Chapter 2: Dogs in the Yard Thus far⌠What spell did Maya cast on Dan Harper at that pond? He ended up leaving behind a family, a career, everything⌠to run with her in the night. He was shot at but still cared for her in the hospital, only to be left flat. For Dan, responsible, hard- working peopleâ like himâavoided this chaos. After being shot, recovering, and abruptly being left behind, Dan is left to wonder: What spell did she cast on him? And in his mind, the madness began one morning on the way to work, as he passed by the pond. And now⌠Chapter 2: Dogs in the Yard The wind was cold on the water, and the air felt thick with memories as I walked along the edge of the pond. I could still remember the days when things were simplerâwhen I was someone I could be proud of. But now? Life had a way of shifting underfoot. I had a house. A family. A job. All the trappings of a life that was supposed to mean something. But somewhere along the way, I lost my grip on it all. The image of the man I used to beâclean-cut, all- Americanâwas a ghost now. The sharp jawline that had once been admired was rough with stubble, the blue eyes tired and distant. The suit? It was long gone, replaced by a faded jacket and worn boots. I was walking toward the old bench, the place where I used to come to think. To clear my mind. And thatâs when I saw her. Maya. Sitting on the bench, her dark curls wild, her black leather jacket unzipped in defiance of the cold. There was something magnetic about her, a raw energy that didnât ask permission to exist. She had a presence. And when she looked up at me with those deep, knowing eyes, something inside me shifted. âThrow one,â she said, âYeah, throw a stone. Skip it on the pond. For the hell of it. Remember what like.â Her lips curling into a teasing grin. I paused. There was something about her that both repelled and pulled me in. But I wasnât sure if I could trust myself around her. âWhat if I donât want to?â I shot back, the words hanging in the air. She smirked, leaning forward as if she could sense my hesitation. âThen youâre missing out.â I felt the air change around me, and for a split second, the weight of my life seemed to fall away. I was no longer the man whoâd lost himself. For that one moment, standing by the pond with Maya, I was just someone trying to figure out who I could become next. End of Chapter 2. Extended Chapter versions are in Andrewâs Substack, link in Bio. Chapter 3 drops a week from Wednesday.
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