5

Olivia grabbed my hand, pulling me into the crowd inside. The hall was huge, packed with people dancing and talking, their voices blending with the heavy beat of the music. The disco lights flashed overhead, making everything feel chaotic and alive. “Dance, Bella,” Olivia said, giving me a playful shove. “You look like hell.”

Normally, I would’ve laughed at her bluntness, but not now. My mind was too tangled, spinning with questions about the pillar, the words, the guy who’d let us in. “Maybe I should’ve just stayed home,” I muttered, half to myself.

Olivia shook her head, her curls bouncing. “No, Bella, you’re acting strange,” she said, her voice firm but not unkind. “This place is awesome. Stop overthinking and have fun.”

“Maybe I am,” I said, my voice trailing off. “But did you see that guy? The way he…” I stopped, my words catching in my throat as my eyes landed on something across the room. There was another space, separated from the main hall by thin iron bars, like a cage but open enough to see through. A figure stood there, tall and shadowy, wearing a long, flowing leather robe and matching gloves. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, their face hidden in the dim light. In front of them, kneeling on the floor, was a man. His face was almost covered with a thick, scruffy beard, and his short hair was a mix of gray and white, rough and unkempt. He was so still, like he was waiting for something, his head bowed low.

Before I could process what I was seeing, the standing figure raised their hand, fingers curling as long, sharp claws extended from their gloves, glinting faintly in the light. My breath hitched as they slashed downward in one swift motion, tearing through the man’s neck. His head hit the floor with a dull thud, and I screamed before I could stop myself, the sound ripping out of me.

The figure’s head snapped toward me, their eyes locking onto mine with a force that felt almost inhuman. In that moment, I realized it was a guy, younger than the man he’d just killed, his face cold and unreadable. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst, and my legs felt weak, like they couldn’t hold me up.

For a moment, everything seized. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat, and my hands were shaking as I stood there, frozen. Ethan and Olivia were at my side, their voices urgent, asking, “Bella, what happened? What’s wrong?” But I couldn’t speak. My mouth opened, but no words came out, just a choked sound that didn’t make sense. I pointed a trembling finger to where the guy is still standing, the one in the leather robe who’d just slashed with those claws, his cold eyes locked on mine only seconds ago.

“Bella, there’s nothing there,” Ethan said, his voice soft but firm, like he was trying to talk me down from a ledge. He was looking right at the spot where I was pointing, but his face was all confusion, no fear.

“Wake up, Bella, come on,” Olivia added, her hand gripping my arm. “There’s no one there. You’re freaking out over nothing.”

I looked around, my chest tight, and saw eyes on me—strangers in the crowd, their faces curious or annoyed, probably wondering why I’d screamed like that. My cheeks burned, but I turned back to the place where I’d seen him, the guy with the claws, standing over the man he’d just killed. But he was gone. The space beyond the iron bars was empty, like he’d never been there at all. No robed figure, no kneeling man, no blood, no claws. Just nothing.

“No, no, no,” I said, my voice breaking as I shook my head. “I didn’t imagine this. I saw it. I saw him with my own eyes.” My words came out fast, tripping over each other as my mind spiraled. I could still picture it so clearly—the way the claws had slashed down, the man’s head hitting the floor, the way the guy’s gaze had pinned me in place. It was real, wasn’t it? I wasn’t crazy. I couldn’t be.

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Olivia said, her voice softer now, her eyes wide with worry. She was still holding my arm, and I could tell she was starting to realize I wasn’t joking. This wasn’t just me being dramatic or spacing out like earlier. “Breathe, Bella. It’s okay.”

“C’mon, let’s get you home,” Ethan said, his usual playful tone gone. He sounded serious, almost protective, like he was ready to carry me out of there if he had to. He glanced at Olivia, and she nodded, her lips pressed into a tight line.

“I saw him,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. I didn’t want to move, didn’t want to leave, like staying here might make him reappear, prove I wasn’t losing it. But Olivia’s grip on my arm tightened, and Ethan was already turning toward the door, his shopping bags swinging in his hands.

“Bella, you’re scaring me,” Olivia said, her voice low as she leaned closer. “Whatever you think you saw, it’s not there now. Let’s just go, okay? We’ll figure this out.”

I nodded, even though my head was still spinning. I didn’t want to fight them, didn’t want to make a bigger scene than I already had. The crowd was still watching, some people whispering to each other, and I felt like I was shrinking under their stares. I forced my legs to move, following Ethan as he led the way out, Olivia right beside me. My hands were still shaking, and I clutched my shopping bags so tight the handles dug into my palms.

“Did I imagine it?” I said, mostly to myself, as we pushed through the crowd. “I mean, I saw it, right? The claws, the guy, everything.”