Marked By Darkness

Chapter 49- A Whispered Warning

Ruhan sprinted down the stairs after hearing her scream.
Ruhi was still gasping for breath, her back pressed against the door, clutching her necklace like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to reality. Ruhi’s body trembled, the cold that had wrapped itself around her moments ago lingering in her bones.

Ruhan burst into the kitchen, his eyes wide with concern. The moment he saw Ruhi, his expression softened, and without hesitation, he crossed the room and wrapped his arms around Ruhi.

"Ruhi, it's okay. I'm here," he whispered, holding me tight.

Ruhi's POV...

I buried my face in his chest, the weight of everything crashing down on me. The cold breath, the voice that wasn't my mom's, the pendant, the overwhelming fear that something dark was at play.

"I-I can't explain it. Something's happening to me, Ruhan. I..." I stammered, trying to find the words.

"I know everything." Ruhan interrupted gently, his voice calm but unsettling. His grip on me tightened as though he was trying to protect me from something much worse.

After a few moments, Ruhan led me to the living room, and we sat down on the couch. My head was spinning, trying to process the night's events. But something gnawed at me, that strange feeling that there was more to Ruhan's words.

I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. "What do you mean, Ruhan? What do you know?"

He hesitated, his body shifting uncomfortably. His eyes darted away for a second before settling back on me, his expression unreadable.

"What do you mean?" He deflected, his voice a little too casual.

"You said you know everything. What do you know? Please, Ruhan, don't lie to me." I pressed, my voice gaining strength.

Ruhan was silent for a long time, staring at the floor as if weighing his options. The tension between us thickened until finally, he sighed and met my gaze.

"There's... something in this house," he admitted quietly.

I stiffened, my pulse quickening.

"What do you mean?" I asked, though deep down, I already knew. The strange events, the creeping sense of dread, the whispers in the dark-it all made sense now.

Ruhan's face darkened. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly reluctant to say more. "I think this house is tied to something, something old. I don't have all the answers, but it's not safe here, Ruhi. Not for you."

His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I couldn't stop now. I had to know everything.

"This isn't just about tonight." I said, my voice growing more insistent.

"What's been happening to me... it's not some random accident. Even the car incident tonight-it wasn't just bad luck. I couldn't move, Ruhan. Something held me there." I continued.

Ruhan's eyes widened in shock, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean, it wasn't an accident?"

I took a deep breath and told him everything-the paralyzing fear that had gripped me, the cold that had washed over me, how I had been unable to scream as the car hurtled toward me. I told him about the bungalow, the scratched-out photograph, the strange figure I'd seen that night, the library and the cursed history, and finally about the pendant that now felt impossibly heavy around my neck.

As I spoke, I saw Ruhan's expression shift. His eyes darkened, his eyebrows lifted in surprise, and then... something else. His face went cold, his usual warmth replaced by an unsettling stillness. He didn't interrupt me, but it was clear my words had struck a nerve.