The diner turned into a total nightmare. The lights kept flickering, and that creepy shadow thing smashed against the windows, its glowing eyes staring right at them. The air got heavy, smelling like rotten meat, making Caleb gag. He held tight to the hot charm Lila gave him, its light barely holding back the dark. Lila stuck close, her breathing fast, while Ethan freaked out next to him, his face pale as the glowing eyes—way too many now—swirled around like hungry beasts.
The floor cracked open, roots popping up like skeleton hands, their thorny tips dripping red stuff that sizzled on the ground. Marge's body twitched weirdly, her shadow stretching out with her mouth gaping to unleash a wail that shattered the remaining windows. Glass flew everywhere, Shards embedded in Old Tom's arm as he roared, swinging a broken chair leg, only for a shadow tendril to coil around his neck, lifting him off his feet. His choked gasps turned to a gurgle as his body convulsed, skin splitting to reveal writhing black veins that pulsed in rhythm with the entity's laugh—tormented screams layered with my name, "Caaaaliiiib," echoing as if carved into my mind.
Jenny tried to fight, throwing her wrench at an eye, which popped with black goo, but the thing lashed out, slashing her shoulder. She fell, blood was shed, her screams turning to weak gasps. The ceiling started dripping black tar that burned holes in the tables, and the room filled with a gross, smoky smell. Hargrove's body, now a husk, twitched violently, his mouth splitting wide to vomit a swarm of shadow insects that skittered toward us, their mandibles clicking with ravenous intent.
Lila's voice cut through the chaos, desperate but fierce. "The charm—it's the key! Focus on it!"
She grabbed Caleb's hand, her touch warm against the cold fear. He held it up, and a quick vision hit him—a witch, blood, and weird chants. The shadow screeched, pulling back a bit, but its tentacles yanked Ethan toward the mess. "No!" Caleb lunged, yanking him back, the charm's glow pushing the darkness an inch. The entity's roar shook the diner's foundations, the floor splitting to reveal a chasm where faces—twisted, eyeless—screamed silently, reaching for us. The air grew heavy, each breath a struggle, as if the hollow itself hungered to devour us whole.