Jack’s POV
I woke up to the usual smell of my dad’s morning cigarette drifting from downstairs. Letting out a deep yawn, I stretched and checked my watch—10 a.m. Already late. I rolled out of my small bed, absentmindedly adjusting myself as I shuffled toward the bathroom for a hot bath before getting dressed.
Hunger gnawed at my stomach, so I decided to head to the local diner for breakfast. As I rode my black and blue bicycle down the street.
As I pedaled down Main Street, the only thing on my mind was breakfast. My stomach growled in protest, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten yet. The thought of warm pancakes and crispy bacon made me push harder on the pedals, eager to get to the diner.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Luke standing near the curb, passing out flyers. I almost didn’t think anything of it, but something about the way he moved caught my attention. He looked… different. Tense. Like he was on edge. His usual carefree attitude was gone, replaced by something I couldn’t quite place.
I slowed down, my curiosity getting the best of me. Something about Luke’s expression just didn’t sit right with me.
Pulling my bike to a stop near the curb, I called out, “Yo, Luke! You good?”
Luke’s head snapped up, his face pale and drawn. He blinked at me like he hadn’t even noticed I was there. “Huh?”
I frowned. “You okay, man? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Luke hesitated, his grip tightening on the flyers in his hands. He glanced around as if making sure no one else was listening. Then, without a word, he handed me one.
I took it, expecting to see something about a missing dog or a charity event. But when my eyes landed on the name at the top, my stomach dropped.
MISSING PERSON: SUZAN WALGREEN
I stared at the picture below, a familiar face smiling back at me. My heart kicked up a notch. “Wait… what?” I looked back at Luke. “This has to be some kind of joke.”
Luke shook his head, his jaw clenching. “She’s been missing since last night, Jake. She just… disappeared.”
I shook my head, trying to process what he was saying. “That can’t be right. I saw her last night.”
Luke’s expression darkened. “What?”
“Yeah,” I said, trying to recall the details. “I was riding home late last night when I saw Suzan walking down her street. She looked perfectly fine—totally normal. I even called out to her, but she didn’t respond. She just kept walking.”
Luke’s hands tightened around the flyers, his face growing even paler. “Jake… Why would Suzan be out so late? That’s way past her bedtime.”
My stomach twisted. “But I saw her, man. I swear.”
Luke stared at me, his breathing unsteady. “Are you absolutely sure it was Suzan?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but something about the way he asked made me hesitate. My mind raced back to last night—the way Suzan had walked, stiff and slow, like she wasn’t really there. The way she didn’t acknowledge me. The way the air around her had felt... off.
A cold shiver crept down my spine.
“So was it Suzan you saw last night or what?” Luke’s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. My mind raced as I tried to piece together the fragmented details of last night. It wasn’t just about whether it was Suzan or not—it was something deeper, something off about the whole situation.
I hesitated for a long moment, the uncertainty gnawing at me. "No," I finally said, but I wasn't convinced myself. "It could have been her... but I'm not sure."
Luke’s expression darkened, disappointment flashing across his face. "Okay," he muttered, looking down at the ground for a beat. "If you think of anything, just call me. Cool?"
I nodded, a bit guilty for not having a clearer answer. "Yeah, cool."
Luke handed me the stack of flyers, his eyes still wide with worry. I shoved them into my back pocket, making a mental note to help him out but wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. I gave him one last look before jumping back on my bike, feeling the weight of the situation press down on me.
I pedaled around the corner, immediately pulling out my phone. I dialed Beth and Simon’s numbers, needing to talk to someone, anyone, who could make sense of this madness.
"Guys, meet me at the lake ASAP!" I shouted as soon as they picked up. I didn’t wait for a response, hanging up and focusing on my ride.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I saw them—Beth and Simon, pedaling towards me. They both looked as confused and concerned as I felt, their faces a mix of worry and determination. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the weight of everything was too much to ignore.
