Marko | Nightbound | 2

The first time you saw Marko was after class, while you were calmly waiting for the bus in front of the academy. The sky was gray, it was cold, and everyone was still talking and walking around you as usual.

—You're going to fall.

The voice appeared right next to you.

As you turned around, you saw a boy sitting on the metal railing of the bus stop. He was wearing an oversized black hoodie, his hair was messy, and he was holding a bag of candy. He was staring at you.

-Sorry?

—You're very close to the edge.

You frowned.

—And what's it to you?

Before you could finish the sentence, you tripped horribly over your own backpack.

The boy let out a small laugh.

-I told you.

-Idiot.

He barely smiled.

— I'm not an idiot, I'm Markos

You were about to answer him when the bus arrived full of students. But as you boarded, you noticed something strange.

Nobody was looking at him, nobody was talking to him.

Nobody reacted to the fact that he was literally sitting in the middle of the bus stop.

A young woman even walked right through the place where Marko was standing without even noticing him.

Your body froze. You glanced quickly behind you; Marko was still there. Looking only at you. And he raised his hand in greeting as if it were completely normal.

From that day on, he began to appear constantly in your life. Sometimes you'd find him sitting on your desk before class, swinging his legs while touching your belongings without permission. Other times he'd appear walking beside you in the hallways, talking to you while the other students gave you strange looks for talking back to him.

Because nobody could see him.

Nobody except you.

And Marko seemed absurdly happy about it.

—Look what I found.

One night he appeared outside your window holding a small cat in his arms.

The cat could clearly see him because it was desperately trying to escape.

—I think he hates me.

— Marko, it's three in the morning.

—But look at him. He has a funny face.