Pain shoots through my chest like a fiery bolt of lightening, waking me from a surprisingly dreamless sleep. I shoot up from the bed so fast another bout of pain surges through my chest and up into my shoulder where I was stabbed. I keel over, gasping for air through the pain. 

“Sorry to warn you so late, but you may not want to get up so fast.” A strange accent advises from the other side of the room.

I look over to see a man with shoulder length dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, and lounge wear on. “Who the hell are you!?” I manage to muster out through staggered breaths.

“David Skargofsky. Born in Poland many years ago. I look like I’m 27, but technically I’m over 730 years old if you can believe it. I moved to the United States to avoid being set on fire by some old towns people of mine. What about you?” He takes a rag from some basin at the end of the bed and wrings it out.

“What in the hell are you talking about? I must be dreaming right?” I sit up further on the bed and hold the blanket close to my chest. “Why am I here? What happened to that guy that tried the kill me? Are you-”

“Relax with the questions. I’m not going to hurt you.” He points to my chest. “Who do you think fixed you up?”

I glance down at a pajama shirt he must have changed me into and see bandages peaking out from under them. “Oh. I mean thank you. I have to go though. My parents-”

“Have been calling you nonstop since five in the morning. I answered and said you were fine. They were very persistent though. Acted like I abducted you or something. It was Buck who brought you here after finding you writhing around in the forest though.” He walks over to me and places the wet rag in my hands. “Since you’re awake now I assume you’ll feel more comfortable wiping your own sweat.”

“My parents called!? Where’s my phone!?” I search around me for it, still too in shock to really realize I’m sitting in a complete stranger’s house in the middle of the forest after being hunted by a crazed man.

“Don’t worry about that. Worry about yourself for right now.” He pulls a chair over to the side of the bed. “Speaking of which. I’d like you to tell me what the hell is going on. Explain to me why you were quarreling with some man in the middle of the forest in the dead of night.”

“You call that ‘quarreling’?? That man was trying to kill me!” I exclaim.

He shrugs. “Eh we’ve all been in fights where we’ve almost died multiple times in this house. It’s all the same to us. Now tell me why.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. Seriously. I just want to go home.” I beg. “Please.”

He leans in closer to my face. “I apologize, but you’re not going home until you tell me what is going on. Whatever fight you’re having is now our business since that idiot housemate of mine drug you into this home.”

“Housemate?” I question.

“Yes. Housemate. He also seems to believe you’re not human. Mind explaining that as well?” He leans back in the chair.

“Listen. I’m not sure what’s going on.” I explain. “Damnit ever since I started having those dreams again everything’s in my life has been strange.” 

His head perks. “Dreams? What dreams?”

“Nothing.” I dismiss. “You don’t need to worry about it.”

“I think I do.” He states in a more serious tone. 

“What? You gonna try and kill me too if I don’t tell you?” I challenge. 

He huffs and rises from the chair. “Maybe if you won’t talk to me you’ll talk to somebody a bit more familiar.”

“Familiar?”

“Get up. Breakfast is ready.” He exits the room.

I slide out of bed onto the cold hardwood floors with caution and follow David from the room. The hallway is long, with a few doors occupying the walls along the way. It opens up to a large living room with two couches, a coffee table, a fire place, and what looks like a handmade area rug to the right, leading to a kitchen with an island, dining table, and a long spread of counters and cabinets to the left. The whole place is lit by the sun shining through the many windows lining both the kitchen and the living room. 

The undeniable scent of breakfast foods wafts from the kitchen where two women and another—almost familiar looking man—are standing. David joins them as I creep slowly down the hall behind him. Their chatter permeates the house as much as the scent of bacon and pancakes, but is much louder. 

“Buck.” David calls. “The girl is up.” He joins the two other women standing over the island. 

The familiar looking guy turns to face me, and I immediately know who it is. “YOU!!” 

“Me!!” He repeats. “Happy to see you recognize me. I did save your life after all.”

“No. You’re that prick from the bus stop!” I proclaim.

The girl, who I believe is Hispanic, chokes on her food. “‘That prick from the bus stop’ huh? Seems about right.” She laughs. 

The other girl, who looks like she could be the bus stop guy’s sister, nudges the other girl with her elbow. “Stop it Alyssa. Not the right time.”

“My name is Buck, by the way. What’s yours?” He asks.

“…June.” I reveal with a bit of reluctance. 

“Well, June.” He sets down his plate of food and walks over to me. “How about we head outside and have a little chat.”

“But-” I admit I would like to eat. The smell of breakfast is making me a bit hungry.

“No buts here. Eat after you tell me everything.” He grabs my shoulders and leads me to the back porch. 

Once we’re outside he shuts the sliding door behind him and stands beside me. The backyard is filled with trees. Nothing but forest for what looks like miles, which makes me wonder how far I am from home. Maybe a bit anxious too. After a moment of silence he finally speaks. 

“So what’s your deal?” He asks.

“Listen. I’m not even sure myself. That guy, David, asked me and I didn’t really know how to answer him either. I have these dreams of what I think are lost memories from my childhood, I touched this stone with some inscription on it and passed out in my basement, I woke up and later that night some guy busts through my front door and tries to kill me. Says something like ‘you touched the stone’ or something. Now here I am.” I explain in desperation.

“What are the dreams about?” He probes.

“Well the last one I had was right before I was found wandering through the forest my parents found me in—long story. Anyway these two people drew this circle around a tree, put oil on my head, I touched the tree, and they disappeared.” 

He puts his hands in his pockets and stares out into the trees in thought. “So you have no memory of what happened before that?” 

I shake my head. “Those are barely even memories. They’re hazy. I barely even remember them.”

He doesn’t speak for a few minutes while he contemplates. “You know I get these feelings from people. I can get a sense of who people are. One of the perks of being me I guess.” He turns and faces me. “It may seem a little sudden, but honestly subtlety doesn’t get you anywhere.”

My face scrunches in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard David talking to you in the room, and I know it seems a bit silly but he’s telling the truth.”

“About what?” I scoff. “Being over 730 years old? You’re kidding, right? I’m seriously not in a state to be joking around like this.”

He shakes his ahead. “No. I’m not. I’m not sure if you got the feeling from him, but he’s not one to joke around like that. I don’t think you’re human, June. Whether you know it or not. That might be the root of all your problems.”