I am paralyzed. My arms and legs are frozen, stuck, unable to move. I try to scream but the words are trapped, like concrete in my throat. The only movement I can control are my eyes. I look around rapidly but everything is dark, not one ray of light visible. I hear screaming, but the words are mumbled. I can’t comprehend the shouted words or see the owner of them. The screams became distant as they were moving farther and farther away. I long to stretch and hold the one who screams. Tears spring to my eyes as I faintly hear the whisper of a child,
“Astrid.”
“Astrid!” Someone shouted.
I spring up almost instantly and still feel the tears in my eyes. I rub my eyes with my fists to rid any evidence of the previous but recurring dream that made sleep dreadful. I look around my room until I spot my mother in my doorway with her signature scowl.
“You do know you have work in thirty minutes right?” She questioned with her arms crossed around her chest.
“Crap.” I mumbled, slowly moving my covers back and maneuvering my feet to the floor.
“Why didn’t you set your alarm again? You’re going to get fired if you keep this up.” She bluntly reminded me.
“I just forgot okay? I’m just tired.” I mumbled.
My mother sighed and asked,
“Are you having dreams again?”
“Have been for years, but they just have been becoming more real. Like I’m there or have experienced them before.” I quietly responded almost to myself.
My mom didn’t feel the need to continue the conversation knowing that she, herself, didn’t want to be further reminded of the past.
“Just get ready quickly okay? You have twenty-eight minutes now.” She reminded me and quietly left my room.
I huffed, and continued to get ready for my job at the local library. I adored the library. It was like a quiet cocoon mostly because no one showed up but because it felt safe. Being surrounded by something I love creates some sort of relief of the stress from these past four years. Plus I would like to make some money this summer before junior year, I mean, I can’t keep asking my parents for cash. As I finally finished brushing out the last tangle of my wavy, brown hair, I grabbed an apple and walked out my front door.
“Hey my oh-so favorite neighbor!” A voice of a male shouted from my right.
I mumbled under my breath and rolled my eyes as I knew exactly where that “oh-so annoying” person that voice belonged to. I pretended to not hear the shouts of my name as I continued walking in the opposite direction of the voice towards the library. My frustration grew as I heard shoes slapping the surface of the concrete sidewalk to my dismay.
“So the brat feels the need to follow me now huh?” I mumbled under my breath, secretly hoping he heard.
“Hey! That’s no way to speak to your amazing neighbor!” He shouts.
I look over as he runs up to my side with a frown but amusement swimming in his eyes.
“What do you want Hunter?” I bluntly ask, not really caring if he answers or not.
“Just walking with my favorite person that’s all.” He states.
“Oh how lucky of them.” I sarcastically mumble.
As Hunter opened his mouth to respond, I heard the slam of a door in the distance. Both Hunter and I looked towards the noise to see Mrs. Richardson. Having a lack of better words, I was startled. The ancient but always happy Mrs. Richardson, who enjoyed gardening and constantly pestering me with questions about school, looked different. Her clean, tight bun was now disheveled and her clothes unwashed, and wrinkled. Her skin is now pale, almost translucent, and her face void of any emotion. What frightened me most was her eyes. Her once bright blue eyes are now replaced with a dark black. Like her pupils have dilated to cover her whole iris. Once eyes that hold life are now dull, and unresponsive. Mrs. Richardson was just standing there, movements limited and almost robotic.
“Seems like she messed up her medication.” Hunter announced.
I jumped, forgetting that Hunter was there, while breaking the trance I felt looking at Mrs. Richardson. Confused, I asked,
“What?”
“She’s obviously old, she looks like she has a massive hangover or something from her elderly pills.” Hunter bluntly stated like I should know too.
“I don’t think so, she looks almost...dead.” I slowly said.
“Do you honestly think she would be standing there if she was dead? You’re overthinking, look just watch.” He stated as he raised his hand and waved.
“Hi Mrs. Richardson!” He shouted.
As if her reflexes are now slowed, she sluggishly moved her face to the direction of his voice. She just stared and stared. I slowly felt uncomfortable under her glare and continued walking as did Hunter.
“Huh, that was weird. Told you, she probably took too much pills. About time she needs to be sent to some old person home. The lady never knows when ‘I don’t want your damn knitted napkins’ is enough.” Hunter stated as soon as we passed her house.
I just glared,scowled in his direction and didn’t respond. This continued until I finally spotted the library.
“Okay can you leave now?” I finally asked the irritating figure next to me.  
Hunter faked surprise while covering his mouth with his hand.
“I thought we were bonding? How could you?” He exclaimed sarcastically.
