Edward sat at his desk, leaning his head against his palms, unable to tear his gaze away from the last line of the journal. “The shadow of the past will always find you.” Those words kept him on his toes. His heart beat faster with each new glance at the paper. He knew that he had long wanted to forget what had happened then, in the past. But now it all seemed to be coming back. And not just coming back – it seemed more present than ever.
The letter and the diary were his only clues. The letter that had come to him with no return address, and the diary that had recorded everything he wanted to forget. Edward couldn’t leave it all behind, no matter how hard he tried. He decided he had to find out who was behind this and what they wanted from him.
That evening, under the cover of night, he went to the old part of town where he had once lived. There were no people like him here – quiet, inconspicuous. It was home to thrill-seekers, those who knew him by name, and those who were involved in events he tried to forget.
In the old part of town, the streets were empty. Only the dim light of the old street lamps illuminated Edward’s path as he walked deeper into the shadows. He headed toward an abandoned building that had once been the center of dark deeds. Now it was hidden behind a tall fence, overgrown with grass and devoid of life.
As he approached the building, he felt a chill engulf his body. This place was part of his past. Here, within these walls, much had been decided. And everything that was here now drew his attention like a magnet. A strange, almost intuitive urge was leading him here.
Edward crept through the hole in the fence and went inside. The building was old, but not ruined. It looked as if time had stopped here. He walked through corridors where the air was heavy and smelled musty. His footsteps echoed off the walls, echoing in the void.
When he reached the large central hall, he saw that there was an old table and a few chairs standing in the shade. On the table was a small box. Edward felt his heart clench as he stepped closer. He didn’t know what exactly was supposed to be in that box, but he felt that it was important. It was something that was going to change everything.
He opened the box. Inside lay another diary, but this one was older, with yellowed pages. He carefully began to read.
“A shadow always comes where you least expect it. But you can’t run away from it. It will follow you until it takes everything you hold dear.”
Edward continued to read, and with each word his nervousness grew. Page after page he read, realizing more and more that this was his own writing. But when he reached the end, he discovered more than just his own name. On the last page were the words, “They will come for you, and you cannot hide.”
It was a prediction. And Edward knew it wasn’t just a mind game.
He stood up abruptly. Something was happening. He was not alone. Somewhere in the shadows, hidden from view, someone was watching him. He sensed it.
Everything went dark for a moment, and memories that he had long tried to forget arose in his mind. Flashes of violence, fear, and longing that kept him awake. He heard footsteps behind him. Someone was coming closer.
The moment he turned, all he saw was a dark figure standing in the doorway.
“You can’t run away from what you’ve done,” the voice said.
