The rain didn't ease.
It thickened.
Like the sky itself was pressing down on Sunset Café.
Jamie didn't touch the coffee.
Steam curled between them and Alex, twisting in thin, unnatural patterns—like it was trying to form something… and failing.
"You should drink it before it gets cold," Alex said, already turning away.
Jamie tilted their head slightly.
"Does it matter?"
Alex paused.
Just for a second.
"…It does here."
Behind them, Lara wiped the same spot on the counter for the third time.
Her eyes weren't on her hands.
They were on the door.
Waiting.
Counting.
The clock on the wall ticked.
11:59 PM.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Midnight.
Everything changed.
Not visibly.
Not at first.
But the café… shifted.
The hum of the lights deepened. The shadows stretched just a little too far. The air grew heavier like breathing through water.
Sofia's laughter echoed faintly from earlier that day, like a memory caught in the walls.
And then
The bell above the door rang.
A man stepped in.
Tall.
Too tall for a man at his age.
His coat hung off him like it didn't belong to his body
Water dripped from him but the rain outside had slowed.
So where had it come from? Alex thought.
"Evening," he said too soft than normal.
His voice echoed loudly instead, not in the room, in Alex's head
Lara firmly straightened, standing in serious posture .
"Kitchen's closed."
The man smiled too wide for a human mouth.
"I'm not here for food."
From the corner
Mr. Evans leaned forward slightly, eyes gleaming.
"Of course you're not."
The man's gaze drifted across the café.
Paused on Jamie.
Lingering.
Hungry.
Alex stepped out from behind the counter.
"Wrong place," they said flatly.
"You should leave."
The man's head twitched.
A sharp, unnatural movement.
"Leave?" he repeated.
Then bursts out in laughter.
The sound cracked like glass.
"I followed the scent."
Jamie's fingers tightened around the cup.
Not fear.
Recognition.
The twins moved at the same time.
Lia and Leo stepped closer to each other, still holding hands.
And whispered in calmly.
"Too early…"
The lights flickered again.
Harder this time.
Officer Mike felt it outside.
His cigarette dropped from his fingers.
"What the hell"
The streetlight above him burst.
Darkness swallowed the street.
Inside the doors
The man took a step forward.
Then another followed.
Each step wrong like his legs bent slightly too far, joints not meant for human movement.
"You don't understand," he said softly, eyes gazed on Jamie.
"I've been starving."
Alex moved faster in a blur seconds they were standing still The next, a blade pressed against the man's throat.
Cold.
Precise.
Hidden steel.
"Last warning," Alex said.
Their voice wasn't just calm.
It was dangerous.
The café went silent.
Even the rain seemed to pause.
The man looked down at the blade.
Then back at Alex, he smiled but didn't bleed.
Lara swore under her breath.
"Alex", she felt something terrible was about to take place. But it was already too late.
The man's body jerked violently
And then
Split.
Not clean.
Not natural.
Like something inside him was tearing its way out his skin stretching, the cracking from his bones was audible to be heard.
A second shape pushing through the first.
Jamie stood up.
The chair behind her scraped loudly against the floor.
"No" they whispered.
The creature unfolded.
Tall.
Twisted.
Its mouth too wide, filled with jagged shadows instead of teeth. The eyes turned thick black and empty.
The gaze locked on Jamie.
"There you are…" it rasped.
Alex didn't hesitate he swung the blade
But the creature caught it barehanded.
And laughed loudly.
Mr. Evans stood slowly, for the first time
Concern flickered across his face.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
The twins screamed, not in fear but In a warning tune.
"IT FOUND YOU."
The creature lunged.
Time broke.
Lara flipped the table.
Coffee shattered across the floor.
Alex moved to intercept but Jamie was faster.
Their hand lifted Just slightly the air snapped.
Something invisible slammed into the creature mid-lunge sending it crashing into the wall hard enough to crack it.
Silence in tge air heavy and shocking.
Everyone froze in place.
Jamie stared at their own hand Like it didn't belong to them.
Alex stared at Jamie not surprised not confused, Just…Confirmed.
"Witch," Lara breathed.
The creature began to rise again the bones realigning the skin knitting, still smiling.
"Stronger than I thought…" it hissed.
From the corner Mr. Evans chuckled softly.
Calmly with a tune of satisfaction .
"Yes…" he whispered.
"Now it begins."
Outside the doors more shadows gathered.
Watching and waiting drawn to the café for the next move. .
Back inside the doors Alex stepped in front of Jamie, holding his blade ready eyes fixed coldly .
"Stay behind me." he shouted.
Jamie's voice was firm and quiet.
"But you can't protect me from this."
The lights went out in a great speed everything went thicker than usual.
A slow soft foot steps was heard behind doors.