Stranger Danger

March 23, 2044- Wednesday

Grass weaves in the infield of the track stadium. Bright lights illuminate the men and women preparing for their events. Rise Prongs tightens his shoelaces for the second time in an hour, hoping they don't lose the race. The outdoor season has beaten up his racing shoes, but it's the best his ma and pa can do for him. He tries to maintain them in good condition so he can use them longer.

"Second call for the 3200-meter race," says the announcer.

Rise moves his brown wavy hair out of his face and ties it in half up with a hair tie. It gets annoying when he can't see. He blinks twice as the lights overhead reflect on the metal bleachers. Rise takes off his sweater and sweatpants with the school logo beneath the words Track & Field. The spring breeze hits his exposed skin, raising goosebumps along his legs. From behind, he hears a familiar voice.

"Ready, man?" says Kevin, his team member as they make their way to the start line.

"Yeah, Ortiz," says Rise, shaking his nerves away by stretching.

With his black uniform, Rise thinks of blending into the shadows of the evening. The sun is lower in the Ohio sky, a pink tone against light blue. Nearby oak-hickory trees lean slim with their green leaves behind the stadium. This track invitational is at a private school with forest grounds. Back home, there are more farmlands than forests.

"Third call for the 3200-meter race," says the announcer.

The runners enter their white lanes on the track field. Rise stands next to a boy in the first lane. Rise brushes against the royal blue of the boy's uniform as they stand.

"Have a good run out there," says the boy.

"You as well," says Rise, nodding his head.

Rise waits for the starter to begin his instructions. The runners attentively listen to the rules. Afterward, they voice their agreement to abide by fair play.

Placing his left foot forward from his body, Rise prepares to take off. His arms were in motion to propel him forward. Pop. The gun goes off, signaling the runners off the starting line. Heart pumping blood, lungs filling with oxygen, Rise follows the boy in the royal blue uniform until he hears the strides of the others behind them. Among the pack runs the prey and predator; the others hope you hunt you, yet you hunt the finish line. With each step, they near the middle of the race with royal blue remaining in the lead a step ahead. With 800 meters to go, Rise decides he should push the pace. He pulls up next to the royal blue and passes him. His body feels both joy and pain as it screams to stop, but his brain won't let him. He has more left in him. Rise rushes to the finish line, winning the race.

Although Rise is the winner of his event, his team did not win the invitational. Coach Light leads the team in cooldowns. Because Rise got sidetracked tracking down his sweatshirt on the infield, he was a bit late to the locker rooms.

At the end of the invitational, Rise goes to the locker room to grab the rest of his belongings. In the shadows of the brick building, two people stand in black suits. Rise thinks perhaps they are reporters of a newspaper, but they had no personal device or pen and paper on them. Without staring at them, Rise enters the locker room to retrieve his duffle bag. After finding his belongings, he retraces his steps from the spotless locker room. It must be nice to have brand new lockers, thinks Rise.

8:37 PM

The bus is almost here. Rise takes a step into the night, the wind whips at his face.

"Rise Prongs," says a firm voice.

Chills emanate from Rise's spine throughout his body. The voice comes from the man in the black suit who takes a step toward Rise. The man is fit, middle-aged, and slightly tan. His hairline is full of thick black hair. Like a planted tree, Rise remains in his spot fixed. At only arm's length, the man stops in front of Rise, blocking the gates to the bus parking lot.

"That's me, why?" asks Rise.

"We've been watching you run. You are quite fast," says the man.

Behind the speaking man, a slim woman shakes his head in agreement.

"I try my best," says Rise, feeling a need to bolt out of the situation.

"We'll be watching you," says the man.

Rise steps to the side and heads towards the iron gates at a quick pace. He felt eyes at the back of his head as he moved into the almost empty parking lot.

"Where were you?" asks Kevin.

"Getting my things," says Rise as he sits down in the green leather seats of the bus.

A wave of relief to be near his teammates rushes over Rise. A minute later, the distance coach counts members, and the bus peels off the parking lot. Rise tries to read his assignment for history class, but the previous conversation with the men resurfaces. Who were they? What did they want?

His teammates walk off the bus as they arrive at their school's track and field. Despite Rise's efforts to study on his phone, he could not concentrate.

"See you tomorrow," says Rise.

"See you," says Kevin.

By the end of the evening, the parking lot had several cars. One is the familiar blue pickup truck belonging to his mom. Rise climbs in, throwing his bags to the back seat.

"Ready? How did it go?" asks Mrs. Prongs.

"Yeah, it went good Mom," says Rise.

Mrs. Prongs drives Rise through the center of town as they make their way out into the outskirts. Their home comes into view ten minutes outside of town. It is a white, second-story house with a red barn beside it. Rise reaches to grab his bags from the back of the truck, glad to be home.

The crunching sound of the gravel travels around them as they make their way inside. The white pickup truck signals his father is home from the fields.

Rise eats a ham sandwich before showering. Cold water runs through his hair, dripping down at his feet. Out of the shower, he puts on an old T-shirt and a boxer. After taking his clothes to the laundry room, Rise walks up the wooden steps. The floorboards creak beneath his weight. Seventeen... Eighteen. Rise counts his way to the top of the landing. He walks around the corner of the small hall into his bedroom. A bright light illuminates the light blue walls of his bedroom. Across the door in his bed.

He climbs into the sheets as the phrase repeats in his mind- we'll be watching you. The shadows in his room take human shapes in his mind, but Rise knows there is nothing there.