Ethan sat across from Mason at their usual spot, a small café tucked away on a quiet street. The clatter of dishes and the hum of conversation surrounded them, but Ethan barely noticed. His coffee sat untouched in front of him, steam curling lazily into the air. His fingers tapped nervously against the table, as if searching for the right words.
Mason leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "So? How'd the date go with Lila? I told you she's something special."
Ethan hesitated. The memory of Lila's enigmatic smile, her strange words, and the cold grip that had settled in his chest at the end of the night still clung to him. He hadn't slept well, tossing and turning as images of her haunted his dreams. But now, in the daylight, with Mason sitting there grinning like it was all a joke, it seemed impossible to articulate how unsettling the evening had truly been.
"It was… different," Ethan said finally, his voice flat.
Mason laughed, leaning forward and wagging a finger at him. "Come on, man. You're holding out on me. Different can mean a lot of things. Was she weird? A little quirky? That's normal. She's got a kind of... I don't know, mysterious vibe. But I told you, that's what makes her interesting."
Ethan rubbed his temple, the weight of the conversation pressing down on him. How was he supposed to explain that what happened with Lila wasn't just "quirky" or "mysterious"? It was something far darker, far more dangerous. He could still hear her soft voice, that strange whisper in an unknown language. And then, of course, there was the forum—The Veil—and the horrific things he had seen.
"She's more than just mysterious," Ethan muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Something's off about her, Mason. I can't shake it."
Mason waved his hand dismissively. "You're overthinking it. Look, everyone's got their little weird habits. She's probably into, what, crystals or astrology? You know how it is these days. Girls are all about that 'energy' stuff. It's harmless."
"No." Ethan shook his head, his voice firm. "It's not that. It's…" He paused, searching for the right way to put it. "She started talking about things that didn't make sense. Rituals, death, power. It wasn't just harmless conversation."
Mason raised an eyebrow but didn't seem particularly concerned. "What kind of rituals? You mean like… witchcraft or something?"
Ethan leaned forward, lowering his voice, though no one around them seemed to be paying attention. "She mentioned an online group. A place where people discuss necromancy, resurrection, that kind of thing. I looked it up. It's real, Mason. And she's not just some random person in the group—she's leading it. She's deeply involved."
Mason blinked, staring at Ethan as if trying to gauge whether or not he was being serious. Then, after a beat, he burst out laughing.
"Dude, come on. Necromancy? Seriously? You're telling me this girl is into raising the dead now? Next, you're going to say she's got a pet dragon or something." He shook his head, still chuckling. "You're freaking out over nothing."
Ethan's frustration boiled over. "This isn't a joke! I saw the forum. I read the posts. These people believe in this stuff, and she's right in the middle of it. I don't know what she's up to, but it's not normal, Mason."
Mason sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. "Look, man, you've been working too hard. You're always so wrapped up in your business, and now you're obsessing over this girl. You probably just had a bad date, and now you're blowing things out of proportion. It happens."
Ethan gritted his teeth, his hands balling into fists beneath the table. "You didn't see the way she looked at me, the way she talked about power. It wasn't just some harmless curiosity. There was something in her eyes… like she knew more than she was letting on. Like she was testing me."
Mason shook his head, though a flicker of concern crossed his face. "You're sure you're not just reading too much into this? I mean, okay, maybe she's got some weird hobbies, but that doesn't mean she's dangerous. People are into all kinds of stuff online. It doesn't mean they're actually doing it."
Ethan exhaled sharply, the words tumbling out before he could stop himself. "What if she is? What if she's involved in something that could get her—get us—into trouble? I can't just ignore this."
Mason regarded him for a long moment, his expression softening. "Ethan, I get that you're spooked, but trust me, man. You're fine. You don't need to get involved in whatever weird stuff she's into. Just cut ties. Move on. Forget about her."
But that was the problem. Ethan couldn't forget. He couldn't shake the feeling that Lila's world was pulling him in, that something far more sinister was waiting beneath the surface. The longer he sat there, the more certain he became that this wasn't something he could just walk away from.
"Mason," Ethan said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, "I think I'm already in too deep."
Mason frowned, his easygoing demeanor faltering as he leaned in closer. "You're not making any sense. Just let it go. You don't owe her anything. It was one date."
But it was never just one date, not with Lila. There was something about her—something magnetic, something terrifying—that wouldn't let him walk away. Even now, sitting here with Mason, he could feel the weight of her presence lingering in the back of his mind.
"I wish I could," Ethan said finally, his eyes fixed on the table, his voice low. "But I don't think she's done with me yet."
Mason let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, listen. If this is really bothering you that much, maybe we need to take a step back. I can look into her, see what I can find. But for now, just try not to let it get to you. You're probably overreacting, but I get it. You're wound up."
Ethan nodded, though deep down he knew Mason didn't fully understand. How could he? The darkness in Lila's eyes, the cold certainty in her words, the echo of that final message she'd sent him—it all gnawed at him, unraveling his sense of reality bit by bit.
He glanced out the window, the city bustling with life beyond the café's glass walls. To anyone else, it was just another ordinary day. But for Ethan, it felt like the calm before the storm.
And somehow, he knew Lila was the eye of that storm, waiting for him to take the next step into her world.
Whether he liked it or not.