Hide

The room was too quiet, save for the faint hum of the submarine’s damaged systems. I could feel his eyes on me even before he spoke, that oppressive presence pressing against my skin like a vise.

“You’re amusing, little one,” Light said, his voice low and deliberate. It echoed in the room, as if it came from everywhere and nowhere. “But I find myself… growing bored again.”

I swallowed hard, my back pressed against the cold metal wall. The others were either mad, dead, or too far gone to help. I was alone.

His glowing gaze pinned me in place. “Let’s play a game, shall we?”

“A game?” My voice trembled, but I forced myself to meet his eyes. “What kind of game?”

He smiled, sharp and predatory, revealing those razor-like teeth. “Hide and seek. You’ll hide, I’ll seek. If you evade me until the night ends, I may consider sparing you.”

My stomach churned. “And if you find me?”

His smile widened, his amusement almost childlike. “Then I’ll kill you. I’ll make it quick—relatively speaking.”

The air felt like it had been sucked from the room. This wasn’t a game; it was a death sentence.

“I don’t consent to this,” I said through gritted teeth, my fists clenching at my sides.

Light chuckled, the sound rich and mocking. “Oh, little pet, your consent is irrelevant. This isn’t for you—it’s for me.”

My heart pounded as he took a step closer, the ground trembling beneath his feet. His presence seemed to fill every corner of the room, and I had to fight the urge to run.

“You have until the lights flicker three times,” he said, his voice cold and measured. “Then the hunt begins.”

I didn’t wait.

I bolted from the room, my breath coming in short gasps as I ran through the narrow corridors of the submarine. The metal floor was slick beneath my boots, the air damp and suffocating.

One flicker.

I had no plan, no strategy. The submarine felt like a maze, each hallway blending into the next. My only goal was to put as much distance as possible between me and him.

Two flickers.

I ducked into the engine room, slamming the heavy door shut behind me. The air was hot and thick with the smell of oil and metal. The massive machinery thrummed faintly, the only sign it was still functioning.

Three flickers.

The hunt had begun.

I pressed myself into a shadowed corner, my back against a towering pipe. My heart thundered in my chest, every beat a deafening drum in the silence.

For a moment, there was nothing. No sound, no movement. Just the faint hum of the submarine and my own ragged breaths.

Then I heard it.

Footsteps.

Slow, deliberate, echoing through the corridor outside.

“Run, little Lila,” his voice cooed, soft and menacing. “It’s no fun if you stay still.”

I clamped a hand over my mouth, trying to stifle my breathing. My entire body shook as his footsteps grew louder, closer.

“You wanted amusement, didn’t you?” Light’s voice was light, almost teasing. “This is for you. A chance to impress me. To prove you’re more than just… predictable.”

The door creaked open.

I froze. The engine room wasn’t big, and there weren’t many places to hide. If he came in far enough, he would see me.

The footsteps stopped.

“Hmm,” he murmured, his tone almost casual. “I can smell your fear, you know. It’s intoxicating.”

I bit down on my lip, hard enough to taste blood, and stayed perfectly still.

A long silence followed. Then, to my horror, the footsteps began again—this time inside the room.

He was searching for me.

I could hear the faint scrape of his claws against the metal floor, the low hum of his presence sending chills down my spine.

“You’ve always intrigued me, Lila,” he said, his voice carrying over the machinery. “Your defiance. Your fire. But let’s not pretend you’re anything more than a frightened little creature, scurrying in the dark.”

I felt a surge of anger, hot and sharp. He thought this was just a game, but for me, it was life or death. I wasn’t going to let him reduce me to a pawn in his twisted amusement.

He moved closer, his shadow stretching across the wall in front of me. I held my breath, praying he wouldn’t look behind the pipe.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the footsteps stopped.

“I’ll give you a little more time,” he said, his voice laced with mockery. “Make it interesting for me, won’t you?”

The door creaked shut, and his footsteps faded into the corridor.

I exhaled shakily, my hands trembling as I tried to steady myself. He was toying with me, drawing it out.

But I couldn’t stay here.

I crept out from behind the pipe, careful not to make a sound, and slipped through the door. The hallway stretched out before me, dimly lit and eerily silent.

Every step felt like a gamble. I didn’t know where he was, but I could feel his presence, heavy and suffocating, as though he were everywhere at once.

“You’re doing better than I expected,” his voice echoed, making me flinch. “But the night is young, little pet. Let’s see how long you last.”

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep moving. I wouldn’t let him win. Not yet.

The game had only just begun.