Chapter 45

Chapter 45
The Dark Room 

Rain hit hard. Cold water dripping on my face. My hair was damp and sticking to my skin. Caleb was heavy in my arms. His head pressed into my chest. I could hear his small breath. Fast. Shaky.

I stopped running. My legs burned too much. I couldn’t keep going. We needed a place. Any place. I looked around.

Old house. Windows broken. Door half open. Light flickered inside, weak and yellow, like a dying candle. My stomach twisted. Bad idea. But the street was worse. Shadows moved there. I swore I heard heels. Click. Click. Soft. Waiting.

“Hold on, baby,” I whispered. My voice cracked. I pushed the door with my shoulder. It creaked loud, like a scream.

Inside smelled bad. Mold. Wet wood. Something rotten. The floor groaned under my feet. I hugged Caleb tight and stepped in.

The room was dark. Only a little lamp in the corner. Dust flew in the air. Cobwebs. Chairs broken. Glass on the floor.

“Shhh,” I told Caleb. “Don’t look. Just close your eyes.”

He pressed his face into me. I moved slow, careful. My shoes made crunch sounds on the glass. Every sound felt too loud.

Then, bang. The door slammed behind me.

I jumped. Caleb whimpered. My arms almost dropped him. “No, no, it’s okay,” I said in a low voice and fast. My hand shook as I held the shard tighter.

Footsteps. Slow. Inside the room. Not mine. Not Caleb’s.

I froze. Couldn’t breathe.

A voice. Soft. “You can’t hide from me.”

Lila.

My chest hurt. My hands shook. I wanted to run again, but my legs stuck. I pulled Caleb behind a broken table. Dust filled my mouth. I covered his head with my arm.

“She’s here,” I whispered to myself. “She’s really here.”

Her heels clicked on the wood. Slow. Tap. Tap. Tap.

“Little mouse,” she said. “I can hear you breathing.”

I held my breath. My lungs burned. Caleb pressed tiny fingers into my shirt. He didn’t move. Didn’t make a sound.

I gripped the shard. My palm stung where it cut me, but I didn’t let go.

Her shadow slid across the wall. Long. Sharp.

Then she laughed. Soft. Cold. “I told you… you can’t win.”

Something banged, chair falling. I flinched. Caleb squeaked.

Her head snapped toward us.

“There,” she whispered.

My chest dropped. I stood fast, shard up. “Stay back!” My voice broke.

She smiled. Slow. Her eyes glowed in the weak light. “Or what? You’ll cut me again?”

I shook, but I didn’t move. I had to fight. For Caleb and for me.

She stepped closer. I swung the shard. She dodged. Grabbed my arm. Twisted. Pain shot up my wrist. I screamed.

“Mommy!” Caleb cried.

Her other hand reached for him. Long fingers, sharp nails.

I kicked. Hard. Hit her shin. She hissed. Let go for a second. I pulled back, grabbed Caleb, and stumbled to the wall.

“Stay away!” I shouted. My voice was rough, weak.

She laughed again. “You can’t protect him forever.”

Her hand touched her cheek, where blood still marked from last time. She licked it. Smiled. My stomach turned.

“I’ll take him. And you’ll watch,” she said.

“No!” I screamed.

I swung again. This time, the shard scratched her arm. Blood. She hissed, eyes wide.

She lunged. Fast. Too fast. Knocked me down. My back hit the floor. Pain. Caleb cried, crawling close to me.

I grabbed him with one arm, held the shard in the other. I slashed wild. Her face came close. Her breath hot. Smelled like metal and smoke.

“You’re weak,” she whispered.

I shoved the shard toward her. She caught my wrist again. Pressed down. The glass almost cut my own skin.

“Stop,” I cried. Tears burned my eyes. “Leave us alone.”

Her smile grew. “Never.”

Then, CRACK.

The old roof above us groaned. Wood snapped. A piece of ceiling broke off. It crashed down between us. Dust, wood, dirt everywhere.

I coughed. Caleb cried louder. Smoke and dust choked me.

When I looked up, she was gone. Only shadow. Only her laugh, fading in the dark.

I held Caleb, rocking him. “Shhh, baby, it’s okay. Mommy’s here. Mommy’s here.”

My chest hurt. My arms hurt. But I didn’t let go.

The lamp in the corner flickered. Almost dead. Shadows moved on the wall.

I pressed my back to the wall, Caleb tight in my arms. My hands shook. My body trembled. I whispered, “We just need to wait. Just wait.”

Then, knock.

On the door. Slow. Heavy.

My heart jumped. My legs stiff.

Knock. Again.

“Who is it?” I whispered to no one. My voice small. My lips dry.

The door creaked open.

Light spilled in. A figure stood there. Not Lila. Too tall. Too wide.

“Who’s that?” I whispered, clutching Caleb.

The figure stepped inside. Boots heavy on the floor. Not heels.

I held the shard higher, ready. My hand shook. My eyes burned from the dust.

The figure came closer.

And then..The figure stopped. Just stood there. Quiet.

I couldn’t see the face. Too much shadow. Too much dark.

Caleb shook in my arms. “Mommy?” His voice small. Weak.

“Shhh,” I whispered. My throat hurt.

The figure moved again. One step. Two. Floor groaned loud under the boots.

Not Lila. Not her heels. But still scary.

I pushed back harder against the wall. Couldn’t go anywhere else. No door behind me. Just wood.

“Stay back!” I shouted. My voice cracked. Broke like glass.

The shard in my hand felt heavy. Slipped from my sweaty palm. I gripped harder.

The figure tilted the head. Slow. Like they were thinking.

“Who are you?” I asked, shaking. No answer.

Only breath. Loud. Close.

The light flickered again. Shadows stretched on the walls. The figure came closer.

I hugged Caleb tighter. My chest burned. My stomach turned. “Please… don’t hurt us,” I whispered.

The figure stopped right in front of us. I lifted the shard high.

Suddenly, The figure leaned close. I smelled smoke. Dirt. Something sharp, like blood.

Caleb whimpered. His tiny fingers dug into my shirt. My arms burned but I didn’t let go.

“Don’t,” I whispered. My voice shook. My knees felt weak.

The figure bent lower. I saw eyes. Dark. Watching me.

The shard in my hand shook. I wanted to stab. I wanted to run. I couldn’t do either.

A hand moved out from the shadow. Slow. Open. Not a fist. Not claws. Just a hand.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” a low voice said. Rough. Tired.

My head spun. I didn’t know if I believed it. My heart banged loud.

Still, I held Caleb closer. My eyes never left that hand.

The church light buzzed. Shadows danced. The world waited.