Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8FYEE2TH6W42G59891Z5E

The iron gates groaned as Rory pushed them open, the sound swallowed by the oppressive stillness of Richmond Park. It was past midnight, the moon a sliver hidden behind thick clouds. She shouldn’t have come. Not tonight. But Eva’s urgency—her panicked voice cracking over the phone—left her little choice. The Heartstone Pendant warmed against her skin, a subtle pulse against her collarbone. Rory adjusted the silver chain, the crimson gemstone catching the faint light seeping from the streetlamps beyond the park’s perimeter. She needed to focus. Find Isolde’s grove. Find Eva. The park felt different than she remembered. Rory took a breath, the air thick and heavy, tasting of damp earth and something else... something sickly sweet. She walked along the winding path, crunching over fallen leaves. The wind, which should have rustled through the trees, was absent. An unnatural quiet pressed in on her, amplifying the thud of her own boots. She spotted the standing stones—ancient oak monoliths, gnarled and twisted, marking the edge of the Grove. Even in the dim light, she could feel the shift. A palpable hum resonated in the air, vibrating beneath her skin. This was it. Stepping between the stones felt like wading through water. The temperature dropped instantly, a chill that burrowed deep into her bones. The park vanished. Gone were the distant city lights, the muffled sounds of traffic. The air grew heavy with the perfume of wildflowers, an overwhelming fragrance that made her head spin. The Grove unfolded before her—a clearing bathed in an ethereal, silvery light despite the absent moon. Wildflowers sprawled across the ground in impossible profusion, blooming in colors she couldn't name. Towering trees formed a protective circle around the clearing, their branches intertwining overhead, obscuring the sky. It was beautiful, otherworldly... and profoundly unsettling. "Eva?" Rory called out, her voice sounding strangely small in the vast stillness. Only silence answered. She took a tentative step forward, the wildflowers brushing against her jeans. Each bloom seemed to possess an unnatural vibrancy, their petals shimmering with an iridescent sheen. The Heartstone warmed noticeably, vibrating against her chest. A rustle in the undergrowth. Rory froze, her hand instinctively reaching for the small, heavy keyring in her pocket. “Hello?” Nothing. Just the unsettling stillness. She moved deeper into the clearing, scanning the shadows. Every twisted branch, every gnarled root seemed to take on a vaguely humanoid shape. Her breath hitched in her throat. It was just her imagination, she told herself. The darkness playing tricks. Another sound. This time closer. A soft, rhythmic clicking, like polished stone against stone. It seemed to be coming from behind one of the larger trees. Rory moved closer, her heart hammering against her ribs. As she peered around the trunk, she saw… nothing. Just a wall of tangled vines and shadow. “Eva, this isn’t funny,” Rory muttered, her voice trembling slightly. She felt a prickle of unease crawl up her spine. This wasn’t like Eva’s usual brand of chaotic humor. This felt… wrong. The clicking sound started again, louder now. It was definitely coming from somewhere near her. Rory spun around, searching the perimeter of the clearing. A flicker of movement at the edge of her vision. A dark shape darting between the trees. “Who’s there?” Rory demanded, forcing herself to sound more confident than she felt. Silence. She took a step forward, then another. The Heartstone pulsed urgently, a frantic rhythm against her skin. The air grew colder, the sweet floral scent almost cloying. Something shifted in the shadows. Not a quick darting movement this time, but a slow, deliberate repositioning. Rory strained her eyes, trying to make out what it was. A shape began to coalesce from the darkness. Tall and slender, vaguely humanoid, but with an unsettling fluidity to its form. It seemed to ripple and distort, its edges blurring into the surrounding shadows. Rory gasped, stumbling backward. She couldn't make out any distinct features, just a vague impression of elongated limbs and a head that tilted at an impossible angle. The clicking sound intensified, emanating from the creature. It wasn’t random, she realized. It was a pattern. A rhythm. It sounded almost… deliberate. Rory swallowed hard, her mouth dry. She wanted to run, to bolt back through the standing stones and escape back into the mundane world of Richmond Park. But her feet felt rooted to the ground. Paralyzed by a primal fear she hadn’t known she possessed. The creature began to move, gliding silently toward her through the wildflowers. Its form remained indistinct, a shifting mass of shadow. She could feel its gaze on her even though she couldn't see its face. A feeling of intense scrutiny, cold and alien. Rory fumbled for her keyring, her fingers slick with sweat. The metal felt cold and reassuring in her grip. “Stay back,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. The creature continued to glide forward, its movements unnervingly graceful. The clicking sound grew louder, closer. Rory could feel the vibrations in her chest. A new sound joined the clicking. A soft, breathy sigh, like air escaping from a punctured lung. It seemed to come from all around her, swirling in the air like a tangible presence. The Heartstone flared, bathing the clearing in a crimson glow. The wildflowers recoiled, their petals curling inward. The air crackled with energy. Rory felt a surge of adrenaline, a desperate need to escape. She turned and fled, crashing through the wildflowers, blindly heading towards the standing stones. The creature didn’t pursue her immediately. But the clicking sound followed her, a relentless, echoing rhythm that seemed to burrow into her mind. As she neared the standing stones, Rory glanced back. The creature was still there, standing motionless at the edge of the clearing, silhouetted against the ethereal light. It raised a long, slender arm, pointing directly at her. And then, it clicked. A single, deliberate click that resonated deep within her bones. A sound that seemed to promise something terrible.