Prologue (Sort Of)

PROLOGUE (SORT OF):

New York was cold this time of year; I could see my breath in front of me as I walked home. It was Tuesday, which meant that my best friend, Josh, and I were studying at his place. It was almost eleven at night, in the middle of October. The first snow of the season had yet to come, but it was definitely right around the corner. I shivered and pulled my jacket collar up over my mouth to try to keep warm. 

There are several things that probably could have been done to prevent what happened next. You know that feeling you get when you look back on something bad that's happened, like you could have done something differently and maybe the outcome wouldn't have been so terrible? That's how I felt afterward, though I was mostly convinced my future was mapped out for me, regardless of anything I could have done differently.

The streets were empty, aside from me and the stranger hiding in the darkness, waiting to grab me. I felt a clammy hand on my mouth, silencing my scream and a sharp prick in my neck. A moment later, the stranger was gone and my vision was blurring. I leaned against the nearest building, sliding down to sit on the cold ground, hoping to get my bearings. But I was out before I hit the pavement.