Elaine sat on the lawn, watching the night unfold. The cool evening air brushed softly against her skin. She gazed intently at the starry sky, spotting a constellation she wished she could capture with her phone. It was a rare, mesmerizing sight she wanted to engrave in her memory forever. But her neck protested, aching from staring upward for too long.
She sighed and glanced around just as Alan stepped into the darkness of the forest. She didn't know why, but the urge to follow him was irresistible. Keeping a careful distance, she trailed him silently. The path behind him was deserted, and the wind danced through the trees, producing those sounds she despised. Fear clawed at her, yet curiosity burned brighter. She focused, noting every step along the way to notice him deviate from the regular path.
" Where is he going?" she wondered." What if he's going to Derek?" And her eyes widened at the thought.
Soon, her legs grew weak, as if they had been walking for eternity. A sheen of sweat formed on her forehead, watching his back, she wandered where he was going , but what she couldn't see was the faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. As he intentionally took her round and round, intentionally leading her astray and tiring her out and soon ghost her. And the perfect moment came as she rested her hands on her knees, bent over, gasping for breath, and in that moment, he was gone.
Elaine wandered, looking around, but there was no sign of him.
" Oh no, where did he go? He had just been here". She closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, and continued forward, unsure which way led back. Curiosity pushed her on until she reached a strangely incomplete stretch of ground. Normally, she would have ignored it, but the sudden gap demanded her attention. Hesitant, she edged closer. The environment seemed to shift, as if revealing a hidden piece of a larger picture.
Her eyes widened in shock. Before her stood a vast expanse, dominated by an old, abandoned clock tower. Its walls were cracked and blackened, its windows shattered. It had clearly been out of use for years.
Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as a loud crash echoed from within. She wanted to flee, but the relentless clatter of falling objects rooted her in place.
With each step closer, her pulse pounded in her ears. Peering through the broken windows, everything froze, the arms of the clock, her heartbeat, time itself. Moonlight slanted through the ruins, illuminating the floor where Gwen and Horace circled each other like predators.
Elaine froze at the window, her breath caught in her throat because neither of them looked human anymore. Horace's eyes glowed red like dying embers, his skin pale and grey, untouched by sunlight for years. His wide smile revealed teeth sharp enough to turn her stomach. Fury radiated from every movement, the raw rage of a revenant.
Gwen appeared ethereal, almost like the devil's personal angel. Her white hair shimmered silver in the moonlight, and her turquoise-green eyes contrasted starkly with her hair. A faint blue aura shimmered around her.
"You should have stayed out of this," Horace growled, cracking the wooden floor as Elaine advanced.
"Sorry, I can't this time," Gwen replied, creating a barrier of fire around her, as Horace reached toward her.
He staggered back, laughing despite the fire licking his skin.
Elaine's chest tightened as she watched him burn. A voice in her head urged her to flee, but her feet felt glued, her gaze trapped on the violent scene. He broke through the fire barrier, grasping her by the throat and throwing her across the tower. The impact shook the structure, making the old bell clatter above them.
"Why don't you just leave her alone?" Gwen demanded, rising to her feet.
"I'm not holding on," he replied.
Suddenly, Elaine gasped as he lunged , Gwen ducked just in time, and his hand slammed into a wooden beam, where her head had been, cracking it as splinters flew. Elaine's heart hammered as the fight turned into a deadly game of predator and prey. Horace attacking, Gwen narrowly escaping and his maniacal laughter echoing through the tower.
Elaine was so engrossed in the fight she didn't notice someone approaching. Footsteps drew closer, doubling her heartbeat. She was about to turn when the person came and stood beside her, her heart almost slipped out of her chest when she saw who it was— Allan!, he seemed to also be watching the fight
An when their eyes met, her breath caught. His eyes were silver, and a malicious smile played across his lips. No words were exchanged, yet his gaze spoke volumes.
"Don't you think it's time for you to head back?" he said, his smile widening as if plotting something sinister.
Elaine stood silent, her thoughts a tangled mess, unable to speak or move.
"Go now" he said this time in a frightening tone making her take a step back without breaking her gaze from him, the air around him felt heavy which made her take more mindless steps back, before turning completely and running from there.
Allan only stared at her retreating back before casually turning around to the entrance of the clock tower while whistling an unnerving tune.