The cold bite of the alley air did little to distract Michael from the icy dread creeping up his spine. He hadn't seen it, not truly, but the oppressive weight in the shadows, the absolute stillness that had fallen over the usually bustling street, told him everything he needed to know. It was there. Its presence a tangible pressure against his back. He dared not look. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but his feet felt cemented to the grimy pavement. The lone streetlight above flickered, casting his trembling form in an unsteady glow, while behind him, the darkness deepened, swirling into something impossibly vast. He could feel its gaze, two points of light burning holes in the back of his skull. A whispered, raspy breath seemed to brush his ear, a sound that wasn't sound, but pure, concentrated terror. He closed his eyes, praying it was a dream, knowing it wasn't. The city had its monsters, and tonight, he was its prey.
