章 52: Shadows in the Garden

"Why…why won't you just let me go?" Sarah's voice shook, her words trembling as she ran, her breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps.

The creature's mocking laughter echoed in her ears, cold and chilling. "Because you belong here, Sarah," it whispered. "You belong to the shadows now."

She could feel its presence looming closer, as if it was breathing down her neck, each step she took pulling her deeper into a world where light couldn't break through. Her heart raced, each beat pounding in her ears as she stumbled forward, desperate to find an escape. Every corner she turned, every twisted path she took, felt like it led her in circles.

Suddenly, she spotted a narrow path, half-hidden beneath the shadows of tall, ancient trees. Her instincts screamed at her to avoid it, but something else – a strange pull in her heart – urged her forward. She could sense…something. Maybe hope, maybe danger, but it was her only choice.