Following the chilling success of their first collection, Lady Eckland, Glenn Riley, and new collaborator, Bella Darkwood return to guide you through the shadowy corridors of fear with their second compendium, *Whispers In The Dark 2*. These master...
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Emily's knuckles were white from clenching the steering wheel. The narrow highway stretched on for miles in either direction, not a building or even a tree in sight to break up the desolate landscape. It was just Emily alone in her car, and the dark, brooding night.
A bolt of lightning crackled across the sky, briefly illuminating the vast emptiness around her. The thunder that followed made Emily jittery, even though storms had never bothered her before. Or maybe it wasn't the storm, but the growing sense she was being watched.
She checked her phone again hoping to finally get a signal, but still-nothing. Dead zones were common in rural areas, but the total lack of connection out here filled Emily with dread. Her car chose the worst possible time to break down.
The last town she passed through was over an hour ago. There wouldn't be another for seventy miles, and that was assuming she could even get her car moving again. As Emily stared out at the pouring rain pounding the windshield, she knew walking for help wasn't an option either.
She was well and truly stranded.
Another flash of lightning revealed a battered road sign ahead. Emily leaned forward, squinting through the rain-streaked glass. All she could make out was:
WARNING STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE UNTIL SUNRISE
A chill ran down Emily's spine that had nothing to do with the temperature. She knew she wasn't imagining it now-unseen eyes were watching her. She could feel them crawling over her.
Checking over her shoulder, Emily peered into the backseat. It was still empty. When she turned back around, her breath caught in her throat. Briefly illuminated by her headlights stood an imposing figure on the side of the road just ahead.
Emily blinked and the light flared again. Now the road was empty once more.
A rumble of thunder rippled through the air as Emily gripped the steering wheel impossibly tighter. "It was just a shadow..." she muttered under her breath, struggling to keep the waver out of her voice. "It wasn't real."
Something thumped heavily onto the top of her car. Emily yelped, hitting the ceiling in surprise. Peering out wildly into the darkness, she thought she spied a shape-a face maybe?-peering down through the passenger window. Then it was gone in a blink, leaving no trace save Emily's hammering heart.
I need to get out of here! she thought desperately, twisting the key in the ignition once again. The engine sputtered uselessly, refusing to turn over. Slamming her palms against the steering wheel, Emily let out a frustrated shriek. The noise echoed strangely in the confines of the vehicle, making her shrink back in unease.
In her mind's eye, Emily saw herself from the outside-a young woman alone in a disabled car, locked away from the rest of humanity by walls of watery blackness on all sides. An easy victim...
Emily's breath came in ragged gasps now. The world seemed to press down on her. She had to escape!
Throwing open the car door, Emily leapt out into the storm. Rain lashed at her body as she took off running down the road. Thunder crackled menacingly behind her, punctuated by gleeful, inhuman laughter.The sound sent Emily's pulse skyrocketing.
