....
đ Dimension X
Chapter 3: The Hunt
Morning sunlight filtered through the wooden gaps of the treehouse.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Evie opened her eyes slowly.
For a moment, she didn't move. She just stared at the ceiling, listening.
No machines.
No footsteps.
No shouting.
Just⌠silence.
She sat up.
The treehouse felt strange. Safe, but unfamiliar.
Below her, she could hear faint voicesâRyan and the others.
"Okay, listen carefully," Maya said, her voice firm.
"We're going to school. You are staying here."
Evie blinked.
"Alone?"
Layla crossed her arms. "Yes, alone. You're not exactly⌠normal enough to walk into school."
Zayn snorted. "Yeah, unless you wanna accidentally burn the principal."
Ryan shot him a look. "Not helping."
He turned back to Evie, softer now.
"We'll be back soon, okay?"
He placed a small plate beside her.
Bread.
Scrambled eggs.
Evie stared at it like it was something rare.
"Food," Ryan said gently.
She nodded slowly.
Before leaving, Maya pointed at her like a warning sign.
"Rule one: don't leave the treehouse."
Layla added, "Rule two: seriously, don't leave the treehouse."
Arjun grinned. "Rule three: if you do leave the treehouse⌠don't get caught."
"ARJUN," everyone snapped.
Evie watched them, confused⌠but smiling a little.
Ryan lingered for a second longer.
"If anything feels wrong⌠just stay here. We'll come back."
She nodded.
They left.
The treehouse fell silent again.
Evie picked up the bread.
Took a small bite.
Then another.
Her shoulders slowly relaxed.
Down in the house, Ryan sat at the dining table, pretending to eat while glancing upstairs.
His mom was talking about somethingâhe wasn't listening.
He grabbed another piece of toast.
"âŚI'm going to be late," he muttered, standing up quickly.
"Ryanâ" his mom started.
But he was already gone.
Back in the treehouseâ
Evie finished eating.
She looked around.
Then at the ladder.
Then back at the empty space.
Silence again.
Too quiet.
Her fingers fidgeted.
Curiosity crept in.
"I won't go farâŚ" she whispered to herself.
She climbed down.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The ground felt different under her bare feet.
Softer.
Real.
She stepped into the backyard.
The sunlight touched her face.
She closed her eyes.
For the first time in what felt like foreverâŚ
She smiled.
A small flower caught her attention.
Bright.
Alive.
She walked toward it, crouched down, and gently picked it.
She stared at it in wonder.
"âŚpretty."
She lay down in the grass.
The sky above her was endless.
Blue.
Peaceful.
For a momentâ
She felt free.
Thenâ
A low growl echoed from the forest behind the house.
Evie froze.
Her smile disappeared.
She slowly sat up.
The air felt⌠wrong.
The wind stopped.
Even the birds went silent.
Another growl.
Closer.
Deeper.
Her heart started pounding.
She stood up slowly, backing away.
"âŚhello?" she whispered.
No response.
Just darkness between the trees.
A shadow moved.
Tall.
Unnatural.
Watching her.
Evie's breath hitched.
"NoâŚ"
She turnedâ
And ran.
Branches snapped under her feet.
Twigs cut into her skin.
She didn't stop.
She couldn't.
Her bare feet hit sharp stonesâ
Blood.
But she kept running.
Behind herâ
Something moved.
Not fast.
But it didn't need to be.
It was already close.
Evie stumbled.
Fell hard onto the ground.
She gasped, pain shooting through her leg.
Blood dripped down her ankle.
Slow footsteps approached.
She turnedâ
And saw it.
A figure made of darkness.
Its glowing eyes locked onto hers.
Evie's eyes flickered.
White.
Red.
Blue.
Green.
Dark blue.
All her powers⌠reacting at once.
Unstable.
Wild.
"Stay away!" she screamed.
Fire burst from her handsâ
Rushing toward the shadow.
Butâ
The shadow lifted its arm.
The fire⌠stopped.
Then bent.
Thenâ
Was thrown back.
The flames hit dry leaves.
Dead branches.
Old trees.
đĽ Fire spread instantly.
The forest ignited.
Back at schoolâ
Ryan froze mid-step.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
He turned toward the window.
His eyes widened.
Smoke.
Rising from the forest.
Maya followed his gaze.
Thenâ
"FIRE!" she screamed.
Chaos erupted.
Teachers shouted.
Students ran.
Emergency alarms blared.
"Everyone outside! NOW!" a teacher yelled.
But Ryan wasn't listening.
His heart was racing.
"She's there," he whispered.
Zayn grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?!"
"She's there!" Ryan snapped.
Without waitingâ
He ran.
The others exchanged a look.
Then followed.
They slipped away in the chaos.
No one noticed.
Everyone was too busy evacuating.
They reached the forest.
Smoke thick in the air.
Heat rising.
"EVIE!" Ryan shouted.
They found her.
On the ground.
Injured.
Shaking.
Ryan rushed to her.
"Heyâhey, it's okay, I'm here," he said, kneeling beside her.
He looked at her leg.
Blood.
His jaw tightened.
"What happened?" Zayn asked, scanning the area.
Evie shook her head weakly.
"It⌠cameâŚ"
Before anyone could askâ
A presence shifted in the trees.
Watching.
Thenâ
Gone.
"What was that?" Arjun whispered.
"No idea," Maya said. "But I hate it already."
Ryan carefully lifted Evie.
"She needs help."
They carried her back.
To the treehouse.
Ryan cleaned her wound.
Carefully.
Gently.
Evie flinched slightly.
"Sorry," he murmured.
"It's okayâŚ" she whispered.
The others stood nearby.
Tense.
Thinking.
"She burned the forest," Zayn said.
Evie looked down.
"I didn't mean toâŚ"
Ryan stood up.
"She wouldn't do that unless something forced her."
Silence.
"What do you mean?" Layla asked.
Ryan looked at Evie.
Then at the others.
"Something's triggering her powers."
Arjun nodded slowly. "Like a reaction."
Maya crossed her arms. "So⌠something out there is connected to her?"
No one answered.
That nightâ
The sky glowed faintly from the fire in the distance.
Evie sat quietly.
Ryan beside her.
"âŚit followed me," she said softly.
Ryan looked at her.
"What did?"
Evie hesitated.
Then whisperedâ
"âŚthe shadow."
Far in the forestâ
Among the burning treesâ
Something stood.
Watching the flames.
Unmoving.
Waiting.
To be continuedâŚ