Excerpt
The Old River Road
The Old River Road: A Journey into Darkness Old River Road had always been a place of fear after nightfall. The rumors never stopped—whispers about kidnappings, strange disappearances, and something sinister lurking in the dark. The silence of the road was suffocating, like it swallowed up all sound. It was as if anyone brave—or foolish—enough to walk it would be at the mercy of something far worse than they could imagine. That evening, around 8 pm, Tommy and I were making our way home. Our friend Thomas had begged us to stay the night at his house, advising us to leave in the morning for our safety. "It’s safer," he had warned, but Tommy was quick to dismiss his advice, insisting that we’d be fine. We had walked that road countless times before. Still, as we stepped into the darkness, a sense of unease gnawed at me, one I couldn’t shake. The road stretched out in front of us, flanked by half-finished buildings and thick, looming bushes. I had walked this path many times, but tonight felt different. It wasn’t just the deepening night—it was the air. It felt too still, too heavy, as though the world itself was holding its breath. "Quiet, isn’t it?" Tommy’s voice broke through the silence, but there was a sharpness in it I hadn’t heard before. I nodded, though I didn’t say anything. We kept walking, our footsteps echoing in the stillness. The further we went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became, as if the road itself was alive, squeezing tighter with each step. Suddenly, from the bushes, a faint rustling sound broke through the silence. My heart skipped a beat. "Did you hear that?" I asked, glancing nervously at Tommy. He smirked, a strange and unsettling grin. "Relax," he said with a calmness that felt too forced. "It’s just the wind." But I wasn’t so sure. Something was off tonight—something more dangerous than the tales of the road could explain. My eyes flickered toward the dark windows of the unfinished buildings. They seemed to be watching, waiting. "Maybe Thomas was right," I muttered under my breath. Tommy chuckled lowly. "He’s always overreacting," he said, his smile widening. But there was something colder about that smile, something unsettling. A chill ran down my spine. I quickened my pace, eager to get home, but the rustling returned, louder this time, closer, like someone—or something—was watching us. I froze. "Tommy, did you hear that?" He stopped, but instead of looking concerned, his face turned dark. His eyes glinted with an expression I couldn’t quite place. "It’s time you knew the truth," he said in a low voice, almost a whisper. "What do you mean?" My heart raced, dread creeping up my throat. Tommy turned fully to face me now, his earlier smirk replaced by something far colder, far more calculated. "This road isn’t dangerous because of the rumors, or the kidnappings, or the disappearances," he said slowly. "It’s dangerous because I made it that way." I stared at him, speechless. "What are you talking about?" "I control this road," he said, his voice chillingly calm. "The disappearances, the fear, the stories—they all started with me. This road is my domain. My playground." I stumbled backward, my mind struggling to comprehend his words. "That’s impossible." "Oh, but it’s not," Tommy said, taking a step closer. His eyes gleamed with something dark. "You’ve passed through here many times, but tonight is different. Tonight, you’re not just passing through." Panic surged within me. "What do you mean? Why—?" Before I could finish, the air around us seemed to change. It grew colder, darker. Shadows crawled out from the bushes, twisting unnaturally, as if they were responding to Tommy’s every word. My breath caught in my throat. "You see," Tommy continued, his voice smooth and steady, "the road answers to me. It takes whatever I want it to take and lets go of whatever I choose. It’s been mine for years. I’m the reason no one comes here after dark." I took another step back, my legs trembling beneath me. "Why are you telling me this?" Tommy’s smile was icy, and it sent a wave of terror through me. "Because tonight, I’m done hiding. And, unfortunately for you, you’re not leaving." The shadows around us pulsed with his words, closing in like a living, breathing entity. I stumbled backward, but it was too late. The darkness closed in on me, and the last thing I saw was Tommy’s cold, victorious smile. He had been the real danger all along. The road had never just been a road. It was Tommy’s. And tonight, it had claimed me too.
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