HOME | DD

Description

One second, he had been running for the red tape finish line, closing his eyes as he awaited the snap. The pleasure of winning his first race after months of training for this monumental event that would define his life. The first time Reese Parker would win a cross country race. He could see his name plastered all over the school newspaper now. The taste of success was on the tip of his tongue and he couldn't wait to take a bite.

Reese Parker, the loser and the baby of the team. He never won a race; he had always been the fat kid in last place. With the coming of puberty and the training that he had done all summer, he was something else. In the heat of the day, he would jog for miles, preparing for this moment. Over the course of a sweaty summer, he had lost most of the fat on his body and all his extra weight. When his sophomore year came around, Reese knew that this was his year to shine.

Instead of that feeling, it was one minute he was sprinting off to the finish line with the tingling sensation of triumph, the next he felt weak as his body was slammed to the ground. His chest ached and his entire body burned hot for a few seconds before cooling off. His heart was racing faster than it had been only seconds ago. A searing headache flashed white through his mind as he tried to pick himself up off the ground. And all the while, the boy hadn't even tried to open his eyes yet.

Once he was on the ground again, his left side buried into the grass, he truly listened. Reese awaited the voices of the runners that had been so close on his heels. He kept his ears open for the sound of footsteps as they reached him. Maybe the sound of an ambulance would be there, if something was terribly wrong. Except, none of this reached his ears, the air was only filled with deadly silence. Something was not right; there should be people and plenty of them. He couldn't be alone.

This time, as he tried to straighten up, Reese opened his eyes. The world spun for a few seconds before trying to focus but instead, he was jammed back down into the ground. A strong hand had pushed down on his shoulder, keeping the runner pinned to the ground. Once his eyes were in focus, Reese was able to look at his assailant. It was a young man; he couldn't be much older than Reese's own elder brother. Blonde hair was cropped short; it made him look to be a military soldier. His steely blue gaze was focused ahead, his hand crumpled into a fist.

"When is she going to get here? This wasn't supposed to be my job." His voice was so quiet that Reese barely recognized the words. The man spoke to the open air, his fingers tightening around Reese's arm. The boy tried to struggle out of the hand but his muscles protested and the grip only became tighter. "Boy, I swear that if you don't stop moving, I will kill you before the Hunters can." The man growled, his icy gaze shifting to Reese's face.

All Reese could do in response was groan as weakness settled in. His body hurt and his heart still pumped hard against the inside of his ribs. His attention shifted from the annoyed man to the surroundings. This place was familiar, a park that Reese often visited. How had he gotten here when he was supposed to be an hour away winning a cross country race? Looking to the sky, the beginnings of a rainstorm were forming as dark clouds gathered together. Confusion only continued to become stronger as Reese only remembers the day being filled with blue skies. The weather had resembled this three days ago, this day was not supposed to bring rain clouds.

A loud crack jolted Reese out of the cloud that filled his mind. The man's hand grew lighter on Reese's shoulder as he stood. Even as he was released, the runner did not move. Now, as the adrenaline wore off, his body was left weak and useless. All he could do was watch as the blonde crossed the small distance between him and another. This person must have been the woman he was talking about. Reese could not see her face but from what he could tell, the two seemed identical. The same shade of blonde rested upon her head and she possessed the same tall and lanky build. The two briefly embraced before the man simply vanished.

Reese was not the person to kid. The blonde man simply disappeared into the air with a small pop. The woman watched the spot, motionless for a few seconds before turning his way. She took a couple steps before pausing, close enough that the boy could no longer see her face. Rather, he stared at her shirt. Reese felt uncomfortable, staring a girl right in the chest but he did not have the energy to move and he did not want to close his eyes and become vulnerable.

A wave of relief hit Reese as the woman bent down and he realized she wasn't much of a woman in the first place. Her face was young, younger than the man before. The runner wasn't often good with guessing ages but he placed her around seventeen, maybe nineteen at the oldest. She knelt there, her knees high and her body lowered so she could almost be face to face with Reese. Bangs hid most of her face except for a single green eye and half of a smile.

"You are going to be just fine." She soothed the panicked boy, her voice cautious, her words carefully picked. Her hand rubbed the spot which only minutes earlier had been locked in a death grip. As she tilted her head the slightest to the left, the hair fell out of her face, Reese was shocked. He had seen this face before. This girl was familiar; her voice reminded him of one of the strangest occurrences in his life."I wasn't early this time."She murmured with a short barking laugh. She was the girl who disappeared in the snow.

