Whispers of The Unseen

The First Cut

Max's urgency sent a jolt of adrenaline through me. The air inside Theo's house, which had felt like a fragile sanctuary minutes ago, now seemed stifling and unsafe. The uneasy warmth of the room was replaced by a creeping chill. I grabbed my jacket from the chair, trying to steady my breathing as my mind raced.

"Theo, Aria, we need to go-now," Max said, his voice sharp as he scanned the street outside. "They think this guy is a copycat, but no one knows for sure. And with all the rumors flying around, I don't want to take any chances."

Theo nodded, his usual lighthearted demeanor replaced by something I rarely saw in him-fear. "We're coming." He quickly threw on his coat and grabbed his phone, already pulling up the latest news feed as we headed toward the door.

I stepped outside, my eyes darting nervously to the shadows stretching across the street. The night felt too quiet, too still, as if the whole town was holding its breath. As we hurried down the driveway, I kept expecting something-or someone-to step out of the darkness. I couldn't shake the image of that mask, the cold, white face that had haunted so many nightmares, now somehow more menacing in reality.

Max's truck was parked by the curb, and the three of us piled inside, slamming the doors behind us as if that alone could keep the world at bay. Theo sat in the passenger seat, his fingers tapping nervously against his phone. I slid into the back, glancing at my phone to see a flood of notifications: classmates texting in panic, the group chat blowing up with theories and warnings.

"Are your parents home?" I asked Theo as Max started the engine, the truck rumbling to life.

"They went out for dinner," he said, a note of dread in his voice. "I've been texting them, but they haven't responded yet."

"My parents are out of town to" I said worry not leaving my mind.

"I'm sure they're fine," Max said, though I could hear the strain in his words. "They're probably just caught up with all the chaos. But we're not risking staying out here."

As we sped down the street, the glow of the streetlights passed over us like a strobe, casting fleeting glimpses of the empty town. Storefronts were dark, and most of the houses had their lights off, as if everyone was hiding, waiting for the worst to pass.

"Do you think this is really happening?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the hum of the engine.

Theo turned around, his eyes meeting mine. "I don't know. But people are scared, and it feels like something big is about to go down."

Max's jaw tightened as he focused on the road ahead. "They don't have a lot of details yet, but the cops are everywhere. They found the victim near the old cinema-the one that closed down last year. No one saw the killer, just that stupid mask on some security footage. The town's going to lose it."

The old cinema. A wave of nostalgia hit me, though it quickly soured under the weight of what Max was saying. Theo and I used to sneak in there to watch midnight showings of old horror flicks, back when the biggest danger was getting caught by the manager for smuggling snacks. Now, the thought of that place being tied to something so horrific made my skin crawl.

Max turned onto a narrow road that led to their house, the truck's headlights cutting through the darkness. "We'll be safer at home. We can lock everything up, and I've got a baseball bat just in case anyone tries anything."

I didn't find that particularly comforting, but it was better than being out here in the open.

As we pulled into Max's driveway, something caught my eye-a figure, barely visible, standing at the edge of the neighbor's yard. My heart leapt into my throat, and I grabbed Theo's arm, my voice a harsh whisper. "Look."

Max slammed on the brakes, the truck lurching to a stop. We all stared, our breath frozen in our chests. The figure didn't move, standing still as a statue, just outside the glow of the streetlight. My mind raced, trying to decide if I was imagining things-if fear was playing tricks on me.

But no. There it was. A figure, cloaked in shadows, watching us.

"What the hell..." Theo muttered, his hand gripping the door handle.

Max killed the engine and stared for a moment longer before shaking his head. "Stay in the truck."

He stepped out, moving slowly, like he wasn't sure what he was about to face. Theo and I exchanged a look, fear buzzing between us like static. I wanted to tell him to stop, to just drive away, but the words caught in my throat.

Max took a few steps forward, squinting into the darkness. "Hey!" he called out. "What the hell are you doing?"

The figure shifted slightly, its head tilting in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. Then, without warning, it bolted-running off into the woods that bordered the houses, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

Max cursed under his breath and hurried back to the truck, slamming the door behind him. "We're going inside. Now."

We didn't argue.

Inside the house, the tension was palpable. Every creak, every gust of wind against the windows felt like a warning, as if the world was conspiring against us. Max locked the doors, pulling down the shades and making sure every window was sealed tight.

Theo and I sat on the couch, both of us on edge, our phones lighting up with more updates, more warnings. News of the first victim was spreading fast, and it wasn't just our town-it seemed like the entire county was going into lockdown.

"I don't like this," I whispered, glancing at Theo. "What if it wasn't just some random guy out there?"

"It could've been anyone," Theo said, but even he didn't sound convinced. "Maybe someone trying to freak us out because of the news."

Max came back into the room, holding a bat in one hand and his phone in the other. "I called the police, told them about the guy we saw. They're sending someone to patrol the area, but they're swamped."

"We'll be fine, right?" I asked, my voice a little too hopeful.

Max sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We're going to be fine. We'll just stick together, stay alert, and keep the doors locked."

But as we sat there in the dimly lit living room, the flicker of the news on TV casting an eerie glow over the space, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

And whatever was out there-whatever wore that mask-wasn't done yet.