As Ciaran left the cinema, he could have sworn that people looked at him as if they knew what he did. In reality, they probably were only confused about his strange behavior. Normally, people were not running out of the horror movie after all the action had long ended. 

The cold night air cleared his head somewhat. What had he done? He actually did something like that with a stranger? 

Well, it couldn’t be a complete stranger. Otherwise, there was no way the man had known about all this details. But who was it? That question remained unanswered. There were no further hints so far apart from the ‘K.’ he used as his signature and the fact he knew intimate details he barely told anyone. 

His phone vibrated suddenly and startled him. He had turned it to ‘Do not disturb’-Mode for the movie, yet he forgot listed contacts were still able to call through to him. He should probably change that for the future to not interrupt any movies in the cinema.

Ciaran checked his display to see that Ashley and Dylan were trying to go for a video chat.
“Well, let’s see if the connection will manage that here.” His mobile phone data wasn’t the best in all parts of Mistdale. Talking alone normally worked, but a video call was a different thing.

“Cia, we are so sorry!” Ashley and Dylan sat both in each of their rooms, phones to their faces. Ashley's black locks tried to claim the camera's sight, so she had to push them back. Her amber eyes tried to read his features. 

Dylan cleared his throat. He had the same black hair and amber eyes like his sister, but unlike her, he had tamed his locks in dreadlocks long ago. “Sorry, Bro. We didn’t wish to ignore you, but mom confiscated our phones. We only got them back this evening and saw your message. Are you ok?” 

He should have expected as much. It wasn’t the first time their mother tried to enforce parenting by taking away their devices. Not that it ever worked on the real problems.
“Oh, well. I guess I could be worse. But you don’t know the newest things.” Ciaran sighed and started walking back. “Don’t wonder if you’re gone suddenly. I’m just on my way back from the cinema. You know how connection can be here.”

“Yeah, sure. But what did you mean by the newest things? Has Pierce done something else?”, Ashley asked. 

“Well, in a sense, yes. And in another, not.” Ciaran shook his head. “Pierce got drunk on the weekend.”

“That’s not new, Bro. It would be news if he didn’t”, Dylan interrupted. He was so on point with that, Ciaran couldn’t suppress the chuckle escaping him. Not that Pierce’s death was a funny matter in itself. But with all this madness, laughing was a great relief.

“True, but that wasn’t the point. When he was drunk, that idiot managed to fall onto the street. Right in front of a truck. So, basically, he was dead the day after I broke up with him.”

“Wait. What?!” Ashley screamed the words so loud they even echoed in the empty street. 

Ciaran brought his finger to his lips to signal her to tune it down a little. “I know how you feel about that, I couldn’t believe it either. And that’s not even the strangest thing that happened in the last day.” 

“It can get stranger than that? That’s shocking enough already, Cia. Really.” Dylan seemed baffled as well. No wonder - high school boys didn’t die that way every day.

“Yeah, believe it or not. I got a postal on Saturday morning.”

“You got a postal in the modern age? Ok, that is a significant problem with someone's head, that much is sure”, Dylan interrupted him.

“True. But even stranger was the words on it. It came just the day after I sent Pierce to hell. ‘He didn’t deserve you - K.’ was written on it. I don’t know who this ‘K.’ could be, honestly. Still, it somehow cheered me up on that day.” 

“So, you’re having some type of secret admirer?” Ashley’s eyes lit up immediately upon hearing that. “Oh, I wonder who could have sent the postal. Do you have any hints so far?”

“Still, whoever it is, is right, Cia. That bastard didn’t deserve you. He was an asshole to cheat on you. Sorry, you had to go through that, bro. Especially without us there to cheer you up.” Dylan sighed. “I wish I could come over to keep you company.”

“I wish you could, too. But I’m fine. I managed to distract myself and returning to school was less bad than I feared, thanks to Mael.”

“Mael? Who is Mael?”, Ashley asked immediately.

“Oh, right. I’ve had no chance to tell you. You remember the new guy who transferred to school? The one Logan wanted me to claim for the basketball team? That’s Mael.” It was strange they weren’t part of everyday school life anymore. Normally, he never had to tell them stuff like that. Keeping track of what he told them or not was tricky.

“Ok, it seems you have a lot to tell us. What’s Mael like?”, Ashley inquired. 

Ciaran had no chance to answer her, though. The connection broke finally without any chance to regain the feed. He would have to wait till reaching home, and by that time it would be too late to restart the call. With school tomorrow morning, he had to at least gain somewhat sleep. 

So, he wrote them instead, telling him they’d talk about the rest another time. With some luck, the message would make it through to them before he reached home. The caw of a raven startled him again. Three of the dark birds had taking place on the branch near his window. 

“So, you’re greeting me back home?” Ciaran chuckled to himself. “I don’t know how we ended up having so many ravens here, but you’re welcome. Well, not that you’d understand what I’m saying.” He must be more tired than thought to start talking to birds.