SIXTY-TWO | EYES

I flopped in the doorway, my chest heaving as I panted, struggling for breath. I slid down the door, letting my head drop back against the hard wood. I felt safer with something solid behind my back – nothing could creep up on me from behind – and I needed a moment to gather myself before I went inside.

The feeling that I was being watched had chased me the whole way down to the beach. I’d done a few half-hearted hill sprints, before chastising myself – nothing had happened yet, so I may as well just get on with it – and managing to push myself to go faster, and to ignore the itch at the back of my head that swore someone was there with me.

Wanting to distract myself, I pulled out my phone. Cyrus still hadn’t replied, which wasn’t weird as of itself, but was strange considering that he’d gone from responding instantly to not at all. Then again, I often missed messages, forgot to reply, or