Raindrops slid off its body the way rain does on the surface of a leaf. And it looks taller. It tops six feet easy. And it's way bulkier now than it was back at the dorm. Pointed projections jutted out of its head, shoulder, elbows, and everywhere else. Its arms were so long now that its claws were almost touching the concrete road.

"This way!" A voice said—the night guard—his head sticking out of the pedestrian door. We crowded the door that I had to squeeze through wet hairs and shivering bodies to get inside.

Fear numbed my throbbing forehead. Private Samson entered last, securing our safety first above his own. The night guard pulled the door close and locked it.

The moment the night guard turned around, a black, spear-like protrusion erupted through his stomach. Blood was dripping off the tip. We screamed and light the spear arm up. The Shade pulled back what remained of its arm, shrieking.

For a split second, we could see the hole on the door—through the clean, puncture wound of the night guard's stomach—before the surrounding intestines and part of his stomach started falling out of position. Flesh and organs were squishing against each other as they slide down, hanging loosely down his waist. The night guard fell to his knees and dropped to the floor, face first.

Outside, the shrieking stopped.

We started murmuring among ourselves.

"Is-is it gone?"

"There's no way."

"We've got to get out of here."

"Through the back," Private Samson said. "Go!"

We raced towards the back, down the center aisle, passing through long, wooden benches on both of our sides. Towering, ornate, stone columns ran alongside us, holding up the vaulted ceiling depicted with murals of winged angels that was way above our heads.

The shadow below us grew darker. Then, it followed us, keeping pace with our every step. "Below us!" I yelled. I pointed my light at my feet and the shadow disappeared. I dare not move my light away from the floor because I know that once I do that; the moving shadow will come back again.

My friends followed my lead. The shadow spread along the floor, climbed some height of the columns and spans the entirety of the floor of the church. Even with all of us and our lights, we simply cannot cover such a huge surface area. In the places where our light cannot reach, up and behind the columns and wooden benches, tendrils of pure black snaked up to the air.

"Keep moving!" Private Samson ordered. But it was no use. We were a bunch of teenagers running through a haunted house - jumping and spinning from side to side, screaming at the slightest movement.

Darius was trying to get his sister to get down the bench and run. Eris and Leo had the right idea of standing back to back. "Guys! Get on someone's back!" Eris barked. Those near them noticed and followed suit. It was a good attempt but is not as solid as the defense we've had back in the truck. The Shade would have no trouble picking us one by one.

Keeping my light on the ground, I walked backward, towards Indigo and Cana. Every time a tendril of shadow came slithering up in front of me, at my sides, I turned to that direction, burn the thing away, then keep my light on the ground again.

I keep on backing up, my eyes and searchlight jumping from tendril to tendril till I bumped to someone.

"Move forward!" Eris barked at my side when everyone was in position. Inch by inch, we moved, rotating clockwise with our lights flashing outwards or down below as we approached the altar.

Suddenly, the black tendrils sticking out high up on the columns stopped writhing and were sucked down into the dark shadows. The dark shadows itself grew lighter in hue, more natural, matching the rest of the shadows of the church.

Confusion stopped our party from advancing. Before we could process what was going on, a loud boom! went off above our heads. When I looked up, large chunks of the domed ceiling was raining down on us.

"Jump!" Private Samson yelled.

I dove away, landing on my belly. My searchlight skidded across the smooth, white floors. I turned around, propping myself up on my elbows. Eris and Leo were getting up on both my sides. The floor where we were standing was absolutely demolished. The cloud of dust and the debris makes it hard to be certain of who wasn't crushed. But the lack of red on the surroundings makes me breathe a little easier.

Our protective circle was broken. My first thought was to scramble to my searchlight so I sprang to my feet and turned, only to find myself staring the Shade in the face. Its scythe arm already raised above my head.

I couldn't move.

Then, the world was a blur. Next thing I know, the side of my face was resting on the cold tiles of the floor. I found myself staring at the carpeted steps leading up to the altar.

"Light it up!" ordered Private Samson. A wall of violet light washed over me. Then, Eris screamed.

I sat bolt upright. What I saw turned my body to stone. At my feet were Eris' hands. Over the puddle of glowing liquid was the rest of her. Her eyes and mouth gaping at the cross-section cut of her forearms. But her expression wasn't what I expected. She didn't look scared. Or in pain. Yes. She looked more...confused.

"Eris!" Leo shouted.

Then her face contorted and she let out a piercing wail.

I don't see the Shade anywhere. I didn't even hear it howl as it does when the lights burned his fingers off back at the truck. Private Samson ordered the rest to form another protective circle around Eris. When the initial screams and shock passed, we complied.

Assured of the safety the lights provide, I looked over my shoulder to assess Eris' condition. She was shaking bad, staring at the bleeding, white stumps were her hands once was. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as she continued wailing. Beads of sweat were trickling down her face. I can't even imagine the pain she's in. Her desperate cries echoed throughout the place as we stood there, useless, unable to do anything.

Leo broke out of formation to sit next to her. I tried to do the same.

"Get back!" Leo snarled.

The intensity, the rage in his voice sent a chill down my spine. I took a step back, staring at him as he cradled Eris in his arms. There was no need for more words. I heard what he was saying.

This is all my fault.

Anger was rushing through me. It was so unfair. Him blaming me for something I didn't ask for. But strangely, I kept quiet. I didn't protest. I didn't confront him. I couldn't. I find myself...agreeing with him. I find myself thinking he was right. It was all because of me. Because I froze.

Tears started rolling down his cheeks, an angry cry escaped him.

Private Samson knelt to his side. "Let me see." He said. Leo helped Eris hold them up.

"Is she going to be okay?" Cana sniffled, still in position.

Private Samson looked up to us. "I need something to stop the bleeding with."

Demi, who was bawling, took off his black hoodie and gives it to Private Samson, who immediately ripped it in half and wrapped each around Eris' wrists to bind the wound.

Private Samson reached around his belt, felt his pockets. He clicked his tongue.

"Call an ambulance." Private Samson ordered.

"We can't...Major had our phones," Harmony said between sobs.

"I'll be back," Private Samson said. He got up and fixed his eyes on us. "Do not let her close her eyes, you understand? And don't break position." Then he rushed towards the entrance and disappeared behind the wall.

But Eris was already having trouble keeping them open. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. Leo kept begging for her to stay awake. Her face was getting whiter by the second. She wasn't breathing as much as she was gulping air.

It was hard to watch, even harder to not cry. Scarlet buried her face on her brother's chest. There were no tears on Cato's face but he was wearing a pained expression. Caprice, Indigo—everyone was a mess but no one dared to break position.

"The Shade...where?" Eris said between gasps of air.

We don't know. All I know is that the Shade disappeared and hasn't returned yet.

"It's gone," Leo said. He's trying his best to sound confident despite his voice cracking. "It's gone. So just keep your eyes on me, okay?" he repeated.

"Okay." Eris whispered. She managed a weak smile before she closed her eyes for the last time.