The sharp bark of a voice sliced through the night.
"Sir! Quick—come here! You need to see this!"
The first officer—who had been questioning Prizey—cast her a long, suspicious look. Without a word, he stepped away, boots crunching against the cold gravel, and joined the second officer at the rear of her car.
Then… silence. Followed by a sharp intake of breath.
"Oh my God…" the first officer muttered.
Prizey's stomach knotted. "What? What is it?"
The man's voice suddenly rose, authoritative and cold.
"Miss Prizey… you are under arrest."
Her pulse spiked. "What? Why?! What did I—what?" She stumbled toward them, confusion twisting into panic.
And then she saw it.
In the pale sweep of the patrol car's headlights, a deer lay crumpled in the back of her vehicle—its eyes closed, its fur matted, its chest frighteningly still.
Her breath caught in her throat. "Sir… no… no, I swear, I don't know how this got here! My friend—he was sitting there! We were driving and—now he's just… gone?" Her voice broke, desperate, trembling.
One of the officers stepped forward, snapping cold metal cuffs around her wrists.
"No excuses, ma'am. You're being taken in for animal cruelty."
The words hit her like a blow. "Animal—? No! Please, believe me! I love animals. I could never hurt them. This—this isn't mine. This is wrong!"
The first officer's expression remained hard, unreadable.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Save your statement for the station."
As they led her away, Prizey's mind raced—her friend gone without a trace, a lifeless deer where he should have been, and the gnawing, icy thought that someone had set her up.
"Sir… okay. I'll come with you," Prizey said, her voice trembling, "but please—let me call my friend first."
The officer studied her for a moment, then gave a reluctant nod.
"You have one minute."
Her cuffed hands shook as she fumbled for her phone. She dialed Aliyah's number. The ring felt endless—until finally, a groggy voice answered.
"Hello? Prizey? Do you even realize what time it—"
"Aliyah!" Prizey cut her off, her voice breaking. "There's a problem… a big one."
The tone on the other end shifted instantly.
"What? What happened? Where are you?"
"Please… just come. Hurry."
"I'm on it," Aliyah said, already sounding wide awake.
---
Scene shift – Police Station
The cold metal bars cast shadows across Prizey's face as she sat in the small, dimly lit cell. Across the room, Aliyah sat opposite an officer, her voice tense but unwavering.
"Sir, I know my friend. She would never do something like this."
The officer leaned back, arms crossed.
"Let's say, for a moment, I believe you. But the fact remains—your friend's car was driven by her, and the deer was found inside it. You tell me—how does that happen without her involvement?"
Aliyah's voice faltered for a second. "I… I don't know. But please, investigate further. This doesn't add up."
The officer's eyes narrowed.
"Then bring me proof. Without it, she stays here."
"Proof?" Aliyah repeated, then her expression hardened. "I know exactly who we need—Jack. He was with Prizey. If anyone can tell you the truth, it's him."
"Well," the officer said, shrugging, "then go find him. You have until sunrise."
Aliyah stood quickly. "I'll go."
From inside the cell, Prizey's voice rang out, urgent and low.
"Aliyah—check the forest. He'll be there… somewhere."
Aliyah's gaze met hers for a brief, heavy moment.
"I'll find him," she promised, before turning toward the dark night beyond the station doors.
The Forest – Exit
Jack and Aliyah stepped out of the dense treeline, the night air thick and still. Behind them, unseen by Aliyah, a faint red shadow slithered out of the woods, its form shifting, pulsing like smoke in water.
Jack's lips curved into the faintest smirk.
---
On the Road
The bike roared down the deserted road, wind whipping past. Aliyah gripped the seat, lost in her own thoughts, when her phone buzzed sharply.
"Max," she muttered, answering.
"Aliyah—where are you?!" Max's voice was frantic. "Prizey and Simon are gone. Everyone's freaking out. Where the hell—?"
Aliyah's heart skipped. "Max, listen… I'll explain everything later. Right now just… trust me. Tell everyone we'll be back soon. But—don't tell anyone else anything."
"What? Aliyah—wait—"
She hung up before he could finish.
Somewhere far away, Max stared at the dead line, his jaw tightening.
"…What are you hiding from me, Aliyah?"
---
Police Station
The sterile white light made the air feel colder.
"Sir," Jack said smoothly, "I was the one with Prizey in the car."
Aliyah nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, this is Jack—"
"Please," the officer gestured to the chairs. "Sit."
They did. The officer's gaze was sharp, dissecting every flicker of movement.
"If you were with her, Jack… then how did you suddenly disappear?"
Jack didn't flinch. "Actually, sir… when we reached the forest—"
"Wait. Forest?" the officer cut in, brow raised.
"Yes," Jack said without hesitation. "We went there for… an important reason."
In the holding cell nearby, Prizey's pulse quickened. Oh God, Jack, don't say anything about the villa…
Jack's eyes flicked toward her briefly before returning to the officer.
