Paths Cross Again Novels & Stories

“Walk with me” “I thought you came here to talk” “Keep up” I paid for my coffee as she crossed the road, I caught up in no time, our shoulders brushed as we walked side by side, it was really peaceful but I couldn’t swallow past the lump in my throat. “Do you remember this park” I stared at the closest park to our homes, we always came here when we had issues, when we didn’t want to go home or we needed an escape. “Do you remember the memories?”

You won't be the first to fail. The street ahead of us started to split open. A chasm formed, deep and dark with more of those screaming tendrils reaching up from the depths. "Jump!" Axel didn't wait. He ran and leaped across the gap. Made it to the other side and turned to catch anyone who needed help. Willow and Walter jumped together. They made it. Then Brady and Marcus, both barely clearing the gap. Erina sent her shadow fiends across first, then used them as a bridge. She ran across the writhing mass and made it to the other side.

I promised. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.” Cassidy returned my phone. “Tell me where you stopped to rest while leaning against the wall.” I closed my eyes and tried to remember every detail. Even though it happened yesterday, it seemed like it all happened much longer ago. “I remember it was near a spot where four passages met,” I said. “And they weren’t side tunnels. They were longer, and the lights seemed farther apart.” “There are four junctions like that in the passages,” Cassidy mumbled, more to herself than me.

He could barely breathe. He had to calm down. Panicking wasn't going to help him. Taking two twigs, he put them in a cross on the ground. “What are you doing, Ryan?” “Nothing, let's continue. Night is falling very fast.” After walking another couple of hours, Ryan stops again. “Fuck!” “Ryan, what is it?” “The twigs I cross on the ground." - his eyes on the cross. Ice whimpers in fear “We are walking in a loop. I don't know how this is even possible. I'm sure I'm walking straight ahead. It can only be some kind of magic trick. One that makes us keep returning to the same place.”

He squinted, unsure. “It’s not finished yet, that’s why you don’t see it. We’ve only walked three points. But a fourth point would complete it.” I drew a straight line to complete the pattern. His jaw dropped as he recognized it. “A cross,” he said quietly. “We were meant to walk in the shape of a cross.” “Yes,” I said excitedly. “And if we follow the line, if we complete the cross symmetrically, it only leads to one place.” We both followed the line I drew.

The route shuddered as if that distinction itself burned. The route creature dragged itself forward another inch, all stolen mouths trembling with effort. “First crossing joins scent to memory,” it whispered. “Second crossing joins memory to future. Third crossing makes the pair a road.” Its grey eyes fixed on us with wet, fascinated hunger. “The old line failed because it could never force both hearts to open at once. But you…” It shivered. “You keep reaching for each other voluntarily.” “That is the least seductive sales pitch I have ever heard,” I said.

It was a three-way prison of our own making. "Enough," I bit out, shoving them both back. The silver light from my stomach flared, illuminating the dark trees in a sickly violet hue. "Fenra is at the nursery. Elias is behind us with a torch. We don't have the luxury of your bruised egos." I looked at the map in my palm. A new set of lines appeared—a secret passage through the Wailing Bridge, a narrow stone arch that crossed the gorge at the pack’s western edge. It was a suicide route, too narrow for a shifted wolf and too exposed for a human.

We were barely thirty minutes into the journey, yet she was already deep asleep, and had no clue what was going on around her. I had no choice but to help her lie down properly and I sat on the opposite seat. The rest of the drive went smoothly with no disturbance and in about three and a half hours we were halfway to Country P. Leah's P.O.V I no longer felt heavy headed. It seems closing my eyes for a few minutes really worked. I turned to my side, and noticed that something was off—I was lying down. Wasn't I sitting a while ago? I opened my eyes. My blurry vision focused on the last thing I wanted to see—Sky’s face. His eyes were fixed on his phone, but he sat facing me.

Alaric wrapped his arms around Seraphina from behind and kissed her cheek. “Didn’t you say you wanted a little thrill? Do you think doing it here counts as thrilling?” Seraphina flushed and hung up immediately. For a moment, my mind went blank. They had no shame left. The phone rang again. I answered mechanically. “Mr. Blackwood, the welcome display for the wedding is ready. Would you like to see it?” I forced a smile. “Change the bride’s picture. I’ll send a new one.” After hanging up, I ignored the nurse and left the hospital.

I meet his gaze. Steady. Stubborn. “Then we make one.” A pause. Then— A small nod. “Alright,” he says. Together, we step— Not onto the path. But past it. Deliberately. Ignoring it. Refusing it. For a moment— Nothing happens. Then— The air snaps. Sharp. Violent. And the path— Disappears. Gone. Like it was never there. I blink. “What—” Something moves behind us. Fast.