Out of darkness, a landscape formed.
The first few recognizable shapes were homes.
Common houses, aligned on a typical suburban street.

It always felt like waking from a deep sleep, but Meg knew by now not to be fooled. She came to her senses immediately, crouching down into the untrimmed grass as low as she could manage. Already her heart began to race as her eyes darted about frantically, searching for an unknown, but assured danger.

This was a nightmare, one that offered no escape. For as long as she could remember, Meg would find herself suddenly conscious in a strange, deserted environment. Admittedly, her memory had become foggy; Thoughts of her life before were vague, like remnants of a dream, lost upon slipping back into reality.

Out of every realm Meg had encountered, the one she had appeared in today upset her the most. It was a bitter reminder of what she would never have. The domestic scene was torturous, almost as if the Entity wanted her, and all others stuck in this hellish cycle, to know that they would never see anyone they knew again.

These thoughts plagued her while she made her way slowly through what was once some family's backyard. Every little sound sent a rush of adrenaline through her, whether it was the caw of a crow or leaves rustling. Meg climbed up the wooden set of stairs that had at one point led into a cozy porch, but now it came off as more of a sad, decaying bundle of wood. Once inside, she moved into a corner where she could keep an eye on the back entrance. In the distance, she heard a cry of pain, which she knew would just be the first of many. At the sound, both terror and relief passed through her; She was safe, for now, but soon Meg would be the one fighting for her life.

Situated inside, Meg used the time to gather as much information as she could from the little she could see and hear. Other than her own breathing, there was a faint humming. A haunting melody that she recognized immediately. The Huntress. Anywhere else, Meg would have found the tune quite pleasing, but here, it was an omen of impending doom. Dread found its way into her very bones, and her body froze completely in an attempt to save itself from approaching danger. Her heartbeat grew faintly louder…

"Meg."

Though barely a whisper, the voice was much too close. Meg bolted away, but after only a step, she felt a grip on her ankle, which almost sent her tumbling to the floor. She turned, eyes wild, wincing in preparation for what was to come, but instead…

"Jake!"

He had been crouched on the floor as well, but when Meg recognized him, Jake stood and the two held each other in a tight embrace. Wrapping her arms around his torso, Meg buried her face in the warmth of his neck as the other pulled her close. She was overwhelmed with emotion, and would have refused to let him go had she had dwelt there a second longer. Instead, she forced herself to move back, eyes taking in every feature of Jake's face, though his arms stayed wrapped around her waist. He seemed to be without injury, and Meg's whirlwind of worry faded just a bit.

"I'm so glad you're here," she whispered, clinging to his shirt. Realizing the implications of her words, Meg clarified, "I hate having to meet like this. But seeing you makes me so happy."

Once again, she was torn between guilt and love. Was it right for her heart to skip a beat when she saw Jake in this terrible place? Underneath that joy, Meg despaired, knowing he suffered as he did.

If she had known Jake felt the same conflict, perhaps it would have made reunions like this easier.

Jake moved one arm to her shoulder, a gesture Meg interpreted as reassurance.

"I'm glad to see you, too." He gave her a soft smile as he spoke, and their eyes met in a moment of mutual understanding. However, it was short-lived, as they both became aware of a danger approaching, moving rapidly, closer and closer. The distinct noise of a life-or-death chase was far too near.

"Come with me," Jake said, pulling away from Meg, looking behind to make sure she was following as they moved silently toward the stairs. The two-level house was small, but had many rooms, and offered some sense of safety. They positioned themselves in a tiny, empty room. It felt claustrophobic, considering it allowed little chance of escape, but there was a window that could possibly serve as an exit if needed.

The two crouched silently in the corner for some time, Meg taking a knee to conserve energy. Jake remained beside her, trying not to make his repeated glances in her direction too obvious. His desire to comfort Meg was overwhelming, but he knew that there was really nothing that could be done. Their best bet was to hide silently, but even then, they both knew there was a real chance that one or both of them would suffer through death once again.

Soon they were surrounded by silence once more, the sounds of footsteps and the killer's song having faded into the distance. Meg leaned back against the wall, letting her body fall to the floor with a small thud. Jake watched with concern as she lowered her head to her knees, her arms wrapped around her shins. For a moment he wondered if she was crying, but he knew she wasn't one to give in to despair. He wasn't surprised when her head lifted just a moment later.

Meg spoke without looking at Jake, her eyes unfocused on the floor in front of her below furrowed brows.

"I'm so fucking tired of this. What's the point? Why don't I just go out there and offer myself up to the Entity personally? All this running, hiding, fearing… It's absolutely pointless. It's bullshit." Her words were filled with anger, but also truth. Meg and Jake both knew they were doomed to repeat some version of this terrible nightmare over and over again. Jake didn't blame her for feeling the way she did, but it still broke his heart to see her so distressed.

Without thinking, Jake knelt in front of her, taking Meg's hands in his. Having placed himself in her line of sight, she felt compelled to meet his gaze. Meg's expression of fury slowly melted, her heart skipping a beat as she looked at the determination on his face, his jaw clenched and so near hers. She was still staring wordlessly at Jake when he spoke.

