Episode 6: Traces of Darkness

The night sky grew darker, pressing the city into shadows of fear. A cold wind blew gently, carrying the scent of damp earth mixed with something metallic—a stench so pungent that Aisyah shuddered for no clear reason.

She sat in the corner of her bed, phone still in her grasp, its dim glow seemingly the only source of life in the increasingly suffocating room. Nervously, she scrolled through her screen, searching for the latest news about what was happening.

But all the news articles she had seen earlier... were gone.

"What the hell?" she murmured, swallowing hard. Her fingers began to sweat, making the phone screen feel slippery in her hands.

The group chat, once filled with complaints about the blackout, was now reduced to a few broken messages.

— "There's something outside my house."

— "Its movement is strange. Not human."

— "Oh God, I heard something on my roof!"

— "Please, if anyone reads this..."

The last message ended abruptly, with no continuation. Aisyah frowned, her heartbeat quickening. She tried calling Delisha again, but the signal was weakening. Every attempt ended with nothing but eerie static.

What was really happening out there?

On the other side of the city…

Delisha stood frozen behind her thin curtains, holding her breath as her eyes locked onto a figure moving beneath the flickering streetlamp.

It looked human, but something was terribly wrong.

Its movements were stiff and awkward, like a broken puppet forced to walk. Its head tilted unnaturally to one side, and its body trembled with an odd rhythm. Its feet dragged along the pavement, creating a faint scraping sound that sent chills down Delisha's spine.

"No way…" she whispered, gripping the curtain tightly.

She wanted to look away, to pretend she hadn't seen anything, but her eyes remained fixed on the figure. In the dim light, she noticed something that made her go pale—drops of blood trickled from its fingertips, staining the dark asphalt.

Her heart pounded.

Slowly, she stepped backward, praying the creature wouldn't notice her. But as she turned away, something outside made her freeze.

Along the sidewalk, splatters of red formed a messy trail leading into a narrow alley. Some marks looked like they had been dragged.

Delisha's stomach churned, her legs weakening beneath her.

"I have to get out of here…"

Forcing herself to ignore the fear, she moved quickly toward the door. But just as she was about to close it—

Something shifted in the distance. Under the pale moonlight, another figure emerged.

This one was larger than the first, its steps slower but far more unsettling. Its skin—or what was left of it—was torn and blackened, as if it had been burned or eaten away.

And its eyes… hollow. Empty. Devoid of emotion.

But what terrified Delisha the most was not its grotesque appearance.

It was the way it turned its head directly toward her, as if aware that she was watching.

Delisha's breath hitched. Panic spread through her limbs like wildfire.

They weren't moving as fast as humans, but if they got closer… if they surrounded her house… she was done for.

She glanced behind her, making sure her escape route was still clear.

But when she turned back—

The creature was closer.

"NO WAY!" Delisha barely held back a scream as she sprinted inside and slammed the door shut.

BANG!

She pressed her back against the door, her chest rising and falling in erratic breaths.

Silence.

Nothing from outside. Delisha swallowed hard, wanting to believe that the thing wasn't following her.

Then—

A slow, scraping noise against the wood.

Screech… screech… screech…

Long, sharp nails dragged against the door, deliberately slow and menacing, as if the creature was playing with her before breaking in.

Delisha clamped both hands over her mouth, stifling her sobs.

"What do I do…?"

Her mind raced for a solution. She had to warn the others. They all needed to know this wasn't just paranoia—this was real.

With trembling hands, she reached for her phone and typed quickly into the group chat.

— "I saw something outside my house."

— "Not human. Not normal."

— "Don't go out. No matter what, do not go out."

But before she could press send, her phone screen went black.

"What?!" Delisha whispered in terror, pressing the power button repeatedly.

No response.

Her phone showed no sign of life.

The power might have been out in the entire city, but her battery wasn't dead. It should still be working!

As if something had deliberately severed their connection.

The scratching at the door grew louder.

Delisha felt as though the world had abandoned her, leaving her alone in a fear that gnawed at her sanity.

And then—

A deep, ragged breathing came from the other side of the door.

It was heavy. Uneven. Inhuman.

As if waiting.

Delisha didn't dare move.

She knew that if she made any sound…

The creature would know she was still inside.

