The city buzzed with urgency. Scarlett felt the weight of her heart in her chest, heavy and desperate. Every minute she spent not finding Shellie gnawed at her like a hungry wolf.
She stood outside the university gates, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of Shellie's familiar figure. The night air bit at her skin, but it was nothing compared to the chill that settled deep within her bones.
"Scarlett!" A voice broke through her thoughts. It was Officer Greene, a seasoned officer who had worked alongside campus security for years.
Scarlett turned to face him, her face etched with exhaustion. "Have you found anything?" she asked, her voice cracking.
"No," Officer Greene replied, shaking his head. "We've searched every inch of this campus, every alleyway, every dark corner. There's no sign of her."
He handed Scarlett a small packet of papers. "We're going through CCTV footage, but there's nothing showing up. It's like she vanished."
Scarlett felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. "How could she just vanish?"
Officer Greene's voice softened. "We're doing everything we can, Scarlett. You need to take a step back, let us handle this."
But Scarlett wasn't listening. She had to find Shellie. Her mind raced, her thoughts spiraling into darker places. She turned to walk away, but Officer Greene called after her.
"We're not giving up on her, Scarlett. We'll find her."
Scarlett nodded curtly, though doubt clung to her like a second skin.
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of a forgotten underground lair, Shellie's eyes fluttered open, her head spinning as the world around her swirled into view.
She was no longer in the cold, concrete room she had been trapped in. Instead, she found herself in a vast, dimly lit chamber, its walls lined with ancient, weathered books and arcane symbols.
At the far end of the room, a figure stood cloaked in shadow. Her silhouette was sharp, almost unnatural. As she stepped into the dim light, Shellie's breath hitched.
The woman before her was older, her skin pale as alabaster, but her eyes—those eyes—burned with an ancient fire. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of moonlight.
"Who are you?" Shellie demanded, her voice trembling but defiant.
The woman smirked, a cruel and knowing smile playing on her lips. "I am Iqia. And you, Shellie Stillburg, are exactly what I've been waiting for."
Shellie recoiled, confusion and fear bubbling up within her. "What do you mean? What do you want from me?"
Iqia's eyes glinted with a sharp, malevolent light. "I can offer you freedom, Shellie. Freedom from the life that has dragged you down, made you suffer. All you have to do is let go."
Shellie shook her head, stepping back. "I don't want anything from you."
Iqia's voice was soft, almost soothing, as she took a step closer. "Life is a bitch, my dear. It feeds on your pain, your insecurities, your fears. You think you have control over it, but in reality, it controls you. I can end that suffering for you. All you need to do is accept my help."
Shellie's pulse quickened, her mind racing. "What do you mean?"
Iqia's smile grew wider, more sinister. "I can help you escape, Shellie. I can help you escape by killing you."
The words hit Shellie like a slap to the face, but there was no time to process the shock as Iqia continued to speak.
"I am a witch, you see," Iqia said, her tone almost meditative. "A demonic witch, to be precise. I come from the Cresa Dimension, a world much darker than your own. I've lived for centuries, feeding off the lives of others to survive. I run the Black Web, a place where those like me thrive. And you, my dear, are the perfect candidate for my next ritual."
Shellie's heart hammered in her chest. "You want to kill me? To feed off me?"
Iqia's laugh was cold, the sound echoing in the chamber like a distant thunderclap. "Not just kill you, dear. I want to offer you a chance at freedom. A chance to release the pain that shackles you."
The room seemed to close in on Shellie, the air thickening with an oppressive energy. Her head swam with dizziness, her thoughts clouded. "But why me? Why now?"
Iqia's eyes softened, the malevolent gleam fading slightly. "You're broken, Shellie. You've been broken by life and by the people around you. Your insecurities, your fears… I can feel them. You're the perfect candidate for my ritual."
Shellie felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "What do you want me to do?"
Iqia smiled again, her eyes glimmering with dark intent. "I want you to trust me. Surrender to the ritual, and I will give you the peace you've been searching for."
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Shellie spent the time in a fog, her mind clouded by Iqia's promises. Her thoughts were no longer her own. She felt like a puppet, and Iqia's words were the strings that controlled her every move.
On the third day, news broke.
The campus was alive with rumors and whispers as students gathered around their phones.
"Have you heard?" one student asked. "They found Shellie Stillburg… or rather, they didn't."
Shellie's name spread like wildfire. The news was official: Shellie Stillburg was no more.
Her body was gone, vanished without a trace. No one knew where she had gone or why. But one thing was certain—she was gone.
Back at the university, Scarlett's world shattered.
She had spent the last few days combing through every lead, every corner of the city, looking for any sign of Shellie. But now, standing in front of the news report, she felt like the earth had been pulled out from under her feet.
"No…" she whispered, her voice trembling. "No, this can't be true. It can't be."
Officer Greene had called her earlier, his voice grim. "Scarlett, there's no trace of Shellie. We've checked everywhere. Her family's been notified. I'm sorry."
But Scarlett couldn't believe it. She refused to.
"Where is she?" Scarlett whispered to herself, tears stinging her eyes. "Where did you go, Shellie?"
But in her heart, she knew. Shellie was gone.
The world had swallowed her whole.
And Scarlett could do nothing to stop it.