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I take another turn and collide with a dead end. ‘Shit.’

Before I can pivot, his shadow falls over me. In the next flash, he’s already here, his hands braced on the wall either side of my head, caging me in. His body heat radiates through the cool air; his height and width fill the tight space. He must be well over six foot to tower over me like this, since I’m not a short girl. I stand at five-nine and he makes me feel small, meaning he’s at least six-four, if not taller.

His mask is inches from my face, black and smooth, its silver lines shimmering with each pulse of light. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, loud to the point I can hardly hear my own thoughts.

‘Okay,’ I pant. ‘You win again. Seriously, A-plus commitment. Very spooky.’

He doesn’t move. His startling blue eyes shine through the mask as he studies me. My breath catches in surprise. Those eyes. Brilliant and beautiful. His head lowers slightly, angled like he’s drinking in the sight of me, and for a small moment, I think he might try to kiss me, which seems completely absurd.

I swallow, wanting to speak, but find no words. He lifts a gloved hand and trails one fingertip along my jaw, deliberate and gentle. It seems almost too intimate for a stranger. Too familiar for a random scare actor. He tilts his head once more, eyes appraising me. My eyes catch on a silver glint of a bracelet. I lean closer, trying to confirm if I really just saw a small red cherry on it, but it’s fallen back under his sleeve.

A shiver bolts down my spine. I press back against the wall, breath stuttering. ‘You’re … a very intense performer,’ I breathe.

The strobe cuts out for a second, pure darkness swallowing us both. When it returns, he’s even closer. His voice, a low, raspy murmur, slides through the narrow space. ‘This has been fun,’ he says, tone laced with something warm and haunting all at once. ‘You still run the exact same way.’

Cold prickles race over my skin. He leans in, his lips near my ear, his voice dropping to a whisper that curls down my spine like a secret meant only for me.

‘Hope to see you again soon, Bryn.’

Before I can react, the lantern buzzes, blinding me for a brief moment, and when my eyes adjust, the corridor is empty.

He’s gone. No footsteps. No fog disturbance, just the faint echo of his voice. The air around me is still buzzing, and a scent lingers behind – something warm and strangely intoxicating. It hits me slowly – a smoky spice, like cedarwood, and a hint of something richer. It clings to the corridor even though he’s gone, and wraps around me like hot breath on my neck.

My pulse trips as a chilling realisation sinks through me.

Does he know me?

5

BRYN

Five Years Ago

Jogging down the deck steps, I head toward the table and place the salad down. There’s a knock on the door and loud voices float out to the back. More guests have arrived. My stepfather turns, peering at the house, before turning back to flip the meat on the barbecue. He’s a quiet, stand-offish kind of guy, especially compared to my socialite of a mother, but he somehow manages to survive all the social arrangements we have. Grant is short and broad, solid in a way that makes the room feel smaller the second he walks in. His hair is a deep brown and thinning a little on top, but he combs it back neatly.

My mum is the complete opposite of Grant. Where he’s quiet, she’s all lightness and charm, as though she floats instead of walks. She’s the picture-perfect housewife – the kind of woman who could smile for a magazine cover without needing photoshop. Her strawberry-blonde hair – so similar to my own – is always styled in soft curls that brush her shoulders, like she just stepped out of a salon. Her makeup is subtle but flawless: dewy skin, rosy cheeks, lips always glossed in a shade that matches whatever dress she’s chosen for the day. She loves anything that looks ‘effortlessly elegant’, even though I know she puts a lot of effort in.

She’s graceful in a way I’ll never be. My mum knows everyone in town, remembers their birthdays, their kids’ names, their favourite drinks. She hosts brunches, charity dinners, garden parties; her schedule is always full, always jam-packed with social events.

Standing next to Grant’s stillness, she looks out of a commercial. Bright, warm, perfect. Even her voice goes higher around him, like she’s constantly performing and doesn’t even notice. Sometimes I wonder how they ended up together. How her sunshine ended up tangled with his shadows. I’m convinced it’s because of how wealthy he is, and with the way she smiles at him, I’m pretty sure this is the life she’s always wanted.

Since we’re moving to Brisbane next month, this is the last party we’ll be hosting here. We’ll only be a few hours away, so the social circle will still meet on occasions, but it’s the end of an era. We’ve lived here for a long time. I was devastated about the move – something to do with my stepfather’s work. I’ve been assured my new school offers an amazing track team, and that’s all that matters to me in the long run, but I’m going to miss my best friends terribly. I love Black Water Cove, it’s all I know, and moving to a new place terrifies me.

Grant glances over his shoulder, his thick eyebrows bending toward each other. Crow’s-feet wrinkle the outer corners of his eyes and spread into thin lines that run down the side of his face.

‘Where’s your sister?’ Grant asks.

Scanning the backyard, I notice she isn’t among the clusters of people gathered. I shrug. ‘Not sure. I’ll go find her.’

‘Bryn!’ a shrill voice shouts. I pause and plaster a fake smile onto my face as my mother’s best friend beelines toward me. Her bright red lipstick is so vibrant it gives me a headache. ‘Look at those long legs! She will have a boyfriend before you know it.’

A blush kisses my cheeks as Mum smiles. ‘She just met someone, she tells me!’

Swivelling her piercing eyes to mine, Anita beams. ‘Oh, have you now?’

‘It’s nothing,’ I mutter, not wanting to get into it. I didn’t want to tell my mother about Ash in the first place, but I had to explain why I was gone for so long, and I didn’t want to lie.

‘Mmhmm.’ Anita winks. ‘I’ll be back for details later.’