N

across his face b

when I no

ha

shaking. Not

hat thing?"

long moment, the tru

weren't meant t

, setting me down gently on the porch. Before

aid. "If you sti

appeared in

eart racing, one thought ec

dn't move

ver Kael

st protectin

otecting