Prologue
It was a dark night. Grey clouds lingered in the sky, blocking the moonlight. On the first night of the disappearances, a young woman was on her way home after a session at the gym. Taking her normal route home, she turned onto a road where the streetlights were shining brightly. She heard a footstep, a single footstep, just enough to make her turn around and stop. After thirty seconds, she decided to continue her journey home, thinking the noise had just been a figment of her imagination.
But then she heard it again. Closer, this time. Stopping in her tracks again, she turned around but, just as before, there was nothing there. She was alone; she was alone in the dark.
The noise returned for a third time however this time after she had commenced walking again, she did not want to stop. She wanted to get back home. She didn't want to think about what hid in the shadows, let alone see it.
Once again, she heard them. Although, this time, they weren't just closer but there were multiple. Faster, stronger, closer. She picked up her pace, breathing heavily, her heart pounding in her chest but even as she attempted to get away, she knew there was little hope.
When she heard the footsteps right behind, she threw her gym bag back behind her, in hopes to buy some time before breaking into a run. She ran as fast as she could manage and she didn't stop. She wanted to look back once, just to take a glance at her pursuer but she knew she couldn't. She'd slow down if she did and she couldn't afford to make that mistake.
Temptation got the better of her eventually as she was beginning to tire. She turned around, expecting to see a disfigured, muscular man, clothed completely in black hot on her tail, just as she'd seen on the television. But this wasn't television. This was real life.
There was nothing behind her.
Just black.
Her brain told her she was safe while her heart told her otherwise. Her heart didn't want to stop. She turned back around, ready to continue towards home when she stopped suddenly.
She looked up at the figure towering over her. Her heart was pumping faster than any heart should have to pump. Her mouth was dry and her legs weak. Realisation struck her. There was no point in running. It was over.
He had won.
It was a dark night. Grey clouds lingered in the sky, blocking the moonlight and the streets were empty.
There was not a soul to be seen.
