Lowestoft Forests | BxB

Lowestoft. Nestled in the shadow of mountains and surrounded by thick forests, the town exudes a quiet charm that feels stuck in time. Its narrow streets are lined with quaint, red-brick buildings that withstood generations of seasons. The deep green of the surrounding forests and the towering peaks only add to the town’s timeless, almost enchanted feel, making it a place where everyone knows your name. At twilight, the streets seem to be part of a dream, as the fog from the surrounding woods spills into the town, curling between the buildings like a living thing.

The main street is a cobblestone thoroughfare, winding through the heart of the town, lined with small shops owned by the locals. An old-fashioned bakery, Sweet Tooth Bakery, with the scent of freshly baked bread and custard-filled muffins drifting out has been there for generations. Because you can’t have a mouthwatering pastry without a good book, right near the bakery you can find Boundless Books, a cozy bookstore crammed with the latest bestsellers and well-worn volumes. Across the street, the faded neon sign of an old-fashioned diner buzzes faintly, inviting you to step inside for a slice of homemade pie and a friendly conversation with the waitress who’s worked there for decades.

The locals often speak in hushed tones about the old legends—how the land has its language, how the changing of the seasons is more than just a cycle, but a force to be respected. It’s said that the mountains watch over Lowestoft and that the forest holds secrets only a few can understand.

“Great! Another rainy day,” Blake huffed as he got up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom.

In the last few days, the cold season started to announce its arrival, it was October after all. After getting ready for school, he went downstairs to have some breakfast.

He made himself some scrambled eggs with bacon and poured some coffee into his mug. He was used to living mostly alone as his parents were always on business trips to other cities. Just in time, Parker texted him that he was just around the corner. Every day was the same. He would get ready for school and Parker would pick him up and go together. Blake had known Parker all his life and they were friends ever since they met in first grade.

“What took you so long?” Parker shouted from the car.

“Just shut up and unlock the door,” Blake tapped the car with his umbrella.

As Blake sat in the passenger seat of Parker’s old sedan, his eyes unfocused as the rain hammered against the windows in a steady rhythm. The world outside was blurred, the streaks of water running down the glass like tears, distorting the view of the town still shrouded in the early morning mist. He could hear the soft hum of the engine as Parker fiddled with the radio, and the smell of damp earth filled the car, a reminder of the forest always watching you. The car slowed to a stop, and Blake glanced at Parker, who was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, lost in thought.

“You think it’s gonna stop anytime soon?” he asked, his voice breaking the silence.

Parker shrugged, glancing up at the sky.

“Doubt it. Looks like it’s here to stay.” The rain wasn’t just weather—it felt like something deeper, a mood that had settled over Maple Hollow, heavy and expectant. Blake turned his gaze back to the window, watching the droplets race down the glass, wondering what the day would bring, knowing that in a town like this, even the rain felt like it had a story to tell.

Parker parked in his usual spot near the edge of the lot, under the canopy of a few oak trees. They sat for a moment in the quiet, the engine still running, the car’s interior warm and familiar. Outside, the rain seemed to intensify. Blake reached for his backpack, his fingers brushing the fraying straps as he glanced out the window at the high school looming ahead.

Lowestoft High wasn’t much to look at—a square, brick building with ivy creeping up its sides, and tall, narrow windows that gave the place a cold, almost fortress-like feel. The school had always seemed a little out of place, like it was an extension of the town’s age-old atmosphere, where everything was a bit worn, a bit faded, but still sturdy, still standing after all these years. The bell tower at the center of the school rose above the roofline, its clock face cracked, but still ticking, a reminder that time here moved differently. The grounds were mostly wet and muddy from the downpour, puddles reflecting the dull sky above. A few kids huddled under the overhang near the entrance, trying to stay dry, while others sprinted across the courtyard, their backpacks bouncing with each hurried step.

“Rain’s only getting worse,” Parker muttered, pulling the keys from the ignition. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and glanced at Blake. “You ready for another day in paradise?”

