Lilo froze. The book's warning echoed in his mind.
Do not open the window.
The tapping continued, soft but deliberate. Each tap made his heart race faster.
He backed away slowly, his eyes fixed on the shadowy figure outside. It didn't move. Didn't blink. Just waited.
The book floated slightly, as if nudging him away from the window. A new line appeared on its pages:
Do not let curiosity guide you.
Lilo swallowed hard. Curiosity warred with fear. Part of him wanted to see who it was. Another part knew the book had saved him before. He couldn't ignore it.
A low voice whispered from outside, just beyond the glass:
"Lilo…"
He jumped. That voice… it sounded familiar. But he couldn't place it.
"Who's there?" he called, trying to keep his voice steady.
No answer. Only the faint tapping.
He glanced at the book. Its pages turned rapidly. A new message:
Trust no one tonight.
Lilo stepped back and pressed himself against the wall. He grabbed a chair, ready to block the window if the figure tried to come in.
Then, a soft glow appeared in the corner of the room. The book pulsed again. Words formed:
Look behind you.
Lilo's stomach dropped. Slowly, he turned.
Nothing.
Just his room, quiet and still.
Then the floorboards creaked. A shadow stretched across the wall. Not outside. Inside.
He froze.
From the darkness, a figure stepped forward. Tall, featureless in the dim light, but unmistakably human in shape. Its movements were slow, deliberate.
"Who… are you?" Lilo whispered.
The figure stopped. No reply. Just a tilt of its head, as if studying him.
The book flipped another page. New words appeared:
It is one of the chosen. You must be ready.
Lilo's heart pounded. Chosen? Like the man in the alley?
The figure took another step. Then another.
Lilo gripped the book tightly, feeling the warmth of its pages in his hands. It was alive, guiding him again.
The shadow stopped just a few feet away. It reached out, slowly, and a single finger pointed at him.
The book's pages turned faster. Words formed in a rush:
Do not fight. Observe.
Lilo's mind raced. Every instinct screamed to run. To hide. To grab something—anything—to defend himself.
But he listened.
He stayed still.
And waited.
The figure's finger lowered… pointing not at him, but at the book.
It knows, Lilo realized, his pulse hammering in his ears.
The book glowed brighter, almost blinding. The figure flinched, then retreated a step.
Lilo took a cautious breath. He had survived the alley. He had survived the chase.
Could he survive this?
The figure disappeared into the shadows, leaving only the faint tapping at the window behind him.
The book closed on its own. A single line appeared on the cover:
Tomorrow, you will meet another. Be ready.
Lilo sank to the floor, gripping the book.