Story 877: The Watcher in the Dark

The team moved fast, dodging debris as the crumbling building groaned under the weight of spreading fire. Ash rained down like snow, and the acrid stench of burning flesh filled their lungs.

Leon led the way, his rifle scanning the ruined corridors ahead. Every shadow seemed to pulse with unseen threats, and the distant echoes of inhuman growls sent chills down their spines.

“We can’t stay here,” Evelyn gasped, gripping her med kit. “That fire’s spreading too fast.”

“Then we run,” Reaper said, blood still dripping from his split lip. He hadn’t forgotten the way the Stalkers studied them before attacking. They weren’t just hunting. They were learning.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled from behind.

Samantha spun, shotgun raised. “We’re not alone.”

The fire’s glow cast long shadows, but one of them moved. Something massive shifted in the darkness beyond the wreckage.

And then, it stepped forward.

The Watcher.