As her car moved farther from the city, Cassie felt the stillness of the night growing deeper. The road ahead was unlit, and the only source of light was the faint glow from the car's headlights cutting through the thin mist. Her heart raced, but her mind remained focused on one goal: understanding what was really happening and stopping the shadow before it was too late.
Her thoughts drifted back to the strange phone call earlier that morning. The voice on the other end had felt so familiar, as if it had been part of her life longer than she realized. But how could that be? Cassie had never met anyone who matched that voice in real life—except, except in her dreams. All the signs were becoming clearer now—the dreams, the mysterious illness that often left her weak, and now, the real threat standing right before her eyes.