"Is she, um, pretty like your mother?" Dad asked from behind the door.
I chuckled and pulled off my glasses, using my sleeve to wipe the lenses clean. "Yeah, she's beautiful," I replied, putting my glasses back on.
"That's good. That's good," Dad said. "You, um, go easy, son. Falling in love for the first time is great, but you should take it slow. You have your whole life ahead of you, so don't rush into anything just because your heart tells you to. Okay?"
I understood what he meant. "Okay, Dad, I understand," I replied as I stood up. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, son. Sleep well." Dad turned and went down the stairs.
I went to the window to catch my breath when I noticed a tall, hooded figure staring up at me from below my house. I blinked, and the figure was gone.
Could that have been Merry? I thought to myself. No, Merry wouldn't show up at my house dressed like that. Shaking off the unease, I closed the window.
Suddenly, I heard a creaking sound behind me. Turning around, I froze. The tall, hooded figure was in my room. It stood at about 6'5", draped in a dark gown with a hood. Its slender frame resembled that of a woman.
I yelled in panic and scrambled out the window. Grateful that Scar wasn't home, I quickly crawled onto the roof and jumped down. Pain shot through my ankle as I landed, and I clutched my knee, my eyes squeezed shut.
When I finally adjusted my glasses and opened my eyes, I was sprawled on the floor—back in my room.
"What... what the hell is this?" I muttered, tilting my head toward the eerie sound behind me. My eyes locked onto the tall figure. She stood there, her long legs extending from beneath the dark gown as though amused by my feeble attempt to escape.
"Shoo!" she retorted sharply.
I yelled in fright. This time, I didn't think of crawling. I bolted across the roof and jumped down. When I hit the ground, I rolled over and began shouting, "What the fuck is that thing?"
It was the first time I had ever sworn. Still yelling, I took off running—until I blinked and realized I wasn't moving. I was frozen, standing in one spot, mouth wide open in a silent scream.
"What? How am I... What is this?" I stammered in terror, my hands frantically patting my body as I tried to comprehend why I was still in my room.
Behind me, I could hear the tall, hooded figure laughing uncontrollably. I turned to see her sitting on my bed, cradling Scar in her arms and gently patting her head. She sat cross-legged, her skin and aura eerily reminiscent of Meredith's.
"You are so cute. Indeed, my daughter has good taste," she said, her voice meticulous with an unusual pitch. My instincts kicked in, and I yelled out,
"Dad! Dad! DAAAD! Someone's in my room! Dad!" My voice trembled as I grabbed an encyclopedia from the table, clutching it tightly. My whole body quivered in fear.
I heard Dad's voice faintly, "Son, I'm coming!"
A loud bang shattered the door as it burst open. Dad rushed in and immediately wrapped his arms around me.
"Dad! Now's not the time! Look over there—there's a stranger in my room!" I yelled, pointing at the hooded figure sitting comfortably on my bed. She looked utterly unbothered, stroking Scar's fur with a calm, collected demeanor. Little chuckles escaped her lips as though she found the situation amusing.
"I know, son. I'll deal with her," Dad said, still holding me tightly.
But then, as he slowly let go, I stared at him in disbelief. His expression turned cold before breaking into a wide, unnatural grin.
"You're not my father!" I screamed in terror. "What the hell are you?"
His face began to morph—slowly transforming into Jack's.
"Jack? What... what are you—" I stammered, collapsing to the ground in panic. Jack's laughter echoed through the room as he grabbed my collar and hoisted me up. I struggled to break free, but his grip only tightened.
Dragging me toward the tall figure, Jack forced me to my knees before her.
"Look at how much you've grown, little one," she said, her voice calm but unsettling. Her hood obscured her eyes, but I could see her lips moving as she spoke. She set Scar aside, who licked her arm nonchalantly, paying no mind to the chaos.
I knelt there, spikes of pain radiating through my knees, as she reached out to touch my face with her left hand. The moment her fingers brushed my skin, I felt my body freeze. I had no control—just wide-eyed terror as I stared at her.
"Doesn't he have the eyes of our late king?" she asked Jack, giggling softly.
Jack gave a half-bow. "He does, my queen, but he has the spine of a bat," he replied, delivering a sharp kick to my elbow.
"Now, now, that's enough violence for today," she chided. "Jack, you're not very good with humor." She tightened her grip on my face, her fingers digging into my skin.
"Your mother forsook our people for love. Now, you will forsake the one closest to you for your people."
Her eyes locked with mine, and suddenly, I saw all my memories—thousands of them—flashing before me. I felt her presence invading my mind.
In the vision, I saw Dad smiling at me. Then, two hands crept behind his back. An eerie laugh echoed as another hooded figure emerged, gripping his shoulders. She turned Dad around and walked him through a door bathed in blinding light.
"Dad! Dad, don't go!" I screamed, squinting as the intense light shattered my glasses. Blood trickled down my cheek as I fell backward, utterly drained.
I lay there, exhausted, my body growing numb with fear. The image of my father faded into the glowing doorway alongside the tall figure. The light consumed them both, leaving me behind.
With terror overwhelming me, I slowly lost consciousness.