A Life Is Loading

The darkness clung to Clay like a second skin, thick and suffocating. His heart pounded as he stood in the empty room where the hooded figure had vanished just moments ago. His mind reeled with what he had just learned—Emily had made a deal.

But why? And with whom?

Clay clenched his fists. He had lost his son, and now his daughter was in danger. The cryptic warnings, the sinister whispers—it all pointed back to Emily. The woman he had loved, protected, and built a life with… had betrayed them all.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed himself up from the floor. He needed to get back to Emily and Lily. They had to talk.

His legs felt heavy as he stumbled out of the dark room and into the hallway of their rented house. Everything was silent—unnaturally so. The very walls seemed to be holding their breath.

Then—a faint sound.

A soft whimper.

Lily.

Clay's heart nearly stopped. He rushed forward, following the sound until he reached their bedroom. His hands shook as he pushed open the door.

Inside, Lily was curled up on the bed, trembling, her tiny hands clutching at the blanket. Her eyes were open, but they were unfocused, as if she were seeing something Clay couldn't.

Emily was sitting beside her, her face pale, her hands gripping Lily's shoulders.

Emily looked up as Clay entered, her eyes filled with fear—and something else. Guilt.

"Clay…" she whispered.

Clay ignored her, rushing to Lily's side. "Lily, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Lily blinked slowly, her voice small and distant. "Ben was here, Daddy."

Clay's breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

She turned to look at him, and for a moment, Clay swore he saw a flicker of something dark in her eyes. "Ben said you won't see the sunrise."

Silence.

Emily let out a strangled sob, covering her mouth. Clay's mind spiraled into chaos.

He grabbed Emily's wrist. "Enough. Tell me everything. Now."

Emily shook her head violently. "Clay, I—"

"No more lies!" His voice thundered through the room, raw with desperation and fury. "What did you do, Emily? What deal did you make?"

Emily flinched, tears streaming down her face. She turned away, gripping her arms tightly as if trying to hold herself together. "I… I didn't mean for this to happen," she whispered.

Clay grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "Then tell me. What did you do?"

Emily sobbed, burying her face in her hands. And then, in a voice so broken it barely sounded like her own, she confessed—

"I made a deal to save you, Clay."

The words felt like a knife twisting in his chest.

Clay staggered back, his mind racing. "What…?"

Emily looked up, her eyes filled with sorrow. "You were drowning in debt. I was afraid. I didn't want to lose you. So… I made a deal."

Clay's hands trembled. "With who?"

Emily swallowed hard. "I don't know his name. But he came to me one night, just like he's coming for us now."

The air in the room grew colder. Lily whimpered, curling deeper into the blanket.

Emily continued, her voice barely a whisper. "He told me he could fix everything. He said he could take away our suffering, give us a second chance… but there was a price."

Clay's stomach churned. "And that price was Ben."

Emily let out a choked sob, nodding. "I thought— I thought I could outsmart him. I thought if I gave up a piece of myself instead, he'd let Ben go." She shook her head, horror written all over her face. "But I was wrong, Clay. I was so wrong."

A sudden bang echoed through the house.

Lily screamed, burying her face into Clay's chest. Emily gasped, clutching his arm.

And then—a voice.

Low. Mocking. Inhuman.

"You can't escape fate, Emily."

Clay's breath stopped. The voice came from the hallway. The air in the room turned ice-cold.

Emily's entire body went rigid, her face draining of color. "No… no, please…"

The voice chuckled, sending a shiver down Clay's spine. "A life for a life. The debt must be paid."

The door slammed shut on its own. The light flickered violently, plunging the room into darkness.

Lily let out a terrified wail. Clay wrapped his arms around her, shielding her as best as he could. "Stay behind me," he ordered.

Emily was shaking, her hands clasped together in silent prayer.

Then—footsteps.

Slow. Deliberate. Moving toward them.

Clay turned toward the sound, his pulse thundering in his ears. He had to protect his family.

Summoning every ounce of courage, he clenched his fists and stepped forward. "Show yourself!" he roared.

Silence.

Then—a whisper.

Right behind him.

"A life is still loading."

A bone-chilling gust of wind rushed through the room. The candlelight flickered, casting monstrous shadows on the walls.

And then—the door creaked open.

Clay turned sharply—but the hallway was empty.

Except for one thing.

A single, black envelope sat on the floor just beyond the doorway.

Clay's hands shook as he reached for it. His heart hammered against his ribs as he slowly opened the letter.

Inside, there was only one line.

"Tomorrow night, the final life will be taken."

Clay's blood ran cold. His grip on the paper tightened.

He didn't need to ask whose life.

It was Lily's.

His daughter was next.

The air grew heavier, the shadows pressing in around them. Emily let out a strangled cry, covering her mouth in horror.

