The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow on the deserted path as Zack stumbled home from his first ever University party. He swayed slightly, the alcohol still coursing through his veins, making it difficult to keep his thoughts straight. Basketball tryouts were tomorrow, and he couldn't shake the gnawing anxiety that had taken root in the pit of his stomach. What if he didn't make the team? What would he do then?

"BOO!" a voice suddenly shouted, causing Zack's heart to leap into his throat.

"Jesus, Rob!" he gasped, clutching his chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

His roommate emerged from the bushes, grinning devilishly. "Sorry, man," he said, not sounding sorry at all. "I couldn't resist."

"Whatever," Zack muttered, shaking off the lingering adrenaline. "Come on, let's get back to the dorm. I need some sleep if I'm going to have any chance at tryouts tomorrow."

As they walked, Rob started chattering excitedly about their new life at University. "Can you believe we're finally here? It feels like just yesterday we were getting our acceptance letters."

"Time flies, I guess," Zack agreed, nodding absentmindedly. He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to fully engage in the conversation, but Rob seemed content to do most of the talking anyway.

"Man, I can't wait to see what this year has in store for us," Rob continued, his enthusiasm practically bubbling over. "New friends, new experiences... it's going to be incredible."

"Let's just hope we don't screw it up," Zack said, half-jokingly. He knew he was more nervous than he wanted to admit, and he suspected Rob felt the same way.

"Hey, watch your step there," Rob warned as they rounded a bend, but it was too late. Zack's foot caught on the uneven sidewalk, and he tripped, stumbling into a clearing.

"Ouch! What the hell?" he grumbled, rubbing his shin as he glanced around.

"Whoa," Rob whispered, his eyes wide with shock. "I think we just walked into a crime scene."

Zack followed Rob's gaze and saw it: police tape cordoning off an area of the clearing, evidence markers scattered about, and a few discarded latex gloves lying on the ground.

"Shit," Zack murmured, feeling suddenly sober. "We need to get out of here."

"Hey!" a voice called out sharply. "What are you two doing here?"

Startled, they turned to see Lindsay, a rookie police officer, marching towards them with a stern expression."Uh, we were just..." Zack stammered, struggling to find an explanation. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, she is going to know I have been drinking for sure he thought. "We, uh, we are...." He trailed off, unable to form a sentence as his fear blended with the alcohol.

"Leaving," Rob finished for him, grabbing Zack's arm and pulling him away from the crime scene.

"Be more careful next time," Lindsay warned, her voice softer now but still firm. "You never know what kind of danger you might stumble into at night."

"Thanks," Zack mumbled, his face flushing with embarrassment. "We will."

As they took a few large steps back behind the yellow tape, Zack couldn't help but feel a shiver of unease snake its way down his spine. He knew that life at University would be full of surprises, but this was one twist he could have done without.

"Rob," he said quietly, "let's make sure we stick together, okay? I don't want either of us getting into any more trouble than necessary."

"Deal," Rob agreed, gripping Zack's shoulder reassuringly. "We're in this together, no matter what." Rob's gaze drifted from his friend back to the crime scene " Starting tomorrow." Rob said as he turned back toward Lindsay.

"Hey, Lindsay," Rob called out as Zack rolled his eyes. "What happened here?"

"Rob, you know I can't reveal details of an ongoing investigation," Lindsay replied, her tone serious, but with a hint of warmth in her eyes.

"Come on, just a little information? I practically lived at your house for most of elementary, we are practically siblings." Rob pleaded, attempting his most charming smile. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

Lindsay sighed, relenting ever so slightly. "The victim was believed to be a homeless woman named Joanna. That's all I can tell you."

"Thank you," Rob said softly, his playful demeanor slipping away, replaced by genuine concern.

At some point during their conversation, Zack found himself drawn to a nearby wooded area. It almost felt like the woods were calling out to him, his name carried on the wind that whipped through the trees. He stumbled forward, reminded just how much he had to drink at the party. There was the sound of crunching leaves nearby and Zack shuddered, feeling the intoxicating effects of alcohol slowly evaporating as adrenaline coursed through his veins for the second time that night.

"Get it together," he muttered to himself, rubbing his arms for warmth. "You're just spooked from that crime scene and letting it get to your head. I mean the police would have searched the area by now so there is no way anything dangerous is around here."

He ventured deeper into the woods, a strange force fueling his steps. A thick fog began to envelop him, obscuring his vision and making the air heavy with moisture. The sound of his own breathing became unnervingly loud in his ears, drowning out all other noise. Then he saw it, a silhouette in the fog.

"Hello?" Zack called out tentatively, suddenly feeling very exposed. "Rob? Are you there?"

