THUD. Ben landed in the open dumpster filled with wet cardboard and trash bags. It wasn't a soft landing, but it broke the fall. "Ow," Ben groaned, staring up at the rain. "I think I landed on a toaster. Who throws away a toaster?"

  Vala landed gracefully on the pavement next to the dumpster, her knees bending slightly to absorb the impact. She was still holding Mia over her shoulder. "Put me down!" Mia yelled, kicking her legs. "You lunatic! You kidnapped me!"

  Vala set her down. "I saved you, mechanic. The Shadow Stalker would have consumed you to fuel its regeneration."

  "Regeneration?" Ben scrambled out of the dumpster, wiping a banana peel off his shoulder. He looked up at the broken fourth-floor window. "Oh god. Grandma."

  [SCENE BREAK: Inside the Apartment]

  Grandma stood in the doorway of Ben’s bedroom, holding a trembling candle. "Benny?" she called out to the empty room. "Why is the window broken? Is it the gas?"

  She took a step forward. SQUELCH. Her slipper stepped in something wet.

  She looked down. The black puddle on the floor wasn't just sitting there. It was vibrating. As Grandma watched, the black sludge defied gravity. It swirled upward, pulling itself together like a reverse waterfall. In seconds, it reformed into the faceless humanoid shape.

  Grandma gasped, dropping the candle. It rolled across the floor, the flame flickering out. "Lord have mercy," she whispered, backing away.

  The Stalker turned its blank white face toward her. It tilted its head. It sniffed the air. Grandma held her breath, clutching her chest.

  But the creature didn't attack. To the Stalker, the old woman was nothing. She had no energy. She carried no Chaos Heart. She was just furniture. The Stalker turned its head toward the broken window. It sensed the Beacon. The target was moving away.

  HISSS. The creature ignored Grandma completely. It dissolved into a liquid stream and shot out the window, diving into the rainy night.

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  Grandma stood alone in the dark, wet room. Her hands shaking, she grabbed the landline phone from the hallway table and dialed Ben's cell.

  [SCENE BREAK: The Alleyway]

  "We have to go back!" Ben panicked, looking up at the window. "It's in there with her!"

  "No," Vala grabbed his arm. "Look."

  Ben looked. A stream of black liquid poured out of his window, clinging to the brick wall like a slug. It was sliding down, fast. Straight toward them.

  "It follows the Heart," Vala said. "As long as you are near your grandmother, she is in danger. You must lead it away."

  BZZZT. BZZZT. Ben’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Screen: GRANDMA.

  "She's alive," Ben breathed. He looked at the monster sliding down the wall. He looked at the phone. "I have to answer. If I don't, she calls the cops."

  He answered, forcing his voice to be calm, even though he was terrified. "Hey, Grams! Everything okay?"

  "Benny!" Grandma’s voice was frantic. "There was a... a shadow! In your room! And the window is gone! Where are you?!"

  "I know, I know!" Ben lied, walking backward as the monster hit the pavement. "I saw it too! It was a... raccoon! A huge, rabid raccoon! It smashed the window and chased me out!"

  "A raccoon?"

  "Yes! A mutant one! Listen, Grams, stay in the living room. Lock the door. I'm... uh... I'm chasing it away! I'll be back in twenty minutes to fix the window!"

  "Benny, be careful! Do you have your coat?"

  "I'm fine! Love you, bye!" Ben hung up and shoved the phone in his pocket. "Okay," Ben exhaled. "She thinks I'm chasing a raccoon. I am going to hell for lying to that woman."

  The monster hissed, standing up from the pavement. It was ten feet away.

  "Mia," Ben turned to his neighbor. "Go back up there. Go to my apartment. Tell Grandma you heard the noise and came to help. Calm her down. Keep her out of my room."

  "Me?!" Mia pointed at the monster. "What about that thing?"

  "We're taking it for a walk," Ben said, pointing at Vala. "Go! If the cops show up, I lose my job, my apartment, and probably get dissected by the government. Go!"

  Mia looked at Ben’s desperate face. She grabbed her wrench tight. "You owe me big time, Stryker. Don't die." She ran back into the building.

  Ben turned to Vala. "Okay, Princess. The clock is ticking. I have to kill this thing, clean up the mess, and be back before my Grandma realizes a raccoon can't melt carpet."

  Vala drew her broadsword, smiling in the rain. "Then run, Carrier. Lead the wolf to the slaughter."

  Ben sprinted down the alley, the black sludge monster surging after him. [COOLDOWN: 19 HOURS REMAINING.]

  "Nineteen hours without powers," Ben panted as he ran. "This is going to be a long night."

  [TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE 6]

  A quick heads-up: This is my first ever fiction. I am not a pro writer—I'm just a guy with a fun story in his head. I am still learning the ropes, so there will probably be mistakes and rough edges along the way.

  Schedule: I will be updating 2 Chapters a Week (aiming for Tuesdays and Fridays). This keeps the story moving while giving me time to learn and improve.

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