Lily clutched Clay's hand, her small fingers trembling.

And in the suffocating silence of the cursed night, a single phrase echoed once more—

"A life is still loading."

The weight of the letter in Clay's hands felt unbearable. His body trembled, his mind clouded with rage and despair. Tomorrow night, the final life will be taken.

That meant Lily.

His daughter.

His last hope.

Emily fell to the floor, her hands shaking as she whispered prayers under her breath. Tears streaked her pale face, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "No… no, not Lily. Please, not her."

Lily clutched onto Clay's sleeve, her tiny fingers digging into his arm. Her eyes were wide, innocent yet full of fear. "Daddy," she whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper, "Ben said he would save me."

Clay's heart ached. Ben was gone. How could he save her now?

Suddenly, the candlelight flickered violently, casting long shadows across the walls. A cold gust of air swept through the room, making the curtains dance like restless spirits.

Then—a whisper.

Low. Sinister. Familiar.

"The debt is not yet paid."

Clay's grip on the letter tightened as he turned toward the sound. His pulse pounded in his ears, his breath uneven. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded, his voice hoarse. "Haven't you taken enough from me?"

A deep chuckle echoed through the room, making Emily flinch.

"A deal is a deal, Clay."

Clay clenched his fists. "Take me instead."

The air turned heavy, suffocating. The shadows in the room twisted unnaturally, crawling up the walls like living creatures.

Then—a figure appeared.

Tall. Cloaked in darkness. The hooded entity stood just beyond the doorway, its presence radiating an unbearable sense of dread. Though its face was obscured, Clay could feel its piercing gaze locked onto him.

"A noble offer," the voice murmured. "But the deal was made. A life for a life."

Emily sobbed, clutching at Clay's arm. "No! Please, no! There has to be another way!"

The figure tilted its head slightly, as if amused. "Another way?"

It stepped closer. The temperature in the room plummeted.

Clay swallowed hard, forcing himself to stand his ground. "Yes. There has to be a way to break the contract."

The entity chuckled. "Once a soul is claimed, it cannot be undone."

Clay's heart pounded. "Then tell me. Who are you? Why did you come for us?"

Silence.

Then—a whisper.

"Ask your wife."

Clay turned to Emily sharply. "What does he mean?"

Emily shook her head violently. "I don't know! I swear, Clay, I don't know!"

But the entity laughed, the sound making Clay's blood run cold.

"Lies."

The room darkened, shadows creeping closer. The air grew suffocating. The walls groaned as if the house itself was alive.

Then, from the corner of the room—Lily let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Clay spun around, his heart nearly stopping.

Lily was floating above the floor, her body convulsing, her eyes rolled back into her head.

Emily shrieked, reaching out for her, but an invisible force slammed her against the wall.

Clay lunged forward. "Lily! Hold on, baby! I'm coming!"

The entity's voice rumbled through the air.

"The deal must be honored."

Clay grabbed Lily's hand, pulling with all his strength. "Fight it, Lily! You're stronger than this!"

Lily's lips parted, and a voice—not hers—whispered:

"The end is near."

A powerful gust of wind knocked Clay back, sending him crashing to the floor.

The shadows wrapped around Lily, pulling her further into the darkness.

Clay scrambled to his feet, desperation clawing at his chest.

No. Not again. He would not lose another child.

He turned to the entity, his voice raw with fury. "I will not let you take her!"

The figure stood motionless for a moment. Then—it extended a hand.

"Then bargain with me, Clay."

Clay's breath hitched. "What…?"

Emily gasped from the floor, shaking her head frantically. "No, Clay! Don't listen to him!"

The entity's voice was calm, almost soothing. "You want to save your daughter? Then offer something in return."

Clay's mind raced. He had nothing left to give. No money. No power. Nothing.

Except—

Himself.

His soul.

He clenched his fists, his mind screaming at him to stop. But when he looked at Lily, saw the agony on her tiny face, he knew there was no other choice.

Slowly, he turned back to the entity. His voice was steady, unwavering.

"Take me instead."

The entity remained silent for a long moment. Then—it laughed.

Low. Amused. Dangerous.

"Very well, Clay."

With a flick of its wrist, the shadows released Lily, dropping her to the floor. Emily crawled toward her, sobbing, pulling her into her arms.

Clay felt his body grow cold, his vision blurring. The darkness wrapped around him like chains, tightening, pulling him in.

And then—he was gone.

Emily screamed. Lily clung to her mother, sobbing uncontrollably.

The room fell silent.

The entity was no longer there.

And neither was Clay.

In the stillness that followed, Emily and Lily sat frozen, too afraid to move, too shattered to speak.

Then, from the darkness—

A whisper.

Soft. Haunting.

"A life is still loading."