Mallory drove straight to Eliza’s house. It still made her feel awkward to drive through Eliza’s neighborhood. It was the kind of quiet, well-maintained neighborhood that always left her feeling a little out of place. The houses were large, multi-storied, gated, with three car garages and pools and manicured lawns. The kind of places that Mallory could only imagine living in. Although she had spent a lot of her life staying overnight at Eliza’s or hanging out on summer days to play in the pool, she still felt strange pulling into Eliza’s driveway and bouncing up the few steps to the front door. Like it was all still new.

Mallory hesitated a moment at the door. Eliza’s parents wouldn’t be home yet. They both worked at the same hospital, though Eliza’s father was a pharmacist and her mother was a doctor. Her older brother, Michael, was just starting college this semester and had moved away for it. Eliza would be home alone – this was the best time to talk to her about what she had just seen, to warn here that there was something strange about Isaac.

After shaking her head, Mallory rang the bell. She spent the next several moments glancing about nervously, almost feeling like she might have been followed. Isaac could disappear and reappear out of thin air – what else was he capable of? Eliza finally came to the door, smiling to see her. “You should’ve told me you were coming by, I was gonna ignore it until Mom texted saying she saw you on the doorbell camera.” Mallory smiled stiffly, not bothering to remind Eliza that she didn’t have a cellphone anymore. She pushed past Eliza and into the house, and closed the door behind her, locking it. “Welcome?” Eliza said, quirking an eyebrow up.

“We need to talk,” Mallory said. She moved further into the house, into the kitchen. She had planned to sit on one of the stools at the counter, but instead found herself pacing back and forth nervously. Adrenaline still coursed through her system, and she felt mildly nauseous.

Eliza trailed behind her, looking nervous in response to Mallory’s obvious agitation. She watched Mallory pace for a moment before saying, “What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Her voice lowered a bit, as though she was broaching a taboo subject. “Is it your mom again?”

Mallory paused, staring at Eliza, and then shook her head. “No… no. It’s your boyfriend.”

Eliza flushed. “He’s not my boyfriend,” she protested weakly.