Chapter 15

fifteen

My legs carried me swiftly through Red Hallow, each step driven by determination as I searched for answers. The townspeople had been unnervingly quiet about Grayson and the other killer, but I refused to let that stop me. I needed to understand the true nature of the threat we faced.

I spotted an elderly woman tending to her garden. She seemed lost in her own world, but as I approached, her eyes flickered with recognition. "You're one of the Vespers, aren't you?" she murmured, her gaze darting around anxiously, almost as if she was afraid to be seen talking to me. "You shouldn't be here, child. This town holds nothing but pain for your kind."

I stepped closer, my voice low and urgent. "Please, I need to know. The other killer, not Grayson—who is he? Why is he after me?"

The woman's eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously. "No, no, you must leave. It's not safe. He's watching... they're both watching."

I could sense her fear, but I refused to back down. "Tell me," I demanded. "Who is he?"

Her resistance crumbled, and she collapsed into a heap of tears and sobs. "A weapon," she whispered. "A beast they created. They called him The Hollow Man. He was their weapon, forged to destroy the darkness... until he became it. They thought they could control him, but they were wrong. So very wrong..."

My heart pounded in my chest as I grasped her shoulders, desperately seeking clarity. "What do you mean, 'they created'? Who are 'they'?"

Between broken sobs, she continued, her voice riddled with terror. "The town... the elders. Or the Bone Keepers, as they called themselves long ago. They made a pact with a force they shouldn't have messed with. Grayson was their first attempt, but he broke free."

I struggled to process her words. "So, they created another killer? But why? And what does this have to do with me?"

"You're changing, child," she whispered, her eyes never leaving mine. "Your very existence has triggered something within that monster. He's their insurance policy, meant to destroy anyone who poses a threat. But now, he's awake, and he won't stop until he finishes the job."

Her words sent a chill down my spine. "And Grayson?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Is Grayson like him?"

She averted her gaze, her fingers twisting nervously. "They tried to mold him, bend him to their will. But Grayson... his will was too strong for them to control. He's a force of nature, an embodiment of pure, unrestrained instinct. And now, with you, there's another wildcard in their game."

"Why me?" I demanded, my voice laced with horror. How could my presence here stir up such chaos?

The elderly woman's eyes flicked between me and the shadows lurking at the edges of her garden. "You're a Vesper," she stated, her voice trembling. "And now, you're Grayson's weakness. He'll tear this town apart for you, and they won't let that happen."

Her words hit me like a blast of icy wind. "Why? What does my family have to do with any of this?" I was desperate for answers, for some thread of understanding.

She shook her head, her eyes filled with a mix of pity and fear. "It's not just your family... it's you, child. The very essence of who you are and what you're becoming. You're the catalyst, the spark that sets everything into motion."

"But I don't understand," I whispered, my voice cracking. "What am I becoming?"

The woman fell silent, her gaze dropping to the ground as if the answer lay hidden among the dirt and withering plants.

"Tell me," I insisted, my tone fierce despite the fear coursing through my veins. "I need to know."

With a heavy sigh, she met my gaze once more. "Your body... it's transforming, isn't it? You're healing faster, your senses are heightened. The changes, they're not just physical, are they?"

I shook my head, unable to find the words to describe the turmoil within me. "I don't know what's happening to me," I admitted. "It's like there's something dark awakening inside—a craving, an urge I can't control."

Her eyes narrowed, as if she were seeing straight through me. "The Vesper blood runs strong in you, child. It always has. But now, it's evolving, driven by something even older and more powerful."

"Older?" I echoed, a chill running down my spine. "What do you mean?"

With a trembling hand, she reached out and placed it on my arm. "Your lineage, child. It's tied to this land, to forces beyond our comprehension. The Vespers were never meant for peaceful lives. Your blood calls to the shadows, and now, those shadows have found you."

I pulled away, my skin tingling from her touch. "You're saying this is some sort of curse? That I'm destined to become a monster?"

She shook her head vigorously, her gray bun coming loose, tendrils of silver hair escaping. "Not a monster, child. A force. Power has marked you, chosen you to be its vessel. Now, you must decide how to wield that power."

Her words sent a shockwave through me. "Wield it? How? I'm not some superhero, I?—"

"You're stronger than you know, child," she interrupted, her voice fierce. "You just need to embrace it. Stop fighting the darkness and let it consume you. Only then can you control it."

I stumbled back, my heart pounding in my chest. "You want me to give in to it? But what if I can't control it? What if it devours me instead?"

The woman's expression softened, and she took a step forward, reaching out as if to comfort me. "Then let it. Sometimes, the only way to defeat the monster is to become one yourself."

I stood there, frozen, her words echoing in my mind. The idea of succumbing to the darkness, of fully embracing the monster within, terrified me. But what other choice did I have? The killers, my own body's transformations—they weren't going to stop. The townspeople's fear was palpable, and I knew they wouldn't help.

With a trembling breath, I whispered, "What if I can't? What if I embrace it, and it still destroys me?"

She smiled sadly and turned to tend to her plants, her voice barely a whisper. "Then, at least you'll know you had the courage to try."