"Huh? What?"

They spoke in unison.

The sweet, innocent voice initially confused both Lisa and her companion, but their bewilderment quickly turned to irritation as the repetition grew louder and more grating.

"Okay Lisa. Okay Lisa. Okay Lisa...."

The relentless chanting grated on their nerves, triggering a surge of fury in Lisa's companion.

"Who the hell is that?" he demanded, his anger escalating with each repetition.

"Don't make me bound to use the snake torture jinx," he threatened, his frustration evident as the voice continued to pierce their ears.

Lisa, determined to uncover the source of the disturbance, peered ahead and spotted a cute yet mysterious doll lying on the ground. Locking eyes with it, she felt a sense of unease wash over her as the chanting abruptly ceased. Motioning for her companion to join her, they approached the doll cautiously.

"For heaven's sake. Who pulled off this stupid prank?"
Lisa's tone wavered between annoyance and disbelief as she inspected the doll from afar, her frustration evident.

However, their curiosity turned to horror as the doll's chanting resumed, its tone shifting ominously and violently. Lisa and her companion exchanged incredulous glances before retreating to the safety of their seats in a dash, the sinister chant echoing in their minds.

"Okay Lisa. O...okay L...Lisa...okey Lisa...k...Lisa..ki...Lisa.. Kill Lisa."

The words, now twisted and malevolent, hung in the air, leaving both of them in a state of shock and apprehension.

They breathed heavily as they processed what their ears had just heard. Realisation hit Lisa as she repeated the derogatory remark
'Kill Lisa'.

A shiver ran through her spine.

As the two ominous words echoed in his ears, a surge of anger accompanied by energy coursed through him, igniting his magical abilities. With determination blazing in his eyes, he unleashed a sapphire  beam towards the filthy, malevolent doll.

"How dare it," he exclaimed, his anger palpable as his magic crackled with intensity. The force of his spell nearly pierced through the car's windshield, sending glass shattering into a shower of shards in front of Lisa.

Wide-eyed, Lisa watched in both awe and trepidation, the infuriated man sitting beside her. The once calm and playful figure now radiated a lethal aura, his fury palpable in the air.

"How dare it! Not until I live, or even after that," he roared, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

"Wow, he's really fired up..." Lisa thought to herself, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and admiration as she observed the protective stance he had taken. Unbeknownst to her, a broad grin had spread across her face, a testament to her admiration for his fierce loyalty.

"I thought it would soon be your scolding session for anger management," He said with a mixture of pride for-what-he-did and fear, his eyes flickering with amusement as he caught sight of Lisa's grin.

However, Lisa's smile quickly faded into a frown as she snapped her gaze away from him in disbelief at his words.

"I do not criticize people over something I myself can't do," she scoffed, her tone laced with defiance.

"Point noted." he mumbled before beginning another playful banter.

"Hey, Sa, you know what's scarier than a nightmare for me?" He grinned mischievously.

"What's that?" Lisa replied, a playful glint in her light blue eyes.

"Angry Sa!"
He exclaimed dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock horror.

"Trust me, facing a dragon would be a walk in the park compared to dealing with your wrath!"

Lisa rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Oh, please! You love every minute of it when I'm 'angry Sa'."

"Maybe just a little," he admitted with a wink.
"But let's keep that between us, okay?"

He chuckled as Lisa's playful punch landed on his arm, her eyes rolling in mock exasperation.

"Ow, watch it, Sa!" he teased, feigning injury as he rubbed his shoulder theatrically.
"You pack quite a punch for such a small package!"

Lisa couldn't suppress a smirk at his antics, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"You espiègle...." Lisa attempted to retort, but her protest was halted by his finger gently pressing against her lips.

His fingers, long and graceful, gently brushed against her lips, silencing her words with a touch both unexpected and seamless. Taken aback by the sudden yet effortlessly executed gesture, she paused, momentarily captivated by the sensation. It was as if he had acted on instinct, his attention momentarily diverted by something eerie catching his eye across the street.

