A soft knock on the window woke Jack from his dreamless slumber. He groggily looked over at where the noise had come from, not even sure if he had heard it, his mind still half asleep, and jumped when he saw movement outside the window. He pushed himself from the bed and tiptoed to the window. He shivered when he pushed it open, the cool night air stirring his sweaty bangs. He pushed the screen out and stuck his head through, but saw nothing outside. Was it just part of his dream? Well, only one way to find out.
Jack jumped out of the window and fell the few feet to the ground. He got up slowly, not wanting to startle anything that might be in the darkness around him, and began searching the shadows for movement. When he saw none, he moved forward a few feet, his movement causing leaves to stir. The wind picked up and a single cricket chirped from somewhere in the woods. Nothing yet, but Jack was not about to give up. He made his way over to the tree line and plunged into the shade of the forest. A darker shadow caught Jack's eye as he made his way around a tree and he turned abruptly to catch whatever it was off guard. He was met at eye level with a woman, the same one as before, standing twenty feet off. Jack turned around to run, realizing just how far he had gone into the woods, until he noticed the tear stains on the others cheeks glimmering in the pale moonlight streaming through the canopy of trees.
"Are you alright?" Jack asked hesitantly, then stepped forward, only to be met with a single step back by the other.
"I'm sorry, Jack. I-I shouldn't be here." The woman stammered then ran into the engulfing blackness behind her. Jack gave pursuit, but soon had to give up when his lungs could no longer take in air properly. He coughed for a few minutes, trying to catch his breath, and sat on the ground. Who was that woman and how did she know his name? Maybe she was a serial killer, only playing with Jack, luring him into her cave of death to then slaughter him and sell his organs. But why was she crying then? Guilt? Jack's mind raced as his breathing evened out and he decided it was time to head back home. He needed to find out who this lady was, and how she knew him. He didn't believe her to be of any harm, but he could never be sure. He'll come back out tomorrow and try talking to her. Maybe if he approached first she won't be scared away, or he won't scare himself, for that matter. Jack pushed himself from the ground and made his way back to the house, to the warm bed waiting for him back in his room and the comforting thoughts of not having to go to school the next day.