A small and beautiful hill station which rests quietly in the lap of the mountains. Thick forests stretch beyond the cliffs, a distant sea hums below and jagged peaks invite climbers to their edge. A few scattered hotels dot the hills, but one stands far from the others- isolated, peaceful and almost forgotten.
Its name: Lilies of destiny.
A girl's voice-soft, steady, almost defiant:
People say you can't fight God. I say you can't fight destiny.
All my life, I called out to death... but when it finally came, I didn't want to die.
Inside, the hotel is nearly empty. Just a few crew members move quietly behind the counter, and one family sits in the lobby, lost in conversation.
The ding of an elevator breaks the silence.
A young woman steps out-Noor.
"Voice - Hi. I'm Noor.
I live here, in Stella Vervain-most people just call it Vervain Hill Station."
She walks calmly towards the exit, slipping on her jacket mid-step.
"Tourists pour in every year to see our small hill town. Most of the tourists are families. They say Lord Knight Ayaan Waleed-yes, the one from the old legends— once grew up here."
She pushes open the glass door and step outside.
She stops.
For a moment, she just stands there, looking up. The sky is full of dark clouds, heavy and rolling like waves. Leaves twirl in the wind, dancing like they're alive, like they're enjoying the storm that's coming.
The wind brushes past her ears. Her black hair lifts and flows with the breeze, twirling with the falling leaves.
She shivers lightly, then continues walking. She pulls a car key from her jacket pocket.
As she reaches her car, she pauses beside the driver's side. Her hand is just about to open the door… when she stops.
Her eyes lift.
She stares at a window on the top floor of the hotel. Something about it holds her gaze.
Ten seconds' pass.
Then – a small smile tugs at her lips.
"Welcome to my story I'm not writing.… destiny is holding the pen."
She turns, gets into her car, and starts the engine. A song fills the quiet:
''Dandelions'' begins to play.
Noor glances one last time at the hotel in the rearview mirror…. Then drives away.
The black clouds follow her, as if they're her only companions. The leaves outside the car swirl and dance with the music.
She smiles again.
And then- she sings, loud and clear, her voice blending with the wind: Noor [singing]:
'' and I'm pretty sure that you are that love of mine…. I feel dandelions….''
She laughs gently, windows slightly open, letting the wind and the music carry her into the hills.
Alone – but free.
The forest loomed on all sides, endless and shadowed, as Noor guided her car along the narrow road that cut through the wilderness.
Trees, ancient and towering, pressed in, their branches clawing at the storm-dark sky. The wind carried the faint scent of rain and earth.
Inside the car, soft music played — a fragile calm against the rising storm. Noor's hands rested lightly on the steering wheel, her gaze steady. For a few fleeting moments, she felt at peace, lost in the rhythm of the road and the song.
But the peace shattered when a pair of headlights pierced the gloom ahead. A black car sped toward her from the opposite direction, its form blurred by the drizzle that had begun to fall. It kept to her right, but something about its presence unsettled her — as if fate itself was drawing near.
Then, the sky split open. Lightning blazed across the heavens, casting the forest in stark, silver light. Noor flinched, her eyes drawn involuntarily to the fierce glow above.
And in that instant, it happened.
From the right, a wild animal leapt into the road - desperate, terrified, a creature fleeing the storm. Noor's breath caught in her throat.
Time seemed to slow. The animal's eyes shone wide with fear as it darted left, straight into her path.
Without thinking, Noor jerked the wheel hard to the right. The tires skidded on the rain-slick road. Her car veered wildly, colliding with the black car. The impact echoed like a gunshot in the storm.
Both vehicles spiralled out of control. The black car hurtled into the forest's grasp, smashing into a massive tree with a sickening crunch. The storm's cold breath roared through the trees, and with a great groan, a heavy branch cracked and crashed onto the wreckage, sealing the car beneath its weight.
Noor froze. Her knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The world outside blurred - rain, trees, darkness, ruin. Her heart pounded so loud it drowned out the music, the storm, everything.
Minutes — or was it seconds? - passed before she dared move. With trembling hands, she opened the door and stepped out. The rain mingled with the sweat on her skin. Each step toward the wreck felt like walking through a nightmare she could not wake from.
Then, from the crushed black car, a sound — a groan. The left window creaked open.
Noor stopped, paralyzed by dread.
A pregnant woman, bloodied and broken, tumbled from the car and collapsed onto the cold, wet ground. One hand clutched her belly; the other dragged uselessly at her side.
Blood stained everything - her face, her clothes, the earth beneath her.
