Awa stood still in the moonlight, her breath coming in shallow gasps as her mind filled with thoughts of Forrest. His cold, unreadable eyes, his broad shoulders, and the way his mere presence had the power to shake her to her core. She could almost feel him there, towering over her, with that inexplicable, primal energy that left her both entranced and terrified. Her pulse quickened with each fleeting image of him, and along with that rapid heartbeat came something else—heat, raw and intoxicating, flooding her veins like wildfire.
It was happening again.
The power she had been desperately searching for, that sense of unstoppable strength she had felt before, it was back. Only now, she understood why.
Forrest.
Her chest tightened with the realization. It wasn't anger or fear that triggered the power—it was him. Forrest was the key, the catalyst that stirred this strange, overwhelming energy inside her. The thought sent a ripple of unease through her, but also... a thrill. She couldn't deny the strange excitement that came with it, the rush of power coursing through her.
Without thinking, Awa spun around, letting the adrenaline take control. She unleashed a swift, powerful roundhouse kick at the nearest tree, her leg slicing through the air with inhuman speed and precision. The tree cracked like thunder, splitting cleanly in two at the point of impact. The sound echoed through the quiet night, and Awa watched with wide eyes as the massive trunk slowly tipped over, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.
For a moment, she stood frozen, her breath coming in ragged bursts. But as the dust settled and the broken tree lay at her feet, a smile crept onto her lips.
She did it again. The strength, the power—it was real.
Her heart pounded in her chest, her pulse racing with exhilaration. So it wasn't a specific emotion that triggered her abilities. It was a specific person—Forrest. Thinking of him brought this raw, primal strength to the surface, and she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of triumph. It was as though she had unlocked a part of herself she never knew existed.
Not trying anymore, she thought with a smirk, feeling the power still tingling in her limbs. She wasn't about to waste any more energy testing the limits. She had proven what she needed to. It was time to go home and clear her mind.
But as the adrenaline slowly faded, Awa's exhaustion began to creep in. Too much had happened today, too many things she couldn't quite make sense of yet. She turned her back on the fallen tree and began her walk home, her mind still spinning with the implications of what she had just discovered.
When she arrived at her apartment, the place was dark and empty. Tina and Beatrice weren't home, but that wasn't unusual. Beatrice was always full of energy, and most evenings she managed to convince Tina to take her on little adventures around the neighborhood. Awa couldn't help but smile at the thought—Beatrice's joyful, restless spirit was a sharp contrast to the chaos that had consumed Awa's life lately.
But the apartment's emptiness brought her some relief. She needed time to think, to process everything that had happened without the added weight of conversation. She dropped her keys on the table and collapsed onto the couch, her body sinking into the cushions as she stared up at the ceiling, replaying the events of the last few hours over and over again.
Forrest. The way his face haunted her thoughts unnerved her, but at the same time, she felt drawn to it—like a moth to a flame, unable to pull herself away from the allure of his power, his danger. What was it about him? Why did her body react so intensely whenever he was near, even when she thought about him?
Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her tangled thoughts. She picked it up from the table, glancing at the screen. It was Stanley.
"Hey," she answered, trying to sound casual, though her voice still carried the weight of everything that had happened.
"Hey, Awa," Stanley's familiar voice greeted her, his tone light and cheerful. "I've been thinking… do you want to go out for dinner tonight? There's this new place I've been wanting to try, and it'd be great to spend some time together."
For a moment, Awa hesitated. The events of the day had left her drained, both mentally and physically, but perhaps a nice dinner would be a good distraction—something to ground her in reality, to remind her of normalcy.
"Yeah, that sounds nice," she replied, her voice soft but sincere. "I could use a distraction."
"Perfect! I'll pick you up in an hour," Stanley said with a smile in his voice. "See you soon."
The hour passed quickly, and before long, Awa found herself sitting across from Stanley at a cozy little restaurant. The ambiance was warm and inviting, with soft lighting and a gentle buzz of conversation filling the space. The smell of fresh food wafted through the air, but even as the aroma of their meal surrounded them, Awa found it hard to focus.
