It was around five in the evening, but the sky was unnaturally dark, smothered by heavy clouds. The kind of darkness that made your skin crawl, that felt like something else.

I unlocked the car and Lily quietly slipped into the backseat. It was strange , she usually sat beside me.

But I didn't question it

Sylv was half asleep in my arms. I moved towards the back to lay her down next to Lily.

But just as I was going to open the door.. that's when I felt it .

A chill ran down my spine and goosebumps all over my body .

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last as my breath got stuck in my throat.

From the corner of my eye.. I saw shadows around me stir , and I couldn't tell if it was real or my mind playing tricks .

The sense of impending doom and danger pressed against me, suffocating me and I jolted back.

My breaths shallow and my back all sweaty. I had no idea what just happened.. the only thing true was the bells ringing in my mind.

Telling me not to open that damn door.

I was confused and scared. I looked up and saw Lily sitting there .. a look of worry on her face could be seen.

Her face was the same, but something about her was wrong. Something I couldn't place, but I felt it deep in my gut.

Maybe I stared at her far too long because she called out

" What's wrong? Why aren't you coming in?

Hurry up, it's getting late "

" I - "

" Everything alright? " Her voice edged with impatience.

" Nothing babe.. I just forgot something. Be back in a sec. "

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For a moment, her expression went blank. ..completely void of emotion. It sent a cold wave of dread through me.

It was creepy.

" Forget whatever it is , we are getting late . " Her voice sharper now

I didn't reply.

" If it's nothing.. then get in " Her tone rising , agitation evident in it.

She knew something was wrong too .

" Sylvie will catch a cold if you keep standing there "

But I didn't move an inch and just continued to watch her .

" Honey, what are you doing? "

I saw her voice crack and change a little .

Like something straining to mimic human speech

" It's getting dark outside. Come in "

The voice cracked even more.

" Get inside already"

The voice was no longer hers. Any hint of Lily long gone.

I was sure that whatever and whoever sat in the car wasn't my wife.

" You getting in or not? "

The voice was devoid of any emotions and it didn't felt humane either. Lily stared at me with eyes wide open. This time her lips didn't move. The voice came from just behind me. It was so close that I felt the icy breath of it on my neck.

A twitch on my left shoulder drew my attention. Sylv was wide awake, staring at Lily with sheer terror in her eyes, her mouth agape in a silent scream.

She remained like that for what felt eternity until she looked towards me and broke down.. collapsing into my arms .

I tried to comfort her but Sylv's small body went limp, unconscious.

My mind now focused on the creature before me.

" I guess this little charade of mine is over "

Lily or whatever this thing really was got out of the car.

All the while it's eyes on me and Sylv.. preying on us like we were nothing but mere candles it could extinguish at any moment.

A smirk crawled across its face. A grotesque grin that stretched from one side of the face to other and upto her ears.

" It would have been easy if you just got in the car but the milk is spilled now . No use crying about it ." It sneered

" Tsk. This will be bothersome but I guess I have no choice. "

Questions.

I had a lot of them right now.

What is it? ? What was it doing here? What are its motives? Where is my Lily? Is she even alive?

But what I didn't have was time .

All I knew was this:

the thing was powerful,

it might have something to do with my past,

and I had to run , now or never.

I could fight but I feared about Sylvie.

* Crack crack *

Sounds of bone shifting filled the air.

* Crack crack *

Her face dismorphed into a mess.. something unrecognisable.

A grotesque face with stretched, cracked skin, bulging, mismatched eyes, and a crooked nose .

Veins pulse beneath the skin, barely containing the madness within.

The mouth opened with an unnaturally wide grin.. same as before but now filled with broken teeth and oozing dark gums.

I glanced around, desperate for an escape. At first, everything seemed normal, but then I noticed it.

Nothing was moving. The world around us was frozen. We were trapped.

Before I could process it. Darkness started enveloping the world.

Creeping toward us from the center of the street, slowly devouring the world. I was relieved Sylv couldn't see it, but time was slipping through my fingers. If I didn't act soon, we were dead.

I tensed my calves and prepared to run in outward direction. And as soon as I lifted my first leg , I felt something.

I looked down and there I saw the same creepy hands from the nightmare last night. The hands were trying to drag me down and the darkness was trying to above us and entrap us inside.

Panic flooded my chest . I was desperate. I had to do something.. and fast.

" Haha haha "

Laughter echoed all around me.

Sometimes it was close to my ear and sometimes to far away.

Sometimes it felt like just behind my neck and sometimes under me.

Then I heard that voice again but this time it wasn't emotionless. This time, it was filled with anticipation, almost gleeful.

" There's nowhere to run. " It whispered.

"Your past has come to haunt you , SIRIUS "