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3: A Strange Feeling

Hannah

He knew. He always knew.

Hannah's heart thumped hard against her chest as she watched Evan weave through the living room with ease. Despite his large stature, his movements were smooth and graceful, even powerful, like that of a lion. It was all very subtle and natural, and she wondered if he even realized how he carried himself.

He disappeared around the corner and she followed his silent footsteps down the hall. It wasn't until his bedroom door clicked into place that she slumped back into the couch and let the breath she was holding race out of her. The ropes of tension that had wrapped themselves around her finally eased and loosened, just a bit, but the relief was instant, and she gratefully grabbed it and pulled it close.

It had started Monday. Hannah had gotten up for work, grabbed a coffee, and headed out. Everything had started as it normally did, but, as the day progressed, she could tell something was different. It felt like a ball of nervous energy had lodged itself deep within her chest. From the moment she became aware of it, the ability to sit still and focus vanished, and time slowed to a crawl. The feeling had coiled and tightened in the pit of her stomach and she kept expecting something momentous to happen at any moment.

Hannah tried ignoring it, but as the week went on, it became difficult and then impossible. The anxious energy continued to grow, reminding her of a living being writhing and stretching within her, looking for that perfect spot to rest. The thought unnerved her; it still did. It wasn't until Thursday that everything shifted.

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The office door closed behind her and Hannah took a moment to breathe in the cool, early autumn air. The odd feeling inside her hadn't changed, but it felt wonderful to be outside. She took two steps toward her car when something deep in her gut yanked her in the opposite direction.

Another two steps, another pull.

Maybe ...

Done trying to make sense of whatever this was, Hannah turned, straightened her shoulders, and began walking. The sane part of her brain screamed at her to reconsider, that this wasn't smart, but she pushed those thoughts away. This was no time to be cautious. She needed answers.

Soon enough Hannah found herself on the local university's campus. It was beautiful day; the fresh, crisp air, the colorful leaves that clung to the trees and littered the sidewalks, and the slight nip on the breeze that promised colder weather. As she strolled and followed the strange feeling, her head finally began to clear, the coil loosened and relaxed, and all that remained was a slight pounding in her temples.

With a silent thank you to whoever was looking over her, she continued, rounded a corner, and headed down a set of steps to the street below. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, the odd sensation surged, making her trip and stumble.

She was falling, and her hands flailed and grasped, searching for anything to grab onto in the open space around her. Something warm closed around her arm and everything jerked and stopped. Hannah blinked and found herself looking at a dark-haired guy with deep brown eyes and piercings.

"Are you ok?" he asked, his voice soft and kind.

She opened her mouth to answer, but the words couldn't get around the cotton that was now lodged in her throat. The guy's eyebrows came together in concern as he watched her.

Hannah finally found her tongue and her speech. "Y-Yeah. S-Sorry about that. Thank you."

The guy just nodded and stepped back as an awkward silence settled between them.