I was the last option

Zachary's nonchalant remark, "Didn't you hear it?" echoed in his mind. Suddenly, an absurd idea struck his, sending a chill down his spine.

He lowered his head, bringing his ear closer to the cup's cold and damp surface. "Whoosh, whoosh." A clear and distinct breath, inhaling and exhaling, stirred the tea, akin to the life rhythm of a creature concealed beneath its fur. Yet, it carried a chilling malice, subtly vibrating with the cup.

"Ah... Ahem." A silent scream caught in his throat as his legs weakened. In an instant, he felt like he had been thrown into the cold, wet rain outside, with a chilling dampness enveloping his entire being, as if something had licked him all over.

With a "drip," the flashlight on his phone extinguished. Trembling, he hastily turned on his phone again, and the flickering red indicator reminded him that his battery was running low. The darkness intensified his torment, and he almost expended all his strength to lower his head and frantically search for the