It wasn't just one person—two silhouettes stood outside, their movements faintly visible through the curtain of rain. Inside the van, the group exhaled in relief. At least they were human.
The driver rolled the window halfway down, and a sharp gust of cold, rain-soaked air swept in. Outside stood two elderly men, each clutching a black umbrella that dripped steadily from the edges.
"Sorry, sir," one of them called, voice raised over the roar of the storm. "We didn't mean to frighten you. You're parked near the front of Arroceros Forest Park. We're just checking the area. You can close your window now—we'll head back to the guard house. Thank you."
"It's alright, sir," the driver replied with a forced smile. "We'll leave once the rain eases a bit."
When the window slid shut, nervous laughter filled the van.
"I thought it was an earthquake—it's only two old men checking on us," joked one of the crew at the back, tugging off his earphones.
But Lilaya didn't laugh. A strange unease pressed against her chest, heavy and cold. Her eyes followed the silhouettes of the two men as they walked back toward the entrance of Arroceros Forest Park, slowly swallowed by rain and shadowed trees. Their umbrellas swayed gently under the wind's howl, and the air smelled of wet concrete and the earthy scent of rain-soaked leaves and soil.
Then—a gust unlike any other.
The air shifted sharply, slicing through the storm like invisible blades. As the two old men made their way toward the guard house, they felt it graze their skin—unnaturally cold, almost sentient in its touch.
"Wait… what was that?" one murmured, glancing upward. His companion followed, squinting through the rain—but saw only darkness, water stinging their eyes.
They continued walking, unaware that death hovered above them.
A shadow with long, clawed limbs descended from the sky, striking with terrifying speed. It seized the man at the back.
The old man in front froze as a violent gust hit his back, flipping his umbrella inside out. He turned just in time to hear his friend's scream pierce the rain.
"Help! Help!"
The umbrella slipped from the grasp of the man being seized, splashing into the thin layer of mud that mixed with the solid pavement below. The old man in front stood paralyzed, eyes wide, watching through the blur of rain as a vast, winged figure dragged his friend upward into the storm's mouth.
The creature's wings beat rhythmically—
Wak… wak… wak…
The sound echoed faintly, distant yet unmistakable. The old man's heart hammered in his chest. His legs trembled, hands pressed to his mouth to stifle a scream. He knew that sound.
The wak-wak…
A chill ran down his spine. Tales his parents and elders whispered in hushed tones came flooding back:
When the wak-wak sounds far, it is near.
When it sounds near, it is already far.
Fear rooted him to the rain-slicked pavement. Every instinct screamed for him to run, but his body refused.
Terror surged through his chest. His mind screamed: Run! Run now, or it will take you too! He stumbled forward, limping toward the van where Lilaya and her crew waited. "Help! Help us!" he cried, barely audible over the storm.
His shoes slapped against the soaked pavement. Then came a wet, heavy thud behind him. He turned—and his breath caught.
From the dark sky rained pieces of flesh—hands, feet, fragments of bone—falling in rhythm with the storm. The rain turned crimson as it splashed across the concrete.
The old man ran, heart hammering, but a faint, chilling whisper of wings cut through the downpour. He spun his head back in terror—and in that instant, his grip on the umbrella faltered. It slipped from his hands, tumbling into the spreading pool of blood below—
Wak… wak… wak…
The faint sound brushed against Lilaya's awareness. She stared blankly at the rain-streaked window, lost in thought. Faces, shadows, and something timeless yet strangely familiar whispered her name. She felt distant, trapped between waking and dream.
Then a scream—faint, far—snapped her from her trance.
"Wait! Do you hear that?" she asked, voice trembling.
"Which one? I can't hear anything except what's on my phone," the driver replied, eyes fixed on the screen.
"No, listen carefully… it sounds like someone's screaming."
But all they heard was the hush of rain and the drone of the engine.
"I don't hear anything," said another crew member. "Maybe you're just imagining things. You okay?"
"Uh, maybe it's from my phone," said the boy with the earphones. "I'm watching a scary video. I'll pause it—see?"
The others chuckled softly. Lilaya forced a nod, though disappointment flickered in her eyes. Maybe it's just my imagination.
Then—a figure struck the windshield.
Its body collided with a bone-shaking crash, spiderweb cracks spreading across the glass. Blood streamed down the pane. One shoulder was mangled—its arm gone. The head tilted sideways, face pale and trembling. It turned slowly toward them, lips moving—
"Help…"
Then it went still.
The group screamed, frozen in disbelief and horror. Eyes widened, mouths agape, hands trembling as the gruesome truth sank in. Lilaya's heart pounded—it was one of the guards from Arroceros Park.
Before they could react, a dark shape descended from above. Talons pierced the front of the van where the fallen guard lay. A monstrous silhouette loomed—tall and lean, partially covered in matted hair, its wings leathery and bat-like, stretching wide against the stormy sky. Jagged, yellowed teeth glistened with blood as it opened its mouth, long, curved nails dripping crimson as they scraped against metal.
A deep, guttural groan rumbled from the creature's throat as it seized the fallen guard with its clawed feet. With a powerful beat of its wings, it vanished into the storm.
Panic erupted.
"Start the car! Hurry!" someone shouted.
The driver fumbled with the keys, hands shaking. The engine hadn't been running—the key was still in the ignition. He turned it on, and the engine roared to life—just as the first creature reappeared, landing on the roof. Its claws pierced the metal, screeching loudly as it dug in.
Then, a second flying monster appeared at the front of the van, landing with heavy, clawed feet across the hood. It pressed down as if trying to stop the vehicle, wings spread wide, letting out a guttural, deafening roar that rattled the windows. Inside, the passengers shrank back, hearts pounding, desperately avoiding the creature's sharp nails as they scraped the roof and hood. Fear twisted through them with every screeching scrape of metal.
Glass shattered. Wind rushed in. Four clawed arms punched through the windows.
Lilaya screamed as one hand tangled in her hair, yanking her sideways toward the window. She struggled, punching and pinching the creature while it gripped her hair.
Beside her, the boy with earphones fought violently, fists punching and grabbing at the clawed arm, but it was too strong. The monsters pulled him through the broken window, half his body dangling outside. One sank its teeth into his neck, while the other hand that had been gripping Lilaya withdrew, retreating to assist in dragging him fully out. Blood spurted from the wound, spraying out the broken window and across the van, mingling with the pouring rain.
Lilaya screamed, tears streaming. "No! No!" she cried, reaching toward him, but there was nothing she could do. The two remaining passengers lunged forward, trying to grab him back inside—but it was too late. "No! Stop! No!" they shouted in panic and horror. Their focus on fighting the monsters had left them powerless—the boy was gone.
Their faces and hands were streaked with blood, covered in cuts, bruised and trembling from the struggle.
The creature that had perched on the roof withdrew, spreading its wings and swooping toward the boy, lifting him fully into the stormy sky. With a horrifying thud, it dropped his body onto the wet pavement; blood and limbs splattered across the concrete, his face twisted in pain, eyes wide in final terror.
Meanwhile, the monster on the hood lunged at the driver, its taloned feet seizing him. It yanked him violently toward the windshield, piercing his chest with razor-sharp nails. Blood gushed from his mouth and nose, streaking across his front as he struggled. Lilaya screamed, tears blurring her vision, and lunged to help, but the driver gripped the creature's feet with all his strength, twisting and pulling, desperate to break free.
With a final, brutal tug, the monster tore him free from the van, dragging him fully into the storm. His body bent backward under the force, spine arching painfully, bones twisting and cracking. His hands clawed at the air in a last, desperate struggle, and his final scream was swallowed by the rain.
To be continued..