The campus was buzzing with the usual evening activities. Students laughed and chatted as they moved between dorms and classes, blissfully unaware of the darkness that lurked nearby. Among them, Eric made his way to the track field, eager for a late-night run to clear his head.
The night air was cool and crisp, a welcome respite from the day's heat. As he jogged, Eric couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He glanced around, but the campus seemed normal enough. Shrugging off his unease, he pushed himself harder, his feet pounding against the pavement in a rhythmic beat.
Meanwhile, in a quieter part of the campus, a shadow moved silently. The figure was cloaked in darkness, blending seamlessly with the night. Star, the respected college professor, was working late in her office. She sighed, rubbing her temples as she looked over the endless stack of papers on her desk.
"Fucking grading," she muttered, tossing another red-inked essay into the done pile. She stood up, stretching her back, feeling the vertebrae crack in a satisfying way. The lights in her office flickered, casting eerie shadows across the room. Star glanced up, her brow furrowing.
"Great, the damn lights again," she muttered, reaching for her phone to report the problem.
Before she could dial, the door creaked open. "Who's there?" Star called out, her voice steady but curious. There was no answer. She stood up, peering into the dimly lit hallway.
"Seriously, if this is some kind of prank, you're gonna regret it," she snapped, taking a cautious step forward. The corridor stretched out, unnaturally long and silent. The usual hum of the building's machinery was absent, replaced by an oppressive silence that pressed in on her.
The figure moved quickly, stepping out from the shadows. Star's breath caught in her throat. The figure was clad in black, with a hood obscuring their face. They brandished a knife, the blade gleaming menacingly in the dim light.
Star's eyes widened in fear, but she quickly composed herself. "Stay back!" she shouted, grabbing a heavy bookend from her desk and swinging it with all her might. The object connected with a sickening thud, and the attacker staggered, but didn't fall.
Adrenaline surged through Star as she bolted down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear the attacker's footsteps echoing behind her, growing louder with each passing second. Her shoes skidded on the polished floor as she rounded corners, desperately searching for an escape.
She turned a corner sharply, nearly colliding with a row of lockers. Behind her, the attacker was relentless, their breath heavy and labored. Star spotted the emergency exit sign ahead, its red light offering a glimmer of hope. She sprinted toward it, her legs burning with exertion.
As she burst through the emergency exit, the cold night air hit her like a slap. She stumbled onto the grass, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The attacker hesitated momentarily before charging through the door after her.
Star's scream pierced the night. "Help! Somebody help me!" Her voice echoed across the campus, drawing the attention of nearby students. Several of them rushed toward her, their faces pale with shock.
"Call 911! There's someone after me!" she yelled, clutching her side where the knife had grazed her. Blood seeped through her fingers, staining her clothes.
Students scrambled to help, one pulling off his hoodie to press against her wound, another dialing emergency services. The campus security arrived within minutes, quickly taking control of the scene. They secured the area, searching for any sign of the attacker.
As the ambulance arrived, the paramedics carefully lifted Star onto a stretcher, her bloodied clothes and pale face a stark contrast to the urgency of their actions. Eric, who had finished his run and was heading back to his dorm, saw the commotion and felt a chill run down his spine. He could only watch as the scene unfolded from a distance.
The figure slipped away into the night, vanishing into the shadows. They had left behind a scene of chaos and fear, their identity still a mystery to those who had witnessed the attack.
As the ambulance drove away, the campus slowly returned to its usual buzz of activity, though the night's events had left an uneasy atmosphere hanging over it. The figure, now safely hidden, watched from a distance, their plan set in motion.
The night was far from over, and the darkness that had been unleashed was only beginning to reveal itself.
