Chapter 2-The Man With A Silver Eyes
1165 Words
Judith’s Pov
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
The stranger stood motionless beneath the moonlight, his silver eyes fixed on mine.
“Judith Harrison.”
My name sounded different coming from him.
Too familiar.
Too certain.
Fear tightened around my chest.
“How do you know my name?”
His expression remained unreadable.
The question seemed to hang between us.
Then his gaze shifted past me.
Toward the creature lying on the ground.
The creature I still couldn’t believe existed.
My pulse hammered against my ribs.
“What was that thing?” I asked.
The stranger didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked past me.
Every instinct screamed that I should run.
Call the police.
Wake up.
Do something.
Instead, I watched him kneel beside the creature.
His movements were calm.
Controlled.
Like this wasn’t the first monster he’d killed.
Not even close.
A cold realization settled over me.
Whoever he was…
He wasn’t normal either.
The stranger touched the creature’s neck.
A curse escaped his lips.
Then he stood.
The creature’s body suddenly crumbled into ash.
I stared.
My jaw dropped.
The alley floor was empty.
Completely empty.
As if the creature had never existed.
My heart nearly stopped.
“No.”
The word escaped before I could stop it.
The stranger looked at me.
“No?”
“That’s impossible.”
He remained silent.
“I saw it.”
My voice rose.
“It was right there.”
Still nothing.
Anger pushed through my fear.
“Would you stop looking at me like that and explain what’s happening?”
For the first time, something resembling amusement appeared in his eyes.
The expression lasted less than a second.
Then it vanished.
“You should go home.”
I blinked.
“That’s your explanation?”
“You’re not safe here.”
I folded my arms.
“Neither are you.”
A corner of his mouth twitched.
The almost-smile caught me completely off guard.
The man was unfairly attractive.
I hated that I noticed.
“Who are you?” I asked.
Silence.
“Do you always ignore questions?”
“Most of them.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“That’s annoying.”
“That’s intentional.”
My frustration grew.
His calm attitude was infuriating.
I’d just been attacked by a monster.
A monster that somehow turned into ash.
And this man acted like we were discussing the weather.
“Look,” I said. “Either I’m losing my mind or something impossible just happened.”
His gaze softened slightly.
“You’re not losing your mind.”
The certainty in his voice made my stomach twist.
Because somehow…
I believed him.
“What was that thing?”
A shadow crossed his face.
“Something dangerous.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting tonight.”
Before I could protest, a sharp pain pierced my temple.
I winced.
The strange sensation hit me without warning.
Pressure.
Emotion.
Not mine.
His.
The feeling slammed into me so suddenly that I nearly stumbled.
Relief.
Exhaustion.
Protectiveness.
And beneath it all…
Fear.
My eyes widened.
The emotions vanished as quickly as they appeared.
The stranger frowned.
“What is it?”
I stared at him.
For years, I’d sensed emotions from people.
But never this strongly.
Never this clearly.
And never from someone trying so hard to hide them.
“You were worried.”
The words slipped out.
His entire body went still.
A dangerous stillness.
“Worried?” he repeated.
“About me.”
The silence that followed felt endless.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Shock.
The emotion disappeared almost immediately.
But I had seen it.
The stranger took a step toward me.
My pulse jumped.
“How did you know that?”
Now it was my turn to stay silent.
Because I didn’t know how to answer.
How could I explain something I barely understood myself?
The stranger studied me carefully.
As if seeing me for the first time.
Then his expression hardened.
“Damn it.”
“What?”
He looked genuinely annoyed.
Not with me.
With the situation.
Which somehow felt worse.
The sound of approaching sirens echoed in the distance.
My head snapped toward the street.
Police.
The stranger heard them too.
His gaze lifted toward the night sky.
“No.”
The word came out sharp.
Almost angry.
“What?”
“They got here too quickly.”
The comment made no sense.
Before I could ask what he meant, he turned back toward me.
“Listen carefully.”
The seriousness in his voice made me obey instantly.
“Go straight home.”
“What?”
“Lock every door.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t leave until morning.”
I stared.
“You’re joking.”
“I never joke.”
That was probably true.
The man seemed physically incapable of humor.
“Who are you?” I demanded again.
His jaw tightened.
For a second, I thought he might actually answer.
Instead, he looked away.
“Someone who failed once already.”
Confusion flooded me.
“What does that mean?”
His silver eyes met mine.
Pain flashed through them.
Real pain.
Ancient pain.
Then it was gone.
“You don’t remember.”
The words barely rose above a whisper.
A chill ran through me.
Remember what?
Before I could ask, a shout echoed from the street.
The stranger looked toward the sound.
When I glanced back at him
He was gone.
My breath caught.
Gone.
Completely.
One second he stood in front of me.
The next, the alley was empty.
Impossible.
I spun in a circle.
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No movement.
No sign he had ever been there.
The only evidence was my racing heartbeat.
And the memory of silver eyes.
I didn’t sleep that night.
How could I?
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the creature’s glowing yellow eyes.
The fangs.
The ash.
The stranger.
Joshua.
No.
I didn’t know his name.
Not yet.
But somehow, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
At three in the morning, I gave up trying to sleep.
I walked into my kitchen and poured a glass of water.
The apartment felt too quiet.
Too empty.
My gaze drifted toward the window.
Darkness stretched beyond the glass.
For a moment, I thought I saw someone standing across the street.
Watching.
My heart stopped.
I blinked.
The figure disappeared.
Just a shadow.
Nothing more.
At least that’s what I told myself.
Then my phone buzzed.
The sudden sound made me jump.
A text message.
Unknown Number.
My stomach tightened.
Slowly, I opened it.
The message contained only six words.
Stay inside tomorrow. Trust me.
I stared at the screen.
My blood turned cold.
Because there was no signature.
No explanation.
And yet somehow…
I already knew exactly who sent it.
The stranger with silver eyes.
But the question that truly terrified me wasn’t how he got my number.
It was this:
How did he know I was still awake?
- Writer
