Chapter 3: The Stranger
The next few days passed in a blur for Avery. She tried to go about her normal routine—painting, meeting Maya for coffee, wandering the streets of San Francisco for inspiration—but everything felt off. The city, once so familiar and comforting, now seemed filled with shadows and secrets. Everywhere she looked, she saw signs of the supernatural: flickering lights, strange symbols etched into walls, and the occasional glimpse of a figure that vanished when she turned her head.
Maya did her best to cheer her up, but even her relentless optimism couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled over Avery.
"You need to get out of your head," Maya said one afternoon as they sat in their favorite café. "Come on, let's do something fun. There's a new art exhibit downtown. Maybe it'll inspire you."
Avery forced a smile. "Maybe."
But she wasn't in the mood for art exhibits or coffee dates. She was too busy trying to figure out what was happening to her. The visions hadn't stopped—if anything, they were getting stronger. Every night, she dreamed of the storm and the creature, and every morning, she woke up feeling more exhausted than the night before.
---
That evening, Avery decided to take a walk. She needed to clear her head, and the cool night air always helped her think. She wandered through the streets of Chinatown, the neon signs casting colorful reflections on the wet pavement. The fog had rolled in again, wrapping the city in its cold, damp embrace.
As she turned a corner, she saw it—a small shop tucked away in an alley, its windows glowing with a soft, golden light. The sign above the door read *Golden Gate Antiques*, and something about it drew her in.
The bell above the door jingled as she stepped inside. The shop was cluttered with old furniture, dusty books, and strange artifacts that seemed to hum with energy. The air smelled of incense and aged wood, and the walls were lined with shelves filled with trinkets and curiosities.
"Can I help you?"
Avery jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned to see a man standing behind the counter, his sharp eyes watching her with curiosity. He was tall and lean, with dark hair streaked with silver and a face that looked like it had seen too much.
"I… I'm just looking," Avery said, her voice trembling.
The man smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're not here by accident, you know."
Avery frowned. "What do you mean?"
The man stepped out from behind the counter, his movements smooth and deliberate. "You've seen things, haven't you? Things you can't explain."
Avery's heart skipped a beat. "How do you know that?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, golden pendant. It was shaped like an eye, with intricate patterns etched into its surface.
"This is for you," he said, holding it out to her.
Avery hesitated. "I… I can't take that."
"You don't have a choice," the man said, his voice firm. "It's already chosen you."
Avery reached out and took the pendant, her fingers brushing against his. The moment she touched it, a jolt of energy shot through her body, making her gasp. Images flashed before her eyes—faces she didn't recognize, places she'd never been, and a voice, deep and echoing, whispering words she couldn't understand.
And then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
Avery stumbled back, her heart racing. Her hands were shaking, and her skin felt like it was buzzing with electricity. She looked down at the pendant, half-expecting to see something different, but it looked the same as always.
"What… what was that?" she asked, her voice trembling.
The man smiled again, but this time, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "You'll find out soon enough. But for now, keep that pendant close. It'll protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Avery asked, her voice rising in panic.
The man didn't answer. Instead, he turned and walked back behind the counter, leaving Avery standing there, clutching the pendant and feeling more confused than ever.
---
As she left the shop, the fog had thickened, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Avery clutched the pendant tightly, her mind racing with questions. Who was that man? What did he mean about the pendant choosing her? And what was it supposed to protect her from?
She didn't have time to think about it. As she turned a corner, she saw it—a figure standing in the shadows, its glowing red eyes staring straight at her.
Avery's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to run, but her feet were rooted to the spot. The figure stepped forward, its form slowly coming into view. It was tall and skeletal, with skin that looked like it had been stretched too thin over its bones. Its mouth was twisted into a grotesque grin, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth.
"You cannot stop what is coming," it hissed, its voice like nails on a chalkboard.
Avery's heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out. She wanted to run, but her legs felt like they were made of lead.
The creature lunged at her, its claws outstretched.
At the last second, Avery's body finally obeyed her. She ducked, narrowly avoiding the creature's grasp, and bolted down the alley. She didn't look back—she just ran, her feet pounding against the pavement as she raced toward the safety of the city lights.
---
When she finally reached her apartment, she collapsed onto the couch, her heart racing and her hands trembling. She clutched the pendant tightly, her mind racing with questions.
Whatever was happening to her, it wasn't just in her head. And if she didn't figure it out soon, she had a feeling things were only going to get worse.
