The Whistler In The Night

Chapter 44

We stood in the darkness, my heart pounding, our only light flickering from above, barely illuminating the shelves of ancient, dust-covered books surrounding us. The air was thick, and the silence was heavy, pressing in on us. Elena and I had wandered down here, thinking we'd find some hidden history, maybe a forgotten story or two, but now we were trapped. I tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge; we were locked in, and the darkness felt as if it were growing tighter around us.

Then, cutting through the silence, that familiar whistle started, low and slow, the sound chilling me to the core. Elena looked at me, fear widening her eyes, and I felt the weight of dread sink in. The whistle got louder, closer, filling every corner of the room. I could feel him—L, his presence as thick and real as the air around us, suffocating and consuming.

As I turned, I saw him standing there, just outside the dim light, his face barely visible but unmistakable. His eyes were empty, cold, glowing faintly in the shadows. His smile stretched across his face in that twisted, unnatural way, and he took a step forward, still whistling.

Elena's grip tightened on my arm. I wanted to pull her behind me, to shield her somehow, but I was paralyzed, trapped in place by his gaze. He tilted his head, watching us with that mocking expression, and raised his hand, pointing straight at me. I tried to speak, to tell him to stay back, but no words came out.

Just as he stepped closer, that whistle drowning everything else out, I gasped and jolted awake.

I was in the library. The familiar, dusty smell surrounded me, and as I blinked, I realized I was lying on one of the old armchairs, a book on my lap. Beside me, Elena sat cross-legged on the floor, reading, her face peaceful and unbothered. She looked up and noticed me staring, giving a small smile.

"You okay?" she asked. "You looked like you were having a nightmare."

I nodded, swallowing hard, still shaken. It had felt so real. The darkness, the whistle, L's face—all of it was burned into my mind, but now it was just the quiet library around us. I forced a weak smile and nodded, grateful for the calm presence of Elena beside me.