A Life Is Loading

The morning light did nothing to erase the horrors of the previous night. Clay stood at the window, staring at the rising sun, but the warmth it brought didn't reach him. His body felt heavy, his mind clouded with exhaustion and fear. Emily sat on the edge of the bed, her hands shaking as she held Lily close. Their daughter had finally fallen asleep after crying for hours, but the fear never truly left her tiny face.

They all knew the truth.

This was just the calm before the storm.

Clay's heart ached as he glanced at the empty bed where Ben used to sleep. His son was gone. Taken by something that had no name, no face—just darkness and vengeance. And now, it wanted more.

Emily finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Clay… we can't do this anymore."

He turned to her, his eyes tired. "We don't have a choice."

Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head. "No… I mean, I can't run from it anymore."

Clay's stomach twisted. He knew what she meant. The shadow had made it clear—it wasn't finished with them. And somehow, someway, Emily was the key.

He clenched his jaw. "Then we fight."

Emily let out a weak laugh. "Fight? Clay, how do you fight something you can't even see?"

Clay looked down at Lily, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She was all they had left. He wouldn't let her be taken too.

"We find a way," he said firmly.

Emily wiped her eyes and nodded, but deep down, she knew that Clay didn't have a plan. None of them did. They were just waiting for the inevitable.

The Hours Pass…

The day moved painfully slow. Every creak in the house made them jump. Every shadow seemed darker than before. Time stretched, but eventually, the sky began to dim. The sun dipped below the horizon, and the moment they had been dreading was finally here.

The final night had begun.

Clay locked every door, every window. It was useless—he knew that—but it gave him a false sense of control. Emily sat on the floor with Lily, whispering to her softly, trying to keep her calm.

Then, just as the first star appeared in the sky—

A knock.

A single, hollow knock at the front door.

The house fell into a deathly silence.

Clay's breath hitched. He turned to Emily, who was already clutching Lily tightly.

Another knock.

Louder this time.

Clay took a shaky step toward the door, his fingers curling into fists.

A third knock.

Then, a voice.

A deep, cold voice that sent shivers through his entire body.

"Emily… It's time."

Emily gasped, covering her mouth. Lily whimpered, burying herself against her mother's chest.

Clay's entire body tensed. His hands shook as he reached for the doorknob—

Then—

BANG.

The door flung open on its own.

And standing in the doorway—

Was Ben.

But it wasn't really Ben.

His face was pale, his eyes hollow, his lips curled into a chilling smile. His body stood unnaturally still, like a puppet waiting for its master's command.

And when he spoke, it wasn't Ben's voice.

"The debt must be paid."

Emily sobbed, shaking her head violently. "No… please, no!"

Ben—**or whatever was inside him—**tilted his head. "You know what you have to do, Emily."

Clay stepped in front of them, shielding them. "She's not going anywhere."

Ben's face twisted into something almost inhuman. His lips curled into an unnatural grin.

"Then you will all die."

The lights flickered. The shadows moved.

And the final night truly began.

As the darkness crept in around them, Clay knew—

Tonight, it would all end.

One way or another.

And a life was still loading.

The room was swallowed by an unnatural darkness, thicker than any night Clay had ever known. The air grew dense, suffocating, as an icy chill slithered across his skin. Emily clutched Lily tightly, whispering prayers through her sobs.

Ben—or the thing that wore his face—stood motionless in the doorway, his hollow eyes locked onto Clay. Then, slowly, he lifted his hand and pointed directly at Emily.

"You made the deal. You must pay the price."

Emily gasped, shaking her head. "No… I didn't know! I didn't mean for this to happen!"

Clay stepped forward, shielding his wife and daughter. "Take me instead." His voice was firm, steady. "Whatever she did, I'll pay for it. Just let them go."

Ben's lips curled into a sinister smile. "That is not how this works."

Suddenly, the room trembled. The walls groaned under an invisible force. The lights shattered, plunging them into pure darkness. Emily screamed. Lily clung to her mother, sobbing uncontrollably.

Clay reached out, trying to find them in the pitch-black void—but his hands grasped at nothing.

"Emily? Lily?" His voice was hoarse, desperate.

No response.

Then—a whisper.

Right next to his ear.

"It's too late, Clay."

A sharp gust of wind knocked him backward, slamming him against the floor. The darkness shifted, swirling like a living entity. Through the chaos, Clay saw Emily and Lily being pulled away, their figures barely visible through the thick shadows.

He screamed their names, trying to crawl toward them, but an unseen force pinned him down.

Ben—or whatever had taken control of him—stepped closer, his smile widening. "The night has just begun."

And then—everything went black.

Somewhere, in the suffocating silence, a single whisper echoed.

"A life is still loading."