Sleep did not come easily that night. Amelia lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying the whisper over and over. Who was coming? And why did it feel like the words had been meant just for her?
Morning came with a thick fog blanketing Black Hollow. Amelia hesitated before stepping outside, but the logical part of her brain told her she had imagined it all. Just the wind. Just exhaustion. Just her mind playing tricks on her.
But as she reached the end of her driveway, something caught her eye - scratched into the wooden post of her fence was a single word.
RUN.
The breath hitched in her throat. The carving was fresh, the edges raw and splintered. Panic clawed at her chest, but she forced herself to look around. The street was empty. Just like the night before.
Her hands trembled as she traced the letters. Someone had been here. Someone had left her a warning.
And deep in the shadows between the houses, something moved.