Shadows in the Soil
314 Words
Chapter 35: Shadows in the Soil
Lena sat at the edge of the bathtub, the steam fogging the mirror behind her. The events of the previous night haunted her like a ghost—Jay’s warmth, his kiss that seared her skin, and the way he’d pulled back like he was burning from the inside. He hadn’t spoken much after that. Just silence. A deep, wounded silence.
Now he was gone again.
She wrapped a towel around herself and stepped into the bedroom. Jay’s jacket still hung on the back of the chair, but his presence felt absent—like he’d deliberately taken all his heat with him. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and whispered, “Why do I always let him in… just for him to leave?”
A soft knock at the door startled her.
“Lena?” It was Erin’s voice from the hallway. “You okay?”
Lena opened the door. “Yeah… I just need air.”
She walked past Erin, barefoot, heading outside. The cold air bit at her skin. It grounded her.
Across the yard, she noticed something—footprints in the soil. Not old ones. Fresh. They led around the side of the house and disappeared into the trees. Her breath caught. Was someone watching them? Or was it just Jay?
No. He would’ve told her. Unless…
She followed the trail slowly, heart thudding. Halfway through, a sound—snap. A branch. Her instincts screamed, and she turned around fast—
Nothing. Just the wind.
But the feeling didn’t leave her. The forest around her felt too still. Too watching.
Suddenly, headlights appeared at the far edge of the trees. A black SUV.
Not Jay’s.
And then it vanished again.
Lena ran back to the house without stopping. Whoever it was… they weren’t done watching.
And Jay wasn’t here to protect her this time.
- Writer