I just rolled my eyes and did what I do best, flipped him the bird. He chuckled as I walked up the stairs to the front of the library.
-
The library in our town was most likely older than Mrs.Richardson. Novels, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, and more filled the walls reaching the ceiling. I guess the only downside, other than the constant worry of the whole thing crumbling down, is the moldy smell. No one really enjoys the convenience of renting books, so everything occasionally wears a coat of dust. As I walk down the aisles of the library towards my work lounge, a dark figure lurks from the corner of my eye. As I quickly turned my head in the direction of the figure, nothing appears to be out of place or there.
“I swear today is not the day to be attacked by some ghosts.” I mumbled to myself.
As I reached the room, I took the key out of my pocket and began to unlock the door. As I turned the key, a sound of paper falling to the floor echoed the library. Inhaling deeply, I reluctantly turned around with the key still in my hand. For being the brave soul I am, I tiptoed towards the noise. Quickly huddling behind one of the book shelves, I eased my head around to notice a note on the floor. Not caring who saw me or how dirty the floors were, I crawled towards it. Rapidly grabbing the note from the floor, I sprinted towards the lounge. You would've thought a bear was two feet behind me for how fast I ran to that door. I slammed the door shut and leaned back against it, breathing heavily. Once recovering from my suspicious, almost near death experience, I examined the note. Nothing seemed abnormal, so I turned it over. Furrowing my eyebrows in confusion, I read aloud the numbers written on the other side.
“1461.”
I folded the note and shoved it in the back pocket of my jeans.
“Got scared of a stupid piece of paper.” I whispered to myself.
I resumed to my job I almost forgot I had and exited the room. After 7 hours of shuffling papers and waiting for nonexistent people to walk in the library doors, I was finally able to go home. As I walked out of the library, locking the doors behind me, a chilling breeze blew my hair across my face. Once I successfully removed the strands of hair from my eyes, I glanced around my surroundings. Something seemed off, it was calm, too calm. Cars remained parked on the sides of streets, but no cars are being driven down them. Not one person was outside and everything was quiet. An eerie chill traveled down my spine as I shook my head and continued my walk home. I was overthinking as usual. I guess my suspicions heightened ever since four years ago. Picking up my pace down the sidewalks, I notice someone standing in the distance. Broad shoulders and clenched fists are all I can decipher from their shadow. My heart rate that was once calm, now skyrocketed. I froze in my spot, trying to quickly plan an escape route. Realizing that the sky was getting darker every second and my house is literally two blocks away, I built up every last ounce of courage hopefully left and sprinted. My feet pounded against the sidewalk as my legs built up speed. Though my lungs felt like they were now burning, I’d rather not be killed today by that man standing there. But as they say, curiosity killed the cat, and I glanced at the man in the distance. Squinting my eyes to get a better look, I gasped in surprise and lost my footing over a rock. One second I was soaring, and the next, I was face to face with cement. Groaning, I slowly picked myself up and swore to the rock. Lacking common sense sometimes, I then again looked back at the man. What surprised me the most was how similar he looked to Mrs. Richardson. Same empty look painted on his face, dirty clothing and the blackness taking over his eyes. The man slowly raised his right hand and pointed his index finger in my direction. My breath got caught in my throat and I began to panic. I remained frozen in my spot as four more people began to stand next to the man. All the people in the group I surprisingly recognized as neighbors or workers in our small town in Washington. There was something about their eyes. They were intriguing and I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. Something about their eyes created a magnetic pull, screaming for attention. As the group began to march over towards my direction, I felt a tug on my right hand. The trance was immediately broken as I quickly looked to my right and met a gray pair of eyes.
“Let's go! Run!” Hunter exclaimed.
Still remaining hand in hand, Hunter and I sprinted towards the direction of our houses. Hunter being obviously faster than me, seemed to drag me more than run by my side. What felt like hours, but only minutes passed, our houses came to view. When I realized that I still was holding hands with Hunter, I immediately ripped my hand from his grip.
“Do you have any idea what just happened back there?” I asked him, still not fully comprehending the situation I was just in.
“I-I have no clue. Astrid I have to tell you something, don’t freak out. Okay?” Hunter slowly said to me.
“What? Do you know what happened to those people? I told you something was wrong with Mrs.Richardson, but no, apparently everyone is taking her medication. Like, first I thought there were ghosts in the library and now some creeps just-”
“Astrid! Can you stop talking for two seconds?” Hunter interrupted.
Realizing that I, was in fact ranting, I finally nodded my head to signal him to continue what he was going to say. Hunter inhaled deeply and avoided eye contact with me.
