The Summoning of Shadows
When Darkness Falls... As the sun dipped below the city's horizon, casting long shadows over the towering buildings, John felt a shiver crawl down his spine. It had been a long day at work, and all he wanted was the comfort of his small, one-bedroom apartment. As he turned the corner onto his street, he couldn't help but glance down the dimly lit alleyway adjacent to his building. What he saw there sent a chill through him. A group of individuals, clad in strange, tattered robes, huddled together in a makeshift circle, their chanting barely audible from where he stood. Bizarre symbols were drawn in chalk on the ground, and their movements were fluid and ritualistic. The air grew heavy with an otherworldly presence, and John had an overwhelming urge to look away and hurry home. He thought he had escaped their notice, but in truth, they had seen him. They knew he had witnessed their ritual. With trembling hands, he unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside, locking it