LUCAS POV
As I approached the abandoned cottage where Alice had taken refuge, the clearing near the cottage was bathed in the silver glow of the moon. Shadows danced eerily, playing tricks on my eyes. Each step I took was heavy with the weight of what was to come. The silence of the night was broken only by the distant hoot of an owl, a reminder that life still lingered in this forsaken place.
Drawing closer, I saw movement within the cottage—a flicker of light, a shadow crossing the window. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a drum of impending fate. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the dark energy emanating from the small, dilapidated structure.
Just as I reached the door, it swung open with a creak, revealing Alice standing in the doorway. Her face, once so famil
