> Rule #1: Never make eye contact with them.
Rule #2: If they whisper your name, don't answer.
Rule #3: When the air feels heavy, stop breathing for a second — it means one of them is close.
Rule #4: No matter what, never look behind you after sunset.
These weren't just warnings. They were survival.
He didn't write the rules — he just followed them.
Because the one time he didn't… something followed him back.
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Rain fell hard that night — the kind that made streetlights blur and footsteps vanish.
Erlen walked with his hands in his pockets, pretending not to hear the whispers behind him.
Rule #4 echoed in his mind — never look back after sunset.
He didn't.
But something else did.
A metallic taste filled the air. His gut told him something was wrong — something was following him. His heart pounded, but he forced himself to stay calm.
Then it hit him.
He'd broken Rule #4.
"Great…" he muttered under his breath. "If someone's behind me, I swear to God that asshole's getting a whooping!"
He spun around — and froze.
A tall, distorted shadow loomed over him, its mouth curling into a crooked smile.
"AAAAHHHHH! That thing smiled at me!" he screamed, bolting down the road.
But the more he ran, the longer the street seemed — like it stretched forever.
"For God's sake, stop following me! Chase someone else — I've got things to do, big shadow!" he yelled between gasps.
Minutes passed. His legs burned. The shadow crept closer.
"Huff... huff... okay, let's negotiate — or maybe make a bet?" he panted, pointing shakily at it.
The shadow just stood there. Silent.
"Oh? You can't do anything besides creeping people out, huh?" he said, trying to sound brave.
The shadow backed away.
"Muahahah! That's what I thought!" Erlen laughed, half triumphant, half terrified — his legs trembling even after it vanished.
Half an hour later, he reached the bus stop. Exhausted.
When a bus arrived, he stumbled in.
"Hey, mister, can I sit in the back? I'm dead tired."
"Sure," the driver replied, shifting seats.
"Thanks," Erlen sighed, breathing heavily.
By the time he got home, showered, and changed, he fell face-first onto his bed.
"Now there's only one thing left," he muttered.
"Sleep."