It started as a fleeting shape at the edge of his vision, a trick of the light

It started as a fleeting shape at the edge of his vision, a trick of the light, his mother insisted. But Ethan knew better. The Shadowman was real, and he was getting closer. At first, the figure lurked in the corners of his room, a tall, dark silhouette that vanished as soon as Ethan tried to focus on it. But over time, the Shadowman became bolder, staying longer, his eyes glowing like embers in the night.