Dark clouds smothered the city, their heavy weight trapping the world beneath a suffocating shroud of night. Aurora stood proudly beside her son’s crib, her gaze fixed on Alec’s small and tranquil form. The soft glow of the room’s only light bathed his pale skin, casting gentle shadows on his innocent face. A familiar surge of happiness swelled in her chest as she looked lovingly at him. 

She hummed his lullaby, the melody soft and gentle, each note curling through the room like a tender embrace, drawing her deeper into the calm of the moment. It wasn’t until the song slowly faded that she noticed—Alec’s bright, gleaming green eyes had shut.

Lowering her voice to a near whisper, the quiet of the room pressing in on her as she bent over him.

“I love you, my little ray of sunshine,” she murmured. Her gleeful smile stretching across her face. Any mother would recognize the look of a warmth that seemed to radiate pure joy. Even though it had only been two years, and  this was all new, it was as if the whole world had momentarily stopped just for her… 

“You’re our everything.”

Her lips brushed his forehead, the warmth of his skin comforting and familiar. Alec’s blonde hair a mess, and though it was always like that, it only added to his adorable charm. She smiled softly, her heart swelling with love. Aurora couldn’t wait for tomorrow, when his bright green eyes would open and the day would start again.

“Don’t worry about waking up to see dad,” she whispered, brushing a stray lock of golden hair away from his face. “He’ll come say good night soon. I promise.”

Her words hung in the air as she slowly moved away, her gaze lingering on her son’s peaceful face. With a final gleaming glance, she turned and quietly stepped out of the room.

Aurora’s footsteps were slow as she walked quietly down the staircase, her fingers trailing along the wooden railing. Framed photographs lined the walls—frozen moments of laughter, love, and a life she cherished. Her gaze stayed on the latest picture of the three of them, a candid and genuine shot of Darius with his ever-present and shining smile.

The front door let out its familiar creak, breaking the silence of the house. She turned just in time to see Darius step inside, his movements weary. He shut the door with a slow, deliberate motion, his eyes still and locked on the floor as if lifting them would take more effort than he could spare. Darius slumped his shoulders, the tension in them unyielding. 

A quiet sigh escaped him as he walked over to the armchair dropping into it with the kind of exhaustion that settled deep. Darius let his head fall back against the worn fabric, the weight of the day dragging at every part of him. His green eyes finally met hers, and in that instant, the exhaustion in his face softened. 

His wife smiled, her heart lightening at the simple comfort of his presence. Without a word, she crossed the room extending her arms towards him. His strong hands wrapped around Aurora pulling her close. She rested her head against his shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne, the steady rhythm of his breath grounding her.

“Is Alec asleep already?” he asked, his voice soft with quiet concern. “He wanted to stay up until you came back,” Aurora replied, her fingers tracing absent patterns on his shirt. “But I told him it was time to sleep. He seemed a little restless... So I promised he’d get his hug and kiss when you got back.”

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Nodding tiredly, he pulled away from her embrace with a small, knowing smile. “Well then, I should keep to that promise. Wouldn’t want to disappoint him.” Darius moved toward the stairs, his hand brushing the railing as he made his way up with a slow, deliberate pace. 

As he passed the hallway, his eyes lingered on the familiar pictures on the wall—pictures of his family, a silent history of joy and growth. His mind wandered back to the first time he’d met his son. The moment when he had held that tiny, wriggling baby and brought him home.

But before he could touch the nursery door handle, he felt a sudden chill crawl over his skin like a rash. From the other side came a piercing scream that shattered the stillness of the house, sharp and raw with terror. His heart dropped, ice flooding his veins. 

Without thinking, Darius flung the door open, his breath catching in his throat at the sight before him—shadows pooled unnaturally in every corner of the room. The dim light barely reaching the figure standing over the crib. 

The intruder's presence was suffocating, and seemed to radiate an unmistakable sense of danger. The air around them was heavy—thick with an energy Darius had only felt once before.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Darius said. His voice firm, masking the unease creeping into his bones.

The figure didn’t respond. With their face covered to look like a ghost, they shifted ever so slightly, their movement barely disturbing the air. Without warning, an overwhelming force struck Darius like a wrecking ball. Driving into his chest suddenly, he was launched backwards. 

The impact sent shockwaves through his body, the air ripped from his lungs as he crashed into the wall with a brutal, bone-jarring thud. His back crashed against the wall. Darius groaned, blinking against the pain that shot through his body. He pushed himself up, his vision swimming, the metallic taste of blood coating his tongue.

 A low chuckle echoed through the room, the sound barely audible over the sudden storm erupting outside. “Is that all the great Darius has to offer?” the figure taunted, their voice dripping with amusement. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Darius forced himself to stand, tightening his grip on the dagger.

 “You’ll find I’m not so easily broken.” Without a second thought, he darted forward, the dagger slicing through the air with great precision. But the shadow shifted with an unnerving speed, dodging the blow with inhuman smoothness. In an instant, a hand shot toward his throat, its fingers inches from his skin. 

Darius wrenched his body sideways, the air humming as the strike grazed his neck, his heart pounding in his chest. He retaliated with a swift kick to the figure’s side making contact. The impact sent them skidding backward slightly with little reaction. It was as if pain was beneath them.

A sharp gasp echoed from the hallway—Aurora.

Darius barely had time to glance toward the open door before he saw her racing up the stairs, panic written across her face. His heart pounded as he lunged for the door slamming it shut just as she reached it. "Stay back!" he barked, his voice edged with desperation.

The door shuddered as Aurora pounded against it. "Darius! Let me in!" He couldn’t. Not when the figure was already recovering, their movements slow but deliberate.  Darius could tell they were  toying with him. Gritting his teeth angrily, he tightened his grip on the dagger and turned back to face his opponent. 

But before he could react, a sudden stillness gripped him. His body locked in place, the breath caught in his throat, as if the very air had turned to stone. The tall, shadowy figure loomed over the crib, its hands wrapped around the child’s thrashing form. His eyes snapped open, his screams raw and desperate as he kicked and twisted in the figure’s grasp. 

The room felt colder, darker, while the figure’s chilling voice thundered through the room. 'The boy is ours! You should’ve been more careful.' With a spine-chilling laugh, the figure kicked its leg over the windowsill and disappeared into the night. Darius’s chest tightened. His body moved before his mind could catch up. 

His thoughts screamed one thing: No matter what happens, no matter how long it takes, I will find you. Behind him, Aurora froze, a gasp lodged in her throat. Her body stiff as if rooted to the floor. She saw the figure flee with the sound of helplessness and tiny cries echoing from roof to roof. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed, her sobs breaking through the silence.

Darius knelt beside her, his hand closing around hers, his voice a soft promise. “We won’t rest until we find him, Aurora. I promise. Even if it takes days, weeks, years. We will find him. No matter what.”

The news of Alec’s disappearance spread through the neighborhood like wildfire. People—friends, acquaintances, strangers—flocked to their door, their faces etched with concern. Days rolled by, and still, there was no trace of him. The search parties combed the streets, scoured the woods, and pounded the nearby towns. But, it was as if he had vanished from the world entirely.

After weeks of restless nights, one by one, the searchers returned home. They had no choice but to leave the grieving parents to hold their ground. Though the pain was unbearable, they refused to let it break them. They had to hold onto the belief, the thought that someday—somehow—they would find their son.