2025-05-31 23:24:45
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Chapter 95
Irene had never packed so fast in her life. Not that she had much to pack — just her phone charger, a hoodie that didn’t smell totally gross, and the switchblade Davion gave her three months ago. Just in case, he’d said with that stupid smirk of his. Like she’d ever actually need it.Well. Guess what.Her mom was still half-asleep and asking questions Irene wasn’t ready to answer. “Irene, slow down. Why are we leaving? Where are we even going?”“I’ll explain in the car,” Irene muttered, stuffing the last charger cord into her backpack and yanking the zipper closed. “We just have to go. Now.”“Irene, this is ridiculous. You’re scaring me.”“Good,” she snapped, harsher than she meant to. “Because I’m scared too. And I’m not gonna sit here and wait for the psycho who sent me a picture of you sleeping to come back for round two.”Her mom froze.Irene didn’t have time to soften it. She slung her backpack over her shoulder, grabbed her mom’s purse from the hook, and tossed it at her. “Come
Chapter 94
Irene’s legs burned from the sprint, but she couldn’t stop. The image of her mom sleeping peacefully — completely unaware of the danger lurking nearby — haunted her like a shadow. She could still feel the cold weight of that picture, the one that had been sent to her phone just moments ago. How had he gotten in? How had he known where her mom lived? The questions hammered at her head as she ran, every step a desperate beat of a heart racing against time.The streetlights flickered in the distance, casting long shadows that made every corner feel like it could hide something waiting to strike. She didn’t care. Nothing mattered except getting to her mom. The pounding in her chest threatened to crack her ribs, but she didn’t care.“Please be okay,” she whispered under her breath as she rounded another corner. Her phone was still clutched tightly in her hand, the image of her mom still burned into her mind. It wasn’t a coincidence. The message wasn’t just a warning. It was a threat.Her t
Chapter 88
The streetlights flickered overhead like they were just as tired as she was. Irene pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, even though the air wasn’t cold. It felt cold though — like something was pressing in on her skin, invisible and heavy. Every car that passed made her flinch. Every shadow looked like it might lurch forward.She hadn’t slept in over a day. Maybe more. Time didn’t feel real anymore. Her legs ached like she’d been walking for weeks, and her head buzzed like a dying lightbulb. Still, she kept moving, one foot in front of the other. Kept looking. Kept hoping Davion would suddenly appear — stumbling out of some alley with that dumb, crooked smile and say, “Took you long enough, drama queen.”But he didn’t.And that silence was starting to feel louder than anything else.She stopped at the edge of an alleyway, glanced down at her phone. Cracked screen. 2% battery. No new texts. Just a blinking red bar mocking her.She sighed, her breath shaky. “Where the hell ar
Chapter 87
The fog was so thick, it clung to everything like a second skin. Each breath Beverly took was cold and wet, like she was breathing in ice. Her boots sank into the soggy earth, and every step felt like the forest was trying to swallow her whole.Reika led the way, her movements sharp and sure. She moved like she belonged in the woods, never hesitating, even when the shadows seemed to reach for her. Davion followed close behind, his bow ready in his hands, eyes scanning every twisted tree and creeping vine.Caleb walked beside Beverly, his face tight with focus. He kept glancing over at her like he wanted to make sure she was okay. She didn’t say anything, but she was glad for it. She wasn’t sure she was okay, but she didn’t want to admit it.Wilson trailed behind them, his hand pressed against the bandage on his arm. Every now and then, he let out a shaky laugh, like he was trying to convince himself this was all just some bad dream.“Why’s it so quiet?” he muttered at one point. His v
86
The stars blinked above us, cold and distant like they didn’t care about our mess. The open field was quiet now, but none of us dared to relax.I sat on a fallen log, legs still trembling from the run. My heart was pounding like a drum solo gone wild, and I kept replaying the shadow-creature’s scream in my head. It was like the forest was trying to break us — to crush whatever was left.Caleb paced nearby, hands shoved deep in his pockets. “We can’t wait. Tomorrow, we move on. Find the source.”Davion leaned against a tree, watching the dark forest edge like it was some beast ready to pounce. “The longer we stay here, the weaker we get.”Wilson sat on the grass, quietly cleaning his scratched arm. “I keep thinking about that thing. What if it comes back stronger?”Reika’s voice cut through the silence. “Then we fight. We don’t have a choice.”I rubbed my arms, trying to keep warm and sane. “How do you fight something that isn’t even real?” I asked. “Like... it’s not flesh and blood.”C
85
We finally broke through the trees, and the edge of the forest spread out before us like some giant, scary promise. The open air hit my face, and for a second, I thought maybe we were safe. Maybe the nightmare was almost over.But the forest wasn’t done yet.“Wait,” Caleb hissed, holding up a hand.We all froze, eyes scanning the dark line of trees behind us.Something moved.A low growl rumbled through the air, and my stomach dropped.From the shadows, two glowing eyes appeared — bigger and meaner than anything I’d seen before.“Not again,” Wilson muttered, gripping his arm like it still hurt.Reika raised her dagger, muscles tense. “Stay ready.”The creature stepped out — not a wolf this time, but something worse. It was like a shadow with teeth, all twisting and shifting like smoke.“Is that even real?” I whispered, heart pounding.Davion’s eyes narrowed. “Real enough to kill us.”The shadow-creature lunged.Caleb fired an arrow right into its side, but it didn’t slow down. It snar
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