Chapter 4: Footsteps in the Fog
As Elias and Grayson left Emily’s house, a dense fog had settled over Black Hollow, swallowing the town in a suffocating blanket of white. The streetlights flickered, their glow dimming as if something unseen was sapping their energy.
A noise. Soft, rhythmic. Footsteps—just out of sight.
Elias halted, scanning the fog-covered street. “Did you hear that?”
Grayson nodded, his hand tightening on his holster. “We’re not alone.”
A shadow shifted in the mist, just beyond their reach. Elias took a step forward, but the moment he moved, the shadow disappeared. The only thing left was the echo of footsteps—retreating into the dark.
“Who’s there?” Elias called, his voice steady despite the unease crawling down his spine. The only reply was silence.
Then, the sound changed. The footsteps no longer retreated.
They were circling them.
Grayson cursed under his breath, drawing his gun. Elias did the same. Their breath hung in the air, mingling with the cold mist. Then—movement. To the left. A fleeting silhouette, tall and unnatural, disappearing behind a row of houses.
Elias didn’t hesitate. He took off, boots pounding against the wet cobblestone as he chased after the figure. It led him through twisting alleys, past abandoned storefronts, deeper into the heart of the fog. Grayson followed close behind.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the figure was gone.
They stood in an open square, the silence pressing in around them. Elias looked down. Something was etched into the wet stone beneath his feet.
A single word, written in what looked like old, dried blood.
Leave.
