After a few minutes, Wick cautiously stepped out of the room. His instincts were sharp, his breath steady—but above him, clinging to the ceiling, the creature was waiting. Its grotesque body tensed, ready to pounce.
Then, a scream shattered the eerie silence. Shristi.
Wick's pulse spiked, and an unfamiliar fury surged through him. His vision burned red, his muscles tightened, and without hesitation, he launched his fist at the creature. This time, the impact was different. The force of his punch sent the creature flying across the corridor, crashing hard against the wall.
In the midst of the struggle, Wick's sleeves rolled up slightly, revealing his bracelet. He barely registered it—his focus remained on the new threat. The fat, sluggish creature was now alarmingly close. But before it could make a move, Shristi's door burst open, and she stumbled out, searching for him.
The moment the creature's gaze fell upon Wick, something changed. A flicker of terror flashed across its monstrous features. Without warning, it turned and bolted, disappearing into the darkness.
Shristi clutched onto Wick, her breaths ragged. Wick didn't waste time. He grabbed her wrist and hurried toward another room, securing them inside. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down. "I don't think morning is coming anytime soon," he murmured. "We need to figure out how to escape."
Shristi swallowed hard, still shaken. "I... I don't know much," she admitted. "But everything started near the old hostel—the one that was recently renovated."
Wick's mind was racing. "There's something else," he said, glancing down at his exposed bracelet. "That first creature—it hesitated when my sleeves rolled up. And the fat one ran when it saw your necklace. They fear these."
Realization dawned on Shristi, and she instinctively gripped the pendant hanging around her neck. "Then maybe we can use them."
"Exactly," Wick nodded. "Let's head to the old hostel."
Bracing themselves, they slipped into the hallway, their senses on high alert. Shadows loomed around them, shifting unnaturally. More creatures lurked in the corners, watching, waiting. Wick and Shristi moved quickly, using the power of the necklace and bracelet to fend them off. Each time a creature came too close, it recoiled as if burned, allowing them to push forward.
Finally, they reached the old hostel. The place was eerily empty, devoid of life. Too quiet. Too unnatural.
Shristi hesitated before turning to Wick. Her voice was steady, but there was a question she had been holding in for too long. "Since this is just a dream... can I ask you something?"
Wick glanced at her. "What is it?"
Her gaze softened. "Why didn't you just let me go instead of holding onto false hope?"
For a moment, Wick was silent. Then, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because when you love someone, you don't throw it away. Love isn't about waiting for someone better to come along—it's a decision, a commitment. You don't commit because you think you'll never find someone else. You commit because you've decided that this is the person you're willing to fight for. That's what love is."
Shristi felt her heart tighten. "You've never said anything like this before."
Wick smirked slightly. "That's because it's a dream. In real life, I don't say things like this... you know that."
She stared at him, realization hitting her like a wave. He truly loved her.
But before she could say anything, the world around them shifted. The air grew heavier, thick with an unnatural force. A strange, chilling sound echoed through the hostel, growing louder, surrounding them.
Something was coming.
To be continued...