Midnight Chase
The old clock in the hallway of the Crestwood Inn struck midnight, its chime echoing like a warning bell across the silence of the town. Aria lay awake in her narrow bed, staring at the ceiling beams as the sound faded. Sleep refused to come. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the cloaked figure in the alley, standing motionless in the fog, its unseen gaze piercing through the mist straight into her bones.
Her diary lay open beside her, ink smudged where her trembling hand had written the words: “She listens.”
She turned over, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. Don’t think about it, she told herself. It was real, yes, but you’re safe now. The door is locked. You’re inside.
And yet—she heard it.
A faint scrape against the windowpane.
Her heart jumped. Slowly, she sat up, every nerve on edge. The fog pressed thick against the glass, but through it she thought she saw movement—a shadow slipping past her window.
Her breath hitched. “No…”
The whisper came, curling like smoke through the cracks in the wood.
“Aria…”
She clapped a hand over her mouth, forcing herself not to reply, remembering Ethan’s warning. But the voice grew stronger, more insistent, wrapping around her mind like a coil.
“Come… follow…”
Against all reason, she felt herself rising, feet moving toward the window as if drawn by invisible strings. Her fingers trembled on the lock, but before she could open it, a heavy thud echoed from the street below.
Someone running.
The spell broke. Aria gasped and stumbled back from the window, clutching her diary like a shield. Curiosity gnawed at her fear—she had to see. She darted down the stairs, careful not to wake the innkeeper, and slipped outside into the cold night.
The square was nearly deserted, save for the mist swirling around the fountain. And there—she saw him.
Ethan.
He was sprinting down the main street, coat flaring behind him, chasing a shadowy figure that moved with uncanny speed.
Aria’s pulse raced. Every instinct told her to stay inside, but something stronger pushed her forward. She followed, keeping to the edge of the street, her footsteps light.
The chase cut through narrow alleys, past shuttered shops and crumbling stone walls. The figure ahead darted like smoke, vanishing and reappearing in the fog. Ethan moved swiftly, his stride powerful, his focus unbreakable.
“Stop!” he barked, his voice rough in the night.
The shadow didn’t stop. Instead, it turned sharply, disappearing into a half-collapsed building at the town’s edge.
Aria hesitated at the corner, heart pounding, before slipping closer. Through a gap in the wall, she saw Ethan push through the doorway, his hand reaching beneath his coat again—as though gripping something. A weapon?
Inside, the ruin was dark, beams sagging, windows shattered. The figure hovered at the far end, cloaked, its hood drawn low. For a moment, it seemed to wait.
Then the whispers came again—louder, filling the air, bouncing off the broken walls.
“Leave her… she is ours…”
Aria shivered violently, pressing her back against the wall. They’re talking about me.
Ethan’s voice cut through, sharp and commanding. “You don’t belong here. Stay away from her!”
The figure tilted its head slowly, almost curiously. Then, with impossible swiftness, it slipped through a hole in the wall and vanished into the fog outside.
Ethan swore under his breath and ran after it.
Aria’s instincts screamed at her to retreat, but her curiosity betrayed her again. She crept inside the ruin, the floor groaning under her weight. The air was colder here, heavy with dust and something metallic—blood, maybe?
She noticed something on the ground where the figure had stood. Kneeling, she picked it up. A pendant, old and tarnished, shaped like a crescent moon. Strange symbols were etched into its surface, symbols she didn’t recognize.
She slipped it into her pocket just as Ethan returned, frustration etched into his features. His storm-grey eyes locked on her instantly.
“What are you doing here?” His voice was harsh, almost angry, but underneath it was fear.
“I—I saw you running. I thought—”
“You thought wrong.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “This isn’t a game, Aria. When I tell you to stay inside, you stay inside.”
Aria clenched her fists, anger sparking despite her fear. “You expect me to sit quietly while voices whisper my name? While shadows follow me? No. I deserve to know what’s happening.”
For a moment, Ethan’s mask cracked. He looked away, jaw tight. “If you knew the truth… you wouldn’t want to stay here.”
Her hand closed around the pendant in her pocket. She almost showed him—but something stopped her. She wasn’t ready to reveal everything, not until she understood who he truly was.
The silence between them stretched, broken only by the distant drip of water through the ruined ceiling.
Finally, Ethan said quietly, “Go back to the inn. Please.”
The word please surprised her. It was softer, almost vulnerable. She nodded reluctantly, though her mind buzzed with questions.
As she walked back through the fog, pendant burning against her palm, she wrote the words in her head:
There was a chase at midnight. Ethan knows the shadows. He’s fighting them—but what if he’s also one of them?
Behind her, unseen, the whispers slithered again.
“She follows… she listens… she belongs…”
And Aria realized—this was no longer just her story to write. This was her story to survive.
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Heartfelt thanks to everyone for staying with the story till the very end. If I’ve made any mistakes while writing, I hope you’ll kindly overlook them. Every single comment from you is truly precious to me, because a writer’s greatest inspiration comes from the readers’ response. How you felt about the story, which part touched you, or where it could have been improved—sharing these thoughts will add new colors to my future writings. Your love and feedback are the fuel for my pen, so please don’t forget to leave a comment.
