A chill fog clung low to a small Ohio town, morning air stinging with a cold wind. A warm suburban home stood still, its front yard wet and glistening with dew, softly glimmering in the pale light. Within, silence was thick, almost palpable, shrouding the house in unnatural stillness.
Upstairs, in a small bedroom, [Emily Whitaker—main girl], a 17-year-old, slept soundly, wrapped in her blanket, unaware that today was her birthday. The world outside her dreams held its breath.
Downstairs, the kitchen glowed with warmth. [Justin Whitaker—father] leaned in to kiss his wife, [Katherine Whitaker—mother], gently on the cheek, his smile soft and familiar.
JUSTIN WHITAKER: "Bye, sweetheart... I'll grab the cake on time when I'm back."
He shrugged on his coat, tied his shoes with quick precision, and slipped out the front door, disappearing into the foggy morning.
[Katherine Whitaker—mother] smiled, waving him off with a quiet, "Bye..." before turning back to the kitchen.
At the dining table, [Georgia Whitaker—elder sister], 28 and poised, nibbled on half a piece of toast, her movements deliberate.
GEORGIA WHITAKER: "Mom, I'll eat later."
KATHERINE WHITAKER: "Come on, have a little something. You need food in your stomach this morning."
A burst of energy invaded the kitchen before she could finish speaking—[Alex Whitaker—brother], 23, his face a picture of hunger.
ALEX WHITAKER: "Mom! I'm starving... can you whip something up quick?"
[Katherine Whitaker—mother] picked up a plate, adding scrambled eggs and a piece of bread, and placed it before [Alex Whitaker—brother] with a warm smile. She then moved toward the stairs.
The creaky old wooden stairs protested softly beneath her feet, each creak loud in the still house. She came to the closed door of [Emily Whitaker—main girl]'s room and tapped lightly.
KATHERINE WHITAKER: "Emily... come on, sweetie, get up. Breakfast is ready!"
A murmured groggle came from within.
EMILY WHITAKER (drowsing): "Yeah, Mom... just five more minutes..."
[Katherine Whitaker—mother] smiled softly and went back down to the ground floor. Her smile froze as she looked at the dining table. [Alex Whitaker—brother]'s breakfast was in shambles—eggs and crumbs all over the place, and he had vanished.
She glanced in the direction of the garden, her tone harsh with alarm.
KATHERINE WHITAKER (shouting): "Alex! Are you outside?"
The garden responded with nothing but a cold silence.
In the kitchen, she saw that the ketchup bottle was dry.
KATHERINE WHITAKER: "I'll need to dash to the supermarket..."
She yelled upstairs, "Emily! I'm going to the supermarket for ketchup. I'll be back immediately!"
The front door closed with a click as [Katherine Whitaker—mother] walked into the fog.
In the room of [Emily Whitaker—main girl], her alarm clock went off. Half-asleep, she turned over, pressed snooze, and fell back into slumber. Another ten minutes passed before her eyes opened. She stretched, got out of bed, and shuffled into the bathroom to brush herself up.
Downstairs, the kitchen was in disarray. There were plates, bread crumbs, and a vacant ketchup bottle all over the counter. Bewilderment crossed [Emily Whitaker—main girl]'s face, but she shook it off. She looked up at the shelves, opened the fridge—nothing to eat.
EMILY WHITAKER: "Mom... where are you?"
The house remained quiet, her voice being devoured by the silence.
Maybe Mom's at the neighbor's, she thought. Stepping outside, she felt a cold breeze, the fog now gone, but a strange sadness lingered in the air. She walked to the neighbor's house, spotting their garden hose gushing water. She turned it off, then knocked on the gate. It wasn't latched—it creaked open on its own.
EMILY WHITAKER: "Aunty? Is my mom here?"
Silence. No answer.
She went in. The place was a mess—furniture on its side, and upstairs, nails littered the bedroom floor. Her heart raced. She took out her phone to call [Katherine Whitaker—mother]—no signal.
{Outside, she tried again. No signal. At home, the landline was out—no dial tone. Her gaze fell on the calendar—July 15. Her birthday. A small smile played on her lips.
EMILY WHITAKER (to herself): "Maybe they're all making a big birthday surprise..."
She called out, her voice echoing through the vacant house: "Come on out, guys! I know you're trying to frighten me for my birthday!"
But the silence became more oppressive. Fear started to twist in her chest.
She went to her best friend's place until her family came back. She locked the door and stepped into the empty streets. No cars, no humans—only an eerie quietness that sent shivers down her spine.
At a tiny shop, she said, "Hello? Is anyone here? I just need a pack of biscuits.
The shop was vacant, its shelves untended. She went out, her footsteps accelerating, and knocked on her friend's door. No reply. "Rachel! Rachel! It's me, Emily!" she shouted, her voice shaking.
Gazing through the window, she noticed the television on, chip packets scattered on the sofa—but the house was bare.
Defeated, she walked back home. The house remained empty. In her room, she searched through [Georgia Whitaker—elder sister]'s bag, pulling out a chocolate bar and consuming it gradually.
At 6:38 PM, everyone was still not back. The fridge remained empty. Tired, she fell onto her bed, checking her phone—no signal. Downstairs, the WiFi was on but displayed "No Internet Connection." She tapped the router, saying, "Perhaps the plan's expired."
Back in her bedroom, she got into bed. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream cut through the night. Heart racing, she ran to the window. In front of the house, in the sea, something was moving. A grotesque figure emerged from the waves—its body splattered with blood, no eyes, no mouth, only a carved, red face. In its hand, it carried a human heart.
The monster emitted a gruesome scream.
Footsteps thudded up and down the stairs within the house. [Emily Whitaker—main girl]'s breathing caught as she sprinted to lock her door. The thumping began—loud, relentless. She huddled in the corner, holding her knees. Then, as quickly as it started, the thumping ceased.
Grasping [Alex Whitaker—brother]'s hockey stick, she sat all night, eyes open, holding it hard. She didn't sleep. At the window, she watched as the monster ate a human head before disappearing into the ocean.
At the break of dawn, she went quietly to the door and opened it. Scratch marks three inches wide disfigured the wood. Panic set in, and she ran out of the house.
On the other side of the ocean, a boy stood—[Brandon Reed—main boy]. She had never seen him. "Hey! Hey! Help me!" she cried, but the wind wouldn't carry her voice. Determined to go to him, she approached the water's edge—then stopped. Fresh human blood lay on the ground.
She was filled with fear and fled. Then she spotted it—a bridge arcing over the ocean. With no alternative, she started climbing...
(PART 1
Part 2 will shortly answer: Who is [Brandon Reed—main boy]? What does the monster desire? And where is [Emily Whitaker—main girl]'s family gone?