Aarav couldn't breathe.
The shadow near the wardrobe shifted.
Not like normal darkness.
Not like flickering light.
It moved with intention.
Slowly… unnaturally… detaching itself from the wall.
Aarav's pulse thundered violently.
"This isn't happening…"
But the shadow continued.
Stretching.
Rising.
Taking shape.
Long limbs formed first.
Thin.
Distorted.
Too long for anything human.
Then a head.
Tilted.
Bent sideways at an impossible angle.
Aarav stumbled backward on the bed.
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
The room's temperature plummeted.
The air turned razor sharp.
Each breath burned his lungs.
The shadow stepped forward.
Silent.
Gliding rather than walking.
No footsteps.
No sound.
Just movement.
Aarav's heart pounded against his ribs like it wanted to escape.
"Who… what are you…"
The figure stopped.
Then—
It twitched.
A violent, jerking motion.
Like bones snapping back into place.
And suddenly—
It rushed forward.
Aarav screamed.
The light exploded.
Darkness swallowed everything.
But this time—
He wasn't alone in the dark.
Because something grabbed him.