“Okay, don’t freak out. But I was in my room and I heard some crash noise. It sounded like it came from your house so I looked out my window and y-your parents. Your parents were being taken away Astrid. I tried running to them but they were long gone. Those people that you encountered, looked like those people. I freaked out, I thought they were going for you and I couldn’t let that happen so I looked for you. That’s when I found you on the sidewalk.” Hunter stated quickly.
I blanked after he said my parents were being taken away. A surge of panic ran through my bones, and I ran towards the front door of my house. My house was the epitome of a junkyard. Rugs crumbled, furniture toppled over and picture frames shattered across the floor.
“Mom! Dad!” I repeatedly screamed from the top of my lungs while searching the house.
Hope diminished from my veins, and I slowly leaned against the door of my bedroom. I finally slide down and wrapped my arms around my shins. A squeezed my eyes shut, trying to save the tears from falling down my face. I was alone, not one family member left. I heard quiet footsteps reach me, and a shadow loomed over my face. A gentle hand comfortably grasped my shoulder, as Hunter sat to the side of me.
“It’s going to be okay. We’ll look around, we’ll find them. I promise.” Hunter firmly stated.
Keeping my eyes shut, I responded,
“They’re gone. Just like my brother. It’s been four years and all I hear are empty promises of finding him. The same will happen to my parents. Like Kai, they’re gone. I-” I couldn’t my sentence as the tears finally released. I cried into my hands as the realization that no one can find my family took over. Hunter didn’t say a word as he continued to comfort me and whisper more promises.
“I will help you find them, we can pack tonight. I-I have a car and some money built up. We can look for them.” Hunter started to mirror my earlier rant.
I shook my head as I told him,
“Hunter we can’t. Where do we even start looking, what about your parents?”
“Don’t worry about me, my parents are on vacation. Now for your parents, we can start in the direction the car drove in. Maybe ask people if they’ve seen the car.” Hunter stated.
I started to think about the situation I am in right now. I almost get attacked by black-eyed mutes, find out my parents were kidnapped and now planning to take a trip with someone I thought was my enemy. Not really having anywhere to go or maybe just going plain crazy, I responded,
“Fine. Meet me in your driveway in 10 minutes.”
Hunter looked shocked, but quickly recovered as he answered,
“Okay. Okay. This is happening, cool. I’ll go get my stuff ready.”
When Hunter left my side to get his things, I felt more empty than I already was. Now I was alone completely, maybe Hunter isn’t my enemy. Maybe he’s the solution to finally feeling normal again, even if we are just hanging out just to search for my parents. I slowly stood up and walked into my bedroom. Surprisingly, unlike the rest of the house, it was left just like how I remembered it. But one thing caught my eye. A piece of paper, similar to the one in the library, lies upon my bed. I walked quickly to the note and read the words aloud written on it,
“Come across a little house surrounded by nature is where you find the things you need most.”
My breath caught in my throat as I realized this could be clue. But from my experience of binge watching horror movies, a clue like this could be a trap. I don’t have much to lose anymore, so I shoved the note in my back pocket knowing I will decipher this clue later. I quickly pack a few clothing items, necessities and some food in my backpack. Throwing on my fleece jacket and backpack, I looked at the time. It’s only been almost ten minutes so I take one quick glance around my room and house, and leave. Waiting outside, is Hunter leaning back against his Jeep, arms crossed. Once he spots me, he quickly opens the passenger door. I quietly shuffle in as he shuts the door and runs to the drivers side. As we are both situated, he starts the car.
“Okay, what I do know is that they were heading towards the left side of town. Any idea on where to start first? Because I don’t.” Hunter explained, while quietly chuckling to himself despite the situation.
I took the note from my back pocket, and raised my hand to show him while asking,
“I saw this note on my bed when I walked in, I think it might be a clue. Any idea on what this little house might be?”
Hunter scrunched his eyebrows together in thought while shaking his head. But after reading the note over again, his eyes widened.
“Wait, I think I know. You know that forest preserve down the street?” Hunter finally stated.
I nodded my head and encouraged him to continue.
“Well, me and my buddies went off the trials and found this abandoned house. I mean it’s surrounded by nature and that thing just seemed off. We thought we saw something move inside to we ran off.” Hunter explained.
“Let’s go then, what are you waiting for?” I impatiently asked him.
“Geez woman, you know this is my car, I can start driving when I please.” Hunter sassed like a five year old girl.
