4

After freshening up and throwing on some athletic attire, Tim trotted down the stairs, putting on the running shoes that he had taken from his bag. He reentered the kitchen, kissing his mother goodbye and taking a cold bottle of water from the fridge. Exiting the house, he paused on the edge of the porch, noting how the heat of the day felt pleasant against his skin as the warm summer sun slowly basked his body in its spray of solar rays.

He turned his face skyward, enjoying the beautiful breeze that rustled the treetops on its way down to him. Stretching his leg muscles, a brief wave of uneasiness swept over him; something felt wrong—a vibe the earth itself seemed to be emitting. Doing his best to ignore it, he finished limbering up, hopped down the steps, and began walking across the...

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