**Chapter 4: The Darkness Beckons**

I sat frozen, my senses on high alert as I scanned the darkness around me. The room seemed to have grown colder, the shadows deepening and twisting into menacing shapes. I called out again, my voice louder this time, but there was no response. Hange was gone. Panic set in as I scrambled out of bed, my bare feet making barely a sound on the floor. I stumbled towards the door, flailing out with my hands to find the wall and make my way to the light switch. My fingers closed around the cool metal, and I flipped it on, bathing the room in a warm glow. But even the light didn't seem to chase away the feeling of unease that had settled over me. I spun around, searching the room frantically for any sign of Hange. He was nowhere to be seen. I checked the bathroom, the closet, even under the bed, but he was gone. A cold dread crept over me as I realized that I had no idea where Hange had gone, or why he had left me. We had been together just moments before, and now he was gone. I felt a wave of fear wash over me, followed by a surge of anger. How could he leave me like this? I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I needed to think this through, to try and remember if there was anything that might have triggered Hange's sudden departure. But as I stood there, my mind racing, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I spun around, my eyes scanning the room again, but there was no one there. Still, the feeling persisted. I tried to tell myself it was just my imagination, but I couldn't shake the sense that something was off. As I stood there, frozen with uncertainty, I heard a faint noise coming from outside the room. It was a soft creaking sound, like the sound of a door opening slowly. My heart skipped a beat as I realized that it was coming from the hallway. Without thinking, I rushed to the door and flung it open, peering out into the darkness. The hallway was empty, but I could have sworn I saw a shadowy figure lurking just out of sight. I took a step forward, my heart pounding in my chest, and that's when I saw it. A piece of paper on the floor, with a note scrawled on it in Hange's messy handwriting. "I'm sorry," it read. "I had to leave. Trust me, I'll be back." I felt a wave of emotions wash over me - anger, fear, and confusion. What did he mean? Why had he left? And what was I supposed to do now? I stared at the note, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I was alone, and I had no idea what was happening. All I knew was that I had to find Hange, and fast.