"You!" An old man pointed at me and whispered.

I point to myself, cocking my head in question.

Me?

The stranger approached me hesitantly.

"You don't know what that is, do you?" He pointed to my wrist. I know what's there. I saw it this morning when I was getting ready. It had just appeared. I tried washing it with water and soap; it didn’t go away. It was red at first, but then it turned black. The mark looked like a bracelet around my wrist.

"Um, no," I replied. I moved away from the old man as quickly as I could.

"Wait!' Something in his voice froze me. Was it concern? Fear? Something darker; more sinister?

"You bear the mark," he whispered, but I could hear him. "They come for you. Run!"

Tingles shoot down my spine. Who the heck was this creep, and who was he to tell me what to do?

"What does- what does the mark- have to do with anything? I asked.

"Run!" He yelled. "Run as fast as you can! They will come for you!"

I ignored him and walked back home in confusion. The weird look he gave me was just so very awkward.

Upon reaching home, I tried rewashing it and watched videos on YouTube, but nothing worked.

On my bed tonight, my mind was flooded with questions like,

‘What is this peculiar mark?'

'How did it come upon my wrist?'

’Who was that old man on the road?'

And the worst of all,' Why was he telling me to run?'

Struggling with these questions, sleep gripped me, and I drifted into my dreams.