The morning sunlight barely reached the living room, slipping through the blinds like tentative fingers. Ella sat on the couch, knees pulled up to her chest, staring blankly at the muted television. The room was quiet, almost eerily so, except for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the background. Her mind replayed the events of the previous night, the shadow under the window, the tapping on the glass, Jasper's voice floating through the dark. Every detail made her stomach twist, her pulse spike, and her hands tremble slightly.
Ben hadn't slept either. She could see it in the tense set of his shoulders, the faint lines on his forehead, and the way he paced the floor with sharp, precise steps, like a predator circling his prey. When he finally stopped, he leaned against the kitchen counter, hands pressed flat, jaw tight.
"I can't believe he actually showed up," Ella muttered, voice soft but brittle, as if speaking louder might make the memory real.
Ben's lips pressed into a thin line. "I told you. He's bold… or stupid. Maybe both. But we need to be ready."
Ella swallowed, nodding, but she couldn't shake the icy sensation crawling up her spine. "He's not just after us, Ben. He wants me, he wants to make me feel small, cornered, trapped."
Ben turned to face her fully, eyes dark but steady. "Then we don't let him. Not ever. Not you, not me. No chance."
They moved through the house quietly, checking locks, testing the doors, peering out windows. Every shadow, every faint noise outside made them jump, tighten, flinch. Ella found herself hyper-aware of every creak in the floorboards, every whisper of the wind against the walls. Her heart hammered, her stomach twisted, but she refused to let fear take her fully. She had fought too hard, endured too much, and now she wouldn't be the one to falter.
Ben finally spoke, breaking the oppressive silence. "We need to set a trap. Not for fun. Not for revenge, though I won't deny the urge but to make sure he knows the next time he comes, he won't get away."
Ella tilted her head, skepticism in her tone. "And you think we can do that without him noticing?"
Ben's jaw tightened. "We're smarter than he thinks. We've been underestimating him, sure, but now… we know what we're dealing with."
Her eyes narrowed. "We?"
Ben's hand brushed hers for a brief, grounding moment. "Always us. Don't forget that."
They spent the morning preparing; locks, lights, movement, noise, traps for Jasper to trigger. Every detail mattered. Ella's mind, which often spun too fast for her own good, had to focus, and for once, the planning helped calm her. It gave her a sense of control she hadn't felt since the confrontation with Rita.
By afternoon, the house felt like a fortress. Curtains drawn just enough to hide movement, lights positioned to create shadows and confuse anyone watching, doors tested, windows reinforced. And still… the feeling of being watched lingered. Ella could feel it in her bones, a taut thread of anxiety that refused to snap.
Ben stayed close, shadowing her movements, checking every room, every corner. The silent communication between them was almost telepathic now; gestures, glances, subtle shifts in position. They were partners, warriors, and a team forged in fire.
It was when the sun began to dip that the first sign appeared. A soft rustle at the front gate, a sound so faint Ella almost thought she imagined it. She froze, gaze snapping to Ben. His body stiffened instantly, eyes scanning the yard.
"There," he hissed, pointing toward the shadowed corner near the fence.
Ella's breath hitched. A figure moved, blending almost seamlessly with the darkness, yet unmistakably deliberate. Jasper.
Her stomach dropped, her pulse skyrocketed, but she forced herself to remain calm, to breathe slowly, to keep the fear at bay.
Ben moved like a shadow himself, positioning quietly between her and the door. "Don't make a sound," he whispered.
The figure took a slow, deliberate step, then another, tapping the fence lightly, as if testing them, teasing, mocking. Ella could feel her nails digging into her palms, could hear the sharp inhale of her own breath, could feel the way her heart thudded against her ribcage.
Ben's hand brushed hers again, a silent command to stay still. His eyes never left Jasper, who was now shifting, circling the front yard with almost predatory patience.
Ella muttered under her breath, "He's insane."
Ben didn't respond. His focus was absolute, the kind of concentrated energy that could be felt in the air like static before a storm.
Minutes passed, mor hours, she couldn't tell. Every noise, every movement outside made them tense, every shadow a threat. Then, as if sensing he was being watched, Jasper stopped. Stood still. Tilted his head slightly. And in a voice low enough to cut through the tension, he spoke:
"You think you're safe?"
Ella's heart lurched. She swallowed hard. Ben's jaw flexed, his fist tightening at his side.
"We're never safe," Ben said slowly, voice dark and deliberate. "But we're ready."
A pause. Silence. Then, a faint rustle, the hint of movement toward the gate. Ella pressed herself against the wall, chest tight, watching, waiting.
Ben's hand brushed hers again, this time a grounding squeeze. "Not tonight," he whispered.
Ella nodded, eyes wide. "Not tonight."
The shadow lingered, then receded, leaving a faint echo of menace in the yard, a promise that this wasn't over, that Jasper was still out there, waiting, calculating, ready to strike again.
The evening descended, heavy and oppressive, but inside, Ella and Ben remained vigilant. They didn't speak much after that, but the silence was not emptiness, it was focus, it was strategy, it was a bond forged under pressure.
And though the house was quiet, the lights dimmed, and the city outside moved obliviously on, the feeling remained: the game wasn't over. Jasper had tested them, and while he had not yet succeeded, the threat lingered like smoke.
Ella exhaled slowly, letting herself relax just enough to regain control. "We need a plan for the next time," she muttered.
Ben nodded, eyes still on the front yard. "We always do. And next time, he won't get a single step closer."
She glanced at him, feeling the unshakable steadiness in his presence, the unwavering determination that made her believe they could survive this.
"Together," she whispered.
"Always," he replied.
The night stretched long and tense, but for the first time, the fear was tempered by preparation, by readiness, by a quiet, simmering defiance. Jasper had been here. Jasper had tested them. And tomorrow, when the shadows shifted again, they would be ready.
For now, though, Ella let herself feel something almost like relief. They had survived the first test. And this time… they were stronger than before.