The darkness was thick, pressing in on the three of them like a living thing. Eldric, Reona, and Jeron huddled inside the house, barely daring to breathe. Outside, the stalkers prowled, their presence felt in the eerie stillness.
Eldric's mind raced. How were Reona and Jeron able to sense the creatures when he couldn't? His heart beat loudly in his chest, each thud a reminder of his vulnerability. The only explanation he could give was that perhaps living in this cursed world had heightened their instincts in ways he couldn't yet comprehend. With a shaky breath, he tightened his grip on the wooden stick in his hand, holding onto it like a lifeline, and hoped—prayed—that the stalkers would pass by without incident.
*BUZZ
*BUZZ
*BUZZ
This wishful praying of his was disturbed by a sharp buzzing noise that tore through the quiet.
"FUCK."
Eldric's heart lurched. His watch—the one Sarah had given him—was vibrating along with occasional beeps. Panic surged through him like a lightning strike.
"SHIT." Without thinking, he smashed his wrist against the ground, desperate to silence it. His pulse thundered in his ears as the buzzing ceased, but the damage was done. He hadn't even remembered the alarm Sarah had set for eight o'clock.
A cold sweat broke out across Eldric's skin. He slowly lifted his head to meet Jeron's gaze, only to find him glaring with barely contained fury. If looks could kill, Eldric would've died a thousand times by now. Reona wasn't much better, her eyes flashing with anger and fear as they darted to the windows, scanning for any sign that the stalkers had heard.
The silence outside felt oppressive, the kind that made your ears ring. Then, as if the world itself had held its breath, the sounds of rustling from outside ceased. The stillness was unnerving, a terrible calm before the storm. Eldric's pulse quickened, his whole body tensing as dread sank its claws into him.
"RUN!"
Reona's voice shattered the silence, filled with raw panic. Gone was the quiet whisper she had used earlier—now, she screamed with all the terror she'd been holding back. The fragile cocoon of concealment they had created was torn apart.
Jeron reacted instantly, bolting out of the house. Reona followed on his heels, her movements quick and desperate. Eldric's mind lagged for a moment, too stunned by the chaos erupting around him. But his body knew what to do. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted after them, his lungs burning as his heart pounded in his chest.
"THE LIGHTS!"
Reona's voice was barely audible over the rush of blood in Eldric's ears. She fumbled with her bag, pulling out a flashlight and flicking it on. The beam sliced through the darkness, illuminating the path ahead. Eldric, too, reached for his own flashlight, his fingers trembling as he turned it on. The light was weak, barely cutting through the oppressive blackness, but it was enough to see them—enough to see the things following them.
Eldric's breath caught in his throat. The stalkers were monstrous, towering at least twelve feet tall. Their pale, almost translucent skin stretched over their grotesque forms, and their arms hung low, dragging along the ground with each unnatural step. They had no faces—just massive mouths filled with endless rows of jagged, needle-like teeth, black and gaping as if leading to some hellish abyss. Eldric's legs threatened to give out beneath him. He wanted to scream, to run blindly into the darkness, but somehow, he kept moving. Fear propelled him forward, his mind barely able to process the horror that trailed behind them.
The light seemed to bother the creatures, but it wasn't enough to drive them off. They flinched, recoiling slightly, but still came on, their grotesque forms moving with a terrifying, otherworldly grace. Eldric's hope of driving them away with light evaporated, replaced by cold, consuming dread.
They ran, their footsteps pounding against the ground, but after what felt like an eternity, Jeron suddenly skidded to a halt. Eldric nearly crashed into him, his mind too clouded by fear to understand why they'd stopped.
"What… what are you doing?" Eldric's voice was barely a whisper, his throat tight with fear. His body screamed at him to keep running, to not stop when death was breathing down their necks. But then, he saw it—a single stalker, standing directly in their path. It was motionless, silent, yet Eldric could feel its presence. Despite its lack of eyes, he knew it was watching them. Watching him...
A cold shiver ran down Eldric's spine as he swallowed hard. "Can't we… can't we take another path?" he whispered, the words barely escaping his trembling lips.
Reona didn't answer right away. Her gaze was fixed on the creature, her face pale as the realization sank in. "It is the one that has marked you," she said quietly, her voice hollow with dread.
Marked? Eldric's mind reeled. He turned to her, his eyes wide with disbelief, but before he could say anything, Jeron's voice cut through the air, colder than the night itself. "It's after him. Maybe we should leave him behind."
The words hit Eldric like a punch to the gut. He tightened his grip on the stick, his knuckles white with fear and anger. This can't be happening, he thought. They wouldn't—Jeron wouldn't actually leave him here, would he?
Eldric turned to look at Jeron, searching for some sign of humanity in his face. But Jeron's expression was icy, his eyes devoid of any emotion. To him, Eldric was already a dead man.
"This motherfucker." Eldric almost cursed out loudly. Looking at Jeron while gritting his teeth, he cursed his eighteen generations. For a moment, Eldric was in disbelief that this bastard was thinking of leaving him here.