Jack’s POVBeth pulled up first, her eyes scanning the area before landing on me. “Jack, what’s going on? You said it was urgent.” Before either of them could sit down, I handed them each a flyer. As soon as their eyes landed on it, I could see the worry spread across their faces.Beth’s lips parted, and she gave a nervous laugh, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “What if we brought the witch right to her doorstep?”Simon shook his head, a skeptical look crossing his face. “Come on, Beth. It was probably just someone messing with us?”But Beth wasn’t buying it. She looked at Simon with a serious expression. “We all know that wasn’t a joke.” She paused, biting her lip, and then added, her voice quieter but no less urgent, “What if the witch took her, Simon?”The air between us grew thick with tension. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. Beth’s words echoed in my mind, the possibility that something far darker was at play.I stared at the flyer in my hand, the words “Missing Per
Jack’s POVAs we all hopped on our bicycles and started pedalling in the direction of the witch's cabin, the weight of the situation pressed down on me harder with each passing second. The air felt colder, the sky darker than it should have been at this time of day. Every sound in the woods seemed amplified, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching us. Something much darker than we had ever anticipated.But we had no choice. We had to find Suzan.The forest path was winding, narrow, and overgrown with wild vines. The trees towered over us, their branches twisted and gnarled, as if they were hiding secrets in their shadows. It felt like we were riding deeper into a nightmare, each turn taking us further from the safety of our homes and into the unknown. I tried to push the fear down, focusing on the task at hand. Suzan was out there—alone—and we were the only ones who could help her.Beth kept glancing over her shoulder, her face tense and full of worry. “Do you thi
Jack’s POVThe air inside the cabin was thick, pressing against my chest like an unseen force. Every step forward felt like I was walking deeper into a nightmare. The single candle on the table flickered wildly, casting shifting shadows against the walls. It was as if the darkness itself was breathing.Beth clutched her stick so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her breaths were uneven, and I could see the fear etched into her face. But she didn’t back down. She swallowed hard and whispered, “Where do we even start?”I scanned the room, my eyes darting to every dark corner, every flickering shape that might not be a shadow at all. “We look for anything—tracks, signs of where they might be. There has to be something.”A sudden thud echoed from somewhere deep in the cabin.Beth stiffened, her entire body going rigid. I turned sharply toward the sound, gripping my stick like it was an actual weapon. My heart hammered against my ribs.Then came another sound. A faint whimper.Beth’s eyes
Luke's POVMorning had arrived, but the wind still howled through the streets as I stood beneath a flickering streetlamp, pressing yet another flyer into a passerby’s hand.“Suzan’s missing,” I murmured, my gaze falling to my sister’s face on the paper. I had been out here for hours, handing them out, clinging to hope—desperate for anything. But no one knew a damn thing.I was startled by the sound of my best friend, Jack."Yo, Luke! You good?" he called out, rolling up beside me on his bike.I barely registered his voice at first. My grip on the flyers tightened, my fingers crumpling the edges as I exhaled shakily. The distress written all over my face must’ve been obvious because Jack’s expression shifted from casual concern to something more serious.“You okay, man? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”I hesitated, my grip tightening on the flyers in my hands. My eyes darted around, scanning the area as if making sure no one else was listening. Then, without a word, I handed Jack on
Luke's POVI watched as Jack, Beth, and Simon rode off into the forest, their figures disappearing into the distance. A knot tightened in my stomach as the reality hit me: I had to find my sister, and I wouldn’t stop until I did. I had no idea what I was walking into, but I knew one thing for sure—I couldn’t just sit back and wait for someone else to find her. I had to act.I pulled out my phone and dialed Adam. The phone rang a few times before he picked up, his voice casual as he greeted me."Hey, you changed your mind already?" Adam chuckled, but I could hear the hesitation in his tone.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "No, actually, I need your help with something," I said, my voice firm. "I need to know where I can find the witch's cabin."There was a pause on the other end. I could almost feel Adam's brow furrow through the phone. "The witch's cabin? Luke, what are you—""Just tell me where it is," I interrupted, the urgency in my voice clear. "I don't have time
Jack's POVThe stench of rot and decaying flesh contaminated the air, thick and suffocating. My body was frozen, unable to move, as the reality of our situation set in. The only thing I could do was silently cry, my throat tight with fear and helplessness.I watched in horror as the witch paced around the room, her long, twisted fingers tracing the air like she was savouring the moment. She moved between us, one by one, sampling our blood. Each cut she made, each drop she tasted, was a reminder of our helplessness.But then something shifted inside me. I realized, with a sickening jolt, that I was still capable of feeling pain. That shouldn’t have been possible. My body felt numb, my limbs unresponsive, but the searing sting of my palm being sliced open reminded me that I was still alive, still here, still trapped.The pain was unbearable, and I couldn’t help but whimper, unable to stop myself. But it didn’t matter. The witch’s gaze never left me as she grinned, her smile impossibly w