Blake only gave half a smile, pushing open the door and stepping into the cool, damp morning. The air smelled like wet leaves and old wood, and for a second, it felt as if the school itself was part of the wild, untamed world that surrounded the town. With a deep breath, he followed Parker toward the school’s double doors, their footsteps squelching in the mud, and the sound of the rain swallowed by the murmurs of the students arriving for another day.

Inside, the warm, buzzing halls felt a world apart from the misty morning outside. Blake and Parker exchanged a few jokes about the assignments waiting for them in first period, but Blake couldn’t quite shake the strange feeling that had settled over him since stepping onto campus.

As they turned a corner, Blake felt a sudden, solid weight slam into his shoulder, sending a jolt through his entire body. The force of the impact was enough to make him stumble back, his books flying from his hands and scattering across the floor.

“Hey, watch it!” he said, more startled than angry, glancing up at the guy who’d just barreled into him.

The stranger didn’t even break his stride. Tall and broad-shouldered, he moved with an unhurried, almost predatory grace, his gaze fixed ahead as if Blake were nothing more than an inconvenience in his path. He barely turned his head, offering no apology or acknowledgment. Blake’s pulse quickened as he bent down to retrieve his books, and as he straightened up, he caught a glimpse of the guy’s face.

And then he saw it—just for a second, a flash in the stranger’s eyes, a glint of yellow that was almost too bright to be real, piercing like the eyes of an animal in the dark. Blake’s heart skipped a beat. Had he really seen that, or was it just a trick of the fluorescent lights overhead?

“What a jerk,” he muttered, shaking his head, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away as the guy continued down the hall, slipping into the crowd as though nothing had happened. A few students shot Blake sympathetic glances, but no one else seemed to notice.

Blake felt Parker’s hand on his shoulder, steadying him. “You good?”

“Yeah,” Blake said, snapping back to reality. He forced a shrug, trying to brush it off. “Just... I don’t know, he seemed weird.”

Parker rolled his eyes. “It’s high school, man. You’ll survive. I wouldn’t worry about it, sounds like this guy has the manners of a brick wall.”

Blake chuckled, but the feeling lingered.

*

Blake couldn’t focus on a single equation. The numbers on the board blurred as his mind drifted back to the hallway, replaying that strange encounter over and over. He’d never felt anything quite like it—that sense of being dismissed, brushed aside like he didn’t matter. And those eyes… he could still picture them, a flash of yellow that seemed to pierce right through him.

“Blake,” a voice interrupted his thoughts. He blinked realizing his math teacher was staring at him, eyebrows raised.

“Uh, sorry,” he mumbled, sitting up straighter as a few classmates snickered.

Parker nudged him under the desk. “Dude, are you sure you’re okay? You’re spaced out today.”

Blake nodded, trying to shake off the lingering tension. “I’m fine,” he whispered back, glancing up at the clock. Only ten minutes left in class. He was relieved; maybe he could clear his head between periods.

When the bell finally rang, Blake gathered his books, feeling the tightness in his chest at ease as he stepped into the hallway with Parker. The break between classes buzzed with the usual chaos, but Blake’s eyes instinctively scanned the faces around him, looking for that tall figure, half-expecting to see those intense, animal-like eyes staring back.

As they rounded a corner, Parker tapped his shoulder. “Still thinking about that guy?”

Blake hesitated, then nodded. “I know it sounds weird, but something was… off about him. It’s like he was looking through me. And his eyes, Parker—”

Just as they turned the corner into the math wing, Parker grabbed Blake’s arm, leaning in. “Isn’t that the guy?”

Blake followed Parker’s gaze down the hallway. Sure enough, there he was—the same tall figure, leaning casually against a locker at the far end, surrounded by a small group of friends. His expression was distant, almost cold as if he existed in a world apart from the busy halls around him.

And then, as if sensing Blake’s stare, the guy’s head turned. For a moment, their eyes locked from across the crowded hallway, and Blake felt a shiver run down his spine. The stranger’s lips curled into a smirk, his gaze intense and unblinking.

“What’s his deal?” Parker muttered under his breath.

Blake shook his head, tearing his gaze away. “I have no idea. But... something about him just doesn’t feel right.”