Alika's POV
Darkness.
That was the first thing I felt after the bedroom door slammed shut behind us.
Complete. Absolute. Swallowing everything.
I stood still, my breathing shallow, my hand still gripping Ethan's arm like my life depended on it. The darkness pressed against my chest, suffocating, as if the walls of the house were slowly closing in to devour us.
"Ethan…" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my own heart. "We're not alone in here."
He nodded, though I couldn't see him. But I could feel him—his warmth, the tension in his body, his shaky breath. He was scared too. But he stood beside me. For me.
Then, from the right—
Knocks. One. Two. Three.
Followed by whispers.
Soft. Hoarse. Circling us.
> "Fulfill your vow, Ethan… or she becomes ours…"
I froze.
"We need light…" I muttered, my hands searching along the wall for a switch, anything.
But the house refused to help.
My fingers found damp wood instead of metal. Ethan gently pulled me back. "There's a spare candle in that cabinet," he said. "Wait here."
I didn't want him to let go of my hand, but I nodded. He stepped away toward the far end of the room, opening drawers.
Creeaak…
The groan of old wood made every hair on my body stand up.
Suddenly—footsteps.
Quick.
Close.
I turned sharply. But saw nothing.
"Ethan…" I called out, my voice higher now. "Was that you just now?"
He turned. "What?"
Something moved behind me. In the shadows.
Panicked, I spun too fast—and my foot caught on the frayed rug beneath me.
I lost my balance.
My body pitched forward.
"A-AAH—!"
I fell—straight into Ethan—and we crashed to the dusty floor together.
Thud!
Our bodies landed in a tangle.
My breath hitched.
Ethan's chest was solid and warm—and when I opened my eyes, my face was just inches from his.
I could feel his breath against my lips.
His eyes locked on mine, wide. "Alika…"
"I—I'm sorry—I didn't mean to," I stammered quickly, flustered, but I didn't move.
My heart thundered in my chest like it might explode.
I froze, hovering over him. The room held its breath with us.
It was the first time we'd ever been this close.
Too close.
And strangely—in the midst of all the fear—a part of me felt safe in his arms.
Ethan slowly lifted his hand… and wrapped his arm around me.
Gently. Without force.
Warm.
"It's okay," he whispered, and for a moment, it was as if time itself stopped.
I inhaled shakily, trying to calm the heat rushing to my cheeks. I could feel how red I was.
Then—a loud knock shattered the moment like glass.
BANG!
I jerked back. Ethan sat up quickly, striking a match and lighting the emergency candle. The soft flame flickered to life, casting shadows around the room—and illuminating something at the window.
Scratches.
Not random ones.
They formed a word:
> "VOW KEEPER"
I stared at Ethan, horrified. "What does it mean?"
He looked pale. Too pale.
"That's what the spirit is called. The one that guards the curse. The one that enforces the blood oath. And if the vow is broken… it collects."
"But you said you love me…" I whispered.
"I do," Ethan replied, grabbing my hand tightly. "I love you. But that's the curse. Love… is the ultimate betrayal."
I wanted to deny everything. Wanted to run. But I knew it was too late.
The air grew colder.
Our breath turned to mist.
The candle flickered violently.
And then—in the dim light—I saw it.
A shadowy figure. Standing silently in the corner of the room. Its face hidden beneath a tattered veil. Its body thin, withered by time. In its hand… it held something.
A mirror.
"Ethan," I whispered, trembling. "Do you see it?"
He turned quickly. But the figure had vanished.
The mirror, however… now lay on the floor.
A frame, cracked and old, and its surface fogged with darkness.
"I've seen this mirror," I murmured, stepping closer. "In my dreams."
Ethan grabbed my arm. "Don't. Don't touch it."
But I couldn't look away. Something about it pulled at me.
Something that didn't feel like mine.
I looked into the mirror.
And for a moment—I didn't see my reflection.
I saw a bride. Dressed in a blood-stained wedding gown.
Her mouth smeared with crimson.
A dagger in her hand.
And behind her—Ethan.
But not the Ethan I knew.
His eyes were blank.
His smile—cold, inhuman.
I screamed and dropped the mirror. CRASH!
The glass shattered across the floor—its shards reflecting something fleeing through the walls.
"Alika!" Ethan rushed forward, wrapping me in his arms. "Are you hurt?"
I shook my head, still trembling. "I saw… something. In the mirror. It was us. But not us."
Ethan drew a deep breath. "That's the future the curse demands. A blood union. Death. Sacrifice."
Tears burned in my eyes. "Then what do we do?"
Before he could answer—
Drip.
Blood.
Drops of red began falling from the ceiling.
One by one.
Until they formed words across the wall.
> "THE WEDDING IS TONIGHT."
Ethan and I stared at each other, speechless.
And outside the bedroom, the old house bell began to chime.
A countdown.
Ding…
Ding…
Ding…
The final chime echoed like a death knell, and then—silence.
A silence so heavy it felt alive.
I clutched Ethan's hand, my fingers digging into his. "We need to leave. Now."
But he didn't move.
His eyes were locked on the wall where the blood had spelled its final message. His lips parted slightly, as if trying to form words that no longer made sense.
"I can't," he finally said, voice hollow. "If we run… the curse finds us faster. It feeds on fear. On broken vows."
A sharp chill crept down my spine.
"What do you mean?"
He turned to me slowly. "We have to face it, Alika. Tonight. Before the bell strikes midnight."
A shiver danced across my skin as I realized what he was saying.
This wasn't just about surviving.
It was about surrendering—to the curse, or to each other.
A final vow… sealed in blood.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest.
Then suddenly, the candlelight flared—as if reacting to something unseen.
The shadows thickened again.
And from behind the walls, a voice whispered once more—
> "Till death do you part…"