As he noticed that he had inadvertently placed his finger on her lips instead of his own, a rush of embarrassment flooded through him as he met her eyes, only to find her staring back at him.

Upon locking eyes, it was as though the ethereal lightness of a cloudless sky met the enigmatic depths of the ocean floor. Lisa's eyes, a gentle hue of soft cerulean, mirrored the serenity of a calm winter day, while his eyes, deep and mysterious like the ocean's abyss, held mysteries yet to be resolved. In this fleeting exchange, their contrasting gaze seemed to hint at a connection beyond words, where the meeting of light and darkness gave rise to an inexplicable pull between them.

He hesitantly withdrew his finger, feeling a rush of embarrassment wash over him as he muttered a quiet "Damn" under his breath. A blush crept up his pale cheeks, betraying his embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Lisa, who had been blushing furiously for some time now, managed to suppress her vivid thoughts, locking them away in a corner of her mind that she believed was impenetrable. However, she had always been mistaken.

Despite the mystic and threatening surroundings that enveloped them, the tension between them seemed to eclipse everything else. Strangely, they were both accustomed to the eerie atmosphere that surrounded them—it had become a routine part of their lives. Their days followed a predictable pattern: Eat, Fight for Life, Sleep, and Repeat. However, amidst the chaos and monotony, moments of closeness like this were rare and precious. Lost in each other's gaze, they found solace and a fleeting sense of peace that briefly lifted them from the tumult of their hectic lives.

But soon utter confusion clouded Lisa's features as she was for long focused on his hypnotic Prussian blue eyes, momentarily entranced by their captivating gaze. Despite her usual susceptibility to his charms, his peculiar eye movement caught her off-guard, jolting her out of the trance-like state.

As her eyes followed his cryptic signals, she was met with a sight that left her utterly starstruck.

The night had descended, enveloping the streets in an eerie darkness that seemed to swallow all signs of life. The stores had long since closed their doors, their neon signs flickering off one by one, signaling the end of another day. Yet, amidst this nocturnal silence, a single store stood defiantly illuminated, its colorful lights cutting through the shadows like beacons of hope in the night.

Lisa and her companion sat frozen in disbelief as they beheld the sight before them. The store, which had been closed just moments ago when they had inspected the mystic doll, was now inexplicably open, its doors invitingly ajar. A sense of foreboding gripped them as they approached, the air thick with an ominous anticipation of what lay inside. The only thing they could think of was 'Curiosity kills the cat.' In this situation they were the cats, for sure.

Stepping through the door, they were greeted by the unmistakable ambiance of a toy store. Garish colors assaulted their senses, while a merry background music played in a loop, though it sounded eerily distorted, more sinister than joyful.

Another door creaked open ominously before them, sealing their fate as unwitting spectators in a scene straight out of a horror movie premiere. Two pairs of eyes darted nervously around the dimly lit interior, searching for any sign of life.

And then, they saw them—the dolls. Sinister replicas of the one they had encountered earlier, each one bearing a horrifying grin that sent shivers down their spines. More and more dolls emerged from the depths of the store, their lifeless eyes locking onto the terrified duo with an unsettling intensity.

As if guided by some unseen force, the dolls began to march in unison, their movements stiff and mechanical. With each step they took, their joints creaked and groaned, adding to the unnerving atmosphere that hung heavy in the air.

The both of them took reverse steps only to reveal that the entrance was locked somehow. Their backs were pressed against the locked door. As they watched in horror the dolls, who had assembled themselves into a neat row, it was noticeable that their big black eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the two intruders. And then, as if possessed by some malevolent spirit, they began to chant in unison, their voices echoing through the empty store with a chilling clarity.

"Kill Lisa," they intoned, their voices devoid of emotion, yet dripping with menace. The words reverberated off the walls, filling the space with a palpable sense of dread.

Lisa felt a cold sweat break out on her brow as she stared into the lifeless eyes of the dolls, their words echoing in her mind like a haunting refrain. Beside her, his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists in fear, his eyes darting frantically around the store in search of an escape.

