Alexander pulled into the dimly lit parking garage, the hum of his car engine echoing off the concrete walls. He parked the car and stepped out, the cool night air brushing against his skin. The garage was eerily quiet, save for the distant sound of traffic. He began the short walk back to his apartment, his mind preoccupied with the events of the day.

As he passed an alleyway, a faint, panicked voice caught his attention. He hesitated; his curiosity piqued. The voice grew louder, more desperate, and then he heard it—a hissing, unnatural sound that sent chills down his spine. Against his better judgment, he crept down the alley, the voices growing clearer with each step.

“Please, I don’t know who you’re looking for!” a man pleaded, his voice trembling with fear.

Alexander peered around a corner and saw a man on his knees, surrounded by three humanoid creatures. Their skin was pale, almost white, and they had leathery bat-like wings and sharp, pointed ears. Alexander’s heart pounded in his chest as he remembered what Robert had mentioned the other die. Despite the evidence before him, he still struggled to believe it.

One of the creatures turned, its smoldering red eyes scanning the alley. Alexander crouched lower, his breath catching in his throat. The creature’s gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness, but after a few agonizing seconds, it eventually turned back to the man.

“This one is useless,” another creature hissed, its voice dripping with disdain.

The man broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. “Please, I don’t know anything! I swear!”

One of the creatures grabbed him by the head and sank its teeth into his neck. Blood spewed onto the nearby walls, staining them red. Alexander’s stomach churned. He turned away, pressing his hand over his mouth to stifle a scream. Tears streamed down his face as he lay on the ground, trembling.

After what felt like an eternity, he heard the flapping of wings. He waited a few more minutes, ensuring the creatures were gone before sprinting back to his apartment. Once inside, he collapsed against the door, letting out a terrified cry. His hands shook as he took out his phone and tried to call Robert, but with his shaky fingers he couldn’t tap the numbers. He stared into the distance, traumatized and paralyzed; unable to process what he had witnessed.

Monday morning arrived, and Alexander dragged himself to Mek-Tek, having not slept since the encounter in the alley. His exhaustion was evident in his slow movements and the dark bags under his eyes. As he passed the receptionist booth, Veronica noticed his condition and asked if he was alright, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

“Alexander are you okay?” she asked, her face scrunching with worry.

He didn’t respond, barely acknowledging her presence, leaving her in stunned silence.

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Upstairs, other employees whispered as he walked by. Robert, yet to notice his disheveled appearance, asked about his date with Lila. “Hey, Alex! How was the date-” Robert’s smile quickly faded as he took in Alexander’s terrible state. “Whoa, Alex, buddy, you look terrible… Are you okay?”

“I… I saw something,” Alexander muttered, his voice barely audible.

Robert pressed for details. “What did you see? Alex, you’re scaring me.”

Alexander could only say, “You were right, Robert. You were right.”

Megan arrived and immediately noticed Alexander wasn’t right. She quietly whispered to Robert. “Is he like this because of the date?”

Robert shook his head. “No… this is something else...I think…”

Alexander trembled, on the verge of breaking down. Robert stepped in closer. “Alex, I think maybe we should get you home.”

Megan nodded in agreement. “I’ll let the boss know that you’re not feeling well. Don’t worry about it.”

Alexander hesitated, his voice shaky. “I…I….”

Robert placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Alex, we’re your friends. Let us help you. We can talk later.”

Megan added, “Exactly. Just focus on getting some rest. We’ll take care of everything here.”

Alexander reluctantly agreed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Okay… thank you.”

Robert gave him a supportive smile. “Come on, let’s get you home, buddy”

As they walked out, Megan called after them, “I’ll check in on you later, Alex. Take care.”

Robert drove Alexander back to his apartment, the car ride filled with silence as Alexander stared straight ahead. When they arrived, Robert helped him inside and made sure he was settled before leaving.

“Try to get some rest,” Robert said gently. “I’ll come back after work.”

Alexander nodded, thanking Robert for his support. “Thanks, Rob…I-I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”

Robert smiled reassuringly. “It’s no problem, Alex. Just take it easy.” As he drove away, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

Alexander collapsed onto his bed, finally succumbing to exhaustion. He awoke that evening, feeling somewhat refreshed. He tried to convince himself that the events of Saturday night were just a hallucination or a dream. Monsters weren’t real, he told himself. They were just fairytales.

He called Robert, thanking him again and assuring him that he felt much better. “Hey, Rob! Thanks for earlier. I’m feeling pretty good now!”

Robert promised to stop by anyway, but Alexander insisted he was fine. “Don’t worry about it, Robby! Actually, I think I might head to one of the branch labs to get some work done...clear my head, you know?”

“Just don’t overdo it, Alex,” Robert cautioned.

Meanwhile, Robert and Megan stopped by the receptionist booth to see Lila. “I heard Alexander wasn’t doing well. Is he alright?” she asked, concern evident in her voice.

Robert nodded. “Yeah, he wasn’t feeling great, so I took him home. I talked to him just a bit ago, he said he’s doing better now.”

Megan added, “He looked really out of it, but we’ll stop by later to make sure he’s all good!”

Veronica, who had been listening, raised an eyebrow. Her usual annoyance was replaced by mild intrigue. “Really? What happened to him?”

Robert shrugged. “Not sure. He just seemed…off today. Thought it was best to get him home to rest.” Robert told himself that it wasn’t technically a lie. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong with Alexander.

Lila was relieved, and then began fidgeting with her fingers. “I’m glad to hear that! I had fun on Saturday night...I’m hoping to maybe see him again soon…”

Robert and Megan were thrilled. “That’s awesome!” Megan exclaimed. “But we shouldn’t keep you guys any longer!”

As they departed the building, Robert couldn’t shake his concern. The feeling he had earlier started gnawing at him again. Alexander had mentioned seeing “something” and said that Robert was right. But right about what? Whatever it all meant, Robert was certain it couldn’t be good…