"We're college students, sir. We love animals. Sometimes we visit the forest to check on sick or injured wildlife—treat them ourselves if we can, or take them to a hospital."
The officer's gaze slid to Prizey. "Is that true?"
Jack gave her the smallest nod.
"Yes," she forced out. "That's true."
The officer leaned back slowly. "Oh, really?"
Jack leaned forward, voice steady.
"When we got there, I found a deer—the same one you discovered in Prizey's car. It was badly hurt, barely breathing. I put it in the back seat under a blanket, but Prizey didn't know. I went deeper into the forest… but she must have thought I was already in the car. She drove away, leaving me behind."
The officer removed his glasses, eyes narrowing. "Are you telling me the truth?"
Jack smiled faintly. "Of course, sir. Why would I lie?"
A pause. Then the officer nodded.
"Alright. We'll accept your statement. And since you're both students, we won't hold Miss Prizey any longer. But next time—be careful."
He added casually, "The deer is at the animal hospital now. No need to worry."
Jack's smirk twitched again—just for a second—as if he already knew the truth about that deer.
The officer gave a subtle nod to his partner. The second officer stepped forward, keys jingling, and the prison door swung open with a metallic groan.
Prizey stepped out slowly, her gaze cold and cutting, scanning the room like ice sliding over stone. Without a word, she walked past everyone, the sound of her boots echoing in the silence, and pushed the station door open into the night.
"Thank you, sir," Aliyah said, relief washing over her voice.
"Yes," Jack added smoothly. "You've been… generous."
"There's no need for thanks," the officer replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as he turned to Jack. "But, Mr. Jack… keep doing the good work you're doing. The world needs people like you."
Jack gave a polite nod. "We will, sir. And… good night."
Outside, the air was cold. Aliyah rushed forward and wrapped Prizey in a tight hug. "You nearly killed me with worry, Prizey! And tell me—what were you doing in that forest with Jack?"
Prizey hugged her back but whispered, "I'll tell you later… I'm not in the mood right now."
Jack's voice cut in. "You should get going, Prizey."
For a moment, she turned to look at him. But what she saw in his eyes made her breath hitch—those weren't Jack's eyes. They were Simon's.
They locked eyes for thirty long, unblinking seconds. Then Jack smirked, but Prizey broke the connection abruptly and turned toward the bike.
She froze.
"This… this is Simon's bike."
Aliyah blinked. "Yeah. It's his. Why?"
"And Simon is in the forest?"
"You saw it too?" Aliyah asked, confused.
Prizey's expression shut down instantly. "Nothing. Forget it. Let's go. Jack—you take the car back to the hotel. And don't… tell anyone."
Jack tilted his head. "What do you mean, don't tell anyone?"
"Just… don't," she replied, already climbing onto the bike.
Jack's smile was thin. "Alright. Good night."
Prizey and Aliyah sped off into the night, leaving Jack behind.
Jack stood there for a while, then slipped into the car. Without hesitation, he turned the wheel—not toward the hotel, but toward the hospital.
---
5:00 AM — The Hotel
The two women arrived exhausted. The moment they stepped into the lobby, their friends surrounded them.
"Where were you all night?" Max demanded, blocking Aliyah's path.
"And where's Simon?" Sonia cut in sharply.
Max's voice sharpened. "Yeah—Simon. Where is he?"
Aliyah hesitated. "He's… in the forest. He'll be back soon. Please, just let me go to Prizey. She's not feeling well."
She slipped her arms free from their grip and rushed toward the locked door of Prizey's room.
---
The Hospital
Simon stepped up to the reception desk, his voice casual but deliberate. "Excuse me—last night an injured deer was brought in. Which room is it in now?"
The receptionist flipped through a chart. "Yes, sir. Down the hall, first left—first room."
"Thank you," Simon said, already moving.
But as he reached the door, a nurse stepped in front of him. "I'm sorry, sir. You can't go in there."
Simon gave a practiced sigh. "I understand, but this is important."
"Rules are rules," she said firmly. "No entry."
He smiled faintly. "Alright… I get it."
He walked away, but only far enough to slip into a washroom. Inside, the flickering light buzzed overhead—and with a silent ripple of the air, he vanished.
When he reappeared, he was inside the animal recovery room. It was empty except for the deer, lying motionless on the bed.
Simon stepped closer, his eyes glinting in the dim light. The corner of his mouth curled upward.
He smirked.
Simon slowly stepped toward the deer, his boots crunching on the frost-coated ground.
The animal lay trembling, its sides heaving, and when Simon's gaze locked with its dark eyes… his chest tightened.
A glistening trail of tears slid down the creature's muzzle—tears.
Something in him twisted.
He crouched, the air around them thick with an unspoken connection.
Reaching out, his fingertips brushed the trembling fur, and the world seemed to still.
"Don't worry, Jack," he whispered, his voice low and almost breaking. "I'm here to save you… no matter what it takes."
For a moment, the deer stopped shaking—as if it understood.
And deep in Simon's veins, something ancient stirred.