The phone call came in the dead of night, shattering the tranquility of my existence. The voice on the other end was frantic, breathless. It was my best friend, Mark. He was a man of few words, but the fear in his voice was palpable.

"Meet me at our old hideout. Something's happened," he whispered urgently.

My heart raced as I fumbled to dress, my mind spinning with a thousand possibilities. Mark was never one to panic, so whatever had transpired must be serious. The moon cast an eerie glow on the deserted streets as I made my way to our secret spot, a dilapidated warehouse on the outskirts of town.

As I approached, I saw Mark standing near the entrance, his face pale and eyes wide with terror. He motioned for me to follow him inside, and without a word, we stepped into the darkness.

Inside, the air was heavy with an indescribable sense of dread. The flickering light of a single flashlight revealed a scene straight out of a...