Kevin was a regular kid. He loved books, reading them, writing them, sharing them with his friends. Life was great. His parents weren't perfect, but things were fine. That was until things started falling apart.
It started with the fighting. The arguing. Kevin couldn't understand why they were so angry at each other. One night, his father discovered something he couldn't ignore. His mother had cheated. The house was filled with shouting, yelling, slamming doors.
The storm outside only made it worse. The wind howled, and the thunder cracked like it was about to tear the sky apart. Kevin could feel the fear building in his chest, but he didn't want to hear them anymore. He locked himself in his room, burying himself under his blanket, trying to block out the sounds of their rage.
Eventually, exhaustion took over, and he drifted into a restless sleep. He woke up, still in the middle of the night, the clock showing 3 AM. The storm outside had died down, but the tension in the air remained. The house was silent now, too silent. No shouting, no crying. Just the sound of the rain tapping against the window.
Kevin grabbed his favorite toy, Freddy the bear, and crept downstairs to check on his parents. What he found froze him in place.
His father was huddled in the corner, crying uncontrollably, holding something tight in his hands. his face a mix of anger and pain. Kevin's heart raced as he approached, but as he got closer, the sight turned his stomach.
His father was crying . Covered in blood. Holding a knife.
Kevin's mind couldn't process what he was seeing. His mother's body lay on the floor, lifeless. Stab wounds covered her torso, her neck… her eyes were wide open, staring into nothing. Kevin couldn't breathe, couldn't think. He stumbled backward, his feet slipping on the blood-soaked floor.
His father turned toward him. But something was wrong. His father's face was blank, eyes hollow, as if all emotion had drained out of him. Kevin felt a wave of terror wash over him as his father reached out, eyes locked on his.
And then he heard it. A voice, faint at first, calling his name."Kevin… Kevin… KEVIN!"
Kevin jerked awake, covered in sweat, clutching Freddy the bear tightly in his arms. His room was safe, normal, just the way it always had been. The storm was gone, and the world felt… real again. He exhaled, trying to shake off the nightmare.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed from downstairs."KEVIN! Time for school! You're late!"
His father's voice. Kevin breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his heart calm. He rushed downstairs, and when he saw his father standing there, perfectly normal, he hugged him tight. His father, clearly confused, hugged him back."What's going on with you, kid?" he asked.".....," kevin, not sure how to explain the weight on his chest.
The school day started like any other. Kevin met his best friend, Amy, in the hall, grinning."Yo, check out my new book! I wrote a fantasy and sci-fi mix," he said, pulling it out of his bag.Amy raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, that sounds intense. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that."Kevin laughed, handing it over. "give me a feedback if you read it, alright?"
Amy nodded, and they went to class together, chatting about their favorite books and random topics. Kevin couldn't help but notice how comfortable things felt. Amy was always a good friend. She loved books as much as he did, and she was athletic too. Soccer, badminton, basketball, boxing—she could do it all.
Then the bell rang. Time for class. And just as usual, the teacher was in a mood."QUIET YOU LITTLE SHITS!" the teacher yelled, banging the desk."We have a new student today. Her name's Yelena. She's from Russia."
The room fell silent as Yelena walked in. She was beautiful. Blond hair, blue eyes, and lips red like they were painted by a master. Everyone seemed to fall in love with her the moment she entered. Even Kevin couldn't deny it. She she looks like an angel she had that "angelic" aura about her.
Yelena introduced herself, her voice soft yet confident. "I love reading books, watching K-dramas, and playing sports," she said with a smile.
Kevin couldn't stop staring at her, though he quickly looked away when she caught his gaze. Her smile was perfect, but something about it didn't sit right with him. It felt forced, like it didn't belong. Still, he brushed it off. Maybe it was just him.
Later, after class, Kevin packed his things slowly. As he bent down, his book slipped from his hands and landed at Yelena's feet."Ah—sorry! It just… jumped on its own," Kevin blurted, trying to laugh it off.Yelena smiled again, but this time, Kevin noticed something strange. Her eyes were distant, almost blank."It's alright. It's fine," she said softly. "You like books too?"Kevin nodded, feeling uneasy. "Yeah…"
Her smile widened. "Who's your favorite author?"Before Kevin could answer, Amy walked over, annoyed. "Dude, what's taking you so long?" she said, rolling her eyes."Oh, hey, Amy," Kevin said, relieved to break the awkward tension."Hi Yelena," Amy added. "What are you two talking about?""Books," Yelena answered. "But I'm about to go—my friends are probably waiting for me."
She turned to leave, pausing for a second to look at Kevin."Bye, Amy. Bye, Kevin…" Her voice was quiet, almost too soft.
Kevin couldn't shake the feeling that something about her wasn't right. As if the smile she had given him was a mask for something darker beneath.
End of the Day
As Kevin walked out of school, he glanced back at the empty hallways. For some reason, he felt like he was being watched. It was silly, but his mind kept replaying Yelena's face. The blank eyes, the unsettling smile.There was something about her that just didn't add up.