CHAPTER 4

 

Echoes of the Past

 

Lila stood frozen in the aftermath of the chaotic encounter, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum echoing through the hollow silence. The room felt larger now, as if the walls were closing in on her, the weight of the shadows pressing down.

 

 

“Think, What do I do now?” she murmured to herself, pacing in circles, her mind racing, her memories still fragmented, like pieces of a shattered mirror reflecting a reality she couldn’t fully grasp.

 

She made her way toward the door. She could still sense that the shadowy figures were lingering, waiting for a chance to strike again.

 

Just as she reached for the doorknob, a blaring siren wailed outside, cutting through her thoughts. “Great,” she muttered under her breath, stepping back into the room. “Just what I need. More problems.” Maybe they had triggered a silent alarm?

 

With no other choice, Lila took a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating, urging herself to remember the faint memories of how she had teleported before. She envisioned the bar, the chaos, the adrenaline—everything that had brought her here.

 

“I just need to focus!” she whispered, her voice trembling. She remembered the bathroom mirror that had taunted her, the dead body still haunting her thoughts. “I can do this.”

 

In a flash, she felt the familiar sensation of being pulled through a tight tunnel. Light swirled around her, colors blending and shifting like a kaleidoscope. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the world around her snapped into focus.

 

She stumbled forward, nearly losing her balance. The sound of the sirens faded, replaced by a more familiar backdrop: the motel parking lot. She had made it back—somehow.

 

Lila glanced around, her heart racing. There was no sign of the figures, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were still hunting her. With a shaky breath, she darted toward the car, determined to get the hell out of here.

 

Lila sat on the driver's seat, staring into space, terrified. “H-he can't be gone” she muttered. Her fingers trailed along the steering wheel.

 

The black diamond on her ring suddenly shone red, and Jerry’s terrified face appeared as he materialized onto the passenger seat, his eyes wide and searching. “Blood girl-—Lila?!!”

 

“JERRY!” Lila gasped, relief flooding through her as she stepped out of the car. “We need to go. Now!”

 

“What the hell happened?” Jerry asked, stepping out as well, panic lacing his voice. “You just vanished! One minute you were here, and then I—”

 

“Not now, Jerry! Just drive!” Lila interrupted, the urgency in her voice leaving no room for debate. She could feel the weight of his questions pressing down on her, but she couldn’t afford to think about anything else right now.

 

As Jerry pulled out of the parking lot, Lila glanced in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see the shadowy figures trailing them. “Where to?” he asked, his knuckles white against the steering wheel.

 

“Anywhere but here,” Lila replied, biting her lip anxiously.

Minutes passed in tense silence, each tick of the clock amplifying Lila’s anxiety. The city blurred past them, neon lights flickering like the chaos in her mind.

 

“What’s the key for?” Jerry asked, stealing glances at her. “It seems important.”

 

“It… it’s complicated,” she stammered, trying to piece together the words. “I think it’s connected to what happened last night. Those freaks wanted it.”

 

“The bloody lady stuff?” he pressed, his curiosity bubbling to the surface. “What are we even dealing with here?”

 

“Listen, I don’t have all the answers. I just need to figure it out,” she replied, frustration edging into her voice. “Can you just trust me for a minute?”

 

Jerry opened his mouth, probably to say more, but before he could respond, a loud crash echoed from behind them. Lila whipped around to see a black SUV barreling toward them, lights flashing like a predator stalking its prey.

 

“Drive faster!” she commanded, panic seeping into her voice.

 

Jerry pressed the gas, but the SUV gained on them. “What the hell is going on?” he shouted, sweat beading on his forehead.

 

“We need to lose them!”

 

“Easy for you to say!” Jerry exclaimed, weaving through traffic. “I’m not a bloody superhero!”

 

“Just trust me!” Lila urged, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. As the SUV closed in, she focused her mind. “I think I can do it again!”

 

“What do you mean?” Jerry glanced at her, his expression a mix of confusion and fear.

 

“Just—hold on!” she shouted. With a deep breath, she concentrated, picturing a safe place away from the chaos around them.

 

In a flash of blinding light, they were gone.

 

The world spun around them, and the sensation of being pulled through time and space engulfed her. But this time, something felt different. The energy was stronger, more intense. Lila squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the sensation, hoping it would lead them somewhere safe.

 

When the world stopped spinning, she opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit alley, the smell of damp pavement filling her senses. “Did it work?” she whispered, glancing around.

 

“Where are we?” Jerry asked, looking bewildered.

 

“Not sure,” Lila admitted, her heart racing. “But it feels… familiar.”

 

Before she could say more, a figure stepped out from the darkness, eyes gleaming with recognition. “Lila Darnell?” she asked and dropped the cigarette down and stepped on it “I thought you were dead?”

 

Lila’s heart sank. “Who are you?” she demanded, stepping protectively in front of Jerry, the last time someone called her Lila they attacked her.

 

The figure stepped closer, a smirk playing on her lips. “It's me, Saidy.”

 

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