The road stretched farther than Amir expected.
Long.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
The sun had barely risen.
A pale light spread across the empty highway—
Weak.
Cold.
His footsteps echoed against the silence.
No vehicles.
No voices.
No movement.
"…this isn't normal," he muttered.
The wind moved softly.
Not answering.
Amir adjusted his bag and kept walking.
As the morning stretched on—
The world grew emptier.
Houses thinned out.
Roads narrowed.
The air sharpened.
"…I'm really leaving it behind…"
No reply this time.
That silence lingered longer than before.
By midday—
The heat should have risen.
But it didn't.
The air stayed cool.
Unnaturally so.
A crackle broke the silence.
Amir stopped.
"…what—"
He pulled out his phone.
The screen flickered.
No signal.
Then—
Static.
"…—emergency broadcast—"
The voice cut in and out.
"…multiple incidents reported across Northern Luzon…"
The signal warped—
"…unconfirmed entities… public advised to—"
Static swallowed the rest.
The screen went black.
Dead.
Amir stared at it.
"…it's spreading everywhere…"
The wind shifted.
Not denying.
Not confirming.
Just there.
By afternoon—
The shadows stretched longer.
Even though the sun was still high.
Something felt off.
Not behind him.
Not ahead.
Around him.
The trees rustled.
Suddenly.
Then—
Stopped.
Amir's grip tightened.
"…that wasn't the wind…"
Silence.
Too complete.
A branch snapped in the distance.
Then—
Nothing.
"…I don't like this…"
"Good," the Anito said quietly.
"…means something's wrong."
Amir exhaled slowly.
"…yeah."
He moved again.
Slower.
More alert.
Then—
He saw it.
A car.
Parked sideways across the road.
Door open.
Still.
"…that's not good."
"No."
Amir approached carefully.
Each step measured.
"…hello?"
No answer.
The inside of the car—
Empty.
But not untouched.
Deep claw marks tore through the seats.
The steering wheel—
Crushed inward.
"…this wasn't a fight…"
"No."
"…it was one-sided."
His eyes shifted.
And then—
He saw it.
Carved into the metal door.
The symbol.
But this time—
It was deeper.
Burned.
Etched into the metal itself.
Not scratched.
Marked.
"…this is different…"
"Yes."
"…it's getting stronger."
Or more deliberate.
The wind stirred again.
Colder now.
As the sun began to dip—
The mountains came into full view.
Massive.
Silent.
Watching.
"…that's where I'm going."
No answer.
"…and it feels like…"
A pause.
"…something there is watching back."
The wind didn't respond.
For once—
It wasn't the only thing there.
Amir stepped past the car.
Didn't look back.
The road narrowed further.
Trees closed in.
Shadows deepened.
And the air—
Changed.
Not heavier.
Not darker.
Stronger.
Alive.
"…this place…" Amir said slowly—
"…it's different."
The Anito's voice came lower this time.
"…this place remembers."
Amir frowned.
"…remembers what?"
A pause.
Then—
"…everything."
The last light of day slipped behind the mountains.
And for the first time—
The darkness didn't feel empty.