Caught In His Shadows

CHAPTER 1: Stranger In the Dark

Zai's Point of View

I froze mid-step, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. Slowly, I glanced over my shoulder. There, just at the edge of the streetlight’s glow, was a figure.

A man.

He was wearing a black hooded jacket, his face hidden in shadow. He wasn’t close enough to feel threatening, but his presence was undeniable.

"It’s just someone else out for a walk," I told myself, but my heart was pounding in my chest. I turned away and quickened my pace, but the footsteps matched mine.

My grip on the Coke bottle tightened. The cool glass grounded me as my mind raced. The neighborhood was usually deserted at this hour, especially with the pandemic curfew. Why would someone else be out here?

I turned down another street—five blocks away from my house, far enough to be unfamiliar but still within the subdivision. I didn’t dare look back again, but the footsteps continued, matching my rhythm.

By the time I reached the middle of the dimly lit street, I couldn’t ignore the tension any longer. I threw the cigarette to the ground and crushed it underfoot, my pulse pounding in my ears.

Then the figure emerged from the shadows.

I spun around, almost raising the Coke bottle instinctively as a weapon. “Who are you? What do you want?” I demanded, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound firm.

The man stopped a few feet away, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. “Whoa, whoa, calm down,” he said, his voice steady and unthreatening. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

He was wearing a black hooded jacket, similar to mine, and black pants. His glasses reflected the faint light, obscuring his eyes. His hair was messy, like he hadn’t bothered to brush it before stepping out.

“Then why are you following me?” I asked, my grip on the Coke bottle unrelenting.

“I wasn’t following you,” he replied with a shrug. “I live around here. I just happened to be walking the same way.”

I narrowed my eyes. “At midnight? During curfew?”

He chuckled softly, lowering his hands. “Fair point. Let’s just say I needed some air.”

I didn’t lower the bottle. “Stay where you are.”

He tilted his head, studying me. “You’re jumpy. Do you always carry a Coke bottle as a weapon, or is this a special occasion?”

I scowled but didn’t answer.

“Relax,” he said, taking a small step back to show he wasn’t a threat. “I’m Kael, by the way."

I hesitated. “Zai,” I said finally, my voice clipped.

“Zai,” he repeated, like he was testing the name. “Nice to meet you.”

I frowned. “We’re not meeting. You’re just a random guy who won’t leave me alone.”

Kael laughed, the sound soft and low. “Fair enough. But if you’re so sure I’m harmless, you wouldn’t still be holding that bottle like it’s a grenade.”

I hesitated before lowering the bottle slightly, though I still kept a wary distance.

“Look,” Kael said, his tone softening, “I’m not trying to scare you. I know what it’s like to need to get away. That’s all I’m doing—walking, clearing my head.”

I didn’t reply, but my grip on the bottle loosened.

“Do you want me to walk with you?” he asked after a moment. “Safety in numbers and all that.”

I stared at him, unsure whether to trust him. He didn’t seem dangerous, but something about him felt... off. Not threatening, exactly, but not entirely normal, either.

“I don’t need your help,” I said finally, turning away.

“Suit yourself,” Kael replied, falling into step beside me anyway.

I shot him a glare. “What are you doing?”

“Walking,” he said simply, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Like I said, safety in numbers.”

I sighed, exasperated. “Fine. But don’t expect me to talk.” I put my earphone back in, trying to block him out.

“Noted,” Kael said, his smirk widening.

We walked in silence, the night stretching endlessly around us. For the first time, I felt a strange sense of ease in the quiet. I still didn’t trust him, but his presence was oddly comforting.

When we reached my street, Kael stopped at the corner.

“This is your stop, right?” he asked, nodding toward my house.

I nodded reluctantly. “Yeah... and thanks, I guess.”

Kael smiled faintly. “No problem. Take care, Zai.”

As I stepped through the gate, I glanced back, but Kael was already gone, his figure swallowed by the shadows.

I didn’t see him again after that night.