Chapter 17

seventeen

I felt exposed in a way that went beyond the physical. The darkness of the room seemed to mirror the shadows that lingered in my soul, whispering doubts and fears that I couldn't shake.

I thought of the elderly woman's words, her warning about the darkness within me, and the power that was growing inside. Was this what she had meant? Was this the inevitable result of the legacy I had inherited?

I didn't know how much time had passed when I was suddenly jolted from my thoughts by the sound of screams. They pierced the stillness of the night, primal and raw, sending a chill down my spine. I sat up in bed, my heart pounding as I tried to pinpoint the source of the cries.

The screams came again, closer this time, and I realized they were coming from the house next door. I lived in an isolated part of town, and my neighbors kept to themselves, but the panic in those screams demanded action.

I forced myself to get up, my body still sore and tender from Grayson's assault. I pulled on a robe and crept towards the door, my heart hammering in my chest. As I stepped outside, the cool night air hit me, clearing the fog of confusion that had clouded my mind.

The moon bathed the yard in an eerie silver light, casting long shadows that danced menacingly. I approached the neighboring house, my steps hesitant, a sense of foreboding growing with each step. The screams had stopped, but the silence that hung in the air was heavy and oppressive.

I paused at the edge of the yard, my eyes scanning the house. The windows were dark, but I could make out a faint glow coming from the partially open front door. My breath caught in my throat as I realized that whatever had caused those screams was likely still inside.

But something compelled me to move closer, a morbid curiosity that I couldn't ignore. My hand reached for the doorknob, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. With a gentle push, I swung the door open, the creak of the hinges slicing through the silence like a knife.

The scene that greeted me was like something out of a nightmare. Blood was everywhere, smeared across the walls in twisted patterns that sent a chill down my spine. My eyes widened as I recognized the symbols from the journal, the ones detailing the rituals used on Grayson.

But it was the bodies that truly froze me in place. A family of four, savagely slaughtered and arranged in a macabre display. The parents lay on the floor, their limbs arranged in unnatural angles, their faces distorted by the agony of their final moments. The children, no older than ten, were on the couch, their small bodies slashed and torn, stuffed animals clutched tightly in their lifeless hands.

My stomach roiled as I took in the sheer brutality of the scene. The smell of coppery blood filled my nostrils, thick and cloying. I covered my mouth to suppress a gag, my eyes unable to look away from the gruesome spectacle.

And then, as if the horror wasn't enough, I noticed something even more disturbing. The bodies had been mutilated in a specific way, organs carefully removed and arranged in a ritualistic manner. This wasn't just a random act of violence; it was a calculated, deliberate slaughter, performed with a sinister purpose.

My eyes widened as I realized the true depths of the depravity on display. This wasn't just a family that had been unfortunate enough to cross paths with a killer; they had been chosen, selected for a twisted ritual that mirrored the ones performed on Grayson.

I stood there, paralyzed, the screams of the elderly woman's warnings echoing in my mind. Embrace the darkness, or it will consume you . But as I stared at the gruesome remains of the innocent family, I knew that there was no running from the truth. The darkness had already found me, and it was demanding my attention.

I turned to flee, desperate to escape. But as I did, my eyes landed on a message scrawled across the wall in what I presumed was blood—a chilling declaration:

I'm coming for you.

My heart sank as the reality of those words hit me. I was caught in the crossfire of two killers, and the monster I once feared as being the worst nightmare I have ever faced was now the monster I was running to instead of running away from.

I fled, my heart pounding in my chest. The night seemed darker, the air colder as I rushed back to the sanctuary of my home. But even as I ran, I knew there would be no true escape. The killers had already invaded my life, and the threat of their return hung over me like a storm cloud.

Back at my house, I sank into a chair, my legs feeling weak beneath me. I tried to process what I had just seen, the horror and the implication of those chilling words. But my mind felt cloudy, my thoughts refusing to settle.

A part of me wished for Grayson's presence, his silent, menacing form. As twisted as it was, his obsession with me felt almost protective compared to the intent of this new killer. At least with Grayson, I understood the rules of the game, however skewed they were. But this new player was an unknown entity, their methods and motives even more sinister.

I leaned back, closing my eyes as if that could shut out the images seared into my memory. I thought of the elderly woman's warning, her insistence that I embrace the darkness within me. But the idea of wielding such power terrified me, especially now that I understood the true cost.