The creepy Night.

Chapter 7

The night was thick with mist, clinging to the abandoned railway yard like a restless spirit. Subey stepped forward, his gun steady in his grip, his heartbeat hammering in sync with the distant sound of dripping water. Caroline stood beside him, silent but alert. They had followed the trail here, to the heart of the nightmare they never saw coming.

A rusted train car stood in the center of the yard, its interior glowing with flickering candlelight. Inside, sitting on a crate like a queen on her throne, was Mia.

She smiled. Not the kind of smile that welcomed, but one that sent chills down the spine.

"You took your time," she said, tilting her head. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."

Subey's grip on the gun tightened. "We should've ended this sooner."

Mia sighed, almost disappointed. "That's where you're wrong. This was never meant to end. You just didn't see it."

Caroline took a step forward. "You set this all up. The missing children. The bodies. The messages. You wanted us here."

Mia chuckled, reaching into her pocket. "Of course I did. You both love playing hero. And I love watching you fail."

She tossed something at their feet—a small, charred locket. Caroline's breath hitched. She knelt down, fingers trembling as she picked it up. She knew this locket. It belonged to her mother.

Memories crashed over her like a wave. The fire. The screams. The smell of burning flesh.

Subey's eyes darkened. "You were there that night," he whispered. "You—"

Mia clapped her hands. "Oh, look! The detective finally pieces it together." Her voice turned venomous. "Yes, I was there. I watched as you ran into that burning building. I watched as you saved her"—she pointed at Caroline—"and left the others to die."

Caroline's blood ran cold. "You were one of them."

Mia took a slow step forward. "I was the only one left behind. And now, it's my turn to watch you burn."

She pulled a small switch from her pocket and pressed it.

BOOM.

The train car exploded into flames, the force throwing Subey and Caroline backward. Heat swallowed the air, smoke curling into the night like a serpent.

Through the haze, Mia's laughter rang out. "Some ghosts never rest, Subey. They just wait."

And then—BANG.

A gunshot.

Someone fell.

And the night swallowed the truth in the fire

To Be Continued with bigger Twist ...