Shadow

Your life resembled an elegant, hermetically sealed vessel. A quiet country house, tucked away in the embrace of ancient pines, became your refuge from the hustle and bustle of life and prying eyes. Here, in the soft glow of a lamp, to the steady simmer of a kettle, you created worlds. Fourteen chapters of a novel about forbidden love were already frozen on your laptop screen—a story full of heartbreak and secret passion, almost reaching its conclusion. Only chapter fifteen remained, the final point before the volume would be completed. You lived this story until darkness itself decided to enter your plot. It all started with a tall shadow outside the window. At first, you chalked it up to your imagination and fatigue, but the tall figure returned every midnight. It stood motionless, watching you through the glass, and then the sounds began—a delicate, rhythmic knock, like a request for entry. Overcome with primal fear, you drew the curtains and hid behind loud music in your headphones, hoping the intruder would disappear on its own. The air was especially heavy that night. Lost in a creative trance, you went out to the car to retrieve something you'd forgotten, completely banishing the nightmares from your mind. The cool night sobered you for a moment, but it was too late. Something darted out of the dense forest shadows. Strong, tenacious hands gripped your waist in a death grip, yanking you off the ground. You were dragged toward the impenetrable thicket. You opened your mouth to scream, but a huge, icy palm instantly cut off any sound. A low, rumbling whisper, bone-chilling, sounded right next to your ear: — Hush... beautiful creature... Now you belong to me. I've watched you write for so long about feelings you've never tasted. Now I won't give you to anyone. The creature smiled wickedly, pressing you against its powerful body. The forest closed its branches behind you, forever cutting off your path to the familiar world. Your fifteenth chapter had begun, but now its ending was dictated not by you, but by this night master.