The sound of footsteps grows louder, closer. The tension in the air thickens as the mysterious figure advances toward us. I can barely make out his features, but there's something about his presence that feels menacing.
"Who are you?" I demand, my voice steady despite the pounding in my chest.
The figure stops just a few feet from us, his face still concealed in shadows. His voice is low and filled with authority as he answers, "I think you already know who I am."
My heart races as I try to make sense of the situation. Another person involved in Ethan's past? Is there no end to the web of secrets that's been spun around him?
Ethan's eyes narrow, and he steps forward, as if to shield me from the stranger. "You shouldn't have come here, Cameron."
Cameron? The name sends a chill through me, but I don't have time to process it. I'm too focused on the intensity in Ethan's eyes. The way he's looking at this new arrival, it's not fear, but something else—something deep, personal.
"You're too late," Cameron says, his tone smug. "The game's already in motion. And there's no stopping it now."
"What do you want?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. My mind is a whirlwind of confusion and fear.
Cameron finally steps into the light, his face now visible. And what I see shocks me.
It's a face I recognize. A face I never thought I'd see again.
"Jason?" I whisper, the name escaping my lips before I can stop it.
Jason, one of the boys from my past. A distant memory, one that I never thought would resurface. He was someone I used to know—someone who had been part of a chapter of my life I've tried to forget. But here he is, standing in front of me, and my heart lurches with recognition.
Ethan turns to look at me, his face a mix of confusion and frustration. "How do you know him?"
I swallow hard, trying to process what's happening. "I… I knew him back in middle school. We were… friends, I guess. But I haven't seen him in years."
Jason smirks, his eyes locking with mine. "Funny how the past has a way of catching up with you, isn't it?"
My mind spins as I try to understand how Jason fits into all of this. What does he have to do with Ethan? Why is he here now?
"You and Ethan—what's the connection?" I ask, my voice trembling despite my attempts to sound confident.
Jason's smile fades, and he tilts his head slightly. "Oh, we've got plenty of history, you and I. But that's not what matters now." He glances over at Ethan, his eyes full of disdain. "What matters is the game. And you two are already playing it."
I feel a knot tighten in my stomach. "What game? What are you talking about?"
Jason's eyes gleam with something dark. "You'll find out soon enough."
Before I can respond, there's a sudden crash, and the lights flicker overhead. For a moment, the hallway is plunged into darkness.
My heart races as I hear the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching. A cold sweat breaks out across my skin as I realize that whoever—whatever—is coming, it's here.