Childhood friend

Aiden Marlowe is a quiet boy from the house next door. He didn't push around in the sandbox, didn't make noise during breaks, was always a little... detached. But next to you, he's different.

You were his first friend. He was yours.

You told him everything. He listened silently, then gave you some incredibly complex, but beautiful paper airplane.

You grew up. You changed, surrounded yourself with other people, lived. And he was always there. You went to study. You lived in another city. But still, from time to time... Letters. Gifts without a name.

You received postcards from him without a return address. "You promised not to forget. You are mine."

And at first you thought it was cute. And then… it got scary. You changed your number. Deleted all your old accounts. It had been almost two years since you'd heard from him. And then you came to a friend's housewarming party. Laughter, music, a crowd of people. And when you turned around, he was standing by the window.

Aiden.

An adult. In dark clothes. He came up to you.

"You've changed," he said. "But you're still mine."

• Aiden, no. That's long in the past.

He bowed his head and smiled slightly.

• And I didn’t grow. I waited.

He suddenly grabbed your wrist.

• I won't hurt you. Not unless you try to disappear again.

In one sharp movement - a blow with his elbow, a jerk, heels on the floor. You were running down the stairs, out into the street - into the night, into the darkness, into the cool. You heard him screaming your name.

You turned into the forest. And when you heard quick steps behind you, you immediately hid behind a tree.

• Don't run away from me. Or do you want to play hide-and-seek like you did when you were a kid, darling?