"AAHH!"

"Kya!" Alice squeals in fright from the loud yell.

Everyone in the car is surprised by a sudden outburst.

"Jesus Jensen! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Mason remarks angrily, he picks up the phone he dropped.

"Jensen you dummie!" Alice cries out, an angry expression covering her cute face.

"Mmm.. sorry man, haven't been sleeping well lately" Jensen replies in a tired voice, his eyes red from fatigue.

"You've been jumpy the last few days, something happen bro?" Kawana asks curiously after being snapped out of his daydream.

"Yeah jensen, what's got you so twitchy?" Eric remarks.

"You guys wouldn't believe me even if I told you" Jensen responds with a sigh.

"You've got me curious. Come on, tell us" Kawana's interest is piqued.

Jensen looks at their eager faces and gives in. "Ok.. but man it's crazy, even I still can't believe what happened" After a brief pause he collects his thoughts and continues. "Last friday night I was walking home from my part-time job at the construction yard, it was really dark that night and the only sources of light were the street lights"

Mason puts away his phone and listens to the story.

"I was walking along the street and I hear a someone running, the sound was coming from a nearby alleyway. It was dark, and I couldn't see who was down there but it was getting closer"

Alice was feeling a little anxious, she asked in a weak voice "What was it?"

Jensen replies "It wasn't anything scary, it was just an old homeless man but the look on his face.. there was absolute terror painted on it" Jensen's face expression becomes solemn. "The old man mangaged to get halfway into the light of the streetlamp before suddenly stopping, it was like he got snagged on something. The old man called to me for help, he was crying in pain so I ran over to the him to see if he was alright"

Jensen's expression changes to one of fright "The old man grabbed onto my arm and demanded I pull him into the light, I was thinking he might be a bit of a nut but I hear a crunching sound. The old man screamed so loudly I can still feel the ringing in my ear"

Alice begins to shiver, she's not good with scary stories.

"The old man gave me a fright with his scream and his grip on my arm got so tight I thought he would snap it off" Jensen pulls up his sleeve and shows Alice, Kawana and Mason a bruised handprint on his right arm.

Everyone gasps.

Jensen continues, the fear in his expression growing "I pulled as hard as I can to try and get away from the old man and I hear a tearing sound. I look back and see that I pulled the him into the light but.. the half of him that was in the dark was completely gone!" Jensen's voice grows louder with every word.

"I was breathless and couldn't move, I just looked at the old man screaming in pain. Strangely there was no blood at all, his lower half was covered in some kind of black liquid that kept eating away at whatever was left of the man"

Kawana notices jensen visibly shaking and frowns, 'whatever happened seemed to have traumatized Jensen' he thinks.

"In the next moment the street light begins to dim and almost flicker, I was so scared I ran to the next streetlamp over, while I was running I heard a final loud scream before complete silence. When I looked back to the streetlamp I was just was under it was no longer flickering. As for the old man, he was gone. There's wasn't even a trace of him"

"That's not funny Jensen, how could that be happen?" Eric remarks in disbelief.

"I don't know man.. I try think that it didn't happen but this bruise on my arm just keeps reminding me. I also keep feeling that something is watching me in the dark causing my lack of sleep the last couple days and I haven't gone anywhere near any dark place" Jensen pulls out several flashlights from his bag.

"My folks at home think I'm going off the deep end, frankly I'm starting to think so too" Jensen says, his voice tired.

"Try not to think about it bro" Kawana is skeptical but still comforts Jensen.

"Well whatever happened, it's in the past now" Mason pats Jensen on the shoulder.

"Er-eri-eric!! Yo-you need to b-buy me a flashlight!" Alice stutters, she's trembling in fright.

"Aww Jensen look, you gave my little sis a scare" Eric sighs. 'I might have to buy some nightlights for Alice in the future'

"Heh. Sorry Eric, still it feels good to get that off my chest" Jensen grins.

"All right guys, we're here" Eric parks outside Norsbrook Highschool.

After getting out the car, they walk to the Assemby Hall and on the way run into Ms Evie and Mr Fergerson.

"Morning Ms Kane" The 4 boys greet their teacher.

Evie nods with a faint smile.

"You kids were almost late, hurry up and get to the Assembly Hall!" Dale grumbles.

"Sorry Mr F!" Alice replies with cute pout.

Dale sighs and nods.

They walk past the two teachers, Evie notices something. Frowning she calls out "Kawana, stay behind. I have something to speak to you about"

She tells Mr Fergerson to go with the students to the Assembly Hall and gives Kawana a piercing stare.

Kawana gives a wry smile "Ms Kane, you need something?"

"Kawana, I thought I helped you kick that habbit" Evie says in a disappointed tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ms Kane" He says evasively.

