The morning sun filtered weakly through the blinds, casting long stripes across Theo's bedroom floor.
Even though it was morning, the previous night's tension clung to him like a heavy fog. Lily's warning echoed in his mind: "Don't fly at night. That's when they're clearest."
Other people like him existed. That thought should have been comforting. Instead, it made the world feel heavier. Stranger.
Theo rubbed his eyes and stared into the mirror. For a fleeting moment, he thought his reflection looked… different. Subtle. Almost imperceptible.
His eyes seemed sharper, almost brighter, catching the light in a way that made his heart skip. He shook his thought away. Probably just lack of sleep, he reasoned.
Downstairs, Audrey was moving quietly in the kitchen. Her uniform from the hospital was wrinkled, and dark shadows lined her eyes, but her smile, warm and tired, greeted him as if nothing had happened.
"Good morning, Theo." she said softly. "Sleep well?"
Theo nodded. "Yeah… mostly."
Audrey busied herself making toast. The smell of butter and bread warmed the room in a way that contrasted sharply with the anxious feeling that lingered in Theo's chest.
He watched her, noticing the slight tremor in her hands. Something about her seemed off, but he couldn't place it.
"You've got school today, right?" she asked.
"Yeah. Don't worry about me," he replied. "I'll be fine."
Her eyes lingered. He noticed the worry lines, how much more tired she looked than usual. He pushed the thought away. Hospitals were unpredictable.
After finishing, he kissed Audrey on the cheek and grabbed his backpack. "Bye, Mom. See you later."
"You too, Theo. Take care today," she said, giving him a lingering look that felt heavier than usual.
Outside, the world seemed oddly bright. The sunlight glinted off the pavement, sharper somehow, and Theo squinted against it. The sun feels… different today, he thought, shaking his head. Probably just me, he told himself. Lack of sleep again.
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At school, Theo found himself struggling to focus. The words "Watcher" and "awakenslike us" from Lily's warning spun in his mind like a carousel he couldn't stop. Should he tell her about the figure in the forest?
Stuart noticed. "You look… like crap." he said, leaning against Theo's locker.
"I'm fine." Theo muttered, forcing a smile.
"You sure? You're spacing out more than usual. Did you even sleep last night?"
Theo's hand twitched slightly, his fingers grazing the edge of his notebook. "Yeah. I slept fine," he said, though the lie tasted bitter in his mouth.
The buzz from yesterday's science fair still lingered in the hallways. Students laughed, recounted mishaps, and congratulated each other on small victories.
"Did you see the volcano? It exploded all over Mr. Franklin!" one student said to another.
"Yeah, and the robot kept spinning in circles like a confused chicken!"
Chaos, but lively chaos.
Theo tried to join in, asking a classmate, Drew, about the meteorite booth.
"Did you feel anything from the stones? Anything weird?" Theo asked quietly.
Drew raised an eyebrow. "Not really. We were amazed, begged to hold them. A few felt lightheaded, maybe. I didn't notice anything unusual."
Theo felt the faint pull, the subtle tug of something more.
He nodded to himself, "Forget it." he said, walking away, trying to hear whispers of anything that might explain it.
Through the morning, snippets of conversation buzzed past him:
"Yeah, I was blown away by the graphics, dude."
"Bro, did you do the homework?"
"Dammit, someone stole my mechanical pencil."
"It's soup OR salad, not super salad, dumbass!"
Nothing. Nothing useful.
Later, Theo noticed something that made his stomach twist. Government officials had apparently removed the meteorite display overnight.
A quick glance at someone's phone revealed a news photo: the small metallic case that had housed the stones bore a logo in the corner 'Kroka Kola'. The stark black letters gleamed ominously, barely noticeable but unmistakable. The corporation was watching, involved somehow.
Passing through the schoolyard between classes, Theo thought he glimpsed a familiar, shadowy figure outside the gates. He blinked, and it was gone. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
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During gym, Theo tried to focus on dodgeball, but his mind wandered. When a ball came flying, instinctively, he stopped it midair. One second. Frozen. Then it dropped. Nobody noticed.
Only Lily noticed. Her sharp look made him shrug, hoping she wouldn't question it.
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Later, at his locker, Lily appeared. "Hey, I need to show you something." she said, pulling him.
They slipped behind the gym. The air shifted and the leaves looked as if they froze in place. The air around seems like it was distorting before going back to normal.
"I've been practicing for a while, cool right, paper bag?"
Theo responded,"yeah, I guess."
Lily looked a bit disappointed at his flat reply.
Theo told her about the footprints he had discovered in the forest. She nodded. "I've seen similar ones. This… this isn't normal. They're watching for something or someone."
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In class, an unexpected announcement came from the teacher: due to scheduling changes, students could go home early.
Theo went home, expecting to be home alone.
Audrey was there, unusual, since she was normally at work. She claimed she "got off early" but when Theo asked why, she hesitated.
Her hand bore a large cut. "Uh, Mom? What happened to your hand?"
"Oh, don't worry about it, honey. Just a paper cut." she said, laughing lightly, though the tension in her eyes contradicted those casual words.
During dinner, Audrey's phone rang. She stepped out of the room, lowering her voice so Theo could barely catch fragments:
"I'm fine… no, he sti—"
Theo froze, heart pounding. Whatever she was talking about, it didn't sound ordinary.
Night fell. Theo prepared for sleep but couldn't settle. Audrey knocked softly on his door.
"Are you sleeping properly, Theo? Staying up late again?" she asked, her tone gentle but heavy with concern.
"I'm fine, Mom. Really." he replied, trying to sound convincing.
She studied him for a moment, eyes narrowed. There was something in her expression, stress, fear, maybe a secret she couldn't voice.
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Unable to resist the pull of the night, Theo went into the forest. The moonlight was dim, the wind rustling through the trees. Every branch, every shadow seemed alive.
He practiced short bursts of flight, keeping low, careful to avoid attracting attention.
Then he felt it. Eyes on him.
The shadowy humanoid figure from before had returned. Taller than any human, blacker than the deepest shadows, standing just partially lit by the moon.
It tilted its head, studying him. Theo froze, unsure whether to run or stay.
Then, as silently as it appeared, it vanished into the treeline. The faint scent of metal lingered in the air. Theo's chest tightened.
Returning home, Theo quietly floated back to his room, dusting off the sweat and dirt. As he settled onto his bed, his phone buzzed.
An unknown number had sent a text:
"Don't trust her."
Don't trust who?
Theo's pulse quickened.
He stared at the message, mind racing. The forest, the shadows, the metallic scent, the strange happenings at school, it all felt like pieces of a puzzle he hadn't been allowed to see yet.
Hours passed with only fragmented dreams: glimpses of the humanoid figure, flashes of light and darkness, and a whispering voice that seemed to echo from nowhere and everywhere.
By morning, the world felt heavier. The air thicker. Even sunlight seemed sharper, somehow.
Theo didn't know whether he was ready for what lay ahead, but one thing was certain: he was no longer alone.
And somewhere, out in the shadows, someone — or something — was still watching.
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