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Chapter Three

I lifted my head from the icy swing and took a brief look around my surroundings. The air had grown colder as darkness fell, humidity rising to a dew point. I could not help but notice the increasingly eerie atmosphere.

I should really get going and head back towards the house.

Chains groaned in relief as I stood up, the swing rocking back and forth slowly. A thick wave of overgrown grass wrapped around my legs. I trekked through it, foxtails pulling on my shoelaces.

A slight crunching noise from plant debris being stepped on sounded behind me. I spun around and squinted in the dark, only finding mounds of leaf piles that spread out all over the ground like confetti.

Ah, probably a deer or a squirrel.

I eventually arrived at the damaged sidewalk. Jagged, uneven pieces of concrete were parallel to the street, grass growing through the cracks.

The familiar route home was mapped out in my mind. Curious as to the time, I grabbed my cellphone out of my backpack.

11:40 p.m.

Missed calls appeared on my lock screen. Two calls came in, one from Amanda and the other from an identified number that was flagged as spam. I returned my aunt's call. She did not answer until the third ring.

"Where are you, Jayden?" She immediately asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

I ambuled down the road. "On my way home now."

"Our electricity got turned off. I don't know why you forgot to pay the bill. It is part of your responsibility since you are an adult now." She stated, "And why did you not come home right after school?"

I had just turned eighteen a week ago. The idea of me getting a job to pay the bills excited Amanda, as she had been pressing the subject all week.

"I stayed after school for a study session." I lied, massaging my head with my free hand.

"You left beer cans and bottles everywhere this morning. This place is really disgusting, you never clean." She complained.

I took a deep breath. She was getting on my nerves.

"Okay, Amanda. I will clean it when I get home. I am sorry." I apologized, taking the easy way out.

"Good." She replied, hanging up.

I rolled my eyes. The whole house was spotless yesterday from my cleaning. Amanda always finds something to pick at, so the criticism isn't brand new. She refuses to accept responsibility for any mistakes she makes.

I know she despises me. She only put up a show of taking care of me for so many years to receive the kinship care check she got monthly. If she would not have gotten paid, there is no way she would have taken me in. The only reason I am not in foster care is because of that money.

There is no family for me to rely on and I loath this town. My goal is to escape the rural area as soon as possible. I want to avoid becoming stuck here, like everyone else.

I came upon the street. The air was humid, a thin mist creeping through the streets. The only light around was the dim yellow glow from the outdated streetlights that barely illuminated the street, making it difficult to see.

The cracking noise of a stick breaking echoed in the air behind me. Chills ran up and down my spine, a bad feeling creeping in my gut.

I felt like I was being watched.

I slowly twisted my head to the side, peeking subtly out of the corner of my eye. About ten feet away was a tall figure dressed in raven clothing approaching me, taking large strides down the sidewalk. A draping hood hid the unseen face, crossed arms tucked under the dark leather jacket. Their stature did not resemble anyone that I knew.