Jude's hands curled into fists. "And what if I don't trust it?"
The man's expression didn't change. "Then you die here."
The shadows outside pressed closer, the wood of the house groaning under the weight of whatever was out there. The light overhead flickered.
Jude closed his eyes.
The entity stirred.
The world around him tilted, reality bending at the edges. He felt his body shift, felt something pull at the space between moments. He didn't know how he was doing it, only that he was.
The door behind him wasn't a door anymore.
It was something else.
Something older.
Something waiting.
The woman grabbed his arm. "Jude."
He opened his eyes. The old man was watching him, a knowing look in his gaze.
"Go," he said.
Jude didn't hesitate. He stepped forward.
The world shattered.
And then, everything changed.
