Chapter 5 Scared of your own shadow

"How?" Williams asked, his green eyes wide with a flicker of admiration. For a brief moment, I saw myself in that gaze-the same look I had once worn when I was twelve, still naive enough to believe Anthony Hawkins could do no wrong.

It was the last time I ever looked at him like that.

"I'm still figuring it out," Anthony said. "That's why Kate's here. I need the three of you to look out for one another until this is over."

"Let us come with you," Alexandra said firmly, stepping forward.

Anthony lowered his head for a moment, his voice barely audible. "Not yet, Alex." Then louder, with the full weight of a father's worry, "You have to understand-this demon is no joke. It's powerful, unpredictable. I can't risk you being caught in the middle. Any of you." His eyes settled on me as he extended a hand. A peace offering. I hesitated, then took it.

"I don't want any of you hurt," he added.

"You don't have to worry," Alexandra said, voice steady.

Anthony gave a quiet laugh. "I'll always worry. That's the deal. I'm your father." He turned toward her, his hand still resting on my shoulder. Williams noticed it. His jaw clenched slightly.

"You know," Anthony continued, glancing at Alexandra, "the last time we were all together... we didn't exactly part on the best terms."

"Yes, sir," she said softly, the tension in her posture easing.

He gave a slow nod, like he was releasing something that had weighed him down for too long. When he looked at her again, his eyes were glazed with something dangerously close to tears. "It's good to see you again. It's been too long."

"Way too long," she agreed.

When he finally released me and pulled her into a tight embrace, I instinctively stepped back, giving them space. Watching them together felt like standing on the outside of a glass wall-close enough to see the warmth, but too far to feel it. For years it had been just Mom and me. Now... it was just me.

I shifted uncomfortably. Williams caught the movement. His gaze flickered to me-guarded, unreadable. It wasn't cold exactly, but it wasn't welcoming either. His walls were up. And judging by the look on his face, it would take a sledgehammer to knock them down.

John-or rather, Anthony-barely had time to face Williams when it happened.

He was yanked into the air as if by an invisible wire and flung backward. I screamed.

"Dad!" Alexandra shouted-then she, too, was lifted and slammed into the dresser. Williams was next, thrown like a ragdoll into the coffee table.

"What the hell-?!" I choked out, spinning to look for the source. That's when I saw them-flickering shadows dancing unnaturally along the walls. Not just darkness, but entities. Shapes.

And then-bam.

I felt the impact before I understood it. The air left my lungs as I was thrown into the drywall. A sharp crack split the silence before the world dimmed around me.

When I came to, it was only a few seconds later. The room swam as my vision cleared, but one thing cut through the blur: Anthony's screams. Raw and desperate.

I scrambled to my knees. My head throbbed, but adrenaline pushed me to move.

Across the room, Anthony was pinned against the cabinets, writhing as razor-sharp claws made of shadow carved into him. Nearby, Alexandra and Williams struggled to rise, only to be slammed down again by unseen forces.

"NO!" I shouted, stumbling forward.

But before I could get far, I was hurled again-this time into something solid, but not a wall. It was Williams. We hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of both of us. He recovered first, grabbing my arms as I teetered on the edge of the open window.

"What are these things?" I gasped.

Williams didn't answer. He just pushed to his feet again, only to be knocked back once more.

Across the room, Alexandra dove for a canvas bag on the floor. "Close your eyes!" she yelled. "They're shadow demons-light's the only thing that works!"

Shadow demons? What the hell were we even fighting?

Before I could react, Williams yanked me down beside him. My hip collided with the floor as he covered me with his arm and shielded my face.

Then came the light-blinding, searing. Even through closed eyes, it was almost too much.

And just like that, the screams stopped.

Smoke filled the room. I coughed, struggling to breathe. Williams helped me sit up, keeping his hand steady on my back.

"I'm fine," I tried to say, but the words turned into a deep, hacking cough.

He didn't answer-his focus was on the smoldering room, on the silence that followed the chaos.

"Dad!" he called out.

I couldn't hear Anthony's response, but Williams stumbled toward the door.

I crawled, feeling along the walls until my fingers brushed my bag. I grabbed it, then bumped into Alexandra. She caught me by the jacket and steadied me. Through slitted eyes, I could see her nod once.

Together, the four of us limped toward the door-toward whatever the hell came next.