Zyla and Kenna sprint through the screaming crowd, the ground trembling under each thunderous step of the demon climbing free. Teens shove past each other, some tripping over fallen coolers and scattered beer cans, others dropping their phones as they flee.
Kenna pants hard, squeezing Zyla's hand so tight her fingers go numb.
"Zyla—faster—FASTER!"
Behind them, the demon hauls its second arm up, its massive weight causing the entire rim of the sinkhole to cave inward. Earth collapses in a tidal wave of dirt and asphalt. Three parked cars vanish instantly into the falling debris.
The demon rises taller—two stories now—glowing cracks spreading through its chest like molten lightning. Its eyes remain fixed on Zyla through the swarm of running bodies.
Cyrus, Benjamin, Constant, and Keuirseu—who had driven separately—are shoving their way toward her. Constant's voice cuts through the chaos:
"Zyla! This way!"
She doesn't hear him.
Or maybe she does, but she can't make her legs move any faster.
Kenna glances back—immediately regrets it.
"Oh my God—IT'S COMING UP—Zy, it's coming UP!"
The demon snarls, the sound like grinding metal mixed with burning coal, and steps out of the sinkhole entirely. Streetlights explode from the heat rolling off its body.
Someone near them falls—another teen tries to help—but Zyla and Kenna can't stop. The demon's long shadow darkens the ground around them as it gains speed.
Zyla's breath comes sharp and ragged. The Josephe light from the pit still glows faintly in her vision—burning behind her eyes—pulling her attention back even as she runs forward.
The boys reach her first.
Benjamin grabs Zyla's arm. "Get in the car—now!"
Cyrus doesn't even speak—he just positions himself between her and the demon, fists shaking, eyes burning with a power he's barely holding back.
Constant grabs Kenna, shoving her toward the nearest car.
"Move! MOVE!"
Keuirseu looks back at the advancing monster, whispers,
"Too close… too fast…"
And then—
The demon roars again, louder, angrier, all heat and hunger aimed straight at Zyla—
"YOU."
The demon lunges.
The earth buckles beneath its weight as it launches forward, claws extended, fire spilling from the cracks along its arms. Cyrus shouts something—maybe a warning, maybe a command—but the roar drowns everything out.
Constant yanks Zyla back. Benjamin shoves Kenna the opposite direction.
And that's when it happens—
the crowd splits them apart.
A wave of terrified teens stampede between them, pushing, shoving, screaming. Someone slams into Kenna; she falls, rolls, disappearing into the chaos.
Zyla screams—
"KENNA!"
But there's no time.
The demon's shadow swallows her.
Cyrus grabs her waist, lifting her off the ground as the monster's claw swings down, missing her by inches and shattering a truck beside them. Metal flies. Glass sprays. Heat scorches her skin.
"MOVE!" Constant shouts.
Benjamin flings the back door open. Cyrus practically throws Zyla inside and slams it shut.
The car fishtails as Constant floors it—tires screaming, dirt flying, teens diving out of the way. The demon steps forward to chase—
—but the sinkhole beneath it collapses further, dragging its lower half back into the pit.
They speed off.
Zyla twists around in the seat, pounding at the window.
"KENNA! We can't leave her! It's my fault! We have to go back—please!"
Benjamin tries to reach for her hand but she pulls away, breathing too fast, too sharp.
Cyrus looks back from the front seat, voice steady but tense:
"Zyla… if we stayed, we'd all be dead. Kenna knows how to run. She'll get out."
But she doesn't hear him.
Her chest tightens.
Her vision blurs.
Her fingers shake so hard she can't unclench them.
"Why aren't we going home?!" she gasps.
Constant answers without looking back:
"Because home is the first place that thing will look for you."
She can't breathe.
Everything feels too loud.
Too bright.
Too hot.
Her skin warms like fire building under her ribs.
Her heart slams.
Her breath catches in her throat—
"Stop— I can't— I don't—"
Benjamin leans closer.
"Zyla? Zyla, hey—look at me—just breathe—"
But the heat inside her only grows.
A burning pressure rising from her stomach to her chest, crawling up her throat, her eyes—
like a light trying to break out.
"Something's… wrong…" she whispers, voice cracking.
The boys exchange a terrified look.
Her vision tunnels.
Her ears ring.
The world tilts.
And Zyla—
passes out cold
as the car speeds toward a town miles away from everything she's ever known.
The ground shook beneath me, the air thick with smoke and dust. I reached for Zyla's hand, my fingers brushing hers, desperate to hold on—but a surge of people, frantic and panicked, slammed between us. My chest tightened, and I shoved through the chaos, calling her name, voice cracking.
"Zyla!"
But she was gone. My stomach dropped. I spun, heart hammering, eyes darting over the crowd that seemed to stretch endlessly, pulling her farther and farther away. I tried to run, but the crowd pushed me back, a river of bodies I couldn't fight.
My legs felt like lead. My lungs burned as I stumbled, almost tripping over rubble. Panic clawed at my throat—I couldn't lose her. Not like this. Not here.
Then I caught a glimpse of her, small and trembling, being pulled along by someone I didn't recognize. Her head dropped, shoulders shaking, and my heart twisted. I had to reach her, had to—but before I could move, she was swallowed by the chaos, gone from sight.
I stopped, trembling, hands clenched into fists. I couldn't hear her voice anymore, couldn't feel her near. The panic didn't fade; it grew, a roaring fire in my chest. But I wouldn't let it consume me. I had to find her. Somehow, I had to find her.
