I closed eyes tightly shut against tears still flowing freely down cheeks and listened intently—allowing notes wash over me like waves crashing upon shore during stormy seas.

And in that moment knew: nothing would ever be same again. Not for myself nor anyone else fortunate enough survive this day's events unscathed physically if not emotionally.

For we had all borne witness cosmic horror defying comprehension—and been forever changed by experience...

I woke up to darkness—thick, oppressive—and a throbbing pain in my head that felt like someone was hammering nails behind my eyes.

"Maria?" My voice echoed through the void as if swallowed whole by some unseen force. Panic surged within me; cold sweat beaded along spine despite chill permeating every fiber of being.

No response came save for distant drip-drop sound echoing ominously around us—water perhaps, or something far worse.

I tried moving but found myself restrained—not physically bound so much as held fast by unseen forces pressing down upon me from all sides. Fear gripped heart tightly in icy fist; breath hitched sharply within lungs.

"Maria?" I called out again louder this time desperation creeping into tone—pleading now rather than questioning.

Still nothing save that infernal dripping sound growing ever closer...

Then, a faint glow materialized before my eyes—a soft pulsating light emanating from some unknown source. It grew brighter slowly at first then faster until it illuminated our surroundings: we were trapped within what appeared to be an abandoned subway tunnel—one long forgotten by time and man alike.

And there she was...Maria huddled against far wall, knees drawn up tight beneath chin; eyes wide with terror staring straight ahead but seeing nothing.

"Jesus," I whispered hoarsely as relief washed over me briefly before giving way once more to dread. "What happened?"

She didn't answer—not right away—and when finally she did her voice came out barely above whisper: "'It's...it was the building, Elias."

"What do you mean?" But even asking felt foolish; I knew already what had transpired here—had seen it myself through eyes now forever haunted by such horrors.

"The tower," Maria continued slowly as if each word pained her greatly. "When we were inside...something happened to us." She paused then looked at me finally, tears streaming down cheeks glistening under eerie glow of our mysterious light source.

"It's like it took control—twisted everything around until there was nothing left but darkness and pain."

I nodded grimly recalling all too vividly how reality had warped within that hellish place; shadows writhing with malevolent intent while unseen forces sought to rend apart very fabric of existence itself.

"And now?" I asked softly, already knowing answer yet needing confirmation nonetheless.

Maria shook her head slowly. "'I don't know," she admitted helplessness resonating deeply in those three simple words."We're trapped here...lost amidst madness."

As if on cue the dripping sound grew louder still—closer—and something moved within shadows cast by our pulsating light source.

"What is that?" Maria whispered fearfully as we both stared intently towards disturbance.

I had no answer—not then, not ever—but whatever it was drew nearer with each passing moment; its form becoming increasingly discernible amidst gloom surrounding us...

And when finally revealed in all grotesque glory I wished fervently for ignorance once more.

It stood tall—taller even than any man could hope to achieve naturally—and gaunt as if starvation had ravaged flesh from bone. Its skin hung loose and pale, almost translucent beneath flickering light; veins pulsating visibly just below surface like worms burrowing through earth.

But worst of all were eyes: milky orbs staring blankly ahead yet seeming somehow aware nonetheless—focused intently upon us with predatory hunger.

"Y'golonac," I whispered reverence lacing tone despite revulsion churning within gut. For this was no mere man but something far more sinister—a cosmic entity whose influence had warped our world into twisted reflection of its own dark desires.

Maria looked at me confusion etched deeply onto features still damp from tears shed moments prior.

"Who?"

"Not who," I corrected grimly, "'What." And then proceeded to explain everything—every gruesome detail gleaned thus far about this malevolent force now stalking us through darkness like some spectral predator tracking prey across endless night.

She listened intently throughout my tale; eyes wide with disbelief and terror as realization dawned upon her slowly but surely.

"So we're...we’re trapped here?" she asked finally when I'd finished speaking, voice barely above whisper once more. "'With that thing?"

