Blair Bathory

My voice was barely a whisper, like I was afraid to ask. She turned slowly, her neck cracking unnaturally as she did. The movement wasn't right, too slow, too deliberate. And when her eyes locked onto mine, they weren't just dark. They were empty. Hollow. Like they had swallowed everything. And there was nothing left. No light. No soul. Just void. They want to meet you.

My voice was barely a whisper, like I was afraid to ask. She turned slowly, her neck cracking unnaturally as she did. The movement wasn't right, too slow, too deliberate. And when her eyes locked onto mine, they weren't just dark. They were empty. Hollow. Like they had swallowed everything. And there was nothing left. No light. No soul. Just void. They want to meet you.

My voice was barely a whisper, like I was afraid to ask. She turned slowly, her neck cracking unnaturally as she did. The movement wasn't right, too slow, too deliberate. And when her eyes locked onto mine, they weren't just dark. They were empty. Hollow. Like they had swallowed everything. And there was nothing left. No light. No soul. Just void. They want to meet you.

The candles in the room flared, their flames stretching higher than they should have. My breath turned to mist, freezing in the sudden cold that filled the air. I couldn't move. I don't want to meet them, I said. Clara's smile was different, wider, more teeth. That's what I said at first. The door slammed shut. I ran for the doorknob, my pulse pounding so loud I couldn't hear anything else.

The candles in the room flared, their flames stretching higher than they should have. My breath turned to mist, freezing in the sudden cold that filled the air. I couldn't move. I don't want to meet them, I said. Clara's smile was different, wider, more teeth. That's what I said at first. The door slammed shut. I ran for the doorknob, my pulse pounding so loud I couldn't hear anything else.

The candles in the room flared, their flames stretching higher than they should have. My breath turned to mist, freezing in the sudden cold that filled the air. I couldn't move. I don't want to meet them, I said. Clara's smile was different, wider, more teeth. That's what I said at first. The door slammed shut. I ran for the doorknob, my pulse pounding so loud I couldn't hear anything else.

It wouldn't budge. I shook it, my fingers slipping on the cold metal. No, no, no, no, no. Then I felt it, a cold brush against my neck. It was like ice, sharp, alive, and it dragged slowly down my back. I jerked away, but the air didn't let me. It felt like there were hands in the air, pressing me down, holding me. I spun around. There was nothing there, but there was something.

It wouldn't budge. I shook it, my fingers slipping on the cold metal. No, no, no, no, no. Then I felt it, a cold brush against my neck. It was like ice, sharp, alive, and it dragged slowly down my back. I jerked away, but the air didn't let me. It felt like there were hands in the air, pressing me down, holding me. I spun around. There was nothing there, but there was something.

It wouldn't budge. I shook it, my fingers slipping on the cold metal. No, no, no, no, no. Then I felt it, a cold brush against my neck. It was like ice, sharp, alive, and it dragged slowly down my back. I jerked away, but the air didn't let me. It felt like there were hands in the air, pressing me down, holding me. I spun around. There was nothing there, but there was something.

The shadows on the walls, they were moving. They stretched, bending in ways that shouldn't have been possible, not with the candles flickering. The darkness itself seemed to have a life of its own, crawling, reaching, twisting toward me. Lara, please. My voice was weak, tremulous. She tilted her head, eyes unblinking, too wide. Her smile stretched. You're already a part of it.

The shadows on the walls, they were moving. They stretched, bending in ways that shouldn't have been possible, not with the candles flickering. The darkness itself seemed to have a life of its own, crawling, reaching, twisting toward me. Lara, please. My voice was weak, tremulous. She tilted her head, eyes unblinking, too wide. Her smile stretched. You're already a part of it.

The shadows on the walls, they were moving. They stretched, bending in ways that shouldn't have been possible, not with the candles flickering. The darkness itself seemed to have a life of its own, crawling, reaching, twisting toward me. Lara, please. My voice was weak, tremulous. She tilted her head, eyes unblinking, too wide. Her smile stretched. You're already a part of it.

Something brushed my ankle. I jerked back, but the shadows seemed to grow longer, faster, thicker. They poured toward me like they were living things, hungry. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Something crawling out of the dark corner of the room. It wasn't walking. It was crawling.

Something brushed my ankle. I jerked back, but the shadows seemed to grow longer, faster, thicker. They poured toward me like they were living things, hungry. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Something crawling out of the dark corner of the room. It wasn't walking. It was crawling.

Something brushed my ankle. I jerked back, but the shadows seemed to grow longer, faster, thicker. They poured toward me like they were living things, hungry. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Something crawling out of the dark corner of the room. It wasn't walking. It was crawling.

Its limbs jerked unnaturally, twisting, bending at impossible angles, like someone had snapped it into a shape it shouldn't have been able to make. Its body was wrong, too long, too angular, too twisted. It had no eyes, but I knew it was watching me. And when it opened its mouth, I saw the teeth, too many teeth, jagged and grinning.

Its limbs jerked unnaturally, twisting, bending at impossible angles, like someone had snapped it into a shape it shouldn't have been able to make. Its body was wrong, too long, too angular, too twisted. It had no eyes, but I knew it was watching me. And when it opened its mouth, I saw the teeth, too many teeth, jagged and grinning.

Its limbs jerked unnaturally, twisting, bending at impossible angles, like someone had snapped it into a shape it shouldn't have been able to make. Its body was wrong, too long, too angular, too twisted. It had no eyes, but I knew it was watching me. And when it opened its mouth, I saw the teeth, too many teeth, jagged and grinning.

I opened my mouth to scream, but the sound was smothered by the whisper, the voice. It came from everywhere, a chorus, layered, multiple voices. Let's in. The thing in the shadows grinned, and for a split second I understood it. The pull, the temptation, a promise of power, of belonging, everything I had ever wanted all at once, without question. For just one second I almost let go, almost.

I opened my mouth to scream, but the sound was smothered by the whisper, the voice. It came from everywhere, a chorus, layered, multiple voices. Let's in. The thing in the shadows grinned, and for a split second I understood it. The pull, the temptation, a promise of power, of belonging, everything I had ever wanted all at once, without question. For just one second I almost let go, almost.