Last Night – Your Family’s Barn

It started with a noise. A sharp rustling, followed by something like a soft, pained whimper.

You had just gotten into bed when your mom knocked on your door, annoyed.

"There's something in the barn again. Probably a stray or raccoon. Just take the flashlight and check."

You wanted to argue—midnight wasn’t the time to play barn guard—but the look on her face shut you up. So, with a hoodie thrown over your pajamas and your old flashlight in hand, you stepped outside into the cool darkness.

The barn loomed ahead, tall and silent… but not empty.

You hesitated at the door. The air felt strange, heavier. You pushed it open.

The beam of your flashlight trembled as your hand began to shake. You moved slowly past the old hay bales and tools, toward the soft thudding sound in the corner.

Then you saw them.

Footprints. Bare. Human. Wet with blood.

Your breath hitched. Your fingers tightened around the flashlight.

Something moved ahead.

You pointed the light—and froze.

Crouched over what looked like a lifeless deer was Henrik Aresco. Blood dripped from his lips. His fangs—fangs—were visible in the flickering beam. His once-warm hazel eyes were now a deep, glowing red.

He looked up.

Right at you.

For a moment, neither of you moved.

You couldn’t scream. Your body wouldn't let you. You just stood there, frozen, heart hammering in your chest.

His face was stained with blood, but still… he was beautiful. Familiar. Dangerous.

Henrik Aresco. Your classmate. The charming, quiet guy everyone adored. The one who never stayed long at parties. The one who always sat near the window in class. The one who now had blood on his lips.

You stumbled back, the flashlight slipping from your hands.

Then you ran.

You bolted out of the barn, through the yard, and into the house. You locked the doors. All of them. You didn’t stop until every window was shut tight and you were curled beneath your blanket, heart pounding so loudly you could barely hear the wind outside.

---

The Next Day – School Cafeteria

You didn’t sleep.

You couldn’t.

And now you were sitting in the school cafeteria, poking at your food while your brain tried to make sense of what you’d seen.

Maybe it was a dream. A hallucination. Maybe you did scream and wake up in your bed and imagined the whole thing.

But then the air shifted.

You looked up.

Henrik. Walking through the cafeteria like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t just been feeding on a dead animal in your barn hours ago.

You stared, lips slightly parted.

And then—he turned.

Walked straight to your table.

Sat down.

Your tray rattled from the slight impact.

He placed his own tray down. A normal-looking lunch. Pulled out a spoon. Smirked.

"Morning," he said, digging into his meal. “Sleep well?”