POSSESSION II - ADRIAN'S TURN: OCTH

The Awakening

The storm howled outside, wind slamming against the old house as rain lashed the windows in urgent, rhythmic whispers. Inside, Bella sat curled on the couch, staring at the flickering candle. The power had gone out hours ago, leaving the house in oppressive silence. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the walls, shifting when she wasn't looking.

Something was wrong.

She had felt it for days-a heavy, suffocating presence pressing in, lingering in the air like an unseen force. Tonight, it was unbearable.

Then, she heard it.

A whisper. Soft. Familiar.

"Bella..."

Her breath hitched. The candlelight trembled, warping the darkness around her. The voice came again, closer this time.

"Adrian?" she whispered.

Silence.

Her pulse pounded as she turned toward the hallway, its darkness stretching impossibly far. The whisper had come from there. Slowly, she stepped forward, bare feet cold against the wooden floor. The house felt different-distorted, as if shifting around her.

At the end of the hall stood a mirror.

Its surface reflected only darkness at first, but then-a flicker. A shadow. A figure.

Adrian.

His face was pale, his eyes hollow, lips parted in a silent scream. His body flickered, unstable, like a dying flame. Bella reached out, her fingers grazing the mirror-

The glass shattered.

A rush of icy air slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. A deafening shriek filled the house, making the walls tremble. Darkness coiled around her, seeping into her skin, choking the breath from her lungs.

The last thing she heard before everything went black was a whisper, desperate and chilling-

"He's awake. And he's coming."