The bike sputtered to a halt, the engine dying with a cough that echoed into the oppressive silence. Arjun cursed under his breath, glancing nervously at the road ahead. The trees on either side seemed to close in, their skeletal branches clawing at the night sky.
He dismounted, his flashlight casting weak beams into the void around him. The air was unnaturally still, devoid of the chirping crickets or rustling leaves that usually accompanied a night like this. His instincts screamed at him to leave, but with an empty fuel tank and no visible help in sight, there was no way out.
"Hello?" he called, his voice trembling. It echoed faintly before being swallowed by the darkness.
He felt the chill before he saw it—the presence. A faint rustle came from behind him, like someone dragging their feet across gravel. Slowly, he turned, his flashlight trembling in his hand.
A figure stood just beyond the beam's reach, its outline barely discernible. Tall and thin, its face was shrouded in shadow, but its glowing eyes pierced through the darkness.
"Why did you stop?" the figure asked, its voice low and raspy, each word dripping with malice.
Arjun stumbled back, his flashlight slipping from his hand and clattering to the ground. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The figure took a step closer, its movements unnaturally jerky. "You're not supposed to be here," it said, ignoring his questions.
"I didn't mean to stop!" Arjun stammered, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "My bike…it broke down!"
The figure tilted its head, as if considering his words. "Then leave," it whispered, though the command sounded more like a threat.
"I can't!" Arjun shouted, tears streaming down his face. "I don't have fuel, and I don't know the way back!"
The figure's glowing eyes seemed to burn brighter. "If you cannot leave," it said slowly, "then you must stay."
Before Arjun could react, the figure lunged forward, its icy hands gripping his shoulders. A searing pain shot through his body, paralyzing him as the darkness closed in. He tried to scream, but no sound came.
When the pain subsided, he found himself standing alone on the road. The bike was gone, along with the figure. For a moment, he thought he had woken from a nightmare—until he looked down at his hands.
They were pale, almost translucent, and his fingers trembled as he reached for his chest. His heart wasn't beating.
"No," he whispered, backing away in horror.
As he stumbled to the edge of the road, he caught his reflection in a puddle. The glowing eyes stared back at him.
Far in the distance, the faint hum of an engine broke the silence. A motorbike's headlamp appeared, cutting through the darkness. Arjun turned toward it, his body moving on its own.
The rider slowed as they approached, their confused face illuminated by the beam of light.
"Hey! Do you need help?" the rider called out.
Arjun opened his mouth to respond, but the words weren't his own. "Why did you stop?" he asked, his voice low and rasping.
The cycle continued.