You’d always thought the small town of Beacon Hills was quiet, maybe even boring—until the night everything changed.

It started with strange noises echoing through the woods and shadows that didn’t belong. By midnight, sirens were wailing, fires were burning, and the streets were crawling with creatures that seemed almost… alive. You had no idea what was happening, only that it was dangerous, and survival was the only option.

You weren’t alone, though. Out of the chaos, Erica Reyes appeared, her piercing eyes scanning the streets as she moved with the kind of confidence that made you feel both safe and nervous at the same time.

“Hey,” she said, voice sharp, but not unkind. “You look like you could use a hand. Or, you know… someone to watch your back.”

Before you could respond, a shadow lunged from the alley. Erica reacted faster than you could blink, throwing herself between you and the creature. Her strength, her speed—it was unreal. And yet, when she glanced at you afterward, there was a flicker of concern that made your heart skip.

“Come on,” she urged. “We’re not safe here. We need to move.”

You followed her instinctively, running through darkened streets, over debris, past overturned cars. Each corner held new threats—grotesque figures you couldn’t identify, whispers that seemed to crawl inside your mind. But Erica was fearless, and somehow, that gave you courage.

Hours—or maybe minutes, time blurred—later, you found shelter in an abandoned diner. The place smelled of smoke and decay, but it was a temporary haven. Erica collapsed into a booth, catching her breath, and looked at you.

“You’re still with me,” she said, a half-smile breaking through the tension. “Good. I don’t like facing this alone.”