7. Hunter held his hand the whole walk to the lions. Hunter was the only one who knew, besides Kai’s parents. His father hated him. He was abusive and not at all accepting. When Kai came out as bisexual, he got two responses. His mother, who was happy, and his father were furious. His father was a rich CEO named Mason Gray. He had a large liquor company that spread from sea to liquored sea. His mother, Malia, was named after, loved Kai and his family. She died a few years ago from a boating accident when she went on an anniversary rowboat outing with his father when he was just thirteen. Kai was seventeen now, and his father kept saying he’d have to “Prepare Kai for the business”, whatever that was. Kai wanted to move to Hawaii to reconnect with his roots. But for now, he was stuck in West Valley City, Utah.
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8. The walk to the lions was brutal, but the fact Hunter was there and that there was the crisp fall breeze on the back of his neck made it all better. Kai took a shaking breath and was grateful that Malia was ahead of him. He didn’t want her to see him - not like this. He was glad she had friends, ones that cared enough about her to invite her to parties and events like this one. Malia was talking with a few other kids about some fantasy movies. He looked around, taking in the sights- mothers walking, holding young kids by their hands, teenagers and young adults in groups or on their devices, and fathers, dragging behind, tired of the families they feel they were assigned. Kai looked in the reflection of a puddle and saw a man standing in front of him. The man was wearing a charcoal-colored suit with only one button on it and a matching bowtie for his suit and pants, the suit having a birds-eye pattern. His eyes were pitch black, with blinding red pupils. The stranger chuckled, black blood pouring through his mouth and eyes. The man stared at him, making him feel uneasy in a heartbeat. He has a smile, but it’s not real, Kai thought. Well, it was real. The man was smiling, but he had no teeth or tongue - or even gums! But that’s impossible, he wondered. If he had nothing in his mouth, how could he smile? And why is he looking at me? He doesn’t look that old. Maybe in his mid-twenties, early thirties at best’ The more Kai thought about it, the more it creeped him out. He thought of something. He tapped Hunter gently on the shoulder and pointed in the direction of the man.
9. “Do you see what I see?”, Kai questioned.
10. “Oh my gosh, you’re right! That cheetah cub is so cute! I’m glad I brought money, because they sell cheetah cub plushies at the gift shop here!” Hunter smiles. Kai smiled, though his eyes showed confusion. He looked back at the m-
11. The man was gone.
12. Kai shook his head. His mother did say he had an overactive imagination - a lot. He took a deep breath, walking with Hunter’s hand the whole way. Hunter squeezed his hand gently, giving him a reassuring smile that didn’t reassure Kai at all. Kai’s mind raced with thoughts of the man from earlier - if he could even call the figure a man. Even though it was against his better judgment, Kai continued to walk with Hunter. Hunter talked about some piece of homework they were meant to finish for some class. Kai was fuming inside that Hunter was blind to what was clearly there. The puddle had no ripples, something that would’ve been there if a person had been there. Kai shook his head. Maybe it was his imagination the whole time.
13. “Not the cheetahs! Did you see the man? The one in the suit?”
14. “No? I didn’t see anyone in a suit here at all today. Why?”
15. “I thought I saw somebody. He was right here!”
16. “Sorry, but no. Kai, nobody was in a suit. Are you okay? You didn’t get food poisoning, did you?”, Hunter asked, worried. Kai shook his head, his emotions shaking more than fireflies in a jar. He was glad it was just himself who was confused, but angry nobody else saw. Maybe it’d be best to just forget.
