Chapter 3
The night is cold and still. The air carries a sense of foreboding as the door creaks shut behind Alvin. His footsteps echo through the empty street, each one further taking him away from Simon and Brittany, and closer to whatever fate awaits him.
Alvin’s mind races as he walks, determination written on his face. The darkness around him seems to press in, but he keeps moving forward, knowing that there’s no turning back. He has made his decision.
Meanwhile, back inside, Simon stands frozen for a moment longer before shaking himself from his thoughts. He looks over at Brittany, his voice tight with emotion.
SIMON:
(quietly)
Do you think he’ll come back? I mean... truly come back?
BRITTANY:
(supportively)
He will. Alvin doesn’t give up easily. You know that.
SIMON:
(eyes distant)
I don’t think it’s about giving up. It’s... it’s about something deeper. Something he has to prove to himself.
BRITTANY:
(sighing softly)
I know. But you’re not alone, Simon. You don’t have to carry this alone. Alvin will do what he has to do, but he’ll also remember you’re here—waiting for him.
(Simon closes his eyes, pressing a hand to his forehead.)
SIMON:
But what if... What if this time, it’s different? What if he can’t come back?
BRITTANY:
(firmly)
Then we’ll be here, Simon. No matter what happens, we’ll be here.
(Outside, Alvin’s steps quicken as the path ahead becomes more unclear. The shadows seem to grow darker, and a strange energy hums in the air. He can feel it... the power of waking, tugging at him, drawing him closer to whatever awaits.)
ALVIN:
(whispering to himself)
I can’t lose him again. Not this time.
(A flicker of light catches his eye. He turns sharply, spotting a figure in the distance. A familiar face, shrouded in mystery, stands at the edge of the path ahead.)
ALVIN:
(softly, wary)
Who... who are you?
(The figure steps closer, their features gradually becoming clearer in the moonlight. It’s someone Alvin hasn’t seen in years, someone he thought he’d never lay eyes on again.)
FIGURE:
(voice calm but intense)
I’ve been waiting for you, Alvin.
(Alvin takes a step back, a wave of realization washing over him. His heart races, but he knows he’s come too far to turn back now.)
ALVIN:
(sternly)
What do you want from me?
(The figure steps forward, eyes glinting with an almost otherworldly power.)
FIGURE:
(smirking)
You’re about to make a choice, aren’t you? One that will change everything. But you should know... there are always consequences to the paths you take.
(Alvin clenches his fists, ready for whatever challenge lies ahead.)
ALVIN:
(firmly)
I don’t care. I’m doing this for Theodore. And nothing you say is going to stop me.
(The figure chuckles softly, almost sympathetically.)
FIGURE:
(quietly)
We’ll see, Alvin. We’ll see.
(As the figure fades back into the shadows, the wind picks up, the night feeling colder than before. Alvin stands tall, his resolve unshaken as he takes another step forward into the unknown.)