The trees loomed over Eric like tall, ancient giants. The crisp, attumn leaves under his feet crunched softly as he walked. He glanced at his watch, and cursed silently. He'd thought that if he took the shortcut to the woods, he'd get home early enough to have time to finish his book report. To come to think of it, he though, it seems like the forest has just gotten denser.

Then he saw it. The flash of red. He blinked, and then it was gone. Was someone else taking a walk ahead of him? No. I was just his imagination. But how could he hullucinate such a bright flash of red against the brownish-gray bark of trees that was surrounding him? He dismissed the thought. Maybe all of the studying in the academy was getting into his head. When was the last time that he had actually slept properly? Eric raked through his tired brain, but couldn't recall.

Kinsford Academy was a prestigious private high school that Eric desperately tried to enroll back in eighth grade. His grades were outstanding, so they offered him a scholarship without haste. At first, he was excited and proud that he made it through, but as time went on, his feelings had changed. The academy ended up being very stressful, mercilessly throwing him piles of homework that took him each and every bit of his spare time to complete. This left Eric with no time for making friends, or even recognizing his own peers in class. It would've been much easier to himself if he had just stopped working at the diner hat both he and his mother worked in, but they needed the money. He didn't want to worry her with his schooling; the divorce was bad enough.

Eric sighed. He haden't thought on a subject on what to write for his peom to read in class. Everytime he'd try, words and numbers would interlace in his head, making it hard for him to focus.

Red.

He saw it again.

This time, he caught a better glimpse of it. It was a bright crimson-colored cloth. Someone was walking just ahead of him. But who?

Maybe I should just go back. Eric started to grow cautious. He turned to go back, but there was none.

The path was blocked by a large group of trees. Eric quickly looked around, his mind growing frantic. I'm just dreaming again, he told himself in a hushed wisper. But he already doubted this. This was real. Too real.

                                                                - Read on to Chapter 2-