Shadows Of Desire

"Chapter 3: Echoes of Dread"

Hope you are liking the story so far.
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The same night....

Reene pov -

Dinner that night felt like any other, yet I couldn't shake a strange tension gnawing at me, the kind that sits just below the surface, barely noticeable but there all the same. My parents and I sat around our small dining table, the low hum of soft music in the background. Mom had made pasta with a rich, creamy sauce and a basket of garlic bread on the side, the aroma comforting, though somehow it didn't ease the restlessness inside me.

"So, Reene," my mom started, giving me that curious, motherly look, "how's school? Everything going okay?"

"Yeah, same as usual," I replied, stirring my pasta absently. "Nothing much has changed."

She nodded, though I could tell she was waiting for more. I could feel her studying me, maybe sensing that something was off, but I didn't feel like explaining. I didn't want to talk about the strange dreams that had been haunting me or the feeling that I was running from something-something I couldn't name.

"Anything exciting coming up this weekend?" she pressed, still watching me closely.

"No, just the usual," I shrugged, taking a bite of pasta to avoid further questions.

My dad, who had barely looked up from his phone, suddenly chimed in. "You're welcome to invite your friends over, you know. Or go out. You spend too much time locked up in that room of yours."

I managed a small smile. "Maybe. I don't know, I kind of like the quiet."

Mom shot him a look, and I could tell she was trying not to press too hard. I could sense their concern, and it tugged at me, but I didn't want to worry them with something I couldn't explain. So, I just kept smiling, hoping it looked convincing.

The rest of dinner passed in a comfortable silence, filled only by the clinking of silverware and the gentle murmurs of the background music. After we finished, I helped Mom clear the plates, then made my way upstairs, feeling an odd, heavy fatigue settle over me. I just wanted to be alone, to try to shake this weird, unsteady feeling.

My bedroom greeted me with its usual calm-a haven of soft lavender walls, glowing fairy lights, and the faint scent of lavender from the candle on my desk. I changed into my pajamas, crawled into bed, and tried to push away the anxiety that lingered like a shadow in the back of my mind.

But as I lay there, the feeling only grew, the quiet of my room feeling suddenly oppressive. I closed my eyes, trying to let the steady hum of the house lull me to sleep. Yet, as I drifted off, I felt that eerie chill of the woods settle over me again.

The night was thick, pressing in from all sides as I tore through the woods. Branches clawed at my arms, tangling in my hair, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't even think about stopping. My heart was hammering so loudly I thought it might burst. I had no idea what I was running from, but a cold, unshakable dread clung to me, urging me to move faster.

I stumbled over roots and rocks, my legs burning, lungs screaming for air. I couldn't remember why I was out here, couldn't piece together how I ended up alone, trapped in the darkness of the woods. All I knew was the raw, animal terror that kept me sprinting deeper into the unknown, as if the shadows themselves were reaching out to drag me back.

And then I heard it-a voice, low and chilling, calling my name.

"Reene..."

I whipped around, breath catching, but there was no one there. Just trees, stretching endlessly in every direction, dark and silent. My name echoed in the stillness, each syllable sharper, cutting into me. Every time the voice called, it sounded closer, more insistent, like it was wrapping itself around me.

I tried to move, but my legs felt heavy, as though they were rooted to the ground. The shadows seemed to stretch, lengthening around me, creeping closer. I spun again, desperately trying to see who was there, but the forest only grew darker, pressing in tighter.

"Reene..." The voice whispered again, a sinister edge slipping into its tone.

I wanted to scream, to demand it to stop, but no sound would come out. My voice was swallowed up by the shadows, as if they were stealing every bit of air and strength I had left. The fear was so intense it felt like ice in my veins, freezing me from the inside out.

Just as I was about to run again, a sudden snap of a twig came from behind me. I turned, heart in my throat, and then-a flash of light. The crack of a gunshot echoed through the woods, deafening and final.

I screamed, jerking awake, tangled in my sheets, my chest heaving. The silence of my room settled around me, but I could still hear the gunshot, still feeling the icy grip of the woods. My body was drenched in sweat, every muscle tense, as if I had really been running for my life.

I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to slow the frantic beat of my heart, but the voice, the shadows, the gunshot-they lingered, haunting me even in the safety of my room.