The next few days passed in a blur for Avery. She tried to go about her normal routine—painting, meeting Maya for coffee, wandering the streets of San Francisco for inspiration—but everything felt off. The city, once so familiar and comforting, now seemed filled with shadows and secrets. Everywhere she looked, she saw signs of the supernatural: flickering lights, strange symbols etched into walls, and the occasional glimpse of a figure that vanished when she turned her head.
Maya did her best to cheer her up, but even her relentless optimism couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled over Avery.
"You need to get out of your head," Maya said one afternoon as they sat in their favorite café. "Come on, let's do something fun. There's a new art exhibit downtown. Maybe it'll inspire you."
Avery forced a smile. "Maybe."
But she wasn't in the mood for art exhibits or coffee dates. She was too busy trying to figure out what was happening to her. The visions hadn't stopped—if anything, they were getting stronger. Every night, she dreamed of the storm and the creature, and every morning, she woke up feeling more exhausted than the night before.
---
That evening, Avery decided to take a walk. She needed to clear her head, and the cool night air always helped her think. She wandered through the streets of Chinatown, the neon signs casting colorful reflections on the wet pavement. The fog had rolled in again, wrapping the city in its cold, damp embrace.
As she turned a corner, she saw it—a small shop tucked away in an alley, its windows glowing with a soft, golden light. The sign above the door read *Golden Gate Antiques*, and something about it drew her in.
The bell above the door jingled as she stepped inside. The shop was cluttered with old furniture, dusty books, and strange artifacts that seemed to hum with energy. The air smelled of incense and aged wood, and the walls were lined with shelves filled with trinkets and curiosities.
"Can I help you?"
Avery jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned to see a man standing behind the counter, his sharp eyes watching her with curiosity. He was tall and lean, with dark hair streaked with silver and a face that looked like it had seen too much.
"I… I'm just looking," Avery said, her voice trembling.
The man smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're not here by accident, you know."
Avery frowned. "What do you mean?"
The man stepped out from behind the counter, his movements smooth and deliberate. "You've seen things, haven't you? Things you can't explain."
Avery's heart skipped a beat. "How do you know that?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, golden pendant. It was shaped like an eye, with intricate patterns etched into its surface.
"This is for you," he said, holding it out to her.
Avery hesitated. "I… I can't take that."
"You don't have a choice," the man said, his voice firm. "It's already chosen you."
Avery reached out and took the pendant, her fingers brushing against his. The moment she touched it, a jolt of energy shot through her body, making her gasp. Images flashed before her eyes—faces she didn't recognize, places she'd never been, and a voice, deep and echoing, whispering words she couldn't understand.
And then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
Avery stumbled back, her heart racing. Her hands were shaking, and her skin felt like it was buzzing with electricity. She looked down at the pendant, half-expecting to see something different, but it looked the same as always.
"What… what was that?" she asked, her voice trembling.
The man smiled again, but this time, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "You'll find out soon enough. But for now, keep that pendant close. It'll protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Avery asked, her voice rising in panic.
The man didn't answer. Instead, he turned and walked back behind the counter, leaving Avery standing there, clutching the pendant and feeling more confused than ever.
---
As she left the shop, the fog had thickened, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Avery clutched the pendant tightly, her mind racing with questions. Who was that man? What did he mean about the pendant choosing her? And what was it supposed to protect her from?
She didn't have time to think about it. As she turned a corner, she saw it—a figure standing in the shadows, its glowing red eyes staring straight at her.
Avery's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to run, but her feet were rooted to the spot. The figure stepped forward, its form slowly coming into view. It was tall and skeletal, with skin that looked like it had been stretched too thin over its bones. Its mouth was twisted into a grotesque grin, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth.
"You cannot stop what is coming," it hissed, its voice like nails on a chalkboard.
Avery's heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out. She wanted to run, but her legs felt like they were made of lead.
The creature lunged at her, its claws outstretched.
At the last second, Avery's body finally obeyed her. She ducked, narrowly avoiding the creature's grasp, and bolted down the alley. She didn't look back—she just ran, her feet pounding against the pavement as she raced toward the safety of the city lights.
---
When she finally reached her apartment, she collapsed onto the couch, her heart racing and her hands trembling. She clutched the pendant tightly, her mind racing with questions.
Whatever was happening to her, it wasn't just in her head. And if she didn't figure it out soon, she had a feeling things were only going to get worse.
---