55 A Nightmare

Everything around was shrouded in darkness, as if the very sun in the sky had been devoured by a malevolent force.

The shadows seemed to cling to everything, twisting and contorting the shapes of the trees and buildings, and the air felt heavy and oppressive.

The wide streets that were typically bustling with vendors and pedestrians were completely empty. The town was eerily silent.

Not even a single soul could be seen, despite the fact that it was the middle of the day and the town had a population of several thousand.

Ding... Dong...

The sudden, loud sound of the bell ringing out from the marble church in the center of the village shattered the silence. Its echoes reverberated through the empty streets, seeming to awaken something in the darkness.

The shadows thickened, becoming almost tangible, and a putrid, sickly sweet scent filled the air - the unmistakable odor of decay.

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