The three of them walked out of the forest as the sky slowly darkened above Willow Creak.
The quiet trail eventually opened onto the familiar neighborhood road. One by one, the streetlights flickered to life, casting long golden shadows across the pavement.
Kai walked a few steps ahead of the others, his hands shoved deep into his hoodie pockets. His mind still raced with questions.
The vision.
The monsters.
The torn sky.
And Nyx.
Something about her didn't sit right with him, even though she acted so… normal.
Behind him, Noah and Nyx talked casually as they walked.
"Wow," Nyx said brightly, looking around with wide eyes. "It's so quiet here. I mean, I know not many people live in this town, but it'd still be nice to actually see someone else."
A huge smile spread across her face, making her look almost childlike—like she was seeing the world for the very first time.
"Yeah, it is," Noah replied, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "It got even quieter after the recent events."
His voice lowered slightly at the end, like he didn't really want to talk about it.
"But everything'll be fine," he added quickly.
Nyx tilted her head curiously.
"What events?" she asked eagerly. "What could possibly be so depressing in a little town like this?"
She giggled softly, sounding completely unaware of the nightmare slowly unfolding around them.
Noah hesitated.
Kai noticed the way his shoulders tensed.
Clearly, he was trying to avoid the subject.
"W-when did you move here?" Noah asked quickly, changing the topic.
"Oh, we moved in yesterday," Nyx replied happily. "We're still unpacking."
She spun slightly as she walked, her excitement obvious.
"I live pretty close to here."
"Well, that's cool," Noah said, visibly more relaxed now.
Kai glanced back at them briefly.
Nyx was smiling again.
Too easily.
Too brightly.
And somehow…
That bothered him more than it should have.
They continued walking down the quiet street, the sound of their footsteps filling the silence between conversations.
The evening air had grown cooler, carrying the faint scent of rain and damp grass.
Eventually, they reached the start of Noah's street.
The houses sat quietly beneath the darkening sky, their windows glowing warmly against the evening shadows.
Noah finally stopped in front of his house.
"See you guys tomorrow," he said with a grin. "Today was actually fun."
Kai gave him a small wave.
"Bye."
"Noooo, so soon?" Nyx frowned dramatically.
Then, almost instantly, her sadness vanished.
"See you tomorrow! Bye, Noah!" she said brightly, waving enthusiastically.
Noah laughed.
"See you tomorrow, mystery girl," he teased before jogging toward his house.
Kai smirked slightly.
"Say hi to your dad for me," he called sarcastically toward Noah.
Noah turned briefly and laughed.
"Get lost, man."
Kai chuckled quietly as he watched Noah disappear through the front gate before continuing down the street.
Then silence settled again.
Now it was just him and Nyx.
Nyx quickly hurried forward until she was walking directly beside him.
Actually—
Too close beside him.
She looked up at him with bright curiosity.
"So," she said, swinging her arms lightly as she walked, "what kind of person are you, Kai?"
Kai frowned slightly.
"What kind of question is that?"
"I don't know," Nyx shrugged with a smile. "You just seem mysterious."
"I'm not mysterious."
"You definitely are."
Kai sighed.
For some reason, talking to her felt strangely exhausting.
Nyx glanced at him again.
"What do you like doing?"
"Sleeping."
She laughed.
"What else?"
"Being left alone."
"That's kind of sad."
"And anything that doesn't involve you standing this close to me."
Nyx blinked.
Kai gestured slightly beside her.
"Can you move over a little?"
"Oh." Nyx immediately stepped away from him. "Sorry."
Then she smiled sheepishly.
"I like cats," she said suddenly. "I really want one as a pet, but my parents think I'm too careless to take care of one."
She threw her hands dramatically into the air.
"Who even told them that? Definitely not you, because we literally just met and you've never met my parents before."
Nyx giggled at her own logic.
Kai shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and sighed in frustration.
"Are you going to keep following me around," he asked flatly, "or are you actually going home?"
Nyx blinked at him.
Then, without saying a word, she pointed ahead.
Kai followed the direction of her finger.
The house beside his.
"That's my house," she said cheerfully.
Kai scoffed immediately.
"Right."
"I'm serious."
"Great," Kai muttered sarcastically. "My stalker lives next door. How refreshing."
Nyx gasped dramatically.
"I am not a stalker."
"You followed us into the forest."
"That was curiosity."
"That was trespassing."
Nyx opened her mouth to argue—
But suddenly, the front door of the house beside Kai's opened.
A woman stepped outside carrying a cardboard box.
"Nyx!" she called out. "There you are! Where have you been?"
Kai froze.
Nyx brightened instantly.
"Oh! Sorry, Mom!"
Her mother sighed tiredly.
"We still have boxes to unpack. Come help us finish before it gets dark."
Nyx nodded quickly before turning back toward Kai with a huge grin.
"Told you."
Kai stared at her in disbelief.
She really did live next door.
Nyx stepped backward toward the porch, still smiling brightly as she waved excitedly.
"I can't wait to hang out with you and Noah again tomorrow!"
Kai just stood there, completely stunned.
Then he groaned quietly and rubbed a hand over his face.
"…This cannot be happening. This town hates me."
Nyx only laughed before running up the porch steps toward her mother.
Her mother gave Kai a polite smile before disappearing back inside with Nyx.
Kai stood there for a moment longer beneath the dim streetlights.
He looked at the house beside his one more time.
Then at his own.
A deep sense of dread settled into his chest.
Because somehow—
The strange girl from the forest had just become his neighbor.
And deep down—
Kai had a terrible feeling that meeting Nyx was going to change everything.
"What a living nightmare," Kai muttered before finally heading inside.