Noor's mind screamed to run, but something stronger pulled her forward. The woman's eyes met hers, wide with pain, silently pleading.
"Help..." the woman whispered, her voice faint as a dying breath.
Noor moved closer, every muscle in her body tight with terror. But the ground betrayed her
— a loose stone beneath her foot sent her sprawling. She fell hard onto the injured woman, staring into the ruined face beneath her.
Noor gasped.
Noor gasped. The woman's blood was warm against her skin. Horror surged through her, raw and unstoppable.
She scrambled to her feet, slipping in the mud, backing away as the woman lifted a trembling, blood-slicked finger toward her, begging.
Noor shook her head, tears mingling with the rain. She looked at the face of pregnant lady. She screamed loudly.
Panic overtook her. She ran. Fumbled with the car keys. The engine sputtered once, twice — finally roared to life. She drove off at breakneck speed, desperate to escape the nightmare.
Her hands, her clothes, her face — streaked with blood. She stared at them in horror, trying to wipe it away, but it only smeared deeper.
"I didn't do anything..." she whispered, her voice shaking. "No... no... this can't be... I didn't... I didn't kill her.."
A strange voice came from inside the black car which got hit by Noor's car. There was one mobile phone and the voice came from the mobile.
"Cara... are you listening to me? Cara… are you okay? Caraaa..."
AFTER THE ACCIDENTThe rain poured relentlessly, washing theearth in cold silver sheets. A lifeless body lay on the ground, raindrops splattering againstpale skin, tracing paths down motionlesscheeks. The world was silent but for thestorm.Noor's car-vanished.12 hours earlier ...It was daytime, but the forest felt dim beneathheavy clouds. Rain fell in steady streams,drenching the trees and darkening the mud.A girl ran through the downpour, her breathinguneven. Her black hair clung to her face, andboth hands tried in vain to shield her head.It was Noor.
She stopped, panting, one hand pressingagainst the thick trunk of a massive tree. Thesoft earth sucked at her shoes, coating themin mud. She glanced down at them, frowning,then raised her eyes.
There, in the distance, stood a small woodenhouse-hidden among the trees, wrapped invines and blooming flowers. A strange sight inthe heart of the forest.Noor stared, curiosity flickering across herface. For a moment, the rain and wind seemedto fall away, as if urging her toward themysterious shelter.After several moments of hesitation, sheexhaled, lifted both hands to cover her headagain, and sprinted toward the house.The mud splashed beneath her feet as sheran. But just as she reached the steps, a figurecame from her left-colliding into her.Noor lost her balance, slipping in the mud andfalling hard to the ground. The weight of herbackpack pressed into her as she hit theearth.
"No-oh God," she gasped.
A voice-deep, apologetic, and loud over therain."Oh! I am so sorry!"She looked up, blinking through the rain. Aboy, maybe in his twenties, stood there, hisbranded clothes already soaked. A black capshielded his eyes.Their gazes locked for a heartbeat. Then,seeing her struggle, he offered his hand."Are you alright?" he called out over the roarof the rain.
Noor hesitated but took his hand. He pulledher to her feet."Are you alright?" he asked again, concernclear in his voice.Noor's eyes flashed in frustration."Are you mad?" she snapped.But the boy just smiled slightly, shaking hishead as rain dripped from the brim of his cap."It's pouring. Let's g side," he urged.
Without waiting, he grasped her left hand andtugged gently, leading her up the steps. Noorfollowed, her right hand lifting instinctively toshield her head again. She glanced at himfrom behind-this stranger who had appearedout of nowhere.
They reached the door. The boy paused,glancing at her, then tried the handle. Itcreaked open-it had never been locked.He smiled at the unexpected welcome andmet her gaze once more.
Together, they stepped inside.As they entered, the sound of the rainsoftened, replaced by the gentle, tinklingmelody of a wind chime swaying in the breeze.It mingled with the rhythm of the raindrops,filling the small wood house with an oddlypeaceful music.
The door creaked open with a gentle sigh, asif the house had been waiting.Adan stepped in first, still holding Noor'shand. They paused just inside the entrance,shoulders touching, both letting the silencespeak first.
The soft tink of a wind chime greeted themlike a forgotten lullaby, blending with therhythmic patter of rain and the gentle whooshof wind against the wooden walls.The curtains swayed faintly with each breathof breeze, brushing against the windows likeghosts of old memories. The air smelled ofpetrichor and dust - old, lived-in, yet oddlycomforting.
Adan huffed, brushing water off his shoulders.Adan (irritated): "Oh god. My clothes aresoaked."