I nodded solemnly—no use sugarcoating truth now.

"We have to find a way out," Maria declared resolutely despite fear still lingering within her gaze."Before it finds us."

But even as words left lips we both knew chances slim; could feel unseen forces pressing down upon shoulders heavy with despair. Yet there was no other choice but try—no alternative save surrendering ourselves willingly into hands of this cosmic horror.

And so together, hand in hand amidst darkness and dread, Maria Hernandez & I began our descent deeper still...into madness that awaited us below.

Our footsteps echoed ominously through tunnel as we moved cautiously forward; each step bringing ever closer to whatever fate lay hidden within shadows cast by pulsating light source guiding path ahead.

Yet despite all odds stacked against them—despite knowing full well what horrors lurked just beyond reach of sight—I couldn't help but feel a glimmer hope burning brightly deep inside chest. For even amidst such despair there existed something far stronger: love—for Maria, for humanity—and an unyielding determination to protect both from forces seeking their destruction.

No matter how dark the night; no matter what terrors awaited us in abyss below—we would face them together side by side...and perhaps just maybe emerge victorious against all odds.

I woke up to darkness—no, not just dark; absolute blackness that pressed against my eyes like a physical force trying its damnedest to squeeze through sockets and into skull.

My head throbbed with each heartbeat as if someone had taken an axe swing at it. I reached out tentatively only for hands met resistance—a cold surface slick under touch.

"Hello?" My voice echoed back, hollow yet distorted by the confines of this...this whatever-the-hell-it-was place where light couldn't penetrate.

No response came save my own ragged breathing echoing ominously around me. Panic clawed at throat but I swallowed it down—hard—and forced myself to think rationally.

"Alright," whispered aloud, more for reassurance than anything else since there was no one here besides yours truly and the darkness itself seemed an unlikely conversationalist.

I began feeling along walls slowly; each inch gained brought new revelations about my surroundings. They were smooth—too perfectly so—and curved inward slightly as if I stood inside some massive cylinder.

"Great," muttered sarcastically, "a fucking spaceship."

But no sooner had words left mouth than reality itself seemed to twist mockingly around them.

A sudden chill swept through me—not from without but within; a coldness that seeped into bones and froze marrow solid. And then came the whispers—soft at first before growing louder until they filled every corner of this godforsaken place.

They spoke in tongues unknown yet somehow familiar, each syllable resonating deep inside chest cavity where heart beat wildly against ribcage.

I clutched ears tightly shut but couldn't block out their insidious voices; instead felt them vibrating through flesh and bone directly into brain itself. They whispered secrets long forgotten by man—things best left undisturbed in the abyss of time.

"Stop it!" screamed, dropping to knees as pain lanced behind eyes like shards glass driven deep.

But they didn't stop—they never stopped—and now I could see them too: writhing forms twisting through shadows cast off by unseen light sources. Their bodies contorted unnaturally; limbs elongated and bent at impossible angles while heads split open revealing rows upon row of teeth dripping with ichor.

"Get away from me!" cried out, scuttling backwards until pressed against wall once more.

But they didn't listen—they never listened—and now one loomed over me its face inches from mine. Its eyes were pools blacker than any night imaginable; galaxies swirled within those depths threatening to pull soul under their gravity.

"Who are you?" rasped, voice barely audible above cacophony of whispers.

It smiled—if such a thing could be called that—and opened mouth wide revealing rows upon row teeth filed down into needle-sharp points. From between them issued forth words spoken in language both ancient and alien:

"We...are the forgotten," it hissed softly before leaning closer still until hot breath washed over face like steam from some putrid corpse.

"Those cast aside by your kind long ago—banished to realms beyond mortal comprehension."

I shrank back further, terror gripping heart tight as vise. "What do you want?"

Its grin widened revealing more of those horrific teeth; saliva dripped onto floor between us sizzling like acid on stone.

"You," it said simply before lunging forward jaws snapping shut mere inches from nose.