Chapter 1 - The dark figure

Her heart was beating so fast that it felt as if it was going to burst out of her chest. It was so dark that she could barely see where she was going and the thick sheets of rain obscuring her vision made it even more difficult for her to keep running.

As the harsh rain pierced her skin, she felt her legs getting tired but she didn't care. She had to keep running.

She knew that of she stooped running, whatever was behind her was going to catch up with her.

She kept running deeper and deeper into the woods but finally stopped in her tracks to catch her breath as she was running out of air.

In that moment, the moment she stopped running, she realized how quiet everywhere was - as quiet as a graveyard.

There was hardly anything moving. She looked back only to find out that there was nothing, not even the sound of footsteps behind her. No one was chasing her.

"Weird", she thought to herself.

If there was no one chasing her, why was she running?

"So what am I running from?" she cried out as fear started to rise in her, making her heart beat a little faster.

Just then, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. Her heart started to pound heavily so that she could hear her own heartbeat.

For some seconds, she stood there, paralyzed with fear, thinking in her heart that it was the end.

The unknown person had finally caught up with her. Whoever that person was, they had an evil intention to chase her that deep into the forest.

With the little bits of courage Aria had left in her, she turned around, slowly lifting her head to find a dark figure standing in front of her.

She flinched at the sight of the dark figure in front of her.

With a trembling voice, she asked, "Who are you?"

Suddenly, the clouds parted and a beam of light fell from the dark sky, shining on the dark figure in front of her.

Aria gasped in horror as she immediately recognized the figure in front of her.

It was Kiara, the one person she thought she'd never see again.

Aria could hardly believe her eyes. How her dead sister appeared right in front of her was beyond her.

Was it her imagination or was she dreaming? Aria could not tell.

"Kiara?", she asked the figure in a low trembling voice.

She needed to be sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her or that she was not losing her mind.

"It's you, isn't it?", she asked again, fighting back tears this time.

There was no response again from the dark figure who stood in front of her which made her conclude that she was going crazy.

"Or this is a dream.", Aria thought again as she inhaled deeply.

The figure suddenly started to move towards Aria, making her feet wobble with fear.

She exhaled slowly, trying to calm her nerves but it was no use as the figure was only two steps away from her.

"Yes, it's me.", The figure finally said with contempt in her voice.

"You must have thought you'd never see me again.", the figure continued.

A sigh escaped Aria's lips as she had just confirmed that the person standing in front of her was indeed Kiera - her dead sister.

She was dumbfounded. She held her head tightly, trying to process everything that was happening.

After a few minutes, she finally opened her mouth, struggling to speak.

"But...."

"You died", she said teary-eyed.

"And whose fault is that?", Kiera asked with a shrill voice, crossing her arms and staring at Aria with an expression full of scorn.

Tears had already welled up in Aria's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kiera. It's all my fault" she croaked as the tears trickled down her cheeks.

Aria's words only infuriated Kiera who moved closer to her, closing the distance between them.

Grabbing Aria's arm roughly, Kiera yelled, "I don't need your apology. Seeing you miserable is more than enough for me."

"How did you feel when you had to watch everyone you loved leave you?"

"Like torture, right? That is what I want for you. To be unhappy and lonely all your life."

"That is even worse than death itself!", Kiera yelled again.

Aria was already feeling very weak and faint that she could barely stand but Kiera's words made her feel even weaker.

Seeing this, Kiera loosened her grip on Aria and took a few steps back.

With all the strength in her gone, Aria slowly fell to the ground, hitting her head against the log of wood on the ground. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable - her end.

One last tear rolled down her cheek as she let out a heavy exhale.