But there was none. Trapped in a nightmare of their own making, they could do nothing but stand frozen in terror as the dolls closed in, their sinister smiles growing wider with each passing moment.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the chanting stopped. All the lights switched off in cue. The dolls stood motionless before them, their silent gaze piercing through the darkness like daggers.

In the stillness that followed, the both of them exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and disbelief. They knew they had stumbled upon something beyond their comprehension, something dark and sinister that defied all logic.

But as the echoes of the dolls' chilling chant faded into the night, one thing became painfully clear—they were not alone in the store, and whatever malevolent force controlled the dolls had set its sights on them. And in that moment, they knew that their nightmare was far from over.

The duo exchanged a wary glance, their minds racing with a flurry of questions and uncertainty. Trapped in the confined space of the toy store, with the entrance locked and the eerie atmosphere weighing heavily upon them, they knew they needed to act fast to find a way out.

Lisa's heart pounded in her chest as she took a hesitant step forward, her eyes darting nervously around the store in search of any possible means of escape. "We need to find another way out," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the oppressive silence that hung in the air.

As the eerie silence settled over the toy store, her companion's instincts kicked in.

"Wait," he urged, his voice a blend of protective concern and urgency. With a swift motion, he cast a psychokinetic spell. The door soon cracked open at his command. His fingers tightly clasped around Lisa's wrist as he attempted to drag her out of the creepy store.

Despite his best efforts, Lisa remained immobile, frozen like a statue, her eyes fixed in a vacant stare that sent a chill down his spine. He waved a hand in front of her face, hoping for any sign of recognition, but her unresponsiveness only heightened his alarm.

A sense of unease settled over him as he pressed his hand against her forehead, his heart skipping a beat when he felt the icy coolness of her skin.

"What the... You have a fever!"
He exclaimed as his hand recoiled in response, his concern deepening.

"Ignis Calor, ardor in frigore."

Despite his best efforts, his attempt to raise Lisa's temperature with a heat fascitrix fell short. Disappointment creased his brow as he admitted defeat.

"Sorry, Sa," he murmured, his tone laced with regret. "I'm not much of a healer."

Determined not to give up, he conjured sapphire flames from his hand and gently pressed them against Lisa's forehead. Mumbling some healing spells provided warmth, albeit only minimally.

Without hesitation, he lifted Lisa into his arms, carrying her towards the car parked outside.

"Lisa, are you okay?" he repeated, his voice tinged with worry as he hurried towards the car. But despite his questions, Lisa remained silent, her stillness unsettling.

Summoning his magic, he commanded the sapphire sparks to open the front door of the car, his mind racing with the thoughts of his next move. He placed Lisa gently on the front seat beside the driver's seat, his hands trembling as he closed the door behind her. But as he prepared to take the driver's seat, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

A realization dawned on him as he reached for his pockets, only to find them empty. Panic gripped him as he frantically searched his back pockets, but the car keys were nowhere to be found.

"Keys? What in the world..."
He muttered to himself, his frustration mounting.

"Have you sprouted legs and scampered away, you crafty little rascals? Oh, for the love of Merlin's beard, I've lost the keys. Good grief."

Gritting his teeth in frustration, he knew that someone was enjoying their torment.

He couldn't shake the nagging doubt that the keys had somehow been misplaced inside the store. However, the thought of venturing back into the eerie depths filled him with apprehension. Leaving Lisa alone in her current state was out of the question, but remaining stranded outside was equally untenable.

With a heavy heart and hesitant steps, he approached the entrance of the deserted toy store. As he unlocked the door, a shiver ran down his spine, the darkness within seeming to swallow him whole.

Despite his trepidation, he knew he had no choice but to brave the unknown in search of the elusive keys. With a deep breath, he stepped inside, the door closing ominously behind him, as his figure vanished in the voracious darkness.

"Lux in tenebris, Illuminus!"

---

"Hehe" *evil chuckle*
"neesnu eht raef"

---

Writer's note :-
Long time no see! Here's a long chapter for y'all.
I hope y'all enjoy the read. Be sure to vote and comment your reviews.

Adios!

What do you think happened to Lisa?