CHAPTER 2

As Sarah's eyes widened in surprise, Kelvin felt a rush of panic wash over him. She had always known him as the shy, timid boy who never stood up for himself. Without a word, Kelvin turned and walked without saying anything more, as Kelvin couldn't believe what he had just done.

Unknown to Kelvin, a mysterious figure in a black hoodie, part of the clan of the mist-covered Evernight from the generation of Leopold, the rebellious brother, had been watching him closely.

Back at the party, the music blared on. Kelvin found George, easy to spot because he was dancing wildly with a blonde girl. But before Kelvin could even speak, George had his arm around another girl, this one with red hair.

"Hey man, where'd you go?" George slurred, his voice thick. "Come on, let's party!"

Kelvin grabbed George's arm, way harder than usual. "We gotta leave now"

Kelvin finally stopped, catching his breath, his heart racing. He glanced around nervously before George's insistent gaze. The fury in George's eyes was evident, but Kelvin was at a loss for words. How could he explain such strength he displayed out there? He has always known himself to be a weakling.

"George, I... I don't know how to explain," Kelvin stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "Something happened back there, something... I can't make sense of it myself."

"Okay, take a deep breath, George, visibly frustrated by Kelvin's silence, forcefully released his hand and turned to face him squarely. "Kelvin, you can't keep dragging me around. I'm not your toy. You need to tell me what the heck is wrong with you, or we're done here. You walk your way, and I'll go mine."

Kelvin's eyes widened, fear and confusion mixing in his gaze. He knew he couldn't explain himself to George, without sounding insane.

"George, it's... it's hard to explain. I did something back there, something I can't even believe in myself. I don't understand what's happening to me," Kelvin replied, his voice shaking.

George's laughter rang out, almost mocking in its intensity as he teased Kelvin about running away because of Sarah. "Wait a minute... It was Sarah, right? Oh yes, it had to be Sarah. She made you run? Hahaha!" He laughed so hard that he almost lost his balance.

"It's not funny, George. I'm going through a lot right now," Kelvin replied, his voice filled with frustration.

"Then start talking. I'm all ears. You just ruined my chance with that lady, I was about to get her number. You've got five minutes, Kelvin. Spill it out," George said, his laughter subsiding as he realized the seriousness of Kelvin's behavior. He stood there, arms crossed, waiting for Kelvin to explain himself

Kelvin took a deep breath and began to explain. "Right after you left with that lady, I found a corner to sit in. Suddenly, my eyes started flashing, my ears were tingling, and my hands were sparkling. It was terrifying. I had to find a piece of cloth, and... and I found some shade nearby to cover my eyes."

George, listening intently at first, saw Kelvin pause, clearly struggling to continue.

"And... and then I felt this weird kind of energy. It was like I was being controlled... I started moving towards it," Kelvin continued, his voice shaky.

George moved closer to Kelvin, placing his hands on his shoulders, and giving him a serious look as if he was about to say something important. He stared into Kelvin's face for a moment and then burst into laughter.

"Hey, Kelvin, you've been watching too many movies lately, man. You need to chill. And maybe what you need is some therapy from Sarah," George joked, his laughter echoing as he started walking back to the party, leaving Kelvin standing there, his words fading into the distance.

Kelvin's heart hammered in his chest like a drum solo as George disappeared back into the party. Feeling dumped, he decided to ditch the whole thing and head home alone.

He took a shortcut through a thick patch of bushes, the branches scratching at him like angry cats. All of a sudden, a flash of a black figure whooshed past, making him yelp and trip backward. He blinked hard, trying to see through the growing darkness. Was it just his imagination?

Nope. Not this time. Two shadowy figures, wearing the same black hoodies, stepped out from the darkness ahead.

He fumbled for a branch, anything to defend himself with. His bravery, which had felt good a minute ago, started to melt away with each deliberate step the figures took towards him. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hands started shaking like a leaf tossed by the wind.

The closer they got, the worse it became. Kelvin squeezed the branch until his knuckles turned white. What good was a stick against whatever these things were? Panic flooded him, cold and raw. He tossed the branch aside with a yelp, his heart hammering like a drum solo in his chest. There was no other choice. He got on his heels and ran. His feet pounded the floor, the sound swallowed by the rustling leaves as he ran away from terrifying creatures.