The Lingering Shadows

The bookstore felt colder, as if something had seeped into the walls. Ravi, Raj, and Meera sat in silence, the weight of their journey pressing down on them. Aarav shivered, still pale and weak. "They won't stop," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. Raj tightened his fists. "Then we make them stop." Meera shook her head. "You don't understand. The Shadow Room wasn't just a prison—it was a warning. We weren't supposed to leave." Ravi exhaled. "But we did. And now they're watching." Outside, the streetlights flickered. The night was eerily quiet, too quiet. Something was coming.

Aarav tried to stand, but his legs buckled. Ravi caught him. "You need rest," he said. Aarav shook his head. "No time. They'll send someone. Or something." Meera's expression darkened. "He's right. We should leave." Raj glanced at the locked door. "Where can we even go?" The question hung in the air. "We need answers," Ravi said finally. "And we need help." Meera hesitated. "I might know someone." She pulled out an old, crumpled note and handed it to Ravi. "Meet me here tomorrow. Alone." Raj frowned. "Alone? Not happening." Meera sighed. "They won't talk if they see too many of us."

Ravi hesitated before nodding. "Fine. But if something feels wrong, we're leaving." Meera didn't argue. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, everything changes." The group settled into the dim bookstore. Aarav, exhausted, drifted into a restless sleep. Raj sat by the door, keeping watch. Ravi lay awake, thoughts racing. The memory of the Shadow Room lingered—dark corridors, whispered voices, something unseen lurking in the void. He had pulled Aarav out, but at what cost? As exhaustion finally took over, Ravi swore he heard a whisper in the dark. "You shouldn't have come back." But when he looked around, there was nothing there.

Morning came, but it brought no comfort. The bookstore felt suffocating. Meera prepared to leave, giving Ravi a cautious glance. "Be careful," Raj muttered. "You too," Ravi said. Meera slipped out first. Ravi followed a few minutes later, blending into the crowd. The city felt different—like a place holding its breath. He checked the note again. The address led to an old café on the outskirts. He reached it just as the sky darkened with an unnatural storm. A single candle flickered inside. He stepped in cautiously. A man sat at the far table, his face hidden in the dim light.

"You're late," the man said, not looking up. Ravi froze. "You were expecting me?" The man nodded. "You're playing with fire, kid." He finally raised his head, revealing sharp, piercing eyes. "Call me Darshan." Ravi sat across from him. "Meera said you have answers." Darshan smirked. "I do. But you won't like them." Ravi clenched his fists. "Try me." Darshan studied him. "The ones who erase—they aren't just watchers. They're keepers. Guardians of forgotten things." Ravi's stomach twisted. "Then why erase people?" Darshan leaned in. "Because remembering is dangerous. And you? You've already remembered too much."

Ravi's pulse quickened. "So what now? They kill us?" Darshan chuckled. "If they wanted you dead, you'd be gone. No body, no trace. But they're waiting. Watching." Ravi narrowed his eyes. "Waiting for what?" Darshan's smirk faded. "For you to make a mistake." Ravi leaned forward. "Then tell me how to stop them." Darshan exhaled. "There's only one way. You find the First Forgotten—the one they couldn't erase. The one who started all this." Ravi's skin prickled. "Who?" Darshan's voice dropped to a whisper. "Someone who should not exist." He slid a torn page across the table. Ravi's blood ran cold.

It was a photograph—old and worn, just like the one of Aarav. But this time, the missing space was bigger. Like someone had been erased completely. Ravi turned it over. A single name was scrawled on the back: "Vihan." Darshan leaned back. "Find him, and you might have a chance." Ravi pocketed the photo. "And if I can't?" Darshan's expression was unreadable. "Then you disappear. Just like the rest." Thunder rumbled outside. Ravi stood. "Then I better start looking." As he left the café, the shadows outside seemed darker, deeper. He wasn't just being watched anymore. He was being followed.

Back at the bookstore, Raj and Meera waited anxiously. Aarav stirred, mumbling in his sleep. His fingers twitched, as if reaching for something unseen. Raj frowned. "He's dreaming again." Meera nodded. "More like remembering." Aarav suddenly gasped awake, his eyes wild. "They know," he panted. "They know where we are." Raj grabbed his jacket. "We need to move." But before they could react, a loud knock echoed through the bookstore. Three steady beats. Then silence. Meera's face paled. "It's them." The candle flickered violently. The air turned ice cold. The door handle turned slowly. And then, the lights went out.