"Don't lie to me Kawana, I can smell that cigarette smell you're giving off" Evie snorts.

"Ahh.. looks like I can't hide anything from you. Sorry, i've just been a little stressed lately and the smoke calms my nerves" Kawana replies.

"You better have a good reason to tell me otherwise I'll begin taking actions, I don't want you influencing the other kids in class who I helped stop smoking" Evie says sternly.

"You're oddly interested in my personal affairs Ms Kane, could it be.. that you like me?" Kawana teases.

Evie crosses her arms and scoffs. "Don't change the subject, now hurry up and explain"

"It's personal and I don't want to speak of it" A serious expression appears on his face.

"If you tell me, maybe I could help you out. It's not good to bottle your feelings Kawana" Evie replies and vaguely glances to the right before her gaze returns to Kawana.

Kawana knits his brows as a strange wind blows beside him.

"I don't know why I'm telling you this Ms Kane" Kawana's eye twitches, a mysterious feeling was urging him to speak his worries.

"Some bad stuff happened that affected me and my sister badly, she and I both didn't want to stay at home any longer and auntie was kind enough to take us in so we left. I was in a rush to leave and didn't contact my girlfriend before I got on the plane so she didn't have a chance to tell me that she was pregnant"

Kawana sighs. "I just wanted to get away from there, everything just seemed to remind me of... " He pauses, various emotions could be seen flickering on his face including rage, sorrow and helplessness.

After a moment of silence he calms himself and continues. "Being here isn't helping my girlfriend or our newborn at all so I'm trying to get back home as soon as I can. I'm doing my best to earn enough money for the plane ticket back but at my current pace it's gonna take a while and It's been stressing me out.. the smoke helps, sorry if I inconvenienced you Ms Kane"

Evie sighs. "Kawana, I can lend you the money for your trip back home"

"I shouldn't take your money Ms Kane, I don't want to trouble others" He refuses.

"I want to help you Kawana, it's only a little money" She replies firmly.

Kawana looks at her strangely. "Why do you want to help me Ms Kane?"

Evie looks at him seriously. "Kawana, you've been my student for over a year now. You're different from when you first came to my class, there was a gloom surrounding you and your violent anti-social behaviour worried me. Time has passed and you've made some new friends and I feel that you've recovered from whatever trauma happened to a certian extent, at least on the surface but recently.. I've noticed that you haven't been well and I can see you becoming like your previous self again if this matter isn't resolved. I don't mind helping you out if it prevents that so don't refuse okay?"

"Are you sure Ms Kane?" Kawana looks at Evie, he has felt like the rage he had suppressed before has vaguely effected him lately. 'I almost snapped when I argued with Jensen the other day so maybe she's right'

"I am, there's three conditions though" Evie smiles.

"Of course, anything!" Kawana replies.

"First, you have to stop smoking. Second, you have to pay me back"

Kawana nods.

"Third.. be a good dad" Evie gives a breathtaking smile.

Kawana is stunned by her third request, with his spirits lifted he gives a wide grin.

In his excitement Kawana lifts Evie up, kisses her on the cheek and gives her a spinning hug. "Whakawhetai ki a koe Ms Kane, thank you! It's a deal!"

Evie is surprised by the kiss on her cheek and being spun around like a ragdoll.

Kawana puts Evie down and apologizes "Sorry Ms Kane, I got a little excited there" He smiles embarrassedly.

Still in a daze Evie replies "It's alright, you'll get the money after we come back from the field trip now go quickly to the Assembly Hall"

"I'll definitely pay you back Ms Kane!" Kawana says before running off to the hall, he was still feeling a little weird but shrugged it off.

After shooing away Kawana, Evie calms her troubled heart.

"Thanks for that" Evie speaks to the vacant space beside her.

.........

As if she her heard something ridiculous, she looks strangely at the vacant space.

..............

"Don't speak nonsense Watson, I'm not giving him special treatment, I'll always try to help out my students" Evie snorts.

...

"You call that a kiss? It was only a small peck on the cheek" 'Humph, back in your day? It's modern day Watson' She rolls her eyes.

...........

"I'm not getting old, I've barely entered my prime!" She retorts with a frown.

........

"I was just surprised that's all, it doesn't mean anything" Evie crosses her arms in annoyance.

...................

Evie gives a thoughtful expression and whispers "Maybe.." before shaking her head and saying "Watson, stop putting bad ideas in my head!" She angrily kicks the vacant air beside her before storming off to the Assembly Hall in embarrassment.

... ...

Wind blows beside the spot where Evie kicked sounding like weak wails of pain, if the wind had a face it would surely be that of a grieving man with a wronged expression.