Jeff decides to stalk Harvey one evening.


TWO - STALKER

Polished shoes skimming the steps, Jeff Morgan strode across the playground, moonlight streaming across his face as he stepped out of the shadows. It was a cool, October night, the streetlights forming beacons of light amidst the darkness.

Fear of the dark, to Jeff, was pathetic. He wasn't afraid of the dark, and he took to sneering at anyone who admitted that they were, in front of their faces. He had done so earlier that day, straight after he had overheard Harvey Hunter mumbling in a frightened tone to his elder brother.

It had been glorious. Teasing him cruelly in front of the entire Canteen, reducing him, yet again, to tears.

Even the backlash from Rose hadn't dampened his triumph, and Jeff had filed away Harvey's fear, amongst the numerous others, so that he could use the information in the future, to his benefit.

He originally thought that he would have had to wait to use the fear of the dark card until a couple of weeks down the line, but today, he had hit the jackpot.

Hunter had received Detention, meaning that he would only leave after completing two and a half hours of lines. It was only coincidence that Jeff was leaving at the same time that the Detention would be wrapping up, and with Hunter only a street away from him, Jeff concluded that his day had been marvellous.

It had been easy to hang back in the corridors, waiting for Hunter to shuffle out of the School, a nervous glance cast towards the darkness as he scurried across the playground.

And five minutes later, Hunter had still not clocked onto the presence slightly behind him, too caught up in his fear to register the familiar, thudding footsteps that followed his wake.

As Hunter approached the high street, evidently diverting off of his usual path, Jeff curled his lip.

'No doubt going into a sweet shop. Disgusting pig!'

Increasing his stride, Jeff's ears pricked at the tinkle of the bell over the door leading to the sweet shop, and he slunk into the shadows cast by the neighbouring shop, staring into the sweet shop with a devious glint.

Once Hunter had emerged from the sweet shop, two bags in hand, Jeff picked up his pace again, glaring daggers into the back of Hunter's head as the younger boy moved ahead of him.

Rolling his eyes as he heard Hunter stuffing his fat face, a suggestible calming mechanism, Jeff hit upon an idea that made a crafty grin spread across his face.

He waited until Hunter had finished off his treats, before darting up to his favourite victim silently. Mere inches behind Hunter, Jeff was delighted at the boy's obliviousness. He bent down, so that he was level with Hunter's right ear and exhaled a deep, warm breath.

At that moment, Hunter shrieked and spun round, the warm breath having fanned across his right cheek. Harvey peered into the darkness, trembling from head to toe. So petrified of the mysterious hot air beside his ear, Harvey whirled back round and started to trot along, whimpers of fear slipping free into the night air behind him.

Slinking out of the shadows, Jeff grinned and loomed up behind Hunter, sniggering silently to himself as Hunter sped up, the younger boy's legs tangling together as he attempted to out-run the terrifying entity.

It was only when he zoomed into the street, tears of terror springing to his eyes, did Harvey suck in a deep breath and scream at the top of his lungs:

"MUMMY!"

Behind him, Jeff shot back into a patch of bushes, crouching down so that he concealed himself. He watched the Hunter woman bustle out of the house, laughing to himself as she embraced Hunter, who sobbed into her apron.

Only when the two Hunters had retreated inside, did Jeff emerge out of his hiding place and start his own walk home. Smiling sinisterly up at the full moon, Jeff mused to himself:

'Reckon I can make this a weekly activity. Every Wednesday after School…. Yes, a Hunter Being Hunted…. Game On.'