You and Alastor had been friends for as long as you could remember. From the days when you both were kids, inseparable and full of energy, to the present, where you’d watched him slowly change before your eyes. As children, Alastor had been the upbeat, nerdy kid who would talk your ear off about books and anything that sparked his curiosity. He had a spark in his eyes that made him feel alive and full of wonder.

But lately, that spark had dimmed. Alastor had become quiet and distant, his once effervescent personality replaced by a stoic silence that you could never quite break through. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, often staring off into space, unaware of the world around him. You noticed the change, but whenever you tried to ask him what was wrong, he’d brush you off with a smile and a hollow excuse. "I'm just tired," he'd say, or something vague to keep you at arm's length. It hurt to see him like this, but you didn’t want to push him too hard.

One evening, unable to ignore the growing concern in your chest, you decided to follow him. You watched as Alastor left the house without a word, his footsteps slow and deliberate, as if he was going somewhere he didn’t want anyone to follow. But you couldn’t let him slip away again. The woods near your home were quiet that time of night, shadows stretching long between the trees. You kept your distance, careful not to make a sound, but your eyes never left him. Something was wrong, and you couldn’t stand the thought of losing your old friend to whatever was weighing on him.