The scream echoed through the corridors, a sound so filled with agony and fear that it made Esther's heart race and her breath catch in her throat. The noise twisted around her, clawing at her from the outside, like a feral animal hunting in the dark. She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her palms harder against her ears, trying to block it out.
"I am safe here… I am safe here…"
The words came out in a trembling whisper, but deep inside, Esther knew it was a lie.
She wasn't safe.
Not anymore.
There was one rule. One.
Never leave your quarters after sunset.
It was the most basic of rules in this cursed place. Everyone who lived here knew it. Knew that once the sun dipped below the horizon, the world outside your quarters became a hunting ground. Those who dared to leave after dark were never seen again.
But Esther hadn't listened.
She hadn't believed.
Her curiosity had gotten the best of her. She had always wondered what lay beyond the narrow confines of her room. What was out there, in the darkness, just beyond the door? She had convinced herself that she could sneak out, just for a moment, just long enough to satisfy her curiosity and then return before anything could happen.
And she'd dragged her friends with her.
They had trusted her. They had followed her, believing that they could all escape together, believing that they could outsmart whatever horror lurked in the shadows.
They had been wrong.
The moment they stepped outside their quarters, they were lost.
Esther's mind flashed back to that fateful moment. She had led them down the dark hallways, the thrill of the unknown pulling her forward, her friends trailing behind, excited and nervous all at once. But the air had felt wrong, heavy, charged with something she couldn't name.
They had only ventured a few steps beyond their doors before the first scream ripped through the silence. One of them had been pulled away, dragged into the shadows by something unseen. The others had tried to help, to fight back, but it was already too late.
And one by one, they were taken.
She ran. She ran as fast as she could, her heart thundering in her chest, every step weighed down by the weight of her decision. The path to safety had been clear—a small, forgotten room at the end of a narrow corridor. She had locked herself in, hoping that whatever was out there wouldn't find her.
But her friends? They were still out there, hunted by the very creatures they had once thought to be nothing more than dark myths.
Esther had failed them. And now, they were paying the price.
The screams outside her door grew fainter with each passing second, until silence took over once more. But it wasn't the peaceful silence of safety, it was a silence that felt too heavy, too complete. It was a silence that marked the end of everything.
She clutched her knees to her chest, tears welling up in her eyes. They were all dead. Because of me.
Her breath hitched in her throat. The door outside was locked, the key safely hidden in her trembling hands. The rule was simple: if you stayed inside, you were safe. But how could she be safe after leading her friends to their doom?
The door creaked.
Esther's heart skipped a beat.
No, it wasn't possible. The creatures couldn't have gotten to her, could they?
She held her breath, listening, waiting. The silence stretched, then,
A soft thud against the door. Followed by a slow, deliberate scraping noise.
It wasn't a knock.
It was something… worse.
They were out there. Waiting. Watching. Listening for any sign of weakness. And when they found it, they would strike. The room, her small sanctuary, was only temporary. It wasn't a permanent safety.
Her mind raced. Her hands were slick with sweat as she gripped the key tighter. It was her fault. She had pushed them all to break the one rule that could have kept them alive. She had been curious, foolish and now she was alone, trapped with the consequences of her actions.
Another distant scream cut through the air. The terror of it seemed to slice through her chest, a reminder that she could never undo what had happened.
She was alone now. Her friends were gone. The monsters were still out there.
And all she could do was wait. Wait for the morning to arrive.