I rolled my eyes realizing this is Hunter, you can only have so few normal conversations with him. I reached over and smacked his shoulder while looking at him with my death glare. Hunter huffed, and finally put the car in drive. As I looked around, it was pitch black from the sky. Street lights illuminated the sidewalks, but oddly enough, no lights were seen to be on inside the houses. My gaze shifted back to the sky. Stars scattered the sky, helping me find relaxation. Though we have been driving for a good five minutes now, I struggled to keep my eyes open. The earlier adrenaline rush came crashing down, making my exhausted. But that didn’t last long until Hunter randomly starting talking.
“Astrid, do you mind if I ask you something?” Hunter kindly asked.
“Hm?” I drowsily responded.
“What ever happened to Kai, like, what’s the full story? You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable with it.” Hunter asked me.
The tiredness I was feeling quickly disappeared and now I was fully alert. I looked over at Hunter, to find him concentrated on the road. Building up my courage, I began to recite the story I kept to myself.
“Four years ago, I was only twelve years old while Kai was eight. It was like any other day in the summer. We ran around our front yard, always causing trouble.” I starting saying, sadly smiling to myself from the old memories.
“One day, Kai and I were outside playing soccer. One minute we were arguing about who gets to be goalie and the next, all I saw was pitch black, on cold floor. I panicked of course, but for some reason I couldn’t move. No matter how hard I tried or thought, I couldn’t even get off the damn ground.” I continued.
“Long story short, I passed out and ended up back on my front yard. Kai, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. Years police have been looking for him, and they’ve eventually gave up. I feel so useless for not knowing anything, or being any help.” I finished saying my story, tears springing to my eyes once again. I looked back at Hunter to find a sad gleam to his eyes.
“Astrid, it’s not your fault. You wouldn’t be able to help because you were probably in the same situation as Kai.” Hunter told me.
“Yeah but I could’ve remembered something, like the car or where they were going or-”
“Stop Astrid, you did the best you could do. You’re here and you shouldn’t blame yourself.” Hunter interrupted me.
“The past is the past, there’s always hope you know. Like how there’s still hope that you can be my best friend still.” Hunter exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood.
I giggle softly and told him,
“In your dreams Hunter.”
Hunter responded, too, with a chuckle and continued to drive. As we got closer to the woods, something seemed off.
“Hunter?” I said, trying to get Hunter’s attention.
“Yeah?” Hunter responded, quickly taking a glance at my concerned state.
“D-Do you see that, over there?” I said while pointing towards the direction of a figure, which looked like a group of people.
Hunter squinted his eyes and swore to himself.
“Astrid, those people look familiar. I think they were at your house.” Hunter said to me.
I slowly began to, once again, panic.
“Keep driving please, we might have to make a run for it once we are by the woods.” I ordered.
Hunter only nodded, probably not wanting argue. As we passed the group, each individual pair of eyes followed our car, and then turned around, walking in the opposite direction of our car. I sank into my seat, relieved, and spotted the entrance of the forest preserve.
“We’re here.” Hunter stated as he saw the entrance as well.
Once we parked on the side of the road, we both exited his Jeep. Taking one more deep breath, Hunter and I exchanged glances, and began to walk in the forest preserve. Hunter wordlessly led the way off the path. Trees surrounded every space the forest had to offer and stretched to the very tops of the sky. Due to this, I couldn’t see crap. I constantly tripped over branches or got snagged onto thorns. Hunter, on the other hand, walked gracefully, dodging every obstacle. By the time we reached the house, I look and breathed like a dying horse. Composing myself, I surveyed the house. The outside walls covered by overgrown vines, the siding seems to be falling apart and majority of the window wear multiple cracks on their surfaces. The house was small, looked like the size of a garage rather than a typical house. The house was creepy, how it holds a suspicious aura and sits so randomly in the woods. Hunter glances at me almost knowingly, even he looked frightened by the house. Wordlessly, I walk in the direction of the front door. But a hand grasping my wrist halts my movement and I turn, confused, to look at Hunter.
“What? We have to check it out sooner or later.” I bluntly told him.
“Yeah, Yeah, I know. I just wanted to tell you that if we don’t find anything, don’t get down on yourself, okay? There’s a lot of time, many little houses and a boy who will stick by your side through all of it.” Hunter reassured to me while a shy smirk grew upon his face.
I smiled warmly at him while telling him,
“I know, come on, let’s go boy.”
“You make me sound like a dog.” Hunter whined.
“Because you are one.” I joked.