Description

One second, he had been running for the red tape finish line, closing his eyes as he awaited the snap. The pleasure of winning his first race after months of training for this monumental event that would define his life. The first time Reese Parker would win a cross country race. He could see his name plastered all over the school newspaper now. The taste of success was on the tip of his tongue and he couldn't wait to take a bite.

Reese Parker, the loser and the baby of the team. He never won a race; he had always been the fat kid in last place. With the coming of puberty and the training that he had done all summer, he was something else. In the heat of the day, he would jog for miles, preparing for this moment. Over the course of a sweaty summer, he had lost most of the fat on his body and all his extra weight. When his sophomore year came around, Reese knew that this was his year to shine.

Instead of that feeling, it was one minute he was sprinting off to the finish line with the tingling sensation of triumph, the next he felt weak as his body was slammed to the ground. His chest ached and his entire body burned hot for a few seconds before cooling off. His heart was racing faster than it had been only seconds ago. A searing headache flashed white through his mind as he tried to pick himself up off the ground. And all the while, the boy hadn't even tried to open his eyes yet.

Once he was on the ground again, his left side buried into the grass, he truly listened. Reese awaited the voices of the runners that had been so close on his heels. He kept his ears open for the sound of footsteps as they reached him. Maybe the sound of an ambulance would be there, if something was terribly wrong. Except, none of this reached his ears, the air was only filled with deadly silence. Something was not right; there should be people and plenty of them. He couldn't be alone.

This time, as he tried to straighten up, Reese opened his eyes. The world spun for a few seconds before trying to focus but instead, he was jammed back down into the ground. A strong hand had pushed down on his shoulder, keeping the runner pinned to the ground. Once his eyes were in focus, Reese was able to look at his assailant. It was a young man; he couldn't be much older than Reese's own elder brother. Blonde hair was cropped short; it made him look to be a military soldier. His steely blue gaze was focused ahead, his hand crumpled into a fist.

"When is she going to get here? This wasn't supposed to be my job." His voice was so quiet that Reese barely recognized the words. The man spoke to the open air, his fingers tightening around Reese's arm. The boy tried to struggle out of the hand but his muscles protested and the grip only became tighter. "Boy, I swear that if you don't stop moving, I will kill you before the Hunters can." The man growled, his icy gaze shifting to Reese's face.

All Reese could do in response was groan as weakness settled in. His body hurt and his heart still pumped hard against the inside of his ribs. His attention shifted from the annoyed man to the surroundings. This place was familiar, a park that Reese often visited. How had he gotten here when he was supposed to be an hour away winning a cross country race? Looking to the sky, the beginnings of a rainstorm were forming as dark clouds gathered together. Confusion only continued to become stronger as Reese only remembers the day being filled with blue skies. The weather had resembled this three days ago, this day was not supposed to bring rain clouds.

A loud crack jolted Reese out of the cloud that filled his mind. The man's hand grew lighter on Reese's shoulder as he stood. Even as he was released, the runner did not move. Now, as the adrenaline wore off, his body was left weak and useless. All he could do was watch as the blonde crossed the small distance between him and another. This person must have been the woman he was talking about. Reese could not see her face but from what he could tell, the two seemed identical. The same shade of blonde rested upon her head and she possessed the same tall and lanky build. The two briefly embraced before the man simply vanished.

Reese was not the person to kid. The blonde man simply disappeared into the air with a small pop. The woman watched the spot, motionless for a few seconds before turning his way. She took a couple steps before pausing, close enough that the boy could no longer see her face. Rather, he stared at her shirt. Reese felt uncomfortable, staring a girl right in the chest but he did not have the energy to move and he did not want to close his eyes and become vulnerable.

A wave of relief hit Reese as the woman bent down and he realized she wasn't much of a woman in the first place. Her face was young, younger than the man before. The runner wasn't often good with guessing ages but he placed her around seventeen, maybe nineteen at the oldest. She knelt there, her knees high and her body lowered so she could almost be face to face with Reese. Bangs hid most of her face except for a single green eye and half of a smile.

"You are going to be just fine." She soothed the panicked boy, her voice cautious, her words carefully picked. Her hand rubbed the spot which only minutes earlier had been locked in a death grip. As she tilted her head the slightest to the left, the hair fell out of her face, Reese was shocked. He had seen this face before. This girl was familiar; her voice reminded him of one of the strangest occurrences in his life."I wasn't early this time."She murmured with a short barking laugh. She was the girl who disappeared in the snow.