CHAPTER 1
"Run, run," the little girl whispered to herself, sprinting as fast as her tiny legs could carry her.
"You need to survive so you can put an end to all this. So run, keep running."
Her voice was barely audible between her gasps for air. Speaking aloud seemed to be her only motivation to keep moving. She had to escape the creature chasing her, so she pushed forward, even though her feet were already sore.
The forest floor felt rough beneath her tender soles.
It was obvious she was tired—exhausted and terrified—as the only sounds she could hear were her own footsteps and the frantic pounding of her heart.
"It seems like the more I run, the deeper I go into the forest," she muttered.
She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and glanced behind her, searching for any sign of pursuit. But apart from the chirping of birds and the hum of crickets, the forest was quiet. Too quiet.
She strained to listen—still, nothing.
Relieved but still wary, the little girl sank onto a heap of stones and examined the wounds on her body. A shallow cut ran across her right arm, just above the elbow. Her knees were badly bruised from repeated falls. She sighed and winced as her fingers brushed against them.
She regretted coming out today.
Damn her great curiosity.
Her unrelenting need to know everything had led her into this deserted forest. And now, her curiosity had cursed her with a dreaded fate.
She cried silently, afraid the creature would hear her sobs and find her. Her thoughts drifted to a few hours earlier—when her family was still whole and safe.
She remembered being in her bedroom. Her mother had tucked her in with warm quilts and turned off the lights, thinking she was asleep. But the little girl had crept out of bed to eavesdrop on her parents' conversation.
They were having one of those hushed, confusing talks—like they always did when she and the twins weren't around. No matter how hard she tried, their words never fully made sense to her. Still, she listened, hoping to satisfy her restless curiosity.
Her parents were seated on the biggest sofa in the living room, leaning close to each other. The girl smiled at the sight of their affection.
"Lizzy, I heard the creatures will be out today. Do you think we should check on your new experiment?" her dad, a tall man with curly black hair, asked.
"Yes, Charles, I want to go," her mother replied. "But do you think it's safe to leave the kids alone?"
"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it."
"Okay. I hope my experiment works this time. That rogue is tough enough on his own, and now he's gathering more of his kind to side with him. It's really bothering the higher-ups."
"Well, I trust you and your genius brain. It'll be fine. Don't worry so much."
Charles hugged his wife to reassure her.
A sudden rustle in the trees jolted the girl back to the present. She raised her small, trembling fingers to her chest, her heart pounding with trepidation. She looked around nervously, too afraid to move.
"If only I hadn't eavesdropped on Mom and Dad… if only I hadn't hidden in their car… if only I'd just stayed home."
She whispered her regrets into the wind and cried harder.
Oblivious to her surroundings, she tried to stand, but her first step sent her crashing face-first to the ground.
She screamed, forgetting her need to stay quiet. Pain surged through her body as blood oozed from her toenail—it had struck a sharp stone when she fell. Her lips and cheeks were bleeding too, and she felt dizzy as she tried to steady herself.
That's when she saw them—pairs of glowing red eyes staring at her from the shadows.
Her heart raced.
The creature… he was here. And this time, he wasn't alone. He'd brought others with him.
They moved toward her—slowly, deliberately.
The little girl grabbed a stone, even though she knew it was useless. Dizzy and exhausted, she whispered her final thoughts.
I hope my family lives happily, even without me.
"I love you all," she choked out, her sobs strangling her breath.
They were just a few feet away now. She saw their fangs, their bloodied mouths, their torn clothing. Their growls sent shivers crawling down her spine.
Knowing no one was coming to save her, she hugged her arms around her tiny body and closed her eyes—hoping for an easy death.
Goosebumps spread across her skin as she waited.
She heard the slashing of swords against flesh and held her breath, bracing for pain—But nothing came.
The little girl—nervous and terrified—forced her eyes open.
What she saw gave her another wave of goosebumps.
Through the shadows, the creatures seemed to be fighting—not with her, but amongst themselves.
She blinked in confusion, wondering if her mind was already giving up.
Loud, metallic clashes rang through the air—swords crashing against each other.
Funnily enough, the sound reminded her of home. Of the kitchen. Of how the pots always clanged together when her mom was cooking.
"Why would they fight each other?" she thought.
She wanted to stay and watch until the end, but a sharp pain in her head made that impossible. It seemed her little body had reached its limit. She felt herself falling, helpless, grasping at nothing but the cold, harsh wind.
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I was fighting the darkness, but it was futile. I kept sinking deeper into a world I never knew existed—a world shrouded in shadows.
Just once more, I wished to see the world. The forest where I would take my last breath.
So I struggled.
I opened my tired eyes, and that's when I saw it.
A new pair of eyes—different from the rest.
Not red.
These eyes were beautiful, cold, fierce, and daring. Blue like the calm sea… like the quiet sky.
I saw him rushing toward me.
I wanted to wait, to see his eyes up close… to ask why they were so mesmerizing.
But the darkness called out to me, powerfully.
And I surrendered to its pull.
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