No response came, only the echo of his own voice bouncing back at him. Panic crept up his spine, settling like ice in his chest. He was about to turn back when the shadow began to race towards him, his heart skipped a beat when its glowing orange eyes came into view.

"Zack," the creature hissed its voice a guttural growl that sent tremors down Zack's entire body. It looked like a twisted, grotesque caricature of a man, its limbs elongated and gnarled, its face distorted with hunger.

"Please," Zack stammered, his legs trembling beneath him. "I didn't—"

"Too late," the creature snarled, seizing Zack's arm in a vice-like grip and dragging him close. "You have been marked."

"Marked?" Zack gasped, feeling an unbearable heat radiating from the creature's claws and searing into his skin. He screamed, but the sound was swallowed by the fog.

"I will collect you when the change has taken hold, " the creature whispered maliciously into Zack's ear before releasing him and disappearing back into the shadows.

Zack collapsed onto the damp ground, his heart pounding wildly as he clutched at his burning arm. What had just happened? Was this some kind of twisted nightmare, what the hell was in those drinks?

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"Rob!" he cried out, praying that his friend would hear him and come to his aid. But deep down, he knew that even if Rob found him, there was no way to explain what he had just gone through, if it was even real, to begin with. Something dark and dangerous had attacked him, or at least if felt that way.

As the pain continued and fear settled within him, Zack struggled to stand. The fog seemed to dissipate slightly, allowing him to see the faint outline of the path leading back to the campus. With a shaky breath, he began walking, knowing that he had no choice but to face whatever lay ahead.

Zack raced back to the residence building, his heart pounding in rhythm with the footsteps that echoed through the empty night. He felt a searing pain move from his arm, where the creature had dug its claws into his flesh, to his back as if it were fire crawling along his body. The foggy park and the terrifying encounter with the creature seemed like a terrible dream, yet the burning sensation reminded him of its chilling reality.

"Zack! What happened?" Kenzie, a sweet girl from down the hall, called out to him as he stumbled into the lobby. Her eyes widened in concern at his appearance, sweat-drenched hoody and mud-soaked jeans.

"Nothing," Zack mumbled breathlessly, forcing a shaky smile onto his face. "Just, uh, tripped and fell in the park. I'm fine." He brushed past her quickly, not wanting to give her any reason to doubt his story. The truth was far too unbelievable, even for him.

He entered his room and slammed the door shut, leaning against it briefly to catch his breath. His hand instinctively went to his back, where the pain seared relentlessly. Was he going insane? Or were that creature's words really true? Had he been marked?

"Get a grip, Zack," he whispered to himself, peeling off his hoodie as he headed toward the mirror hanging on the wall opposite his bed. His reflection stared back at him, pale and disoriented. As he turned to examine his back, the sight that met his eyes made him gasp.

A strange mandala symbol, intricate and menacing, was burned into his skin. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead, and his knees buckled beneath him. This couldn't be happening.

Panicking, Zack stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the shower, setting the temperature to ice-cold. The frigid water cascaded over his body, numbing the burning sensation on his back. He tried to take deep breaths, but each inhale only served to remind him of the terrifying ordeal he had just experienced.

"Zack? Are you in here? Where did you wander off to back there? " Rob's voice filtered through the bathroom door, making Zack jump. The door creaked open, and Rob's concerned gaze scanned the room before landing on Zack.

"Hey, man," Zack stammered, shutting off the water and grabbing a towel to cover himself as he stepped out of the shower. "I, uh... I'm fine. Just needed to cool off."

"Are you sure?" Rob eyed him skeptically. "You look like you've seen a ghost or are one yourself."

"Really, I'm good." Zack forced another smile, hoping his friend would believe him. He didn't want to burden Rob with the truth – not until he figured out what the truth even was.

As Zack turned to head toward his bed, he caught Rob staring at his back, his eyes widening with shock. "What is that?"

"Nothing!" Zack exclaimed hastily, diving under the covers to hide the symbol. "It's just... a bruise. From when I fell earlier. No big deal."

"Okay, if you say so," Rob replied, though his tone betrayed his lingering concern. He left the room, closing the door behind him.

With a sigh, Zack lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The room seemed darker than usual as if shadows were creeping in from every corner, ready to swallow him whole. What was happening to him? And how could he possibly escape the nightmare that had become his reality?

-----

The first light of dawn crept through the curtains, casting a warm glow over Zack's dorm room. His eyes fluttered open, and he raced to the bathroom to check his back. To his astonishment, the strange symbol had vanished without a trace. He cautiously ran his fingers over the spot where it had been, feeling only smooth skin. He could still remember the intense burning sensation from the night before, could really have been all in his head?

