Emma's heart was racing like a runaway train as she stood frozen in fear. The whispering seemed to come from all around her, echoing off the walls.
"You'll never escape," the voice whispered again.
Emma spun around, desperate to find the source of the voice. But there was no one there.
Suddenly, the lights in the gas station began to flicker. Emma's skin crawled as she realized that she was not alone.
The whispering grew louder, more urgent. Emma felt like she was being pulled towards the voice, like a moth to a flame.
She took a step forward, her heart pounding in her chest. And then, she saw it.
A door, hidden behind a shelf. The whispering seemed to be coming from the other side.
Emma's curiosity got the better of her. She pushed open the door, and stepped inside.
The room was small, dimly lit. The walls were covered in strange symbols, etched into the plaster.
The whispering grew louder, more urgent. Emma felt like she was being pulled towards the symbols, like a magnet.
Suddenly, the symbols began to glow. Emma felt a strange energy building up inside her.
And then, everything went black.
When Emma came to, she was lying on the floor, her head throbbing with pain. The symbols on the wall were still glowing, but the whispering had stopped.
Emma stumbled to her feet, desperate to get out of there. She pushed open the door, and stepped back into the gas station.
But something was different. The lights were back to normal, but the air felt charged with electricity.
And then, Emma saw him. The stranger, standing by the door, watching her.
"You can't escape," he said, his eyes glinting with malice.
Emma knew then that she was trapped. The stranger had her right where he wanted her.
But Emma was not one to give up easily. She stood tall, her eyes locked on the stranger.
"I'm not afraid of you," she said, her voice steady.
The stranger smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"We'll see about that," he said.
And with that, everything went black.
Emma's world was plunged into darkness, and she was left to face her fears alone.
What would you do in Emma's shoes?