"Don't talk like that. Don't ever say anything like that again. It doesn't matter what the point is. Don't let this shit break you. You're so strong. I know you can keep fighting." Jake paused, as if wondering if he should continue. After a moment, he did, his voice a bit softer. "And I know you don't need it, but if I'm around, I'll always help you however I can. If you'll let me."

Jake's grip on Meg's hands had grown tighter as he talked, having gotten a bit carried away. He began to let go, but Meg wrapped her fingers ever so lightly around his. Just enough for Jake to wonder if she had done it on purpose, but also enough for him to know not to pull away.

His words had calmed Meg a bit, but she still felt a range of emotions inside that she just couldn't bring herself to ignore any longer.

"I do need you. I don't think I can do this without you, Jake. When I'm alone, I feel so fucking horrible, and there's nothing I can do to escape those feelings. You're the only thing that keeps me going."

Meg searched Jake's expression, dying to know what he was thinking, what her words made him feel. Jake simply remained kneeling before her, a thousand things running through his mind. What she had said made him unknowably happy, yet he still doubted that he was interpreting things correctly.

Jake's moment of instinctive worry passed, buried under all the confused and hopeful thoughts he now had.

"What do you mean?" He was back to his usual self, speaking without tact, straight to the point.

Meg found herself frustrated for a second, before realizing it wasn't that Jake didn't understand, but rather was in disbelief. A shy smile found its way to her lips, much different then her usual proud grin.

"Oh, shut up. You know exactly what I mean." Meg mentally berated herself after she spoke, bothered that her feelings had come out in such a belittling and aggressive manner. However, it didn't seem to phase Jake, whose expression gave no hint as to what he was thinking.

Both their hearts were pounding in their chests, and for the first time in a long time, it was a pleasant feeling. Neither spoke, both now acutely aware of the intimate position they had put themselves in without noticing, until that moment. Meg still sat in the corner, a wall to one side and Jake kneeling in front of her. At some point during the exchange, since Jake had been subconsciously moving closer, Meg's knees had parted enough to make room for him. She had effectively allowed herself to be pinned where she was, and Jake felt a twinge of embarrassment to see what he had done, even if it hadn't been purposeful.

Through all this, the two still held each other's hands. Neither wanted to let go, though both were wondering if perhaps they should. They shared many thoughts in that moment.

"Am I dreaming?"

"Is what I think is happening really happening?"

"What is he thinking?" "What is she thinking?"
"I hope he kisses me." "I want to kiss her."

Still, neither had said a word in the minute that had passed. Instead, Jake had been steadily and slowly moving closer. The two were now only inches apart, yet still in denial. Meg, by this point, couldn't mistake his intentions, but doubt made her wonder if he was simply attracted to her, or more. Jake, on the other hand, worried the opposite. He felt as if he was being too bold, going too far without knowing if this was what Meg wanted.

Deep down, both knew their feelings were perfectly reciprocated. They were in love and both had wanted to show it for a long time.

Meg's grip tightened around Jake's fingers. He had paused with their faces so close together that her skin tingled, anticipating contact. Meg closed her eyes. Seeing her eyelids shut was the last push Jake needed; He knew then that they wanted each other the same.

Jake closed the gap, placing his lips against Meg's. Softly, treasuring the sensation. Meg's head tilted upward, letting him know she found the feeling to be pure bliss as well. The kiss was gentle, just a touch, before they both instinctively broke it. They didn't move far, their faces still brushing together. Almost immediately they moved to kiss again, this time more confidently. To Jake's surprise, he felt Meg's breath on his skin, her lips parted and pushing against his. His heart felt like it would burst, finally seeing the girl he loved so obviously wanting him, too.

As badly as Jake wanted to continue, he forced himself to stop for a moment, removing his hands from Meg's. Worry shot through her, but quickly vanished as Jake moved his body closer, using one hand to balance himself against the wall behind Meg, and placing the other softly against her neck. She looked up at him as he did this, her head straining to reach him, the small pressure Jake was using to bring her closer completely unnecessary, though enjoyable.

Their lips met once again, this time aggressively, both no longer shy to express their want for each other. Meg felt compelled to wrap her arms around Jake's neck, but his position over her didn't allow it, so instead her hands feebly grabbed at his coat, clutching the fabric and pulling at it. As their kiss became more passionate, Jake paused with their bottom lips still brushing together.

"I love you, Meg." His voice was soft, yet intense, as if he had been waiting years to say those words. Perhaps it hadn't been that long, but the trials they had endured strengthened their bond and pulled them together more quickly and truly than ever would have been possible otherwise.

Meg's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled, Jake feeling her lips turn upward against his. His confession unlocked a part of her she hadn't known existed, and Jake was pleasantly surprised to feel her tongue against his lip as Meg showed him just how happy she was to hear him finally express how he felt.

During the heated moment, Meg couldn't bring herself to break their kiss once more, so she spoke into his mouth, her words muffled, but it didn't matter. Jake knew exactly what she had said.

"I love you too."

For quite some time, the pair remained locked together. The only sounds either cared about were the eager breaths and small noises they both made, completely obsessed with each other and unwilling to let any aspect of reality intrude upon the desperate and heartfelt moment they finally shared.

A note from the author.

Thank you so, so much for reading!
Chapter two is in the works, and shouldn't be long.
It's going to be a little more action-packed and brutal than this one, so be sure to keep yourself updated!