Stanley was talking, something about his day at work, and though she nodded and smiled at the appropriate moments, her mind was somewhere else entirely. She kept replaying the image of the tree she had felled with a single kick, of the way her body had responded to her thoughts of Forrest.
"Awa, you okay?" Stanley's voice broke through her thoughts, his hand reaching across the table to gently touch hers. "You've been really quiet tonight."
Awa blinked, realizing she had zoned out completely. "Yeah, sorry," she said with an apologetic smile. "It's just... work stuff. I've been distracted."
Stanley nodded, his expression softening with concern. "I get it. If you ever need to talk about it, you know I'm here, right?"
"I know," Awa said, squeezing his hand gently. "Thanks, Stanley. I appreciate it."
The rest of dinner passed in a blur of light conversation and easy laughter, though Awa never quite managed to shake the lingering thoughts that weighed on her mind. She felt disconnected, as though she were only half-present in the moment. Stanley, ever the thoughtful partner, didn't press her further, but Awa could tell he sensed something was off.
When they finished their meal and stepped out into the cool night air, Awa decided she needed some time to herself.
"Hey, you don't have to drop me off," she said as they stood by Stanley's car. "I know you've got work early tomorrow, and I could use the walk."
Stanley frowned slightly, but nodded in understanding. "Are you sure? I don't mind driving you home."
"I'm sure," Awa assured him with a small smile. "I need to clear my head anyway."
Stanley smiled back and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Alright. Take care, okay? I'll see you soon."
Awa watched as Stanley drove off, the taillights of his car disappearing down the street. The night was alive with the usual Friday buzz—people strolling along the sidewalks, laughing, chatting, and enjoying the cool air. Awa slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and began walking toward her apartment, her thoughts still swirling with the events of the day.
That was when she smelled it.
At first, it was subtle—a faint, pleasant scent that caught her attention. She breathed it in, savoring the warmth it brought, almost like the scent of a meal she had been craving for days. But as she walked, the smell grew stronger, richer, wrapping itself around her senses and pulling her in.
Her stomach growled, and her pulse quickened. But it wasn't hunger that gnawed at her—it was something far more primal, something that tugged at her very being. She glanced around, trying to locate the source of the scent, her heart racing as she scanned the crowd.
Then she saw her—a middle-aged woman walking casually down the street, her face relaxed and content. Awa's eyes locked onto her, and instantly, the craving intensified. It was almost the same feeling she had around Forrest, but weaker, diluted. Still, the pull was undeniable.
Awa's breath hitched as she struggled to resist the overwhelming urge to follow the woman, to be closer to whatever it was that made her smell so... enticing. Her mind screamed at her to stop, to pull away, but her body wasn't listening.
What is this? She tried to fight it, to wrestle control back from the impulse, but her body was moving on its own, drawn to the scent like a predator stalking its prey.
Just when she thought she couldn't resist any longer, Awa wrenched herself away, tearing her gaze from the woman and stumbling into a side street. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her body trembling with the effort of pulling herself out of that strange trance.
She leaned against the brick wall of the alley, gasping for air, her mind spinning with confusion and fear. What's happening to me?
The craving still lingered, a faint pull that gnawed at her insides, but she fought to suppress it, to push it down until it was nothing more than a whisper in the back of her mind.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" she muttered to herself, pressing her hands to her temples as if that would quiet the chaos in her head. The sensations, the pull, it had been almost like when she was near Forrest—but not quite. It was weaker, less intense, but no less frightening.
Suddenly, a low, menacing laugh echoed from the entrance to the alley, cutting through her thoughts like a knife.
"Well, well, well... what have the dogs let in?"
Awa's blood ran cold. She slowly turned toward the voice, her eyes narrowing as she saw who stood at the entrance of the alley.
It was Kelsey, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement, his lips curling into a smug grin as he stared at her.