Ethan's shoes echoed against the slick pavement as they walked, the city lights flickering in the distance like a far-off beacon of normalcy. His pulse thudded in his ears, louder with every step, though he tried to keep his outward calm intact. Lila walked beside him, graceful and composed, as if the chill in the night air had no effect on her. Her fingers brushed against his every so often, the contact light but enough to send a shiver through him each time.
He could feel the weight of his own thoughts pressing down on him, each one more unsettling than the last. How had the evening gone from simple to surreal so quickly? A blind date arranged by his best friend, Mason, had seemed harmless enough. But now, as the night dragged on and Lila's casual comments veered into the bizarre, Ethan found himself teetering on the edge of something darker. Her allure had shifted into something far more dangerous.
His mind replayed fragments of their earlier conversation: Lila's voice, soft yet commanding, as she spoke of death rituals with the same ease that others spoke of their favorite movies. The intensity in her eyes when she talked about necromancy, about ancient practices he barely understood. And now, the strange whisper in a language he didn't recognize—a sound so foreign that it made his skin prickle.
Ethan stole a glance at her. She was staring up at the moon, her lips parted slightly, almost in reverence. The pale light bathed her face in an ethereal glow, making her look even more otherworldly than before. For the first time, he wondered if Lila wasn't just eccentric—she might be dangerous.
As if sensing his gaze, Lila turned to him, her lips curling into that same enigmatic smile that had first captivated him. But now, instead of charm, it only filled him with a cold, creeping dread. Her eyes, dark and impenetrable, bore into him.
"You're quiet," she said, her voice low but laced with amusement. "I hope I haven't frightened you, Ethan."
He forced a chuckle, though it sounded hollow even to his own ears. "No, not at all. Just...thinking."
"About what?" Her question was simple enough, but there was an edge to it, a subtle pressure that made him feel like he was walking into a trap.
He hesitated. What could he say? That he was beginning to regret ever meeting her? That her fascination with death and the occult was unnerving him more with each passing second? Instead, he opted for a safer answer.
"Just about the night. It's been...interesting."
"Interesting," Lila echoed, her smile widening ever so slightly. "That's one way to describe it."
There was something almost predatory in her tone, and it sent a jolt of panic through Ethan. He had to end this—now.
"I should probably head back," he blurted out, a little too quickly. "It's getting late."
Lila didn't respond immediately. She merely stared at him, her gaze unflinching, as if she were weighing his words, or perhaps, his very soul. For a moment, Ethan wondered if she would let him go, or if she had something else in mind—something he couldn't quite grasp but could feel lingering just beneath the surface of their exchange.
Finally, she tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "Are you sure? The night's still young."
The offer hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Ethan's heart pounded against his ribcage, the edges of his composure fraying more with each second that passed.
"I've got an early start tomorrow," he lied, praying that it sounded convincing. "Work and all that."
Lila's smile didn't falter, but there was something sharper in her eyes now, something dangerous. "Of course," she said softly. "Work is important, isn't it?"
There was a strange finality in her voice that sent another wave of unease through him. Without waiting for a response, she slipped her arm through his, her touch cold against his skin. They continued walking, the city center coming into view ahead of them, the distant hum of traffic and life beckoning him back to reality.
Ethan's mind raced, every fiber of his being screaming at him to get away. But Lila's grip on his arm, though gentle, felt like a shackle. He needed a plan, a way out.
As they crossed a quiet intersection, Lila looked up at the moon again, her gaze distant. Then, without warning, she murmured something under her breath—another string of unfamiliar words, soft and melodic, yet disturbingly foreign.
Ethan's blood ran cold. He wasn't sure what she had said, but it wasn't good. Not at all.
"Lila," he said, his voice cracking slightly, "what...what was that?"
She looked at him, her eyes glowing in the moonlight. "Oh, just an old saying. Something my mother used to say."
There was an eerie calmness to her voice that only heightened his fear.
Ethan swallowed, his mouth dry. "What did it mean?"
Her smile was slow, deliberate. "Roughly translated? It means that sometimes, when the moon is high, the veil between worlds is thinner than we think."
His heart skipped a beat, his pulse quickening as he tried to make sense of her words. The veil between worlds? This wasn't a joke anymore. Ethan knew he had to get out, and fast.
He pulled his arm free, forcing a smile as he took a step back. "Well, I guess I'll find out about that another time. I should really get going."
Lila didn't move. She just stood there, watching him with that same inscrutable expression, as if she were sizing him up, deciding something. For a moment, he thought she might say something else, might try to stop him. But then, just as suddenly, she stepped aside, her smile fading.
"Goodnight, Ethan," she said softly. "Until next time."
The words sent a shiver down his spine. There was an unsettling certainty in them—like she knew something he didn't, like she expected there would be a next time.
Ethan turned and walked away, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't look back. He couldn't. All he wanted was to put as much distance between himself and Lila as possible. The night, the conversation, her—everything felt wrong, like he had narrowly escaped something far darker than he could fully comprehend.
As he reached the crowded streets of the city center, the noise and lights of the bustling city welcomed him back, but the sense of dread clung to him like a shadow.
He had escaped the night, but the unsettling feeling told him one thing—Lila wasn't done with him.