Hunter just laughed and we continued our walk towards the front of the house. Once we reached the door, I took a deep breath and my hand hovered over the handle. I had to remind myself that this is for my family, I have to find them, I need to find them. I slowly turned the doorknob and luckily the door was unlocked. I was unpleasantly greeted with a moldy smell and rotting plaster on the walls. No furniture sits inside the house, only outdated wooden floors and ugly floral wallpaper. I turn around to look at Hunter, and he nods his head at me for me to continue. I stepped inside the house, greeted with a sound of a creak from the flooring. I continued to tiptoe across the front room, attempting to see through the dark. I walked aimlessly searching for a light source, when I suspiciously spot a flashlight lying down on the floor. I quickly grab it and flick the switch, greeted with a ray of light.
“Well aren’t we lucky today.” Hunter stated glancing at the flashlight in my hands.
I shrugged and started towards the back of the house. Everything looked the same as the rest of the house, I guess the only difference was the lack of windows. As I circled the room, looking for anything, a creak was heard from the corner. I quickly turned towards the direction of the noise, finding nothing. As I continued to search, I felt something hit my foot. Not being the most brave person in the world, I screamed. Hunter immediately ran to my side and I took ahold of his hand.
“Something grabbed my foot! What if it’s a monster or something, this house freaking looks like a mini house of one those damn horror movies.” I exclaimed to him.
Hunter only chuckles and points towards the floor to my right.
“Yeah that’s a monster alright.” Hunter sarcastically stated.
I look over to find a small mouse, half the size of my palm, sitting there. Almost staring at me mockingly. I curse to myself and continue to search the house. About fifteen minutes later, hope was beginning to diminish, until I saw a reflection on the floor from the flashlight. I curiously walked towards the reflection to find a metal hook on the floor facing upright. I reached and grasped the hook, pulling upright. I struggled to lift the hook, until finally what looked like a cellar came into view under the floorboards.
“Hunter get over here! I found something!” I shouted.
Hunter jogged over to where I was kneeling and stated,
“Well s***, we might be actually getting somewhere.”
I began to descend down the stairs to be greeted only by door. Hunter walks past me and begins turning the handle. Seeing the door won’t move, it can only be concluded that it is locked. Hunter silently curses and continues to push harder on the door. While he lets out all his frustration on the handle, my eyes wonder to see a keypad.
“Woah woah, Hunter look, you need to know the code to get in.” I explained to him.
Hunter finally notices as well and looks over to me.
“Well how do you expect to get in then?” He asks me, looking hopeless.
I begin to look just as hopeless as I remembered something.
“Hunter, how many numbers make up the code?” I asked quickly.
“Um, four.” Hunter responded.
I rapidly reached for my back pocket of my jeans, to find the note I found in the library. I rushed to the door and typed in those very numbers, “1461”. A click sounded the air and I turned the handle. The door swiftly opens and Hunter gives me a shocked look.
“I found this in the library, it was the same type of paper as the clue on my bed.” I told him.
“They knew we were coming here Astrid, do you think we are getting tricked?” Hunter worriedly asked.
“Might as well see.” I told him, not wanting to waste more time.
Hunter grasped my hand tightly as I led us into the room. A long hallway stretches across the space before our eyes. Holding Hunter’s hand tighter, if that was possible, continued to walk down the hallway. After what seemed like years, we reach the end and are greeted with a huge room. Hunter seems lost for words, as he stays close to my side as we search around the room. Strange enough, what looks like to be a pictures lies across the edge of the room. Losing patience, I run towards the picture and rip it from the ground. Shakily I raise the picture to look at it closer, I gasp when I see it is a picture of my family. It was a family picture from four years ago, what is noticeably different is our faces. Each face holds a red “x” except for mine. I turn over the picture to find the words “turn around”. I squeeze my eyes shut and push myself close to Hunter, and obey the words. As I open my eyes, I find myself not by Hunter’s side anymore. Instead he disappears in the darkness behind him, hands grasping his ankles and wrists. I want to scream but the sound won’t escape my throat. Instead, I feel tears slowly run down my cheeks as I feel the familiarity of my dream. Frozen in spot, screams of my name and no control. I look ahead to find the group. The group with the black eyes and void expressions. The group that took my family, and possibly even Kai. As they get closer to me, I begin to think about my life so far. I was an average girl working in the library, ended up having a missing brother and parents and made my first real friend that also has been taken away from me. I’m left with no information on who these people are or what they want from me. But I accept them with open arms, no longer caring. Maybe I’ll be able to see my family again and even Hunter. All along I’ve had to join the darkness to be reconnected with the missing pieces.The darkness is now my comfort as I brace myself and wonder if this was bound to happen as everything turns black.