The Shadows of Willowbrook

Chapter 5

Justin stood his ground, his heart heavy with the weight of his friend's torment. "Cory, you don't have to face this alone. We're here for you, no matter what. You're not alone in this fight."

But Cory's laughter echoed like a haunting melody. "Here for me? You don't understand, Justin. "I will never be alone again, I would love to have you and the other stay here with me for all eternity" Cory laughed. The darkness has granted me power beyond your comprehension. I am its vessel, its chosen one. And I will use this power to reshape our world."

With a wave of his hand, Cory summoned the ancient being, a formless entity that seemed to materialize from the very fabric of nightmares. It loomed over them, its presence suffocating, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly intelligence.

As the ancient being emerged, it extended its ethereal threads, binding Amanda, Yasmine, and Frank to the stone altar. They were suspended in the air, their bodies chained by unseen forces, their eyes glazed over as if in a trance.

"Amanda! Yasmine! Frank!" Justin called out, his voice laced with desperation. But his friends remained unresponsive, their consciousness held captive by the ancient being's malevolent grip.

Cory's lips curled into a twisted smile as he watched their struggle. "See, Juzzy? They're just puppets now, like the rest of us. The darkness has claimed them, just as it has claimed me. There's no escape from its grasp."

Justin's fists clenched at his sides, his face contorting. "Now, now Juzzy that's your fighting face"

"I won't let you destroy them, Cory. I won't let you destroy us. Our friendship is stronger than any darkness. We'll fight, together."

"Don't you get it, you sentiments are wasted,"

"That's not true if that was true you would have Killed us with the town" Corys eyes flickered for a moment. Justin pushing forward.

"Cory were family don't you know even if I married Amanda I would want you in my life, whose going to be my kids uncle who sneaks candy and gets them out of trouble"You're not alone in this world. We love you, Cory, and we're not giving up on you."

For a moment, Cory seemed to waver. The darkness that had shrouded him flickered, and a glimmer of his true self emerged. His eyes, though still clouded, reflected a hint of the person he used to be.

"You... you mean that?" Cory's voice trembled, a battle raging within him between the darkness and the memories of their shared laughter, their late-night talks, and the bond they had forged since childhood.

"I mean every word," Justin replied, his tone unwavering. "No matter what happens, we're here for you. We'll help you fight this darkness, even if it takes everything we have."

The ancient being roared in frustration, its form contorting as it tried to maintain its hold over Cory. But Justin's words had struck a chord, a glimmer of humanity piercing through the shadows.

With newfound determination, Cory pushed back against the darkness. "You're right, Juzzy," he said, his voice stronger now.
"I won't let this darkness define me. I won't let it destroy me," Cory spoke with determination as he stepped forward the shadows swarmed around him.

"Run," Justin's heart swelled with hope as he saw Cory fighting back against the darkness. With newfound determination, Cory stepped forward, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. The shadows that had once enveloped him recoiled, as if repelled by his sheer willpower.

"Run," Cory shouted, his voice cutting through the ominous silence of the forest. "Get out of here, Juzzy! Save yourself and the others!"

But Justin refused to abandon his friend. "Listen to me, I can't be saved but I can save you," A forceful gust of wind pushed Justin. "Go, remember me"

As the ritual concluded and the darkness lifted, a sudden gust of wind enveloped Justin, lifting him off the ground and carrying him swiftly toward the outer edge of the forest. The force of the wind was gentle, cradling him like a protective hand, guiding him away from the heart of the now liberated but still perilous woods. In the distance, Justin saw his friends, Amanda, Yasmine, Cruz, and Frank, lying on the forest floor, still weak from their ordeal. He shouted their names, but the wind carried his voice away, leaving him with a sense of helplessness. "Stay away from this place" Corys voice whispered through the wind. "Youll be save as long as you stay away" As he reached the edge of the forest, a brilliant light filled the night. The fire trucks labelled them as the only survivors of then incident.