Jake wasn’t a fan of the cold, and the empty parking lot of BlackOps Bowling only seemed to amplify his sense of isolation on that freezing night. The biting wind howled furiously, making his coat flap violently as he clutched an almost-empty soda can. The icy metal pressed against his hand, contrasting with the chill that seeped into his skin. The dim lights from the streetlamps cast long, distorted shadows on the stained asphalt, and the few parked cars seemed scattered, as if they were in a distant place, from another world. The silence was absolute, broken only by Amelia’s persistent presence. Bundled in her heavy purple coat, she seemed reluctant to leave, as if every step toward departure was a colossal effort.

— I don’t wanna go home, Jake... — she murmured, her voice muffled by the weight of her emotions. Her fingers were white from gripping the picnic table outside the bowling alley, where Tyler had sat earlier. The wood trembled under the force of her grip, as if it were the only real thing in a world of uncertainty. Amelia adjusted her black beanie, which sat slightly askew, and her pale face was softly illuminated by the faint light of the streetlamps. Her eyes were heavy, as if exhaustion had consumed her, yet a stubborn resistance shone in them, as if she were fighting against some greater, invisible force pushing her inward.

Jake sighed, kicking a stone with his worn-out boots, the dry sound echoing in the heavy silence of the night. The icy wind cut through his skin, piercing his clothes and invading his bones, amplifying the discomfort he already felt.

— I noticed... — he replied, his voice laced with disinterest, more an attempt to mask his exhaustion than to actually care. — But it’s almost midnight... My mom’s already sent a bunch of texts.

Amelia gripped the edge of the table even tighter, as if trying to anchor herself to reality, pushing away the need to leave.

— Your mom’s an angel — Amelia said, her voice taking on an almost childlike tone, as if trying to soften reality with sweet words. But it only made Jake roll his eyes, more at the sweetness of the irony than anything else. — Now, my dad... he’s a pain...

Jake knew she wasn’t exaggerating. The atmosphere at her house was tense, and her father’s presence made things even harder to bear. But this wasn’t the time to dive into that kind of discussion. He took a step forward, reaching out to her, the gesture filled with uncertainty. His body was exhausted, but the worry for his mom, who was alone at home, was urgent.

— We gotta go, right...? — He tried to convince her, lightly tugging at her coat, which seemed more like armor against the world than a regular piece of clothing.

Amelia let out a forced laugh, letting herself be pulled but resisting just enough to frustrate him, as she always did. Her stubbornness was a constant in their interactions, something Jake knew well. She had this knack for keeping things in a constant push-and-pull, as if she never wanted to fully give in.

— You’re a pain too! But you’re a nice pain... — she said with a crooked smile, her beanie slipping even further over her unruly hair, as if she didn’t care about exposing herself a little more to the cold night.

Jake sighed, exasperated, and looked up at the dark, starry sky, his eyes fixing on the distant little lights, as if hoping for some answer or direction, though he knew nothing would come. The quiet around them seemed to swallow his words. He felt a little lost there, in a space between discomfort and emptiness, as if the night were pushing them toward a decision they weren’t ready to make.

— I deserve it... What did you drink, huh? — he asked, trying to lighten the tension with a light jab, but his voice didn’t carry any real expectation of an answer. He just wanted to break the weight dragging between them.

Amelia grabbed Jake’s shoulders, pulling him closer. Her touch, cold as ice, made him instinctively shiver, as if the air around them had turned even colder, cutting through his clothes and reaching his bones. He wasn’t sure if it was her touch or the feeling that something was off that caused the chill.

— I don’t even drink, dumbass... — she replied, her tone softer, as she massaged his shoulders in a way that felt almost tender, but also like she was trying to ease the tension he carried. — But you had Tyler right there in front of you...

Jake recoiled, the discomfort starting to grow inside him, tightening his chest like an invisible hand. He knew exactly where this conversation was heading, and he’d been avoiding it all night, trying to push it away with all his might.

— Here we go... — he muttered, trying to hide the nervousness now taking over his movements, like a ball of fire about to explode. — There’s no one else there, you weirdo...

Amelia laughed, but the laughter was tinged with mischief, a light sound that got lost in the air. But suddenly, something shifted in the atmosphere. The cold, already intense, became cutting, and a shiver ran down Jake’s spine, the feeling that something was about to happen. The wind, which had been howling fiercely, seemed to stop, as if nature itself were holding its breath. Then, a strange sound, like bones breaking and being dragged, echoed through the empty parking lot. The sound tore through the silence with unexpected brutality, and Jake instinctively turned, his senses on high alert, feeling the atmosphere tighten even more around him.

— Jake... am I seeing this? — Amelia asked, her voice trembling, and her hands gripped his arm with desperate force. Her eyes were wide with fear, reflecting a visceral anxiety, as if she were trying to anchor herself to the only person there who still seemed completely grounded in reality.

Before them, three monstrous figures emerged, as if they’d stepped straight out of a visceral nightmare. Their purple and gray skin, partly rotting, peeled off in chunks like melted flesh, leaving behind a trail of sticky liquid that bubbled and boiled as it hit the asphalt. Each creature had multiple mouths, all twisted and filled with sharp teeth, their deformed faces sporting grotesque, misshapen smiles that seemed to snake across their bodies. The air filled with an unbearable stench of death and decay, invading Jake’s lungs with the same brutality with which the creatures advanced. He covered his nose with his hand, trying to block the nauseating odor, but it was impossible. The smell seemed to cling to everything around them.

— What... the hell are those? — Jake whispered, paralyzed by the horrifying sight, panic running hot and fast through his veins. His heart raced, and adrenaline surged uncontrollably through his body, but he was still frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

The creatures moved toward them, advancing with slow but meticulously calculated steps. Each one seemed aware of the fear emanating from Jake and Amelia, as if their presence were a reward to be savored. The creatures’ mouths opened with sadistic pleasure, their sharp teeth glinting under the faint light of the streetlamps, like blades ready to sink into flesh.

— They’re coming this way! Do something, Jake! — Amelia screamed, her voice choked with terror. She stumbled and fell to the ground, her legs weak and unable to bear the weight of her fear.

Jake looked at her, his gaze lost and his chest tight with desperation. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of his throat. He realized he didn’t know what to do; fear consumed him, making every muscle in his body heavy and immobile.

— Are you crazy? What do you want me to do? — he replied, trying to sound firm, but his voice betrayed him, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Then, a female scream cut through the freezing silence, a voice so supernatural and powerful it seemed to come from another world, reverberating through the empty parking lot.

Suddenly, an intense, supernatural red light shone like a beacon from hell, and a blazing portal opened near the corner of the bowling alley. The crimson lights illuminated the parking lot, warming the asphalt and the hearts of Jake and Amelia, as if a sun were rising in the most unexpected place. Jake blinked, stunned, trying to adjust his vision, but what he saw seemed beyond any human comprehension.

From the portal, five figures emerged, shrouded in a mix of shadows and shimmering lights that pulsed and intertwined as if made of pure energy. Jake blinked again, trying to make sense of what was happening, fear and disbelief mixing in his chest. And then, he noticed something that made his heart stop for a second.