The night air felt heavy, as if it carried tension ready to explode at any moment. The faint scent of smoke and blood drifted with the wind, seeping into Gathan's nose as he stepped out of his house. His sharp eyes scanned the deserted streets, dimly lit by flickering streetlights that seemed on the verge of going out.

"Why does everything feel so... wrong?" he muttered, pulling his jacket tighter around him.

He could feel something watching him—something unseen, yet undeniably real. In the distance, another explosion echoed, followed by screams that seemed to fade into the distance. Black smoke billowed from the city center, making it clear that things were spiraling further into chaos.

His heart pounded. Should he go there? Or stay home where it was safer?

No. He needed to know what was happening.

With determined steps, Gathan walked down the street, which now resembled a ghost town. Alleys that were once bustling were now empty, as if abandoned in a hurry. Trash was scattered everywhere, and several cars had been left with their doors wide open, as if their owners had fled in panic.

As he turned a corner, his eyes caught something moving in the distance. A figure.

At first, he thought it was just someone injured or disoriented from the chaos. But the closer the figure got, the more unnatural it seemed.

Its movements were stiff, unnatural. Its head hung low, arms dangling lifelessly, and it shuffled forward like a broken puppet struggling to stay upright.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Gathan called out, half-hoping it was just someone in need of help.

The figure suddenly lifted its head. The flickering streetlights revealed a face that was no longer human—peeling skin, vacant eyes, and an open mouth emitting a low, guttural growl that sounded like death itself.

Goosebumps ran down Gathan's arms. His blood ran cold.

"Shit," he hissed, stepping back.

The creature growled louder, then, with a sudden movement, it lunged at him.

Instinct kicked in—Gathan spun around and sprinted as fast as he could. His heart hammered in his chest, breath coming in quick gasps. Heavy footsteps pounded behind him, erratic and unnatural.

"What the hell is that?! Why is there… something like that?!" his mind raced in panic.

Elsewhere…

Jasmine sat in her living room, trying to calm herself. Her hands clutched a blanket in her lap, attempting to distract herself from the chaos outside.

But then—

A soft knock at the front door shattered the silence.

Tap… tap… tap…

The knocks were gentle, almost polite. But something about them sent chills down her spine, triggering a deep, instinctual dread.

Jasmine swallowed hard, staring at the door with growing unease.

"Who would come at this hour? Isn't everyone trying to stay safe?"

Tap… tap… tap…

The knocking continued, steady and unrelenting.

"Maybe… someone needs help?" she whispered, trying to reassure herself.

With trembling hands, she got up and slowly approached the door. Her heart pounded louder with each step. Pressing her ear against the wood, she listened closely for any sound outside.

Silence.

No breathing. No voices.

Only the knocking.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for the doorknob and cracked the door open slightly.

And there it was.

In the darkness, its face was monstrous. Its eyes were hollow, its skin torn with dried blood crusting around its mouth. Its lips twitched as if trying to speak, but all that came out was a raspy, guttural moan.

Jasmine's blood drained from her face. Her throat tightened.

The creature moved closer.

With a panicked scream, she slammed the door shut and stumbled back, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her hands clutched her chest, trying to still her frantically beating heart.

"Oh God… oh God…" she whispered, shaking uncontrollably.

From outside, the knocking turned into pounding.

BANG!

The door shuddered.

BANG!

Again—harder this time.

Jasmine knew—it wouldn't stop.

Meanwhile…

Gathan was still running, his lungs burning from exhaustion.

He darted into a narrow alley, hoping to lose the creature chasing him. But as he turned a corner, he froze in horror.

There were more of them.

Not just one.

Two. Three.

More.

His body tensed. He was trapped.

The creatures moved slowly, their growls growing louder, filling the air with an eerie, unnatural sound.

Gathan swallowed hard.

"Okay… think, think…!" he whispered desperately.

His eyes darted around, searching for an escape. Then, he spotted it—a metal fire escape on the side of an old building.

Without hesitation, he sprinted toward it, leaped up, and grabbed the railing.

The creatures rushed toward him.

With all his strength, Gathan climbed the ladder as fast as he could. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his breath coming in ragged bursts.

Reaching the rooftop, he finally looked down.

The creatures stood below, growling in frustration.

He exhaled sharply, trying to gather his thoughts.

"What the hell is happening to this city?"

Above him, the sky was pitch black. Smoke still rose from the distance. Distant screams echoed in the night.