The biting wind of a seemingly endless winter night clawed at Claire's exposed skin, an icy caress that promised nothing but numbness. She hugged her arms, a futile attempt to ward off the frigid air that seeped into her bones. No jacket, no shawl, just the thin fabric of her party dress offering meager protection against the elements.

Her teeth chattered, a rapid-fire rhythm against the backdrop of her quickening footsteps. The moon, a pale, indifferent eye in the pigeon-blue sky, seemed to mock her foolish decision to walk home alone. Every creak of a branch, every rustle of leaves, sent a shiver of unease down her spine, a primal fear whispering that she wasn't alone in the desolate streets.

"Cold are we? Why don't you come over here and I'll warm you up, doll." A low, gravelly voice, heavy with menace, slithered from the inky depths of an alleyway. Claire’s heart leaped into her throat, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. Her pace quickened, a desperate flight into the unknown, but the shadowed figure emerged, its presence a cold dread clinging to her heels. This was no ordinary night; this was the precipice of something terrifyingly new.