Jack's POVThe witch’s movements were swift and unyielding as she tossed Simon’s limp body onto the cold stone table in the center of the room. His body hit the surface with a sickening thud, and I could barely breathe as she stood over him, methodically picking up the gleaming axe. The metal reflected dimly in the low light, and a chill ran through me. I was powerless, trapped in place by the witch’s dark magic, my body frozen in fear.Simon stirred weakly, his eyes wide with terror as he realized what was about to happen. His chest rose and fell in rapid breaths, but his limbs wouldn’t obey him. He tried to speak, but no words came out—only a faint whimper. My throat tightened, and my heart began to pound as I watched the witch raise the axe above her head.“Simon!” I tried to scream, but my voice was lost in the suffocating silence. My chest felt like it was caving in, every second dragging on forever.With a swift motion, the witch brought the axe down, slicing through Simon’s bod
Jack's POVI didn’t hesitate—I rushed to Beth’s side, wrapping an arm around her to help her up. She was weak, her body trembling from exhaustion and shock. We limped toward the front door, each step agonizing, but all I could think about was getting us both out of this hellhole.Just as we reached the threshold, Beth suddenly stopped, gripping my arm tightly. “We can’t leave,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over our labored breathing.I turned to her, my brows furrowing in disbelief. “Beth, we need to get out of here before—”“We have to find Suzan,” she interrupted, her eyes filled with desperate determination.I swallowed hard, every instinct screaming at me to run, to take Beth and escape before something else went wrong. But the way she looked at me, that unshakable resolve—it made me pause.“I know what you’re going to say,” Beth continued, her fingers digging into my arm as if to anchor herself, “but we can’t let my brother’s sacrifice be in vain.”My jaw clenched, tor
Jack's POVI grabbed Beth’s hand, pulling her toward the stairs, every muscle in my body screaming in pain. We were almost there. Almost free. The front door loomed ahead, a promise of escape. We stumbled forward, our breaths ragged, our bodies barely holding together.Then, just as we were about to step through, Beth was yanked from my grasp."Beth!" I screamed, whirling around.She was there—held aloft by the hair, her feet dangling inches above the ground. The witch stood behind her, grinning, her hollow eyes locked onto mine. Beth thrashed, clawing at the iron grip around her scalp, but it was useless.My stomach lurched as the witch’s jaw unhinged unnaturally wide, her rotten teeth bared, aiming for Beth’s neck."Wait, wait! Please wait!" I cried, desperation clawing at my throat. "Don’t do this—take me instead! Please, take me!"Tears blurred my vision as I stared into the witch’s dead, soulless eyes. My hands trembled at my sides. I would do anything, anything, to keep Beth ali
Jack's POVI didn’t hesitate—I rushed to Beth’s side, wrapping an arm around her to help her up. She was weak, her body trembling from exhaustion and shock. We limped toward the front door, each step agonizing, but all I could think about was getting us both out of this hellhole.Just as we reached the threshold, Beth suddenly stopped, gripping my arm tightly. “We can’t leave,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over our labored breathing.I turned to her, my brows furrowing in disbelief. “Beth, we need to get out of here before—”“We have to find Suzan,” she interrupted, her eyes filled with desperate determination.I swallowed hard, every instinct screaming at me to run, to take Beth and escape before something else went wrong. But the way she looked at me, that unshakable resolve—it made me pause.“I know what you’re going to say,” Beth continued, her fingers digging into my arm as if to anchor herself, “but we can’t let my brother’s sacrifice be in vain.”My jaw clenched, tor
Jack's POVThe witch’s movements were swift and unyielding as she tossed Simon’s limp body onto the cold stone table in the center of the room. His body hit the surface with a sickening thud, and I could barely breathe as she stood over him, methodically picking up the gleaming axe. The metal reflected dimly in the low light, and a chill ran through me. I was powerless, trapped in place by the witch’s dark magic, my body frozen in fear.Simon stirred weakly, his eyes wide with terror as he realized what was about to happen. His chest rose and fell in rapid breaths, but his limbs wouldn’t obey him. He tried to speak, but no words came out—only a faint whimper. My throat tightened, and my heart began to pound as I watched the witch raise the axe above her head.“Simon!” I tried to scream, but my voice was lost in the suffocating silence. My chest felt like it was caving in, every second dragging on forever.With a swift motion, the witch brought the axe down, slicing through Simon’s bod
