Mr. Martin woke to the sound of a child laughing.
Not laughing happily.
The kind of laughter that made the hairs along his arms rise.
He opened his eyes.
Darkness.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
He listened.
Nothing.
Then—
A small giggle came from somewhere beneath the floorboards.
Mr. Martin sat upright.
His breathing changed.
"No."
Another giggle.
Closer.
He threw the blanket aside and stood.
The room wasn't his bedroom anymore.
The walls were gone.
His bed was gone.
Instead, he stood in an empty classroom.
Desks.
Chalkboard.
A clock ticking above the door.
He recognized it immediately.
His old classroom.
Not the one at Bailey Falls Academy.
The one from years ago.
Before Bailey Falls.
Before everything.
His eyes moved toward the front of the room.
A tiny figure sat at one of the desks.
A child.
Back turned toward him.
Mr. Martin's stomach dropped.
"Don't."
The child slowly turned around.
His breath caught.
His son.
