CHAPTER FOUR

As the moon cast an eerie glow on the desolate road, a lone figure pedaled furiously on his bike, enveloped by the shroud of darkness that surrounded him.

Noah wondered why this ananimous person picked the outskirt of town for their meetup.

The silence of the night was only interrupted by the soft clicks of the rotating wheels against the asphalt.

A feeling of unease crept up the Noah's spine, but he brushed it off as mere paranoia in the late hour.

All this was happening to him and him alone, but why? None of this made any sense but he was slightly relieved that he was going to get an idea of how to stop all this.

But then a question crept up his mind. What if this strange guy was the reason why this "thing" was after him. Did he release it by accident or was this all planned so he could get something from him. Who could possibly be responsible?

He was getting a horror movie vibe where they release some kind of creature through an accidental ritual , but how did any of this concerned him. He couldn't remember ever participating in any ritual nor did he make a deal with a demon .

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of movement—a swirling, murky mist that billowed up from the shadows.

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as the mist coalesced into a towering, monstrous figure.

Noah's hands tightened his grip on the handlebars as his bike skidded to a stop, creaking ominously beneath him.

He knew it. It was only a matter of time before it would find him again and just the worst possible time ever.

It looked even more terrifying than the last time he saw it. Was it bigger or was he seeing things?

The figure, with its intimidating size and indistinguishable features, emanated an aura of pure malevolence.

It stood there for a moment, almost as if it were studying Noah, before its eyes bore into his, glimmering with a terrifying intensity. Fear clutched at his throat, making it difficult to even breathe.

Without warning, the figure lunged forward with supernatural speed, closing the gap between them in an instant. Panic surged through his throat as he desperately pedaled away, his heart pounding in his ears.

Adrenaline fueled his muscles, propelling him forward with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Yet the creature's relentless pursuit only became more apparent as the night wore on. It seemed to glide effortlessly along the asphalt, closing in behind Noah who was getting slowly exhausted with every passing second.

The chilling realization set in that he was no match for this incomprehensible force that chased him—a force fueled by murderous intent.

This was not the way he imagined this night to be. Did it somehow found out where he was going to? Could it be that it was trying to stop him . The location was not too far away but he feared he might not make it before the creature catch up to him.

Each time Noah glanced back, he could see the creature's glowing eyes fixated on him as it gained ground.

It's every step seemed unhindered by the constraints of reality, rendering his escape efforts almost futile. But he clung to his bike and to his last remnants of hope, refusing to succumb to the insidious grasp of this otherworldly entity.

As Noah pedaled, his breathing growing more laborious with each passing moment, his mind raced with thoughts of survival.

The very notion of his demise sent shivers coursing through his veins, propelling him to push his body to its very limits.

In a last-ditch effort, the Noah veered sharply into a the woods hoping to lose the creature within the labyrinth of crowded trees

The darkness enshrouded him, concealing his presence as he darted between trees and through narrow vines.

His heart pounded painfully in his chest as he listened for any trace of his pursuer.

But the terrifying figure with its monstrous speed seemed undeterred, effortlessly matching his every move. With every corner turned, every lane of the woods traversed, Noah still could not shake the relentless pursuit. His body ached, his muscles screamed in protest, yet he carried on, driven by a sheer will to survive.

Finally, convinced that he could not escape this inhuman predator, Noah made a split-second decision.

Abandoning his bike, he darted into a deeper into the forest, hoping to lose himself within its depths. As he stumbled through the darkness, his heart raced, aware that his strength was faltering and his hope dwindling to a flicker.

The figure, though shrouded in darkness, appeared at the behind him still closing distance and at a rapid rate, its enormous form silhouetted against the pale moonlight.

With a final surge of effort, Noah fled, unleashing a surge of adrenaline that momentarily replaced his fatigue. Through cobwebbed low branches and dilapidated paths, he ran, praying that this would be his salvation.

As Noah , still running but not as fast as he really wanted to, he could still feel the malevolent presence of the creature lingering behind him.

Sprinting through the dark and desolate forest, his heart pounding in his chest, he realized he had nowhere else to run.

The relentless pursuit of the dark misty creature had driven him to a dead end, with no option left but to face it head-on. Although he knew deep down that he was no match for the colossal monstrosity that loomed before him, but desperation fueled his every move.

Without warning, the creature lunged at him with a speed that defied all logic, its grotesque form tearing through the very essence of the surrounding woods. Trees cracked and splintered as the creature's otherworldly strength reveled in destruction.

Panic coursed through the Noah's veins, but a combination of sheer luck and instinct allowed him to narrowly evade some of the creature's ferocious attacks.

However, his luck ran out when a devastating punch from the creature slammed into him, launching him through a nearby tree.

The impact sent shockwaves of searing pain cascading through his body, leaving him crumpled on the ground, paralyzed and unable to move. Every breath was a struggle as his battered form lay defenseless against the approaching menace.

With each agonizing second, the relentless creature closed in, its malevolence permeating the air.

He was done for. He had tried his very best but somehow it wasn't just enough.

His whole body ached miserably, the impact of the punch and the tree he crashed into was responsible for the agonizing state he was in right now.

Noah knew that his odds were bleak, with no hope of rescue.

He would have been in the comfort of his home if he decided to ignore the unananimous text but he was curious and that got the better of him. Now he was going to pay the price for his stubbornness.

"What do I do?". "Think Noah ! think!".

He was running out of any possible option and time. He paid no attention to the lingering pain he was feeling as he tried desperately to think of a way out of this situation alive.

As fear mingled with resignation, his mind raced, searching for any glimmer of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.

But like the fading rays of sunlight swallowed by night, hope seemed to desert him, leaving him alone in the face of impending doom.

Yet, even in the face of certain death, a flicker of defiance burned within him. Summoning every ounce of strength he had left,

"I can't go down like this ". Tears was already rolling down his eyes. He really didn't want to die .

A thought of his mom and his only sister being left alone if he died fueled him, more than he could ever imagine.

Standing up very slowly supporting himself with the tree behind him, he made one last desperate attempt to fight back against the overwhelming odds.

It may have seemed foolish to some, but to him, this was all he could think of . Just maybe , luck would shine on him and make him survive this even if it meant not winning against but at least make it out of this forest alive.

With his fist folded, he got into a defensive fighting stance. The last thing he wanted to do was to get hit again by that punch. He would definitely die if that punch collided with his body once more. His eyelids was getting heavier as he struggled to stay conscious, blood rolling down his face . His legs was doing a tremendous effort just keeping him standing .

As the creature loomed closer, fueled by anticipation and malice, Noah gritted his teeth and tightened his fist ready to face his fate head-on.

Driven by nothing but the instinct to survive was the only reason why he hadn't collapsed to the ground .

His eyes kept shifting swiftly around his surrounding looking for a way to win.. He was unarmed unlike his opponent who had immensely inhuman physical abilities creating a huge gap between them , making winning seem like a desperate wish .

Then without warning yet again so the creature charged at him once more as Noah's eye widened .

To be continued