A wave of despair washed over him. And in that moment, he almost couldn't blame them. It would be easier for them to leave him. They'd stand a better chance of survival without him weighing them down. Eldric realized with bitter clarity that, had their roles been reversed, he might have made the same decision. He still looked at Jeron in hopes that perhaps he might have been joking or had spoken due to his anger. But after noticing Jeron's cold gaze that was looking at him like he was a dead person, the small flicker of hope in his heart died.
At that moment, Eldric deeply regretted ever following these two. The thought of being left behind to die gnawed at him, and he cursed his own foolishness. His hands clenched into fists, a wave of self-loathing washing over him. Why had he come here? Why had he trusted them? He almost wanted to slap himself for getting into this mess. Just when the crushing certainty of abandonment began to settle in, Reona shook her head, silently defying Jeron's cold indifference. Eldric blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected her to hesitate, let alone consider staying.
But as his relief crept in, a memory from the diner resurfaced—something he had heard in the diner about the stalkers. They liked to play with their prey, tormenting the marked victim, but only one would act as long as no one interfered. The grim realization hit Eldric like a punch to the gut: the best thing for Reona and Jeron to do was to leave him behind. He was marked, and the stalkers were focused on him. If they left him alone, they had a real chance of escaping. But if they chose to stay—if they interfered—everything would change. The other stalkers would join in, and then none of them would survive.
Eldric's stomach twisted as the gravity of the situation sank in. He didn't want to die, but part of him knew—if he were in their shoes, he might have already left. Just as these thoughts overwhelmed him, he heard something that almost stopped his breathing. For a moment, Eldric even thought he heard wrong when he heard the words Reona spoke.
"We're not leaving him."
Eldric blinked, his breath catching in his throat. He stared at Reona, unable to comprehend what he'd just heard. She was serious—serious about staying, about risking her life for his. Gratitude surged through him, almost overwhelming in its intensity. He wanted to thank her, but the situation didn't allow time for sentiment. He could only swallow the words he was about to speak and keep this feeling of gratitude in his heart.
Reona switched off her flashlight and tucked it away, her movements calm and deliberate. On the other hand, Jeron let out a frustrated, resigned sigh, his eyes burning with resentment. He glanced at Eldric one last time, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and hatred, before turning his attention to the stalker blocking their path.
And then, to Eldric's utter horror, Jeron's body began to change. His limbs lengthened unnaturally, his skin drained of color until it was deathly white. His bones seemed to twist beneath his skin as his arms and legs grew longer, and more grotesque. In seconds, Jeron had transformed into a smaller, but no less terrifying, version of the stalkers. His mouth opened wide, and from deep within him came a low, inhuman sound—like the eerie chirping of some nightmarish bird.
Before Eldric could fully register what was happening, Jeron lunged forward, snatching the flashlight from Eldric's hand and tossing it aside. In the next instant, Jeron grabbed both Eldric and Reona, his grip impossibly strong. The world around them warped, and before Eldric could react, everything went black.
---------------
Inside the diner, Sarah stood at the front door, staring out into the impenetrable darkness. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions, racing with thoughts she couldn't quite control. Despite laughing with her brother and brushing off her father's slap as if it were nothing, the sting of it lingered. How could it not? The weight of that moment bore down on her, and for a fleeting second, she wanted to walk away from everything—to leave this cursed place, this burdensome family behind.
In her anger, Sarah wondered what life would be like without the constant pressure of her so-called family. The idea tempted her, filling her chest with a momentary rush of defiance. But just as quickly, that rush drained away, leaving behind a cold, sobering reality.
"Hehehehee..." She couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
Where could she possibly go? What was waiting for her out there, beyond the edge of the light? Her heart sank as she realized that even if she managed to escape, survival would be short-lived. Perhaps they were the last ones left in this town—maybe even the last humans in this forsaken world. Could she really live all alone, wandering through the darkness? Months, maybe even years might pass, but eventually, she'd be consumed by it—by loneliness, by madness.
She clenched her fists tightly, teeth grinding as the weight of these thoughts pressed down on her. Just as despair began to settle in, something caught her eye. The darkness beyond the diner seemed to shift, twisting unnaturally.
Her breath caught in her throat. Instinct took over as she quickly drew her knife, ducking behind the doorframe. She didn't flee but stayed poised, waiting, eyes locked on the ominous shape in the distance.
A black mist began to push through the darkness, rolling toward the diner. But as soon as it hit the edge of the light outside, the mist dissolved, revealing a grotesque figure—a smaller Stalker, grotesque and inhuman, carrying an old woman and a young boy.
"Grandma!" Sarah gasped, rushing forward as the trio stumbled inside. But as they made it through the door, Eldric, who had been with them, instinctively backed away. His posture shifted, tense and defensive. Without even realizing it, he had snatched two old knives from Reona's belt, now holding them crossed in front of him, his eyes filled with coldness as he faced the others.
His knees bent, body coiled like a spring, as if ready to strike at any moment. Suddenly time seemed to stand still.....