I woke slowly, every part of my body aching. My arms and legs felt heavy, like they were filled with stone. My mud-stained clothes stuck to my skin, scratches on my arms burned faintly, and bruises were already forming in hidden places. The forest, the cold injection, Lena's betrayal — all of it pressed on me at once. My chest felt heavy, my heart pounding fast, and my throat ached as I whispered to myself, barely audible:
"I trusted them… I trusted Lena… and now I'm alone."
I tried to move, but my arms and legs barely obeyed me. Every small sound made me flinch. The faint creak of the floor, the soft whisper of air through the cracks, the shadow that shifted just beyond my vision — all of it made my body stiffen. I felt trapped, scared, and powerless. My heart hammered as I lay there, alone, shivering under the faint candlelight that barely illuminated the room.
But then, my fingers brushed against the key I had found yesterday — cold, hard, and heavy in my hand. A spark of hope flickered inside me, fragile and trembling, but it was enough to keep me moving. I slowly, painfully forced myself to sit up, wincing as every muscle protested. The floor beneath me was cold and hard, rough against my knees.
I crawled toward the small box I had discovered before. My hands shook as I inserted the key into the lock. The mechanism clicked, soft but final. I lifted the lid and pulled out a folded piece of parchment.
It was a map. Not just any map — it was ancient, edges frayed and yellowed, the ink faint but readable. My heart skipped a beat as I carefully unfolded it. Symbols I didn't recognize, circles, strange markings, and pathways crisscrossed the parchment. I saw hidden rooms, secret tunnels, blood symbols, and ritual areas. And then — the part that made my stomach twist — the location of the next red moon ritual.
I sank to the floor, clutching the map to my chest, my body trembling. Every line, every mark screamed danger. Leon had planned this for years, and I was at the center of it. My mind raced, heart hammering painfully in my chest:
They're counting on my blood… I can't let this happen… but how do I escape?
Tears pricked my eyes. I pressed my face into my knees, letting silent sobs shake my body. Lena's betrayal cut through me like ice. She had given me to him. She had pretended to care, pretended to protect me, and yet she had handed me over. And Leon… his cold eyes, his cruel words, the way he circled me like I was prey — it all burned into my memory.
I thought of Jason, the warmth he had once given me, the way he had promised to protect me. I wished he were here. I wanted him. I needed him. But he wasn't. He could not save me. I was completely alone.
The cold stone floor dug into my knees and back as I clutched the map, shaking, crying quietly. The candlelight flickered against the walls, making the shadows move like living things. Each sound outside the room — a distant footstep, a shift in the shadows, the faint scrape of stone — made my heart leap painfully. My body felt frozen, but my mind worked frantically.
I studied the map again. Hidden doors, secret tunnels, weak points in the temple — I traced each line with my fingers, imagining how I could use them. I had to escape. I had to survive. And maybe, just maybe, I could stop him.
Every time a sound came from outside, my heart jumped into my throat. I pressed myself closer to the wall, hiding the map as best I could. I listened. The temple was quiet, almost too quiet, but I knew it was a dangerous silence. Leon could return at any moment. I had no weapon, no strength, just this small piece of paper and a fragile thread of hope.
My hands shook so badly I could barely hold the map, and yet I studied it over and over. I memorized the paths, the hidden doors, the secret tunnels. If I could just reach them, maybe I could get out. Maybe I could run, survive, and find someone — anyone — who could help me stop Leon.
I whispered softly to myself, words barely audible, "I won't let him win. I won't… I can survive this."
But even as I whispered it, fear gnawed at my bones. My chest hurt from the panic, my arms and legs trembled, and every sound made me flinch. Shadows danced at the edge of my vision. My tears had dried on my cheeks, leaving streaks of dirt and sadness. I felt weak. I felt small. But I felt something else too. Determination.
I couldn't let myself die. I couldn't let my blood be used in that ritual. I had to fight, even if I was alone, even if the odds were against me.
And then — I heard it. Heavy footsteps. Closer this time. The air seemed to thicken, and my chest tightened. My whole body froze. I pressed myself harder against the wall, clutching the map to my chest like it was a lifeline.
A shadow appeared in the doorway. I held my breath, trembling so badly that I could hardly see through the fear. My heart beat painfully in my chest.
"Who's there…?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The footsteps stopped. The shadow moved slightly, and I felt my stomach twist. I didn't know who it was. It wasn't Leon — not yet. But it was someone. Someone unknown. Someone dangerous, maybe.
I hugged the map tighter, tears welling up in my eyes again. Every muscle in my body screamed to run, but I was still too weak. My chest burned, my legs shook, my hands trembled. The map — this fragile, precious piece of hope — was all I had.
And yet… hope flickered inside me. Tiny, fragile, almost painful, but it was there.
I pressed myself further into the shadows, listening, waiting, heart racing. Every second stretched like hours. My mind spun with possibilities, fears, and questions.
Could I survive this? Could I escape? Could I stop him from using me in the ritual?
The figure in the doorway shifted again, and I knew — whatever happened next, my life was about to change forever.
I held the map close, clutching it like it was the only thing keeping me alive. My hands shook. My chest ached. And my heart — oh, my heart — it refused to stop hoping, even in the darkness.
> "Who's there…?" I whispered again, barely audible, almost a breath.
And the footsteps… they moved closer.