Trench and Reyes didn't stop running until they reached the outskirts of Brimstone Ridge. The air felt heavier here, charged with an almost electric tension. The town behind them continued to shift, the buildings groaning as if alive, their geometry warping in unnatural ways.
They ducked into a narrow alley behind what had once been a diner, catching their breath. Reyes wiped grime from her face, her pulse hammering. "We can't keep running forever. We need a plan."
Trench peered around the corner, scanning for any sign of movement. "We still don't know what it wants. If we can figure that out, maybe we can turn the tables."
A distant sound echoed through the streets—a low, guttural growl that sent chills down Reyes' spine. "It's tracking us," she whispered.
Trench nodded grimly. "And it's learning. Each time we move, it reacts faster."
The alley opened into an abandoned lot, cracked pavement littered with rusted car husks. In the center stood a payphone, somehow untouched by the chaos around them. It shouldn't have been there. Not in a town this small. Not anymore.
Reyes pointed at it. "That wasn't there before."
Trench's instincts screamed at him to ignore it, but something about the payphone felt… intentional. He took a cautious step forward, gripping his service weapon tighter. "Stay sharp. If this thing wants us to pick up, we should find out why."
The moment his fingers brushed the receiver, the hum in the air intensified. The world around them seemed to ripple, the sky darkening unnaturally. Static crackled through the line, followed by a familiar voice.
"Agent Trench."
His breath caught in his throat. "Director Northmoor?"
The voice on the other end was distorted, layered with something deeper, something wrong. "You have to stop it before it fully manifests. You know what it is. You've seen it before."
Trench's mind raced. Before? He had no memory of encountering anything like this. "What the hell are we dealing with?"
A pause. Then, barely a whisper: "An Echo."
The line went dead. The hum surged into a roar, and the shadows around them deepened. From the darkness, something massive began to take shape.
Reyes backed away, her weapon drawn. "Trench, we need to move. Now."
But he stood frozen, his grip tightening on the receiver. An Echo. He didn't remember—but something deep inside told him he should.
The shape in the darkness lunged.