Kai woke with a sharp gasp, his body jolting upright as if he had been yanked from deep water.
For a moment, he didn't know where he was.
Then he saw his ceiling. His desk. His half-open closet door. Morning light crept through the thin gap in his curtains—pale, ordinary, harmless.
A dream.
It had to be a dream.
His chest rose and fell rapidly as he pressed a hand against it, feeling his heartbeat hammer beneath his ribs. His eyes darted to the window.
Nothing.
No shadow. No shape waiting in the glass.
Just the old willow tree outside, its branches hanging still in the daylight.
Kai swallowed.
"See?" he muttered. "Just a nightmare."
But when he closed his eyes again, the alley returned.
Her body.
Her face.
The claw mark.
The cold air.
The silence.
The smoke.
The thing he'd seen—or thought he'd seen—in the darkness.
Kai groaned softly.
If he stayed still too long, the memories crept back, thick and heavy like smoke filling his lungs. He swung his legs off the bed. His feet met the cold floor, grounding him slightly, though the dread clung stubbornly to his skin.
In the bathroom mirror, his face looked pale. His eyes were rimmed red, as if he hadn't slept at all.
He brushed his teeth mechanically, staring at his reflection as though it might blink first.
You're fine, he told himself. Everything will be alright.
After bathing, he left the bathroom and pulled on a hoodie and jeans. He grabbed his bag and headed downstairs.
The smell of toast filled the kitchen.
His mother stood by the counter, moving slowly. Her shoulders were tense, her eyes red from crying the night before.
She turned the moment she heard him and forced a smile.
"Kai," she said gently—too gently. "Good morning."
"Morning," he replied, his voice rough.
Her eyes scanned him carefully, flicking over his hands, his arms, his face—as if searching for injuries that weren't there. Her hands trembled as she set a plate in front of him.
"Your dad left early," she said quietly. "He didn't want to wake you. Eat something before school, okay?"
Kai nodded and forced down a slice of toast he couldn't taste.
Every bite felt like cardboard.
"You don't have to go to school today," she added softly.
Kai paused. He knew what she meant. He also knew she didn't want him to talk about last night.
"It's okay, Mum," he said, looking up at her and offering a small smile. "I don't want to miss on what we will be learning. I'll be fine."
She didn't look convinced.
He wiped his hands on his jeans and slung his backpack over his shoulder.
"I'll see you after school."
She pulled him into a quick hug, holding on a second longer than usual.
"Be safe, Kai," she whispered. "And stay where people can see you, okay?"
"Okay," he replied, though his mind was already racing back to the alley.
He hadn't even spent a full day in Willow Creak, and he was already tangled in its secrets.
As he stepped outside, the television murmured behind him. A news anchor spoke in a calm, practiced voice:
"—authorities believe the incident to be another animal-related attack. Residents are advised to remain calm."
Another.
Kai's stomach tightened.
On the walk to school, the town felt wrong.
People stood in small clusters on the sidewalks, whispering behind cupped hands. Shop owners kept their doors half-closed, watching the street with wary eyes. Near the park, a police cruiser idled beside yellow tape blocking off the alley.
Kai didn't look too long.
At school, the tension followed him inside.
The hallways were unusually quiet. Students whispered in small groups, some looking nervous, others confused. A few glanced at Kai as he passed, but quickly looked away when he noticed.
News spreads fast around here, Kai thought.
It's a small town. They already know I'm new… and they've heard about the incident.
His throat tightened as he swallowed, then headed into his new classroom.
And there—sitting by the window with an empty seat beside him—was the boy from yesterday.
Noah.
His messy hair looked even messier today. The moment he spotted Kai, he perked up and waved him over.
"You're in this class?" Noah whispered as Kai sat down.
"Yeah. I guess so."
Noah leaned closer. "Hey… you okay? You look like you didn't sleep at all."
Kai hesitated, then shrugged. "It's been… a long night."
Noah snorted quietly. "You're telling me. My dad wouldn't let me go outside after dark. He locked every window in the house like something was gonna crawl in."
Kai stiffened at the word crawl.
"Hey…" Noah hesitated, lowering his voice. "I heard about what happened to that girl. And that you… saw it."
Kai sighed softly. Of course he's heard, he thought.
Realizing he might've gone too far, Noah rushed on, "I mean—sorry. If it's not the right time, or you don't wanna talk about it, you don't have to." He paused, his expression turning serious. "It must've been horrifying."
Then he shrugged, trying to sound casual. "They're saying it was probably a bear attack."
Kai stared at him, shock flickering across his face.
A bear?
No. That's not what I saw.
He opened his mouth to argue—but nearby whispers stopped him. A group of boys and girls were murmuring behind them, and one word floated clearly through the air:
"Rumor."
Kai closed his mouth, the memory of last night pressing down on him.
"Your dad said something yesterday," Kai murmured instead. "About a rumor."
Noah frowned, then his eyes widened slightly.
"Oh. That rumor."
"Yes," Kai said quietly. "That one."
Noah turned toward him, curiosity sharpening. He opened his mouth to explain—
—but the classroom door suddenly swung open.
Everyone fell quiet.
The principal—a tall man with a stiff posture—stepped into the classroom, followed by two uniformed police officers.
Kai's stomach dropped.
Every student turned to stare at him. Some looked curious. Others looked frightened—like they already knew the officers were here for him.
"Good morning, everyone," the principal said tightly. "Your teacher is running late, so I'll be briefing the class instead. We had a… situation last night. But I want you all to remain calm."
Noah leaned closer and whispered, "Oh no…"
One of the officers slowly scanned the room before his eyes locked onto Kai.
"There he is," the principal said softly. "Kai Linden."
Whispers erupted immediately.
Kai's heart slammed painfully against his ribs. Great, he thought. Just what I need—a replay of last night.
"Kai," the principal continued gently, "these officers need to speak with you. Don't be alarmed. It's completely routine. They just want to take your statement since you were the only witness." He paused. "You know you didn't have to come to school today. Not after yesterday."
Routine?
There was nothing routine about what I saw, Kai thought.
He stood on shaky legs, feeling every pair of eyes burn into him. Noah looked worried but stayed silent. Kai followed the principal and officers into the hallway, each step feeling heavier than the last.
The hallway was eerily quiet and empty. Students were already in their various classes.
"Kai," the older officer said calmly once they were alone, "you're not in trouble."
Kai nodded stiffly.
"We're just here to check on you," the second officer added. "And to let you know there's nothing to worry about. It was just another bear attack."
"A… bear?" Kai repeated quietly.
Noah had said the same thing, he remembered. But bear attacks were rare. Too rare especially in this town at least.
Kai stared at them.
He knew what he saw in that alley wasn't a bear.
He knew the shadow wasn't a trick of the light.
He knew the girl's shriveled, lifeless body wasn't a hallucination—
and neither was her scream.
But the officers didn't want the truth.
They wanted the story to fit.
They wanted to protect their quiet, peaceful little town.
But how many lives would it take before they accepted the truth?
Would hundreds die first—
Or would the truth consume them before that happened?