Noor (dryly): "And mine are dirty."Adan glanced at her - and stopped. Her glarewas sharp, and her left cheek was smudgedwith rain-soaked dirt.
Adan (guilty): "I'm really sorry. I didn't seeyou ... "Noor: "Are you blind?"Adan: "The rain started suddenly ... I saw thishouse and just ran in."He released her hand and gently held her arm.Adan (softly): "Did you get hurt anywhere?"
He looked over her face, her clothes.Noor pushed his hand away, not harshly, butfirmly.Noor (annoyed): "I'm okay. But my clothesare ruined."
Adan (teasing): "Not only your clothes."
She turned to him, frowning.
Adan (gesturing): "Your face too ... rightthere."
He pointed at her cheek. Noor touched it andfound dirt on her fingers. With a sigh, shepulled wet tissues from her bag and openedher phone camera.
As Adan slowly wandered deeper into thehouse, looking around, Noor stood by thedoorway, wiping her cheek - alone but notuntouched by the moment.
Adan turned his head to the left. An old,stylish clock - large and ornate - hung onthe wall, its golden hands frozen at 12'o clock. time had stopped long ago, yet something about itfelt ... watchful.
Just below it, a wooden table sat quietly withtwo or three chairs arranged around it. On topstood a single flower pot - delicate, white Lilyof the Valley blooms reaching upward likewhispers. Their scent was faint butunmistakable.
He turned to his right-and froze.A man stood near the open doorway, justbeyond the table. Around 30 to 32 years old,tall, with striking black hair and sharp features.A tattoo shimmered faintly at the right side ofhis neckline - the symbol of immortalityinked in deep black.The man stepped into the light. His eyesimmediately locked onto Noor. He didn't looksurprised - in fact, hoked like he'd beenexpecting her.
The man's voice cut through the stillness,directed at Adan."Who are you?"Before Adan could respond, Noor spokequietly."I'm sorry."The man turned his attention to her."We came in without permission," shecontinued, her tone calm but apologetic."The rain started all of a sudden, and I didn'thave an umbrella."Adan added with a faint shrug,"Me neither."
Noor (gently): "Would it be alright if I stayed ...until the rain passes?"Adan (softly): "Same here."Both Noor and the man turned to look at him.Adan (softly): "Same here."Both Noor and the man turned to look at him.
The man exhaled slowly and spoke in an evenvoice."I'm not the owner of this place. Just like thetwo of you, I was caught in the rain ... andended up here."He took a few slow steps forward, his eyeslanding on a black umbrella lying near the wall.He moved toward it.
"Fortunately, the door was unlocked ... and Ifound this umbrella inside.""I'll be on my way now."He approached the door. As he did, Noorsubtly stepped closer to Adan's side.The man paused, glancing at Noor with aflicker of quiet curiosity in his eyes.
Then he opened the door and raised theumbrella. The wind hissed softly through thegap. With his right hand, he began to pull thedoor shut behind him.
Just before it closed completely, the old-fashioned clock on the wall came into viewfrom outside. The man glanced at it.
The clock still displayed the same time it hadwhen Noor and Adan entered - unmoving, asif time itself had chosen to stay still in thishouse.
The door clicked shut.Silence settled once again.
Inside the house, rain tapped steadily againstthe windows. Adan crouched in front of anancient brass clock, its hands frozen atmidnight, staring at it with almost childlikecuriosity.
Noor stepped through the doorway where theGrim Reaper had vanished minutes earlier, acamping bag slung over her shoulder. She hadchanged out of her dirty clothes, her hair stilldamp around the edges.She caught Adan studying the clock andarched an eyebrow. Has he never seen anantique clock before?
Adan glanced up with a faint smile. "You'reright-I've never seen one like this in real life."Noor froze mid-step. How did he -?
Crossing the room, she dropped her bag nearthe couches and muttered under her breath, Ifit's been stuck at twelve this long, it'sprobably broken. Doesn't he have commonsense?
Adan straightened and stepped closer."Broken? Or just waiting for something."
The sudden nearness startled her. She turnedtoo quickly, caught the edge of the rug, andfelt herself losing balance-until his armslipped around her waist, steadying her. Herhand shot out to brace against the couch,heart thudding in her chest.
"I do have common sense," Adan murmured,holding her just a second too long. "I'm onlytrying to make this place feel less ... haunted.We're stuck here until the rain stops."
"You could've said that," Noor shot back,sharper than intended, "without holding me."
His smile deepened, and he released herslowly, almost making her aware of howreluctant his hand was to let go.