Chapter 1 Shadow of Blackwood

Evelyn had just woken her up from her nightmare. Her chest was constricted, and her heart was pounding fast. Her hands shook wildly, the sheets wrapping around her legs as if holding onto her. She lay there for some time, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream that still lingered above her like an omen.

Light and labored were her breaths. She rubbed her eyes, trying to compose herself in front of the world. The room was quiet, still, and silent, with no sound but her rapid breathing and the squeaks of the house. Long and eerie, the moonbeams stretched down through the curtain onto the floor.

Everything was familiar to her-the carpet worn underfoot, the pile of books on the table-but tonight, nothing was right. She couldn't think: the dream was still there, above her like a cloud. The forest of her dreams?

No, not as she knew it. It's dark.

This is a perversion. The trees... They were bad. They weren't just trees. She felt like she was being watched. Wait. And the wolves... She had never seen one like it before. The red eyes glowed in the darkness and followed her every move.

She could feel his breath on the back of her neck, warm and heavy, with almost every step she took. Her stomach twisted with fear. She took her feet off the bed and placed them on the cold floor. She tried to breathe, to calm down. She walked to the window, gripping the lock with her hands until she finally let go. The air outside was cool and refreshing against her skin, but the night was different.

The night was surprisingly still. The forest was visible just beyond the courtyard, its outlines clear in the moonlight. Usually, it was quiet; you could just watch the trees whisper in the wind. But tonight it was like a horror movie. The shadows between the trees moved as if they were alive.

She shook her head, trying to clear her head. It's just a dream. Well heard. But the scream broke the silence. The sounds began to become soft and distant, like the howling of a distant wind. Then the noise grew louder and faster. It started soft, almost like a distant whisper, but it grew louder and louder. The voice sent shivers down his spine. "Evelyn?"

The voice made him jump. Steve!

His eyes moved to the door. There it was, his silhouette silhouetted against the light, worry written all over his face. The same expression he always had when he knew something was wrong but wasn't sure how serious it was.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, as if he didn't want to interrupt something so simple. Evelyn's breathing had stopped, still shaky. She couldn't explain. "Yes. Just..." It was a bad dream. She didn't believe it. She saw it in his face. He entered the room, his tall figure blocking the door. "I heard you scream."

Evelyn's throat was dry. She didn't know what to say. "It wasn't just a dream," he said. Steve raised an eyebrow, looking very serious now. "Who do you think?"

She ran, she said, looking out the window as if the answer might be there. "Through the forest." But it wasn't like she knew them. The trees were different. Wonderful. Very close. And the wolves... He paused, feeling his pulse quicken again. - Their eyes...-And they were real. "I could feel them. If they were right behind me

Steve gritted his teeth. He didn't answer right away; he just stared out the window with his eyes closed. Then he asked, "Are you sure they were wolves?" Evelyn frowned. "What else could they be?"

Steve didn't answer. He walked over to the window, staring out at the night. "I don't know," he finally said, but the way his voice sounded made her stomach churn.

Before Evelyn could ask what he meant, a scream ripped through the air, closer this time. She froze. Steve suddenly came back.

"Stay here," he ordered in a tense voice.

"What's going on?" Evelyn asked breathlessly. "Wolves don't come this close to town."

"I don't know," Steve replied, his face serious.

He ran a hand through his hair, visibly nervous. "But I didn't want to take any chances."

The screams pierced the night again, sharp and urgent. His nerves were on edge.

"Stay with me," Steve told her, clasping her hand and pulling her toward the door. "No matter what's going on, don't stop."

"Don't turn around."

Evelyn nodded, her mouth dry, her heart pounding. She said nothing. She didn't need to. She simply followed him to the door.

The cold hit him like a slap, but he hardly noticed. Screams echoed around them, coming from all sides. They rushed towards the car parked in the street, but something was wrong.

They couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. And then they saw him. A figure stood beside the car, its red eyes glowing like fire in the darkness. Evelyn stopped suddenly. "It's them," she whispered. Steve's body tensed, his grip on her hand tightening. "Let me go," he shouted in a low, defensive voice.

The creature took a step forward, revealing dark, mottled fur, its teeth bared in the moonlight. It made no sound, but its eyes... Those eyes stared at Evelyn, watching her.

Steve didn't hesitate as he approached, lowering his body like a warrior preparing for an attack. "You don't," he complained. The creature's lip curled, revealing sharp teeth, and it rushed toward her.

And then the world exploded. Evelyn couldn't even breathe, didn't move, or think-it had all happened too fast. She saw Steve crash into the wolf, a vague mass of fur and limbs. But the wolf stopped.

He looked at her. For a moment, time stood still. She heard a strange noise. Something deep, something she couldn't explain. The wolf didn't just stare at him. I knew it. And then everything went black.