Nathan stood behind the tree, his eyes unblinking. Rain fell softly, soaking his hair, but he didn’t care. Across the street, the girl walked alone, a small umbrella in her hand.

Nathan took a long breath, his smile crooked. “How long have you been playing inside my mind…” he murmured.

His hand gripped a thin wire in his pocket — not a knife, not a gun. Quieter. Cleaner.

“Your friends never knew. Your family never noticed. But me? I was always here.”

His steps were slow, almost like a shadow. The rain drowned out the sound of his shoes.

The girl paused for a moment, lifting her head, as if sensing someone watching. Nathan chuckled softly. “Tonight I’m done waiting…” he whispered. “And you’ll learn who’s been the closest… who’s always faster.”

In his mind, Nathan was already picturing how those small hands would stop moving — how her breath would slowly fade.

And he smiled, stepping out from the darkness.