The Dead Among the Lights: Chapter 35 - The Stone Lantern’s Dark Maw

Описание: In a frantic scramble, the protagonist is rescued from a stone lantern’s gaping mouth by Harlan Yeh, only to discover a half‑visible, blackened face that slips back into darkness. The group debates how to retrieve the unseen corpse, sealing the beast’s mouth with a rebar grille.

As they prepare to dig, a rival squad led by Quincy Wen appears, sparking a tense standoff. With plans to ambush the enemy, a new, unseen presence watches from the shadows, leaving the outcome uncertain.

The stone lantern towered over the prairie, its hollow opening yawning like a silent beast.

When the glow stick slipped from the protagonist’s mouth, a cold, half‑formed face stared back from the pitch‑black cavity, then vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

Harlan Yeh’s strong hand yanked the narrator free, and the world steadied for a breath‑less moment.

What hidden horror lingered in that darkness? Harlan’s grip was firm, but his eyes scanned the scene with a purpose beyond rescue.

He lifted a rusted rebar, thrust it into the stone mouth, and twisted the metal until it formed a crude grille, sealing whatever lurked inside.

The chubby companion argued about digging deeper, while the narrator fretted over the lack of knives. Could a simple metal fence keep a cursed corpse at bay?

The tension rose when a small squad appeared on the opposite hill, their walkie‑talkies crackling with orders.

The chubby man whispered that they were part of Quincy Wen’s forces, and the trio plotted a silent strike from the shadows.

Each imagined a different way to force the enemy to retreat, weighing the odds of a three‑person ambush against a convoy of trucks.

How will they outsmart a force that outnumbers them tenfold? Just as a plan formed, the narrator spotted a new shape crouched a few steps away, eyes fixed on the group.

The figure remained motionless, its intentions hidden behind a veil of grass. The sudden presence added a fresh layer of danger to an already volatile scene.

Will this mysterious watcher intervene, or will it become another casualty of the unfolding conflict? The night air grew heavier, the prairie seeming to swallow every sound.

With the rebar grille in place, the stone lantern’s mouth was silent, yet the sense of something alive beneath the ground persisted.

The trio stared at the approaching vehicles, the leader’s cold stare locked onto the narrator’s own.

In that instant, a choice loomed: flee, fight, or confront the unknown entity watching from the shadows. What fate awaits them when the darkness finally reveals its true face?

🙏 💖 🔔

Thank you for being with us.
If you enjoyed this story, make sure to subscribe and turn on the bell for updates!
More beautiful stories are waiting for you on YouTube Channel — Many Stories with You

#bedtimestories #novel #relaxingstorytime #shortstory #fiction #aistory #aianimation #englishstories #justlistening #aiart #TheDeadAmongtheLights