Pack of Shadows

st, her heart pounding like a drum. The visions she had seen, the words that had been spoken to her, it was all too much to p

t hadn't been before. The trees seemed to lean in closer, their branches reaching out like skeletal fi

house, back to the safety of its walls and the familiar comfort of her mother's things. But even as she thought this, she kn

and deserted in the twilight. For a moment, Ava hesitated, glancing back at the shadowed line of trees that marked the boundary of the forest. Part of her wanted to turn a

se the

seemed to watch her with dark, unblinking eyes, their windows reflecting the last of the fading light. She could feel the weig

ight. Ava fumbled with her keys, her hands trembling as she unlocked the door and stepped inside. The familiar scent of

nt, the only sound the ticking of a clock somewhere in the distance. For a moment, Ava just stood there, he

g to ground herself, something to remind her that she was still here, still in the real world.

ated, then reached for the journal, her fingers brushing against the worn leather cover. She hadn't finished reading it yet, hadn't uncovered all the

Ava opened the journ

on. Elizabeth had written about the stone, about the strange dreams and visions that had plagued her ever since she had found it. She w

skin prickle. Her mother had known, she had known that something was wrong, that something was coming

, and her breath ca

handwriting. The words were written in a language Ava didn't recognize, the script flowing and elegant, yet filled

meone else had written in her mother's journal, someone who had known

h symbols that matched the carvings on the stone. The further she read, the more the sense of unease gre

n something, something that her mother had been on the brink of discovering. Ava knew she needed to find out what it was, b

e visions, the figure in the forest, the writing in the journal, it was all connected,

ing, she heard a sound that ma

in the wind. It came from somewhere in the house, and as Ava strained to

s the floor. The whispering grew louder, more distinct, until she could make o

ked... you a

the darkened room. The shadows seemed to shift and move, coalescing into

d and fled from the room. She didn't stop until she was back in the kitche

outside. But now, it felt like a prison, the walls closing in on her, th

s closing in and the weight of the past pressing dow

ne person she knew could help her, the one person who had be

er voice shaking. "I need to see you.

d then Daniel's voice came through, calm and stead

ned next, she couldn't face it alone. The shadows were closing in, and if