Chapter 1:The Moment Before the End
It was around 7pm when the sky began to dim into a deep shade of blue.
Rain had fallen earlier, leaving the streets damp and reflective under the faint glow of streetlights. People were heading home. Cars passed occasionally. Everything felt normal.
Until it didn’t.
Kairo adjusted his bag as he walked down the narrow street leading to his apartment block. His footsteps echoed softly against the pavement.
He stopped.
Something felt… off.
Not loud. Not obvious.
Just wrong.
He glanced around. Nothing unusual.
Then he heard it.
Voices.
Low. Muffled.
Coming from his building.
Kairo frowned.
“…They’re home early?”
His mother rarely returned before 9pm. His father wasn’t supposed to be home at all.
That left only one person—
“…Lena?”
His younger sister.
A small sense of relief crossed his mind.
Maybe they had visitors. Maybe it was a surprise. Maybe—
He continued walking.
But as he approached the entrance, the voices grew clearer.
And then—
Silence.
Kairo slowed his pace.
He stepped inside the building.
The hallway lights flickered once.
Twice.
Then stabilized.
He climbed the stairs, each step heavier than the last for reasons he couldn’t explain.
When he reached the front of his apartment, he paused.
The voices were coming from inside.
He reached for the door handle.
Stopped.
“…Why does this feel wrong?”
A long breath.
Then he opened the door.
The room was dark.
Too dark.
“Mom?”
No response.
“…Dad?”
Still nothing.
Then—
A sound behind him.
Kairo turned quickly.
The door had shut on its own.
His heartbeat quickened.
“…Okay. That’s not normal.”
He reached for the light switch.
Click.
The lights flickered on.
And that’s when he saw it.
A shadow.
Standing in the living room.
Completely still.
Kairo froze.
“…Who’s there?”
No answer.
The shadow shifted slightly.
Then stepped forward.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And as the figure emerged into the light, Kairo’s breathing stopped.
It wasn’t a stranger.
It was someone he recognized.
“…Lena?”
But something was wrong.
Her eyes.
They were glowing faintly.
Not naturally.
Not human.
And her expression…
Was empty.
Kairo took a step back.
“…Lena, what’s going on?”
She tilted her head.
Then spoke.
But her voice… was distorted.
Layered.
As if more than one voice was speaking at once.
“You shouldn’t have come home.”
Kairo’s instincts screamed at him.
“Lena… stop joking.”
She moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Kairo barely managed to dodge as she struck the wall behind him, leaving a visible crack.
“…That wasn’t normal.”
His breathing became uneven.
“What are you—”
He didn’t finish.
Lena lunged again.
This time, Kairo ran.
He grabbed a chair and threw it behind him, buying a second of distance as he bolted toward the hallway.
His mind raced.
This is not my sister.
This is not real.
He reached the kitchen and grabbed a knife.
His hands were shaking.
“…Lena… if that’s really you… stop.”
Silence.
Then footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Approaching.
She appeared at the doorway.
Standing perfectly still.
Watching him.
Then she smiled.
But it wasn’t his sister’s smile.
“Good.”
Kairo tightened his grip on the knife.
“…Who are you?”
The lights flickered again.
And this time—
They went out
