Aries: The One Who Stole My Heart

from the house, running far away. I didn't know where I was heading. I just kept running and didn't want to stop ever. I ran until I was completely exhausted. I slowed down, flopped onto the grass, looked around, and realized I was in the woods, deep inside, and dark. I hugged my knees to my chest, curling up into a ball, rubbing away my flowing tears. My body was shaking with my heart beating hard in my chest. I was scared and tired. I had to lie down with a headache in the bargain.

"What was I thinking?" I cried. "I'm so stupid." I was now suffering in the cold.

In the darkness of the woods, there are wild animals—hunting, and they eat any animals they can catch and occasionally human beings. I was now going to be eaten by one or more animals because of my carelessness. I was scared. I was weak, light-headed, and then—

~*~

I woke up, I was smiling, but it quickly morphed into a frown. I was in my room, in my bed, and best of all, I had a peaceful sleep in a very long time. I felt energized. Then suddenly, I cringed on the memories from last night that flooded my mind. Remembering, I'd jumped out of the window. I was running and running into the dark woods. Then, somehow I ended up in my room? In my bed?

HOW?...

I tried to remember everything, but I just couldn't recollect it. Like a dream, it was lingering on my mind, but no matter how much I tried to remember, it was slipping away like a fistful of sand trying to hold and that was driving me crazy. I know for sure it wasn’t a dream nor a hallucination. Something happened, but—what?

My phone gave out an alert tone and broke the train of my thoughts.

The message read:

Perfect morning to you, Aries.

What I'm about to tell you will change your life forever! This will bring a vital turning point in your life. Things in your world now may seem kind of crazy. But this is a normal part of the cycle. It's your soul realigning with a lot of essential factors. Because of your particular ethos, this ends up bringing a man into the picture for you, Leo. He doesn't belong to you.

Stay away from him.

Until next time, take care.

'NO!' my heart sunk.

'Why should I stay away from him?'

Just now, when I finally found happiness, some unknown person was telling me to abandon the treasure of joy. No way.

It's ridiculous, for one, this controversial message shows a complete lack of Leo's and my feelings. But on the other hand, you know that feeling when your heart doesn't want to believe in something, and then someone's words start to pollute your mind and make you feel— what if? What if this was right and true.

I sighed in exhaustion and stood up to start my day. I began to make the bed, and between the sheets, I found a few strands of loose hair—black and white. Upon close inspection, they look like they were shed from an animal.

Animal?

'Why can't I remember anything from last night?' I screamed in my head. It was frustrating. I rubbed my temple with my free hand, trying to wrap my head around all the facts.

I have a lot of questions, but there was nobody to answer them. Except, maybe, this mystery person who is sending me messages could know something more. So I begin typing words.

'Who are you? I want to meet you today.'

I stared at the phone for a while, but nothing-no reply.

My eyes fell on the wall clock in front of me.

"Shit, I'm going to be late for school," I hurried up and finished the household chores. I was more than relieved to know Ken was gone—until next week.

I kept checking my phone in between getting ready for school and cleaning last night's mess in the kitchen. Still, there was no reply to my text from this mystery person.

I've been feeling this slight throbbing pain in my chest since I woke up. I ignored it. It was probably from all the running I did last night on an empty stomach. Yeah, that was it.

~*~

I sprinted halfway, climbing the school building stairs when my phone beeped. 'Meet me in the gym' A text message from Leo.

With a heavy heart, I ignored the message and walked into my already progress class.

But I couldn't focus in the class either. My mind was distracted. The mystery text from this person. Last night's drama. The animal hair.

I know I was in the woods, and someone brought me back. Who? Or What?

Something happened last night, something big. A small chunk of my life was now missing. I had a hunch that something strange—like a supernatural phenomenon occurred while I was unconscious. I know it sounds crazy, but this was the only explanation I could come up with. Someone protected me in that woods and brought me safely to my bedroom without anybody noticing.

'I know something is out there. Something powerful, beyond human capacity.'

And on top of that, the mystery text was creating suspense. I was beginning to get a severe headache. I rubbed my forehead.

I want answers. I wanted to know what happened, and not knowing was making me frustrated.

During classes, I was brooding over the whole mystery, and then this pain in my chest had intensified by afternoon. I was getting weak as if I was going under the weather or something.

Just before recess, my phone pinged again. 'I just wanted to know if you are okay, Aries. Call me. Please.' Leo's simple message made me feel freaking guilty. But with the disoriented state of my mind, it was not the right time to meet Leo. I was still struggling to comprehend everything happening with me. I was already frustrated, and I don't want to show Leo my condition, so I decided it was best to avoid him.

Today the day seemed longer, and the agony in my chest was only growing.

I felt a