The ground shook beneath me, dust and debris clouding the air. I reached for Zyla, my fingers brushing hers for a fleeting second—but the crowd surged, splitting us apart. My chest tightened. No. Not now. Not her.
I pushed through, my voice cracking as I screamed, "Zyla!"
She was gone. Just… gone. My stomach lurched as my eyes scanned frantically, catching a glimpse of her small figure being dragged away by someone I didn't recognize. She looked so fragile, trembling—my heart shattered.
Then I saw it: a car parked nearby, its engine idling. A reckless thought hit me, sharp and sudden. I don't care. I'm not losing her.
I ran to it, yanking the door open, fumbling with the keys until it roared to life. Tires screeched against the pavement as I tore through the chaos, weaving between panicked people and overturned cars. My heart hammered in my ears as I caught sight of her again, just ahead, still unaware of my presence.
"Hang on, Zyl! I'm coming!" I yelled, slamming the accelerator, adrenaline pumping through every vein. I didn't care about traffic lights or rules—I only cared about her.
The city blurred around me, but my focus was sharp. She couldn't disappear from me. Not my best friend. Not ever.
I crouched behind the tree, heart hammering as I watched him—Cyrus—patrol lazily around the cabin, unaware of my presence. His every movement made my blood thrum with frustration. Focus, Kenna. Don't get caught. Not now.
The cabin loomed ahead, dark and quiet. I could see the faint glow of light spilling from the windows, and I knew Zyla was inside, trapped in whatever nightmare she couldn't wake from. My fists clenched. I have to get to her.
I shifted closer, keeping low, my breath shallow, counting every step to avoid snapping twigs underfoot. The orb around the cabin shimmered faintly in the moonlight—Keuirsue's magic—but I didn't know how it worked. I only knew one thing: I had to try.
Slipping through the edge of the barrier without thinking, I felt the strange hum of energy brush against me. My stomach flipped, but I ignored it. She's in there. I have to find her.
I moved to the nearest window, peering inside. Shadows twisted and coiled, making it look like the room was alive. Panic clawed at me as I saw her, small and pale, murmuring in her sleep. My heart ached. She was so close, yet so trapped.
I shifted to the next window, scanning each carefully. Please, just hold on. I'll get you out. My jaw tightened. I could feel Cyrus's attention elsewhere, but I knew the orb would notice me if I lingered too long. I had to be fast. I had to be smart.
The wind whispered through the trees, carrying the faintest echo of her voice—or was it Shadow's? I swallowed hard. This wasn't just about saving her from the dream. This was about saving her from herself, from whatever was hunting her in that twisted nightmare. And I wouldn't fail.
I pressed my face to the glass, my breath fogging the cold pane as I stared inside. Zyla was lying on the bed, tangled in blankets, her small body trembling as if the shadows themselves were holding her down. Her face twisted in fear and confusion, lips whispering things I couldn't quite hear.
And then I saw him—Shadow. Dark, shifting, and impossible to pin down, his form slithering around her like smoke, his presence twisting the air with cold malice. Every time she tried to move, he was there, coiling around her, whispering threats only she could hear. My stomach dropped. No. I won't let him take her like this.
Her eyes darted wildly beneath closed lids, chasing some imagined demon I couldn't see. My heart ached seeing her so helpless, so terrified. I wanted to break the window, scream her name, rush in—but I knew the orb around the cabin would stop me. I had to find another way.
I crept to another window, trying to get a better view. Shadow shifted, mimicking the shape of whatever Zyla feared most, and every time he moved, she flinched and gasped, trapped in a nightmare that wasn't real but felt more real than anything else. My fists clenched until my nails dug into my palms.
I had to get her out. I had to. And even if it meant sneaking past the boys, dodging the magic, and facing whatever else lurked in the dark… I would do it. Zyla was my best friend, and no shadow, demon, or twisted dream would keep me from her.
The wind rustled behind me, and I froze. I didn't know if it was a warning or just the trees, but I couldn't stop. Not now. I had to figure out how to get in—any way I could—before the nightmare swallowed her completely.
I pried the bathroom window open as slowly as I could, heart hammering in my chest. The second I dropped to the ground, a shadowy shape lunged at me. Cold, rough hands grabbed me, yanking me toward the forest. My nails dug into the dirt, but it didn't care. My body scraped against rocks and roots as I struggled, the pain flaring sharp in my arms and legs.
I snatched up a handful of dirt and flung it into its face. Its roar of laughter echoed in the trees, a sound so cruel it made my blood boil. I clawed at it again, getting scratches along my arms, dirt and blood smeared across my skin. A stinging cut on my forehead began to bleed, but I didn't slow. I grabbed a small branch, swinging with all the force I could muster.
"Come on, freak!" I shouted, fury boiling through me.
It sneezed suddenly, and the worst—boogers—splattered all over my face. I gagged, my stomach twisting violently. Before I could think, it tackled me, and my body heaved uncontrollably, vomit spraying into its dark, grinning face. The creature shrieked and vanished faster than anything I'd ever seen.
I stood there, trembling, covered in dirt, blood, and vomit. My stomach rebelled again, forcing another wave over my feet. I wiped my face with a shaking hand and looked back toward the cabin. The window was shut, the light gone. My patience snapped.
I waited, ears straining, then slid the window open again. This time I wasn't careful. I swung my leg through—and immediately hit my head on the toilet. Stars exploded behind my eyes. Pain surged through my skull and, for a long moment, all I could feel was furious, burning irritation.
I muttered curses under my breath, wiping blood and sweat from my face. Seriously? Really? But there was no time to rest. Zyla was still inside, and that nightmare wasn't going to wait for me to recover.