Meanwhile, at the edge of a nearby fire-pit, a vague man-shaped shadow lurked, carefully hidden by a dense thicket of trees. The figure remained unseen, shrouded in the interplay of flickering firelight and the oppressive gloom of the overcast night. His gaze, predatory and unblinking, was fixed on a select group of partiers. Among them were Dom and her friends - Rick, David, Nicky, and Jacky - sitting around the fire, laughing and exchanging stories about the growing chaos of the party.
The shadowed figure tilted his head slightly, listening intently as the girls, Nicky and Jacky, rose with their boyfriends in tow, announcing their intent to return shortly. Their voices carried a light, carefree tone, blissfully unaware of the presence skulking just beyond the firelight’s reach.
The figure sniffed the air as they passed, his chest rising in a slow, deliberate motion. A low rumble of dissatisfaction vibrated deep in his throat. They weren’t what he was searching for. They lacked the spark, the essence. To him, they were hollow shells, unworthy of his attention. He dismissed them with a sharp exhale, turning his focus back to the fire.
There she was.
Dom had moved closer to the flames, crouching with a stick in hand as she prodded at the crackling wood. Her face glowed in the firelight, her expression calm and distant, unaware of the danger creeping closer. The figure’s nostrils flared as he took another deep inhale, this one slow and savoring. The scent of her was undeniable - bright and heady, rich with the essence he craved.
***
His hunger surged, rolling through him like a wave of molten lava. He was supposed to merely observe, to confirm her presence and report back to his master. That was the plan. The command. But now, standing this close, the primal need clawed at him with a ferocity he could no longer resist. It had been so long since he’d fed properly, and the thought of her - untouched and radiant with potential - made his entire body thrum with urgency.
A low, involuntary growl escaped his throat, blending into the ambient hum of the wind. The twitching began, small at first - just a slight tremor in his hand. But it spread quickly, consuming him. His limbs jerked erratically, his body trembling with the effort of holding back. Where before he had melted seamlessly into the shadows, a master of stealth, now the rustling of the leaves and the sharp crack of a twig betrayed his presence.
***
Thinking she heard a sound, Dom froze, her grip tightening on the stick she had been carving with her mom’s pocket knife. The blade, still warm from her touch, was slipped seamlessly against her wrist, hidden beneath the sleeve of her jacket. Her eyes darted toward the trees, her heartbeat quickening as she scanned the dense shadows.
The forest was alive with the subtle hum of night - crickets chirping, the occasional rustle of leaves, and the distant laughter of partygoers. She strained her ears, searching for anything that didn’t belong.
“Hello?” she called out, her voice firm, though her pulse raced. “Is anybody there?”
Only the night answered, its reply a symphony of insects and the faint crackling of the nearby fire. Dom let out a breath, half-relieved and half-annoyed at herself. She gave her head a small shake, mumbling, “Just great, Dom. You’re hearing things. And now you’re talking to yourself…”
She dropped back onto the log by the fire with a huff, pulling out her phone. The screen flashed the all-too-familiar message: SEARCHING FOR SERVICE.
“Of course,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “Guess Nile will just have to find me on his own. If he runs into the gang, they’ll know where I am.”
***
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The figure cursed silently, his trembling hands clutching at the bark of a nearby tree. He couldn’t stay still any longer. The hunger gnawed at him, every fiber of his being demanding satisfaction. With a wet, squelching sound, the last vestiges of his disguise began to peel away.
The transformation was grotesque. What once passed for a trench coat split open, revealing a slick, chitinous membrane that shimmered like oil in the firelight. The folds of the "coat" shifted and scraped against one another with a sound reminiscent of a cricket’s wings, producing an eerie, rhythmic rasping. His arms elongated unnaturally, the flesh giving way to segmented limbs that ended in claw-like appendages.
A pair of horned antennae unfurled from his head, writhing like serpents as they tasted the air. His face - if it could still be called that - split open to reveal a maw lined with jagged mandibles, clicking and gnashing with fevered anticipation. His eyes, which once hinted at humanity, now glowed with a dark, inner light - a sickly yellow that pierced through the darkness like twin beacons of malice.
The thing crouched low, its movements insectoid and jerky as it began to stalk toward Dom. Its claws scraped against the ground, and its mandibles clicked rhythmically, creating an unnerving cadence that only the creature could hear.
Each step brought it closer, its anticipation growing with every inch of ground it covered. The firelight flickered against its glossy exoskeleton, highlighting the sharp ridges and jagged edges of its new form. The flames reflected in its eyes, twin orbs of ravenous hunger.
Dom stirred the fire absently, completely unaware of the predator closing in. She hummed softly to herself, a faint tune she’d picked up from the radio earlier. Around her, the party roared on, oblivious to the silent horror unfolding just outside their circle.
The creature paused, tilting its head as it studied her. There was a fleeting moment of hesitation, a final shred of self-control struggling against the overwhelming tide of hunger. But it was too late. The beast had already chosen, and Dom was its prey.
***
Dom tilted her head back to gaze at the sky, dark clouds creeping in to obscure the stars. A fat raindrop fell onto her eyelid, cool against her skin. She blinked, startled for a moment, then smiled as the gentle misting rain began to fall. Closing her eyes, she sighed in contentment, letting the soft patter wash over her.
“Mmm, I love the rain,” she murmured, feeling the world around her shrink to the comforting glow of the firelight and the soothing rhythm of the droplets.
System Alert: Rain Reverie activated
Effect: +10 Calmness, -5 Awareness.
She chuckled softly at the message. “Thanks, System. Real helpful.”
The peace didn’t last.
A subtle shift in the air, so faint it was almost imperceptible, sent a ripple of unease down her spine. Dom’s danger sense flared - a primal instinct honed through years of training and her own mysterious connection to the shadows within. Another gust of wind swept through the clearing, causing the flames to dance wildly.
“Hello?” she called, her voice cutting through the night. She rose slowly her eyes scanning the darkness beyond the firelight.
Dom frowned, pulling her jacket tighter against the chill. She eyes trained on the shadows, a prickle of unease creeping up her spine. This time, she didn’t dismiss it so easily. As if to confirm her suspicions, a soft ping echoed in her mind, and a translucent notification flickered into her peripheral vision.
Hostile entity detected.
Threat level: high.
Her chest tightened as she stared at the notification. Hostile entity? What the hell? She took a slow breath, steadying herself, and kept scanning the tree line. The firelight flickered weakly against the encroaching darkness.
***
The creature froze, its glowing eyes narrowing as it assessed her reaction. For a brief moment, predator and prey locked eyes, though Dom couldn’t fully make out the figure in the shadows. She took a cautious step back, her instincts screaming that something was wrong.
“Rick? David? If this is some stupid prank, it’s not funny,” she said, her tone sharp.
No response.
Dom’s grip tightened on the stick, her knuckles whitening. Her mother’s pocket knife was once again hidden against her wrist. The crackle of the fire and the distant hum of the party were the only sounds that reached her ears. The world beyond the fire-pit seemed to hold its breath, the trees swaying silently as if they, too, were watching.
A flicker of movement caught her eye - just a flash, like a shadow darting through the trees. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she turned toward it, every nerve on edge.
“Alright, whoever’s out there, I’m warning you -” she began, but her voice faltered as the figure stepped into the light.
Her breath caught in her throat.
The thing crouched before her was a nightmare made flesh, its mandibles clicking hungrily as it stared her down. It was enormous, its segmented limbs gleaming in the firelight. Its antennae twitched erratically, and its glowing eyes bored into hers with an intensity that made her blood run cold.