The Five Dimensions Part 1: Shadow World

Chapter 4

The next day Hailey was running on the dirt path. It was her usual morning run, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The sun was already coming up despite the early hour, but it was still quite dark because there was a ceiling of green pines over her. Suddenly she saw something standing a little distance away from her. At first, she stopped dead in her tracks. It was a figure, standing in the shadows of the trees. It looked like a hooded boy, or man. It was hard to see more than just his outline.

What? Hailey thought. Nobody ever comes here.

She ran towards him, but when she reached to spot where he had been standing there was nothing. No broken branches, no out of the ordinary smell, no nothing. There was only the fresh air and forest smell that was always there.

Hailey wasn't really scared, even if it might be a stalker. She was actually more intrigued than anything. A strange sensation had gotten over her. It was a feeling of familiarity and it conjured curiously instead of caution. It was very strange to Hailey, there weren't many things that gave her the feeling she was safe. Especially not a thing ― or a person ― that had only just crossed her path.

Even though the feeling started to fade she stayed for five more minutes, lost in her thoughts. Then she forced herself to leave.

§

Hailey stood waiting at the edge of the forest. She had no car of her own so she always got a ride from Nolan, but she had convinced him that it was a waste of time to drive all the way into the woods when Hailey could just walk to meet him. Usually she didn't like the waiting, but this time she didn't mind so much. She was hoping to get a glimpse of the dark figure again. However, Nolan arrived before she had the chance to look properly.

His car was quite new, but it already smelled exactly like Nolan ― if you ignored the horrible new car smell ― mint and too much deodorant. He was slightly sensitive about smelling bad ― which every teenage boy should be ― and often tried too hard to smell good. Hailey was very used to the strong scent of cleanliness. It was Nolan, and anything associated with him made her happy, even if it was a very strong pang of mint smell.

When Nolan drove away, she was lost in thoughts about the figure. Suddenly Nolan's fingers snapped in front of her face, and she woke up. She looked at him startled.

His eyes – brown like her, but darker – were focused on her, but only for a moment, then he hastily turned his eyes back on the road. His curls, dark, like her father's, swung to follow his quick turn. She'd always liked his curls.

"What was that for?" she asked angrily.

"You didn't hear me, did you? What were you thinking about anyway?" He tried to sound irritated but failed because he was focused on driving.

Nolan was different from her in that way. He liked being on the safe side of events and when he had any responsibility, he would carry it around as if it were a glass egg. Hailey didn't and never had done. Sure, she could be responsible, when it really mattered. Mostly she was laid back about things, not allowing stress to be her problem.

"Oh. It's just..." Hailey began to say but she wasn't sure whether to continue or not. The figure had invoked emotions she'd rather not share. Nolan might've been one of the people closest to her heart but her heart itself was only hers and she had never let anyone that far beyond her wall. Although, she didn't have to tell him about any of the emotions. She could just explain what she had seen and leave it at that. Deciding there couldn't be any damage done, Hailey continued, "This morning when I was on the dirt path, I think I saw this figure among the trees."

"Could've been just an animal, right?" Nolan seemed a bit put off by the lame excuse for Hailey's absent mindset.

"Nah, I'm certain it was human," she said, trying to keep her tone light, so as not to betray the swirl of emotions that she couldn't even explain to herself. The image of the figure flashed before Hailey's eyes, and she could see it just as clear as the first time again. "And its posture... It looked like a man's."

"Didn't you see his face?" Although Nolan was still mostly focusing on driving, she had gained some more of his interest. She would have to be careful if she didn't want to give much more away. Nolan could be annoyingly perceptive.

"He was in the shadows but when I got to the place he stood, he was gone." Hailey wondered about the stranger's purpose and if he had wanted to see her how he had known what time she ran there. Or it might've been a coincidence, and Hailey was making a big deal out of it in her mind for nothing. She couldn't shake the feeling that the shadow would come back, though.

"Oh, I've got a bad feeling about this," Nolan said jokingly. Hailey realized how ridiculous she had sounded.

"Stop laughing." Hailey punched him in the arm, softly though so that he wouldn't freak. Then she saw his face. "What? Are you serious? You're quoting Star Wars, again? You're such a nerd." He just grinned from ear to ear upon hearing this.

"Or so I'm told. You know what, the guy probably ran away at the sight of you. You're scary enough." At that ha-ha-very-funny comment she punched him much harder and like she expected Nolan got big eyes, scared he might've swerved. He added, "Okay, okay. Just kidding."

Hailey knew he was only joking, but she also knew there was some truth in his words. It could've been a passing stranger that simply had been going for his morning jog. Of course, the guy might not have been there in the first place. It was possibly a trick of the light.

Hailey didn't believe that though. She couldn't. Not after that feeling the stranger gave her. A trick of light could never have done that. He had been there, and with every minute that she spent thinking about him, she was more certain that she would see him again. Only the next time it would be Hailey's secret.

They would've continued their conversation, but they were close to school, and Hailey knew Nolan would be busy finding a spot to park his car. The silence was a little awkward, but she didn't worry about it. Nolan and she had been friends for ages, those kinds of things didn't matter.

When they were parked Hailey already spotted the certain group of boys she always dreaded seeing. They were smirking and giving her some glances, so Hailey knew they were up to something. They always were.

"I wondered whether you'd get that stuff from yesterday out of your hair," one boy, Corey Grant, sniggered when Hailey was close enough to hear. This particular guy looked like a typical jock, but he was more like a typical follower. He was buff and had short, shaved hair. Usually, he was the one put in front of the group to intimidate people. He used to scare Hailey a bit, but she'd learned about the boy's weak spots. Even though she didn't always use them, it was enough that she knew what they were.

"Surprising you had enough water to wash it out," another guy said. He was called Ivan Fox. This one was much thinner, and he had slick black hair, not so impressive on first sight but he could make really nasty comments sometimes.

"I bet her dad didn't shower so that she could," said a tall brown-haired guy, Nick Morgan. He was handsome in a way and that was mainly what got him the girls, with whom he liked to play around. Last time Hailey checked he had several serious girlfriends but since then they had all gotten their hearts broken.

He was Jayson's best friend, which gave him more power than he deserved. Jayson was the leader of the group, even of the school. Jayson Smith was a name that meant something, he was the golden boy who would make it. Hailey didn't believe that she knew his character. Right now, her point was proven by the foul smirk on his face.

"How you doing, Fell?" Jayson asked just like he always did, every morning. She hated it.

"Great. You, Smith?" Hailey gave him the look she would always give in return, and he would just continue to smirk. It took all her might not to hit him.

"Same." He continued to stare at her as she walked into the school. Nothing out of the ordinary happened that morning. Sometimes the boys would have something planned for her but apparently not this time.

Just another fun day at Pinemarsh High.