"Must've been a dream," he muttered, rubbing his eyes before heading to his closet. The vivid memory of the symbol seemed impossible, and yet it lingered in his mind like an unshakable nightmare. With a sigh, he told himself it must have been the vodka and he should forget about it. After all, settling into university life was challenging enough without dwelling on bizarre hallucinations.

Zack's first class of the day was Chemistry 101. He took a seat near the back, hoping to fade into the background as much as possible. But as the lecture began, he realized that something was off. Every little sound seemed magnified – the distant tap of a pencil, the professor's voice echoing through the hall, even the faint rustling of paper. It was starting to get overwhelming, he questioned if this was just first-day jitters.

He gripped the edges of his desk, trying to concentrate and block out the overwhelming noise. When the class finally ended, he bolted from the room, desperate for some peace and quiet. In the hallway, he leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

"First-day jitters, huh?" a soft voice said nearby. Zack turned to see a young woman standing there, she had clearly been speaking to Father Bill. The kind-eyed priest smiled at Zack and nodded before continuing down the hall on his own.

"Y-yeah," Zack stammered, forcing a weak smile. "Just a bit overwhelmed, I guess. Felt like my head was going to explode."

"Tell me about it," the woman replied with a nervous giggle. "I was so frazzled this morning that I forgot to bring something to write with." She held up her empty hands, the corners of her mouth turning down in embarrassment. "I know most people take notes on their laptops, but there is just something about writing them by hand, guess I am old-fashioned that way." She laughed and Zack couldn't help but join.

"Here," Zack said, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a pen with his high school logo on it. "You can have this."

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully, her eyes lighting up as she took the pencil. "I promise I'll give it back. I'm Deb by the way"

"I'm Zack and keep it," he insisted. "I've got plenty."

Deb smiled at him, her eyes warm and appreciative. For a brief moment, the chaos of his morning seemed to fade away as they shared a simple, human connection. But then the alarm Zack set on his phone rang, signaling the start of his next class, and the spell was broken.

"I have to go," Zack said as he turned off the alarm "But maybe we could meet up again sometime?"

"Sounds good to me," Deb replied with a smile "Why don't I give you my number." She used his pen to scribble down her number on a page from her notebook, then tore it out and handed it to him. "looking forward to hearing from you."

As they parted ways, Zack couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed within him. He glanced over his shoulder at Deb, who was now deep in conversation with another student. Something about her just put him at ease and he was happy just to have met her.

-----

Zack wandered into the Student Life Center later that day, his senses still tingling from the morning's overload. The bustling center provided a new sort of challenge as he tried to focus on one conversation among the multitude of voices around him. The sound of a familiar name caught his attention and his hearing seemed to focus on the conversation.

"Nice outfit, Deb," Ahmed remarked, Zack recognized him from orientation, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he looked at her.

"Thank you, Ahmed," Deb responded politely, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I really like your shirt too."

"Hey, I couldn't help but notice your amazing notes during Kin 101, we could be study buddies!" Ahmed suggested enthusiastically. "It'll make adjusting to this new course schedule much easier."

"Sounds good to me," she agreed with a nod.

Despite being at the other end of the building, Zack found himself able to clearly hear their conversation. The realization startled him and he leaned against a wall for support, trying to process this strange new ability.

"Deb, there's a party planned for this weekend," Another young man interjected, his competitive edge shining through even in social situations. "You should come! The whole basketball team will be there – including me since I'm sure I'll make it."

"Thanks for the invite, Boon," Deb said, hesitating. "But I've got a biology study session already planned for that night. Maybe next time?"

"Are you sure?" Boon pressed, his brows furrowed in slight disappointment. "C'mon, it'll be fun. Plus, I can help you with your biology." His suggestive tone caused Deb to start pulling on the edge of her sweater.

Ahmed chimed in, giving Boon an encouraging pat on the back. "He's right, Deb. Boon's a shoo-in for the team. It might be a great opportunity to get to know some new people."

Zack watched from afar as Deb considered their words. A part of him was worried, Boon was so confident, that he could easily charm Deb if he wanted. Zack looked over and saw Deb, the way she leaned away from Boon and played with her sweater, he knew he had nothing to worry about.

"Thanks, guys," Deb said finally, her tone firm yet polite. "But I really do need to study that night. Maybe I'll catch the next party."

As the conversation drifted to talking about coursework, Zack's mind raced, his thoughts spiraling in dozens of different directions. He couldn't understand how he could hear the conversation so crisply from afar, his sudden lack of focus caused more voices to push their way in and cloud Deb's conversation.

He thought back to the strange symbol that had burned into his skin, were his heightened senses a result of that. He shook his head at the ridiculous thought, that what happened last night was just the result of his poor choices.