“Do you hear that?” Jim’s steps faltered as he walked along the foggy path toward home. It had seemed a short trip when he left the restaurant.

“Hear what?” Beside him was his “date” he guessed. Gary Mitchell. Only Jim was definitely not feeling it.

“Sounded like…howling.”

Gary snorted. “Howling? Geez. I know it’s October but cut it out with the stupid shit, will you?”

Jim felt himself blush, but attempted to ignore Gary just the same. “It’s cold tonight.”

“I’d offer you my jacket, but you’re the dummy who didn’t bother to bring one.”

Jim’s jaw clenched. “It was warm today, I didn’t think about it.”

“That’s the thing, Jim. You don’t think.”

Jim stopped in front of Gary’s apartment building. “Okay. Here we are. See you.”

“What? You aren’t coming inside?”

“Why would I?”

Gary gave him a look like he thought Jim was a moron. Jim figured Gary was the moron for even imagining Jim would sleep with him.

“To finish our date.”

Jim laughed. “Our date is finished.”

“Fuck you, Kirk.”

“You wish. Get lost, Gary. Have a nice night.”

Jim began to walk away in the fog, leaving Gary behind as he headed in the direction of his own place.

He was less than a block away when he heard a man’s scream, followed by snarling and then another howl.

His heart picked up pace, beating hard in his chest. He didn’t care what Gary said, something was out there in the fog.      

Jim decided to run, feeling as though his life likely depended on it. He had only a few short blocks to go, but it felt like miles and the fog seemed endless. When he thought he could go no further, his apartment building was in sight. He ran up the stairs to the front glass doors and turned around, feeling like his heart was in his throat.

There was nothing there. No one seemed to be chasing him. And as he stood there, panting, the fog began to lift, and the area around the apartment building cleared and came fully into focus.

But he was not alone, because coming up the walkway was the Vulcan, Spock. A professor at the Academy that lived in the same Academy apartments as Jim did. He had to admit the Vulcan was insanely hot.

“Oh. Hello. Uh, Spock. Did-did you come from that way?”

Spock arched a brow. “Obviously.”

“Yeah.” He laughed nervously. “You hear anything?”

“Such as?” Spock joined Jim on the steps by the doors.

“A scream or-or howling.”

“I did not.”

“See anything?”

“It was most difficult to see clearly in the fog, Cadet. But it seems to be clearing. Shall we?” Spock reached past him and opened the door to the building. “You do look rather pale.”

“Yeah. Seems like my imagination freaked me out a bit.” Jim smiled and headed for the lift that would take him to his floor. Spock’s apartment was on the ground floor so required no lift. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

In the morning, Jim was sipping coffee in the cafeteria when Bones appeared.

“Hey. Didn’t you have a date with Mitchell last night?” Bones asked, as he sits down.

Jim rolls his eyes. “If you could call it that. Big mistake. He’s a jerk.”

“Well, don’t think you’ll have to worry too much.”

“Huh? Why?”

Bones shrugged. “Mitchell has disappeared.”