Page 1 of Devil's Night

NICOLE

“Get a grip, Nicole,” I muttered under my breath, tightening my grip on my satchel. “This is the scoop you’ve been waiting for.”

I’d spent months chasing down leads, sifting through online forums and urban legends about the most haunted places in Detroit. This mansion kept popping up, the stories growing wilder and more disturbing with each retelling. It was the best chance I’d found for making a stunning scoop and getting out of my dead-end retail job.

Slipping through a gap in the rusted gate, I picked my way across the weed-choked yard toward the house’s shadowy maw. Dry vines clawed at my boots as I climbed the creaking steps to the porch. The door hung open, its hinges groaning in protest as I shouldered it wider.

Inside, a musty scent hung heavy in the air, like a damp blanket smothering me. Dust motes danced in the fading light filtering through filthy windows. Cobwebs draped tattered furniture, and the floorboards creaked underfoot, as if the building itself was holding its breath.

“Okay “ I exhaled shakily. “Let’s do this.”

Clutching my phone’s flashlight, I started my exploration on the ground floor, sweeping the beam across peeling wallpaper and water-stained ceilings. In what must have once been a parlor, broken ornaments were strewn over the fireplace mantle. Beside it, an overturned end table lay next to a shattered mirror, shards of glass glittering in my light like diamonds.

As I moved deeper inside, a strange energy thrummed through the air, raising the fine hairs on my arms. It felt like the charged calm before a thunderstorm, that heavy expectant silence. My pulse quickened as I climbed the main staircase, each step protesting with an ominous groan.

Upstairs, the hallway stretched into darkness, doors opening onto vacant bedrooms. I poked my head into each one, the beam of my light cutting through the gloom to reveal empty dressers, bare mattresses sagging onto the floor. Layers of dust and cobwebs coated every surface.

It was as if the house’s former occupants had simply vanished. Without a struggle or any sign of their departure. An uneasy feeling coiled in the pit of my stomach.

At the end of the hall loomed the entrance to the attic, the doorway yawning like the maw of some great beast. I hesitated, my hand trembling on the doorknob. Taking a steadying breath, I turned the knob and shoved the door open.

Weak shafts of dying sunlight filtered through the small attic windows, casting a dreary pall over the cramped space. Trunks and boxes were piled haphazardly, spilling their contents across the bare floor - dolls with sightless eyes, tattered books, a rusted bicycle

My light settled on a strange object nestled among the discarded bric-a-brac. It appeared to be an antique mechanism, brass fittings and glass tubing tangled in a perplexing array. At its center, a dull violet glow pulsed steadily.

Captivated, I knelt beside it, angling my phone to get a better look. “What are you?” I murmured, extending a hand toward the strange device.

No. I shouldn’t touch it. But I did want to get a photo of it.

I hit the button, and as the flash went off, a violent jolt of energy arced through me, like I’d been struck by lightning.

I cried out, stumbling backward as I clutched my stomach and fumbling for my phone as it slipped from my grasp. There was a blinding blaze of violet light, and then darkness swallowed me.

SARGON

Icarefully gathered the unconscious human female into my arms, her surprisingly solid weight contrasting with her delicate features. Laying her down on the dusty mattress, I studied her with a mixture of wariness and reluctant fascination.

Her pale skin almost glowed in the dim light, freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. Dark lashes fanned over high cheekbones as she breathed steadily. Though she appeared vulnerable, there was a determination etched into her expression, even in slumber. An intriguing strength lurked beneath that fragile exterior.

A sweet, floral scent wafted from her, carrying hints of something warm and musky that stirred an unexpected, primal response within me. I tensed, recoiling slightly from the unfamiliar sensation. It had been too long since I’d felt anything like this.

No. I’d never felt anything like this. Something about the little human called to me.

Shaking my head, I refocused on assessing potential threats. My gaze fell on the strange rectangular device she’d been holding - some type of unfamiliar communication pad, now dark and unhelpful. Frustrated, I tucked it away, promising myself I’dexamine it further later. Flipping through her bag only revealed her identity card.

Nicole Carter.

For now, I needed to determine if this human was simply caught in the time trap’s machinations, or if she posed a danger. I watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, full lips parted slightly with each breath. She looked so innocent. And that very innocence put her at grave risk here.

With a weary sigh, I resigned myself to keeping her close, protecting her from the rapidly deteriorating hazards of this place until I found an escape. The notion of a human requiring my protection would have been absurd not long ago. But the cruel reality of being trapped, watching time accelerate while I remained frozen, had shifted my perspective irrevocably.

Carefully, I gathered her up again, cradling her unconscious form against my chest as I carried her from the attic to a more secure room. One of her hands brushed my neck, sending an unexpected shock through me that I forcefully ignored.

As I laid her on the bed once more, a faint crackle of energy danced across the peeling walls. The air thickened with an unseen charge. Something fundamental had shifted within this time trap.

Striding to the grimy window, I stared out at the sudden, impenetrable blankness that had erased the world beyond. We were both trapped now.

I would have to move quickly to ensure her survival and my own escape from this rapidly disintegrating nightmare.

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