1.

I woke up suddenly from a nightmare. I couldn't quite figure out what it was, it was just a blur, which is unusual as they are normal crystal clear. I slowly pulled myself out of bed and got dressed. I put on my shoes and started making my way downstairs. My parents have already left so I'm just home alone. I go to put on my shoes and I make my way down to the riverbank – that's where I spend most of my days, just drawing and thinking, it enables me to clear my head. Everything is silent, well, almost everything; I can hear the trees swaying in the wind and the occasional bird chirping.

Something seems different this time though. Nobody is walking their dog or even opening the curtains in their houses.

I start heading back home, through the town square, where again, everything is silent. No shops are open and no cars are driving, I'm worried. I start running, not caring if anyone sees me.

I reach my house and run up to my room; I take off my jacket, scarf and hat and fall flat onto my bed. What is going on? I think to myself. Where has everyone gone? I can't let these thoughts stay in my head. It's winter; of course people are going to stay inside, right? What about the shops? My thoughts are distracted from the front door being slammed shut.

'(Y/N)?' I hear a familiar voice.

I instantly run downstairs to find him. Alex. You may think that this is just normal, a brother just stopping by to see his sister and other family, right? Wrong.

See, I haven't seen my brother in 8 years.

He went missing when I was six. I still remember the day my dad came rushing in the front door, tears streaming down his face. That was the first and last time I ever saw my Dad cry. I also remember my mother asking him what was wrong, and they both telling me to go upstairs. I was confused back then, obviously, but now I realise my Mother already knew something bad had happened. Peter had a rough time in High School, I honestly don't see why; he was the perfect student, had straight A's and contributed in quite a few school sports, yet people still bullied him. Looking back, I regret not trying to get closer to him.

I stand there for a minute, in complete shock. He's all grown up now. Well, I say that, but he's always been older than me.

'(Y/N)? I-' He says again. But before he can finish his sentence I run up to him and throw my arms around him, after a couple of seconds, he hugs back.

I'm so confused and worried but I'm just so happy to see him, I didn't realise how much I missed him until now.

He pulls back and puts his left hand on my shoulder and wipes my face with his right. I hadn't even realised I was crying at this point, they weren't tears of sadness, nor joy. I don't quite know what my emotion is right now.

There must be a reason why he's here. Why would he just turn up after leaving my family heartbroken for nearly a decade? Anger suddenly builds up inside me and I clench my fists as tight as I can.

'Why now?' I say to him, nearly shouting, 'Why have you just decided to show up now?!'

'(Y/N)' He says for the third time.

'Stop that! Just answer my questions!'

'Look, I will tell you, just not now, things are complicated. '

After he says that, my body relaxes a bit, yet I'm more confused and more questions come into my mind, how did he even remember that was the nickname he gave me? I thought he completely forgotten about me.

'Something's wrong, isn't there?'

He doesn't say anything, but I can see by the look in his eyes I'm right. I usually like being right, but on this occasion, I certainly don't.

After a while, he finally replies.

'We've got to go.'

Alex took my hand and we ran out the house. I didn't question him, I was just happy that he was finally back. We ran through the woods, with the wind rushing through our hair. It felt like we were kids again, I loved spending time with him. I was still confused though, of course. So many questions were still racing through my mind.

He suddenly stopped and faced me.

'Remember Jack, Rian and Zack?' he asked.

'Of course I do, you were all best friends, I remember when you started that ba-'

'Shut up.' He interrupted. 'We were all best friends. Things have changed. Zack left us. He just left, without any explanation.'

'Oh kind of like how you left us? Venerable and heart broken' I replied, nearly shouting.

'Look I'm sorry. Anyway, after Zack left, things started to go, well… strange.'

'What do you mean?' I was starting to get worried.

'Well we were all mad at Zack of course, but Ryan took it very personally. I knew Rian and Zack were close, but Rian was furious and depressed. And he said that no one should have happiness unless he did. After a while, Rian started just disappearing from time to time, then after a few months he just left. Again, with no explanation, just gone.

We were so confused, none of this made sense, but one night we got a call from Zack and all we heard was screaming and heavy breathing down the phone. We think Rian has… changed.'

Something inside of me clicked. Something is wrong. Very wrong. I remember seeing the shutters closed on all the houses throughout the town, and even some of the windows barricaded, this couldn't possibly be because of Rian… could it? Did he really change? I remember hearing on the news about an anonymous Killer and of course I was scared, but it was supposed to be the other side of the country.

Alex was about to say something, but we heard a siren in the distance, followed by screaming. Alex took my hand again and we ran a fast as we possibly could. He stopped at an abandoned car and he jumped in. Without question I followed him and sat in the passenger's seat. There were so many questions unanswered, but I knew we had to get out of the town.