𝙱𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝙸𝚗 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 03: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚜

---

Elara didn't sleep that night. She sat by the window,

staring out into the empty streets, the contract laid out

in front of her like a ticking time bomb. Her mind was a

whirlwind of questions and fear. What was Darius? How

did he know so much about her, about the things that

haunted her?

And most importantly-what would happen if she

refused to sign?

Her thoughts spiraled until dawn broke, painting the sky

in shades of gray. She tried to convince herself it was all

a nightmare, something her mind had conjured from the

depths of exhaustion. But deep down, she knew the

truth. The shadows were real. And they were getting

closer.

By noon, the oppressive feeling that had been stalking

her for weeks had grown unbearable. The hairs on the

back of her neck stood on end, and every shadow

seemed to writhe with unseen movement. Something

was coming.

She could feel it.

Desperate for a distraction, Elara grabbed her coat and

headed out, her mind racing as she tried to push the

thought of the contract from her mind. But no matter

where she went, no matter how far she walked, the

sense of being watched only intensified.

By the time she returned home, the sun was already

sinking below the horizon. She barely had time to lock

the door before the apartment was swallowed in

darkness. The city outside was eerily quiet, the usual hum of traffic and voices replaced by an unnatural

stillness.

As she stepped into the living room, she froze.

A figure stood in the corner, half-hidden in the shadows.

But it wasn't Darius.

The shape was twisted, grotesque, its eyes glowing with

a sickly yellow light. A low growl echoed from its chest,

a sound that sent ice down Elara's spine.

It took a step forward, and then another, until it was

standing inches from her, its rancid breath brushing her

face.

Elara couldn't move. Couldn't scream.

It raised a clawed hand, reaching for her-

And then, in an instant, it was gone. The door slammed

shut, and Darius appeared in its place, his eyes blazing

with fury.

"Time's up, Elara."

---