The Man in the Shadows | Vol 1, Story 1

As the sun set over the small town of Willow Creek, Rachel pulled her coat tighter around her body and quickened her pace...

As the sun set over the small town of Willow Creek, Rachel pulled her coat tighter around her body and quickened her pace. She had always found the deserted streets at night unsettling, but tonight they seemed especially eerie. The only sound was the crunching of leaves under her feet and the distant howling of a wolf.

Rachel had almost reached her front door when she heard it. A faint scratching sound, coming from the bushes beside her house. She froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Was it an animal, or something more sinister?

Slowly, she inched closer to the bushes, peering into the darkness. At first, she saw nothing. But as her eyes adjusted, she spotted a figure crouched in the shadows. It was a man, his eyes glowing with a sinister light.

Rachel let out a scream and ran for the door, fumbling with the keys in her shaking hands. She could hear the man's footsteps behind her, getting closer and closer. Finally, she managed to unlock the door and throw herself inside, slamming it shut and locking it behind her.

But as she turned to catch her breath, she realized the man was already inside, standing just a few feet away. She tried to run, but he was too fast. And as he lunged at her, she knew she was doomed.