The Calm Before the Storm
The air in Woodsboro was heavy with the scent of impending change, the kind of stillness that settled before a storm, even though nothing seemed amiss. It was just a quiet town, nestled in the quiet corners of suburban life. Yet, for Karina Yu, something felt wrong. She couldn’t quite place it. Maybe it was the quiet whispers between her friends, the way they looked over their shoulders a little too often, the hesitation in their smiles when they greeted her. Or maybe it was the way she found herself scanning the street corners, looking for something she couldn’t name.
Her friends—Giselle, Yeji, Lia, and Chaeryeong—had been with her since the start of college, the kind of tight-knit group who’d stuck together through thick and thin. They always had her back, and she’d do the same for them. Tonight, they were hanging out at Lia’s house, a familiar setting that should’ve brought comfort, but all Karina could focus on were the little cracks in the atmosphere.
"Karina, you good?" Giselle asked, leaning in closer, her brow furrowed with concern.
Karina gave her a smile, trying to push away the unease. "Yeah, just tired, I guess."
Yeji and Chaeryeong were in the kitchen, laughing over something Yeji had said, while Lia sat on the couch, absent-mindedly scrolling through her phone. It was normal. But for Karina, it didn’t feel normal anymore.
Across the room, Winter Kim was sitting with her own group of friends—Ningning, Ryujin, Yuna, and Yujin. Winter was always so composed, so calm. It was hard to tell if she was happy, sad, or angry. Most of the time, it seemed like she didn’t feel anything at all. Ningning, on the other hand, had a presence that was impossible to ignore. Her energy filled the room, but there was something cold about her smile, something predatory in the way she observed everyone.
Karina caught Winter’s gaze, her eyes dark, almost unreadable. There was a flicker of something there, something Karina didn’t understand but instinctively felt—like Winter was watching her, waiting for something, or maybe expecting something.
“You sure you’re okay?” Giselle’s voice broke Karina’s concentration, and she nodded, pushing the unsettling thought to the back of her mind.
“Yeah, just... tired,” Karina said again, even though she wasn’t sure she meant it.
As the night wore on, their conversations drifted from mundane chatter about classes and summer plans to the recent murders that had shaken Woodsboro. It was impossible not to talk about it. Everyone was on edge. Karina hadn’t known the victims personally, but the idea of someone being killed so close to home sent a shiver down her spine. The police were still investigating, but no one seemed to have any answers.
“I swear, I don’t know how we’re supposed to feel safe with this going on,” Yeji muttered, her voice low. “It’s like someone’s always watching.”
Lia laughed nervously. “Don’t say stuff like that, it’s freaking me out.”
Winter, who’d been eerily quiet up until that point, shifted her gaze to Karina. Her eyes lingered for just a moment too long before she spoke.
“Maybe it’s because we’re all too busy looking over our shoulders,” Winter said in her soft, almost monotone voice, “and not paying attention to what’s right in front of us.”
Karina felt a shiver run down her spine. There was something chilling about the way Winter’s words seemed to echo in her head, lingering longer than they should have.
“It’s just the fear talking,” Giselle added, attempting to lighten the mood. “I mean, we can’t let it control us.”
But Karina couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. It wasn’t just the fear of the killer—it was Winter’s presence, the way she always seemed to be watching, always too calm.
The night ended with everyone heading home, the unease still hanging in the air. Karina walked alongside Giselle, trying to ignore the strange thoughts swirling in her mind.
"You sure you're alright?" Giselle asked, eyeing Karina closely. "You’re acting a little weird."
“I’m fine," Karina replied, though the words felt hollow. "Just... tired."
As they approached her house, Karina glanced over her shoulder. Winter was standing at the end of the street, her gaze unwavering. Karina's breath caught in her throat, but she quickly turned away, telling herself it was nothing.
Yet, in the back of her mind, something gnawed at her. Something was wrong. She couldn’t figure out exactly what it was, but she knew—deep down—that this wasn’t just fear.
It was something darker.
And she was dangerously close to being caught in the middle of it.