Jack's POVThe stench of rot and decaying flesh contaminated the air, thick and suffocating. My body was frozen, unable to move, as the reality of our situation set in. The only thing I could do was silently cry, my throat tight with fear and helplessness.I watched in horror as the witch paced around the room, her long, twisted fingers tracing the air like she was savouring the moment. She moved between us, one by one, sampling our blood. Each cut she made, each drop she tasted, was a reminder of our helplessness.But then something shifted inside me. I realized, with a sickening jolt, that I was still capable of feeling pain. That shouldn’t have been possible. My body felt numb, my limbs unresponsive, but the searing sting of my palm being sliced open reminded me that I was still alive, still here, still trapped.The pain was unbearable, and I couldn’t help but whimper, unable to stop myself. But it didn’t matter. The witch’s gaze never left me as she grinned, her smile impossibly w
Luke's POVI watched as Jack, Beth, and Simon rode off into the forest, their figures disappearing into the distance. A knot tightened in my stomach as the reality hit me: I had to find my sister, and I wouldn’t stop until I did. I had no idea what I was walking into, but I knew one thing for sure—I couldn’t just sit back and wait for someone else to find her. I had to act.I pulled out my phone and dialed Adam. The phone rang a few times before he picked up, his voice casual as he greeted me."Hey, you changed your mind already?" Adam chuckled, but I could hear the hesitation in his tone.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "No, actually, I need your help with something," I said, my voice firm. "I need to know where I can find the witch's cabin."There was a pause on the other end. I could almost feel Adam's brow furrow through the phone. "The witch's cabin? Luke, what are you—""Just tell me where it is," I interrupted, the urgency in my voice clear. "I don't have time
Luke's POVMorning had arrived, but the wind still howled through the streets as I stood beneath a flickering streetlamp, pressing yet another flyer into a passerby’s hand.“Suzan’s missing,” I murmured, my gaze falling to my sister’s face on the paper. I had been out here for hours, handing them out, clinging to hope—desperate for anything. But no one knew a damn thing.I was startled by the sound of my best friend, Jack."Yo, Luke! You good?" he called out, rolling up beside me on his bike.I barely registered his voice at first. My grip on the flyers tightened, my fingers crumpling the edges as I exhaled shakily. The distress written all over my face must’ve been obvious because Jack’s expression shifted from casual concern to something more serious.“You okay, man? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”I hesitated, my grip tightening on the flyers in my hands. My eyes darted around, scanning the area as if making sure no one else was listening. Then, without a word, I handed Jack on
Jack’s POVThe air inside the cabin was thick, pressing against my chest like an unseen force. Every step forward felt like I was walking deeper into a nightmare. The single candle on the table flickered wildly, casting shifting shadows against the walls. It was as if the darkness itself was breathing.Beth clutched her stick so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her breaths were uneven, and I could see the fear etched into her face. But she didn’t back down. She swallowed hard and whispered, “Where do we even start?”I scanned the room, my eyes darting to every dark corner, every flickering shape that might not be a shadow at all. “We look for anything—tracks, signs of where they might be. There has to be something.”A sudden thud echoed from somewhere deep in the cabin.Beth stiffened, her entire body going rigid. I turned sharply toward the sound, gripping my stick like it was an actual weapon. My heart hammered against my ribs.Then came another sound. A faint whimper.Beth’s eyes
Jack’s POVAs we all hopped on our bicycles and started pedalling in the direction of the witch's cabin, the weight of the situation pressed down on me harder with each passing second. The air felt colder, the sky darker than it should have been at this time of day. Every sound in the woods seemed amplified, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching us. Something much darker than we had ever anticipated.But we had no choice. We had to find Suzan.The forest path was winding, narrow, and overgrown with wild vines. The trees towered over us, their branches twisted and gnarled, as if they were hiding secrets in their shadows. It felt like we were riding deeper into a nightmare, each turn taking us further from the safety of our homes and into the unknown. I tried to push the fear down, focusing on the task at hand. Suzan was out there—alone—and we were the only ones who could help her.Beth kept glancing over her shoulder, her face tense and full of worry. “Do you thi
Jack’s POVBeth pulled up first, her eyes scanning the area before landing on me. “Jack, what’s going on? You said it was urgent.” Before either of them could sit down, I handed them each a flyer. As soon as their eyes landed on it, I could see the worry spread across their faces.Beth’s lips parted, and she gave a nervous laugh, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “What if we brought the witch right to her doorstep?”Simon shook his head, a skeptical look crossing his face. “Come on, Beth. It was probably just someone messing with us?”But Beth wasn’t buying it. She looked at Simon with a serious expression. “We all know that wasn’t a joke.” She paused, biting her lip, and then added, her voice quieter but no less urgent, “What if the witch took her, Simon?”The air between us grew thick with tension. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. Beth’s words echoed in my mind, the possibility that something far darker was at play.I stared at the flyer in my hand, the words “Missing Per