In the small town of Eldridge, as the sun set, an eerie silence took over. Shadows stretched long across the streets, and a chill filled the air. Sarah, the local librarian, loved the quiet of the night, but tonight felt different.
Locking up the library, she noticed the streetlights flickering, their yellow glow struggling against the darkness. As she hurried home, she spotted a figure at the edge of the park. It stood still, watching her, its features hidden in shadow. Heart racing, she quickened her pace.
Once inside her house, she locked the door and drew the curtains tight. A soft tapping at the window made her freeze. Was it just the wind? She peered outside, but the figure was gone. An eerie mist rolled through the park, creeping toward her home.
Her phone buzzed. A message from her friend Lily: “Did you hear about the old man who vanished last week? They say he’s been seen in the park after dark.”
Fear gripped her. Hours passed, and she tried to distract herself with a book, but every creak of the house made her jump.
Then a loud bang came from the kitchen. Gathering her courage, she crept toward the noise. The kitchen was dark, lit only by the moonlight. Suddenly, the front door creaked open. She had locked it!
Panicking, she ran to the living room just as a shadow slipped inside. Grabbing a kitchen knife, she called out, “Who’s there?” Silence answered. The shadow moved closer, revealing an old man with hollow eyes.
“You shouldn’t be here after dusk,” he rasped. “It’s not safe.”
“What do you want?” she asked, heart pounding.
“To warn you… They’re watching.”
Before she could react, darkness lunged at him, swallowing him whole.
Frozen with fear, Sarah stumbled back. The old man’s terrified scream echoed in her ears as the shadows faded. Breathless, she flung open the door and sprinted into the night. The park loomed ahead, shrouded in fog, filled with whispers: “Help us… stay…”
Despite her instincts, she felt drawn to uncover the truth. The whispers grew louder as she entered the park. There, the old man reappeared, urging her to follow.
“Help us break the curse!” he shouted. “Only you can set us free!”
With no time to think, Sarah ran deeper into the park, where shadows danced and the mist thickened. The weight of the town’s dark past pressed on her, leading her to confront the darkness that lurked after dusk.
And as she vanished into the fog, the town held its breath, waiting for a dawn that might never come.
