Act one: Chapter One: Her Stalker

[Writer note: This plot will only last for this Act only]

Daniel Grayson,

2013/England,

During my college's Autumn break, I got an invitation from an old friend for our high school reunion. I thought it would be fun to see some old faces again, especially a really close one. Her name was Sophie, we had a somewhat bittersweet relation.

But after I arrived there, I learned that she had gone missing. furthermore, she had come a week prior to our high school reunion and decided to rent out a cottage at the beach close to our town. After not answering any calls from her parents, who knew about her stay, they informed the police.

After the investigation was done, she was reported missing. Because of any actual evidence that could aid the police. The case went cold, nor the police or her parent knew, as to what happened to her, or where she might have gone.

But...I might know who did it or what could have done it, but it's not like I could go to the police and tell them. It is because they wouldn't believe me, let me start from the beginning. I first met Sophie in grade school, she was a transferred student, from a town a few miles away from ours. Her appearance was not that unusual, chestnut hair color with dark brown eyes, except the pale skin.

A year passed and she couldn't get along with anyone. It became very unusual, as a kid her age should at least one friend. Once I heard some kids talking about her and they said that they felt uneasy, almost scared when close to her, although I did not feel the same.

I once talked to my mother about her and after hearing about her, she advised me to be the first one to become her friend. I did that, on the very next day. I found her after school, walking alone at home. I sneaked from behind her and tapped on her shoulder. That small tap made her jump, she got scared really badly, almost like she had a heart attack. I quickly apologized and gave her a hand to help her up.

Few minutes of talking and we were good. She was not scary at all and a kind person, but fragile, almost like she could shatter with a single push. Another thing was how she acted, always on the lookout for someone. Then one day, as we were in the same class.

Sophie and I were given a task to clean the theater stage, I was chosen as nobody else wanted to be teamed with her. At that time I was on the stage, swiping up the dust and piece of confetti off the stage and she was cleaning in the backroom.

Just then, all of sudden, weight felled on my shoulder. It was something I had never felt before, fear wrapping itself around my neck, it almost became hard to breathe. Then a moment later I heard a loud scream, which snapped me out of the trance. It was Sophie, she ran out of the backroom with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Without stopping to look at me, she ran as fast as she could. I even yelled for her to wait, but she didn't answer me and ran away. Afterward, I checked the back room and there was nothing out of the ordinary, except that cold feeling, that something was hiding just around the corner, ready to jump out at me.

After that faithful day, we grew apart, stopped talking, and hanging out altogether. Even though we lived in the same neighborhood and our families attended our town church, we kept this annoying distance. The next notable time I saw Sophie, was after the summer break.

High school had rolled around and she had changed completely. She became taller and beautiful, started to socialize, make friends, and started hanging out with them. At that point, we barely knew each other, not that we weren't friends anymore, rather because we were in different groups. In the end, I was happy for her, but then another faithful day arrived.

We were in our second year of high school. My friends and I made a plan to go and watch a movie, but at the last moment, we canceled for a club. I didn't go with them, because I wasn't feeling like it.

While heading home, I saw Sophie strolling her way home as well. I caught up with her and asked her out for a movie. Even though we haven't talked in a while, she smiled and said yes. I asked her what kind she would like to see and horror was her choice.

I looked at the schedule on my phone and it was to start at 11:30. It was a bit too late, but she didn't mind and now I didn't either. I told her that I would pick her up from her house. I had my dad's car with me and around 11:00 I drove down a few blocks to her house.

The lights were out. I texted her and she replied, telling me to wait for her. A few minutes later she popped out from the side and got in. She told me that she sneaked out from the backdoor and did not tell her parents. That was not alright, but I didn't want to ruin the moment.

The movie theater was across the highway, to the next town over. I parked the car in the parking lot. There were still a few minutes before the movie began, meanwhile, we grabbed some popcorns and drinks and went to our seats. The movie shortly began afterward.

It was about some group going to the mountains to find a witch. I personally was not a fan of horror films, but Sophie seemed to enjoy the scares. After the movie, we went back to the car, but she forgot her coat, so she had to go back and get it. While she went, I sat in the car waiting for her.

It was a clear and silent night when Suddenly the familiar weight felled on my shoulders. It was fear, wrapping its hands around my neck. I looked around frantically, unlit my eyes went to the back mirror. There was a white figure standing between the trees. It looked like a naked pale man. I blinked twice, to make sure I was not hallucinating. But he was very real and there it was tall and completely naked, but I couldn't make out his face.

What was he doing there? And why wasn't he moving, not even a little? Suddenly Sophie opened the door of the car, which made me jump in my seat. She asked me if I was okay. I quickly looked back at the mirror and he was not there anymore. But the uneasy feeling did not go away, so I quickly start my car and drove us out of there.

Though I shouldn't have, I decided to mention to Sophie what I saw. I shouldn't have, as the colors drained out of her face and she started panicking. Yelling at me to drive her home quickly. I calmed her down and asking her about that man. She said that she couldn't explain it to me, only begging me to hurry. Once we reached the highway, I stopped the car in the middle of it.

She asked what happened and I told her to get some fresh air. Without any other choice, she also got out. It was a nice night, a cool breeze was blowing. I stood beside her and now that she had claim down.

I asked her again, about the man and if he was a stalker, really politely. She looked at me in silence and I quickly told her that she didn't have to. After I few moments of silence, she told me that, it was something like that. I sighed and stared at the night sky.

All of a sudden it came back the weight and the fear. I looked at him, just ten yards away from us. This time I was able to get a good look at this stalker. He was taller than a normal person reaching more than seven feet, skinny and pale, almost white.

His legs were long and muscular, but above that, he had little structure on the torso and the between his leg was missing. His arms were long and thin. Atlas his face was deformed and starched vertically, it lacks any visible features, almost plastic-like.

It didn't take long before Sophie took notice of him. Without a second thought, she started running, faster than I had ever seen her run. I yelled at her to wait, but she didn't show any signs of stopping. While I hurried to the car door and opened it, I gave one final look at the stalker. The worst possible thing happened, the stalker started running at us, and it was not normal speed, almost inhuman.

I got in and started the car and stepped on the accelerator. I reached to Sophie and opened the door on her side and shouted to her to get in. she got in and I drove us out there. I looked in the mirror and expected him to see him, but he was not there anymore, seemingly he just vanished.

That night Sophie was too scared to go to her home, so I ended up taking her to my place. My parents weren't at home, so it was just us two. That night I laid with her in my bed, helping her forget about the stalker.

After moving around in the bed with her, she finally fell asleep exhausted. In the silence, I could hear someone from outside, someone pacing on the gravel back and forth. soon the sleep came over me and this turn out to be a one-night stand.

After that night, the stalker disappeared. The relation between me and Sophie became awkward. But we didn't grow apart, rather we started to hang out with each other more and more. I started to grow fond of her and soon I fell in love with her, but then came to the decision for my future.

I was able to register for the University Of Leeds and I had to leave her for it. Before deciding on it, I discussed it with Sophie and she didn't want herself to be a burden on me. Listening to her, I decided on Leeds, but couldn't shake off the feeling that she desperately wanted me to stay with her. The memory that I have of her was when I was leaving. she sent me off with tears rolling down her eyes and a sad smile on her face.