It’s recess at Canute elementary school. There’s sheer pandemonium as children run around, screaming. The weather is gloomy grey skies, with a refreshing breeze from time to time. Joel Maizon (Skinny Jewish kid with brown, curly hair) sprints as fast as he can down the freshly mowed field of Canute elementary School. Corey (Puerto Rican kid with black hair) backs up about three steps. He steadies the football, visualizes his route, flicks his arm and blitz’s the ball a few feet in front of Joel. Joel leaps forward in an attempt to cover the remaining distance, successfully catching the ball but only right before crashing into the shallow sand patch on the ground. As Joel gets back up, he brushes some sand off his New York Giants jersey. A few feet in front of him some other students are huddled around each other. He spots a few familiar faces in the group. Some from his class.

            Eventually Joel notices certain students stare uncomfortably at their phones, while he pulls himself back to his feet.

            “What’s the hold up!?” Corey calls out to him. He knew recess was almost over and he wanted to maximize his time by playing catch to the last second. Joel simply turns around and throws the football back at him, an easy lob. Corey easily catches the ball.

            “Give me a second,” Joel calls back.

            Curious and confused, Corey runs over to Joel as he confronts a kid he recognizes from his class. Norah, by far the tallest girl in the class with her red hair and tom boyish attitude, which some would choose to avoid but not Joel.

            “Yo, Norah. What is everyone looking at?” Joel asks Norah noisily.

            “Hey Joel. We were sharing this creepy pasta that’s been going around the school lately. Have you seen it?” Norah asks.

            “Nope, not at all. Is this one scary?” Joel digs.

            “What is it about?” Corey chimes in.

            “... Well.” Norah clearly does not know how to explain it. So instead, she turns her phone around so both the boys can see her phone screen. A black screen with white lettering inhabits the phone. They both get closer.

                                                                                    The Owl

                                                                        When it stares

                                                                        You will stare back.

                                                                        When it appears

                                                                        You will do the opposite.

                                                                        As you read this,

                                                                        You can see it in your head,

                                                                        Its endless gaze will see you as prey.

                                                                        Its beak will devour you as such.

                                                                        But all you’ll see is... THE OWL.

                                                                        Those who are seen, will be forgotten.

                                                                        By the time you have read this,

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                                                                        It will already be on the move.

            Joel, Norah and Corey look at each other. Joel smirks.

            “That’s not even that scary,” Joel contended.

            “I heard my sister talking on the phone about some cryptic message that was making its way through the high school.” Corey said.

            “This thing has made it to the high school?” Joel asks. “Is Donna, okay?”

Corey ignores the fact Joel calls his sister by her first name. After he admitted to having a crush on her last summer while both boys were playing street hockey. Corey already gathered that much on his own though. Joel would stammer over his words any time she came around. Joel wasn’t the most confident person, but Corey almost never heard him stumble over his words like he does around Donna.  

            “She sounded kind of freaked out about it,” Corey continues.

            “My brother told me some people may have already disappeared after reading this.”

Norah explains.

            Joel, Corey, and the other kids that are in the huddle turn their attention to Norah.

            “People have already disappeared?” Joel asks. “Has anyone called the police yet?”

            “Of course not, there’s no proof.” Norah criticizes.

            “What do you mean there’s no proof? Someone’s kid is missing.”

“So, what do we tell the police? We think this creepypasta off the internet is kidnapping kids?” Norah explains her logic. “We will be laughed out of the building and then they will tell our parents to get us drug tested.’

“Norah has a point. The police would just think we’re being stupid kids. There’s no way they would take us seriously if that were true.” A Black kid with a shaved head from the group speaks up.

“Okay I see your point but let’s say it’s one of those situations in life where the crazy story turns out to be real.” Joel tries to explain. He’s met with quizzical stares from the group.

“What are you talking about?” the same Black kid speaks up again. Joel recognizes him as Devontae from class 4-A. He didn’t really know anything about him besides that, but he heard rumors that he was incredible at drawing.

“All I’m saying is this somewhat like those movies where no one believes in the main characters just because they tell this crazy story.” Joel said.

“I see where you’re coming from, but I still don’t think going to the police about it would help us. We don’t even know if these kids are actually missing?” Devontae snaps back.

“Yeah, my dad told me a story one time of some girl from his old high school going missing. After 5 months they found her living with her boyfriend that was like 20 years older than her.” Corey adds.

“Do you remember one of the last lines of the message?” Norah chimes back in.

            “Those who are seen, will be forgotten.” Corey said.

            “Exactly.” Norah said. “My brother and his friends think that means all memories of you are taken away.”

            “What does that even mean? How can memories be taken away?” Joel asks.

As Corey stands there listening to everybody talk back and forth, he feels a chill that starts with his arms but eventually moves throughout his whole body. A feeling like when you think someone is right behind you. He glances behind himself only to see the school jungle gym. There’re a few students climbing it but nothing out of the ordinary.

            “Hey guys did anybody else feel-” before Corey can finish his sentence, the school recess bell interrupts him.

A wrinkly, middle-aged woman peaks her head out a side door that leads back into the school.

            “Alright Recess is over, come back in!” The teacher calls out.

 Like clockwork, all the students’ faces immediately go from pure happiness to pure dread. Some of them drag their feet, while others say temporary goodbyes to their friends. Corey, Joel, Norah, Davontae, and the others stand there looking at each other. Unable to process this uneasy feeling that has somehow made its way through everyone at the huddle. Norah is the first one to snap out of it.

            “Guys we have to go.” Norah states.

            “Of course. Let’s not freak each other out over some stupid creepy pasta.” Joel said.

            “Exactly. Do you know how many of these get sent around a week?” Corey explains.

            “Right. I’ll see you later.” Norah states while making her way back to school.

Devontae remains silent. The teacher yells out a last call for students that were lagging behind. As each kid walks away, they all feel an unexplainable, uncontrollable fear deep within them. Something similar to the feeling of being in complete darkness in your own house. Except it was broad daylight outside.

After school let out Joel went straight home. There was this feeling he couldn’t quite explain. This lingering feeling that he could feel in the back of his head the rest of the day. It was there when he got home, and it stayed after he ate dinner. His parents could tell something was bothering him, but Joel’s eyes never left his plate as he made small talk.

Later that night Joel dreamt of himself walking down an empty road. A thick fog made sure he could only see a few feet around him. He continuously looked back to ensure there weren’t any cars coming but there never was. Just him. He reached into his pocket to call someone only to realize he didn’t have his phone with him.

“OOOOO - OOOOO!”

            The sound almost makes Joel jump from his skin. He recognizes the sound and turns his head to the left only to see it. He doesn’t know how he knows, but he does. This is the owl. This is HIS owl. Its whole body shrouded in darkness except for its stare. Pointing its deep blue eyes directly at Joel. He wanted to look away, but there was an overwhelming curiosity rested in him. How would it happen? Would it hurt? Is it even real? Without noticing it, Joel had let minutes go by. Still staring at the owl.

            Suddenly the owl flaps its wings and launches itself straight at Joel. As Joel opens his mouth to scream in terror, but the owl fills the void by flying straight into his mouth. The owl uses its beak to bite down on his tongue. Joel attempts to yank the owl away from him only to discover the owl has amazing strength. It won’t even budge. The owl then forces itself further down his throat until it’s impossible to breathe. As the light in Joel’s eyes grows darker the owl gets increasingly restless. Until darkness.

            Joel suddenly wakes up in a cold sweat. He looks around his room, with a sense of relief. There was no fog, no road and there was no owl. Yet... He still felt like he was being watched.