The midnight kitchen

Chapter 2: The Midnight Kitchen

As Asher stepped into the restaurant, the air grew thick with an unsettling silence. The creatures of the jungle, hidden in the darkness, watched him with an unblinking gaze, their eyes glowing like embers in the night. The wind died down, and the only sound was the soft creaking of the old wooden sign outside, bearing the words "The Midnight Kitchen" in faded letters. The plaque swayed gently, like a dead leaf, as if warning potential intruders to turn back.

Asher's eyes adjusted to the dim light within, and he took in the dilapidated interior with a detached calmness. The walls were cracked, the tables were broken, and the chairs were overturned. A thick layer of dust coated everything, and cobwebs hung like macabre tapestries from the ceiling. Asher's gaze roamed the space, his silver eyes lingering on the remnants of what once might have been a cozy dining area.

He stood tall, his lean frame imposing in the small space. His raven-black hair was mussed, and his sharp jawline was set in a neutral expression. A scattering of stubble across his cheeks added a rough edge to his chiseled features, but his overall demeanor remained serene.

As Asher moved deeper into the restaurant, his eyes fell upon a strange symbol etched into the center of the floor. It was a twisted, arcane mark that seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy. Asher's gaze remained steady, his expression unchanging, as he realized that the symbol was identical to the tattoo on the back of his neck.

A flicker of curiosity danced in his silver eyes, but his calm demeanor remained unwavering. He wondered, "What is this place?" and "What happened here?" but his thoughts were tinged with a detached curiosity, rather than any sense of urgency or alarm.

He noticed that the walls seemed to be... watching him. The shadows cast by the faint moonlight filtering through the windows appeared to be twisting, writhing like living things. Asher's gaze swept the room, taking in the eerie atmosphere, but his expression remained impassive.

With a quiet deliberation, Asher took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the symbol. He was drawn to it with a calm, detached fascination, as if studying a peculiar specimen rather than unraveling a dark mystery.