chapter 3: The Stranger

I woke up to the sound of my own screams. I was lying on the floor, my head throbbing with pain. I struggled to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me and I fell back down.

As I lay there, I saw a figure standing over me. It was the same figure I had seen in the doorway, with eyes that glowed like embers in the dark.

But as I looked up at him, I saw something unexpected. A look of concern etched on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

I nodded, still trying to clear my head. "Yeah, I think so."

The stranger helped me to my feet, and I leaned against him for support. As I looked up at him, I saw that he was even more handsome up close. His eyes were piercing green, and his hair was jet-black and fell to his shoulders.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The stranger smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. "My name is Elijah," he said. "And you are?"

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But there was something about Elijah that made me trust him.

"Ava," I said finally.

Elijah's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. "Ava," he repeated, his voice low and husky. "I've been waiting for you."

I felt a surge of fear at his words, but Elijah just smiled and took my hand.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "I'm here to help you."

As we walked through the house, Elijah told me that he had been watching me. That he had been sent to protect me from something.

But what?

I asked him, but he just shook his head. "You're not ready to know yet," he said. "But trust me, Ava. You're in danger. And I'm the only one who can keep you safe."

I didn't know what to believe. But as I looked into Elijah's eyes, I saw something there that made me trust him.

And so, I decided to take a chance. I decided to trust Elijah, no matter what.

But as we walked through the house, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. That something was lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce.

And then, I heard it. A low, creaking sound, like the sound of old wooden floorboards.

I spun around, but there was no one there.

Elijah's eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a look of concern etched on his face.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Elijah hesitated, then took my hand. "I think it's time we got out of here," he said.

And with that, we ran.

As we ran, the creaking sound grew louder. It sounded like footsteps, heavy and deliberate. I could feel the fear rising up inside me, but Elijah's grip on my hand kept me grounded.

We burst through the front door of the house and out into the night. The moon was full overhead, casting an eerie glow over the landscape.

Elijah pulled me along, his long strides eating up the distance. I stumbled after him, my heart pounding in my chest.

Suddenly, Elijah stopped. He spun around, his eyes scanning the darkness.

"What is it?" I whispered.

Elijah's eyes locked onto mine. "I think we lost them," he said.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but Elijah's next words sent a chill down my spine.

"For now," he said.

As we stood there, frozen in the darkness, I felt a presence watching us. It was the same feeling I had experienced in the house, but this time it was stronger.

I spun around, but there was no one there. Elijah's eyes never left mine, but I could sense his tension.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

Elijah hesitated, then pulled me close. "I'll tell you everything," he whispered. "But first, we need to get out of here."

And with that, he pulled me into the darkness, away from the watching presence and into a world of secrets and lies.

As we walked, the silence between us grew thicker. I could feel Elijah's eyes on me, but I didn't dare look up.

Finally, we reached the edge of town. Elijah stopped and turned to me.

"Ava," he said, his voice low and husky. "I have to tell you something."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest.

"What is it?" I asked.

Elijah's eyes locked onto mine. "You're not who you think you are," he said.

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. What did he mean?

"Who am I, then?" I demanded.

Elijah hesitated, then took a deep breath. "You're the key to unlocking an ancient secret," he said. "A secret that could change the course of human history."

I stared at him, my mind reeling. What was he talking about?

But before I could ask any questions, Elijah's eyes flicked to something behind me.

And then, everything went black.