Margret’s breath was shallow as she sprinted through the empty streets
of Black Hollow. The darkness seemed to twist and writhe around her, like
living shadows reaching out to pull her into their depths. Every corner she
turned, every alley she darted through, she could feel the entity's presence
close behind her, lurking just out of sight, playing with her fear.
The wind howled, carrying with it the chilling whispers of the Vanishing
Hour. They grew louder, more insistent, telling her to stop running, that it
was useless. Her heart raced, but her legs burned with exhaustion. Still, she
pushed forward, her mind locked on one thought: she had to find Eldridge.
She burst into the square, the familiar, dimly lit windows of Eldridge’s
Curiosities in sight. She slammed into the door, fumbling with the handle, her
fingers trembling with desperation. It wouldn’t budge. Panic surged through
her. She banged on the door, calling out for Eldridge, pleading for him to
answer.
Inside, she could see movement—a shadowy figure approaching slowly. Her
hope flickered for a moment, but as the figure neared, she realized something
was wrong. The figure wasn’t Eldridge. The shape was wrong, too tall, too
twisted. The door suddenly creaked open on its own, revealing the distorted
figure standing in the darkened shop. The entity was inside, waiting.
She stumbled backward, her heart thudding in her chest as she whispered
Eldridge’s name, hoping he was still somewhere in the town, somewhere she could
reach. But her mind raced, the panic threatening to consume her as the shadows
began creeping from the shop, spilling out into the square like a dark flood.
Her eyes darted around, looking for any escape, any sign of life. The
town was empty, eerily quiet except for the ever-present whispers. It was as if
Black Hollow itself had been abandoned by everything living, leaving only the
ghosts and the entity that controlled them. The air was cold, and the sky above
seemed darker than ever, as if the night itself was closing in.
She remembered the journal, the cryptic symbols and the ancient words
written inside. Maybe there was something in Eldridge’s shop that could help,
something that could hold off the entity long enough for her to escape. But
going back inside meant facing whatever was waiting in the darkness.
Just as she was about to make a run for it, a voice broke through the
whispers. It was faint, almost drowned out by the wind, but unmistakable.
Eldridge. He called to her from the far end of the square, his figure barely
visible in the dim light. Relief flooded through her as she ran toward him, but
her heart sank when she saw the expression on his face—grave, filled with a
deep, knowing fear.
Without a word, he motioned for her to follow. They slipped into a
narrow alley, hidden from the shadows creeping through the square. Eldridge’s
voice was low, urgent, as he told her they had very little time. The entity was
growing stronger, its hold over Daniel was nearly complete, and soon, the
Vanishing Hour would no longer end. It would consume everything.
Margret’s voice cracked as she asked how they could stop it, how they
could save Daniel. Eldridge’s eyes darkened as he explained that the entity
thrived on fear and despair, feeding off the broken minds of its victims. There
was no fighting it, not in the way she had hoped. But there was one way, one
desperate chance to sever its hold. The ritual from the journal—the one that
had been used to bind the entity centuries ago.
The catch was, the ritual required a sacrifice.
Margret froze, her breath catching in her throat. Eldridge didn’t have
to say it, but the look in his eyes said it all. The sacrifice had to be
someone connected to the entity’s current host—someone the entity had marked.
Her mind reeled. Daniel was already possessed. The only other option was her.
She whispered her doubts, the terror building inside her as the
realization hit. If she performed the ritual, she would lose herself to the
entity forever. But if she didn’t, the entire town—and everyone in it—would be
lost. The Vanishing Hour would never end. The entity would devour everything.
Eldridge’s hand rested on her shoulder, his grip firm but filled with
unspoken sorrow. He told her she had to make a choice. There was no other way.
The shadows were closing in now, and time was running out.
Margret’s heart raced as she stared into the darkness ahead, the weight
of her decision crashing down on her. She could feel the entity’s gaze on her,
waiting, knowing that no matter what she chose, it would win.
But she wasn’t going to let that happen. Not without a fight.