As we neared the edge of the forest, a sudden chill ran down my spine. I stopped in my tracks, sensing something amiss. Aimee glanced at me, her eyes wide with alarm.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I scanned the surrounding trees, my senses on high alert. "I don't know," I replied, my heart pounding in my chest. "But we're not alone."
Before Aimee could respond, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, its form shifting and ethereal. It was Emily, or what was left of her. Her once bright eyes were now hollow and filled with malice, her expression twisted by the darkness that had consumed her.
"James," she hissed, her voice echoing through the night like a sinister melody. "You cannot escape me."
Fear gripped my heart, but I forced myself to remain calm. "Emily, please," I said, my voice steady. "This isn't you. The darkness is controlling you."
