Chapter 2

Two months earlier

I stood on the edge of the cliff, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. It was already late afternoon. The sun was slowly hiding below the horizon. The sea breeze tugged at my clothes and loose, curly hair. I enjoyed the feel of the cold grass beneath my bare feet. I felt free. I was free. Here I was alone, surrounded only by wild nature. I knew nobody was coming here. Rather, everyone tried to avoid this place from the time when several people lost their lives here, falling or voluntarily throwing themselves on the rocks below.

The first person to lose their lives in this place in the last twenty years was a pair of boys. Nobody knows what they were doing here, but most considered it a bad accident. At least in the beginning. Until another body was found. This time it was a teenage girl. All three people came from an international exchange between schools. It was a miracle that they could be identified. The corpse was massacred, crashing against rocks from a great height. Before the girl's body cooled down in the dissecting room, the sea threw a few-year-old child onto the beach. This time there was no doubt. It was not an accident, but a homicide. The newspapers were constantly writing about it. After an autopsy, it was revealed that the baby was dead long before it was thrown off a cliff. Chaos broke out. People went crazy. The police were looking for the killer, but they had no clues. Eventually, the investigation was discontinued and the matter went quiet. Everything is back to normal.

Despite these imminent events, I felt comfortable in this place. As if it was calling me. The locals believed that this place brings bad luck and those who are overwhelmed by problems, are sad or subconsciously or consciously want to end their lives come here. This place was considered to be our substitute for a certain Japanese forest. People said that this place was cursed and that the souls of the dead haunted the living in this place. I didn't believe it. I wasn't superstitious.

But I never believed in ghosts or any other paranormal nonsense. Or at least I liked telling myself I didn't believe it. I do not influence my subconscious.

Suddenly I felt a jerk, causing me to stumble, my eyes wide, and a cry of surprise escaped my throat as someone pulled me back. Someone was holding me tight around the waist, pulling me away from the edge, ignoring my scuffle. I calmed down a bit when the delicate scent of perfume reached me along with the wind. Woman. I stopped struggling, letting the stranger pull me a little further. Finally, the grip loosened, releasing me. I turned quickly. In front of me, there was a figure in dark, wide clothes. The hood on the head made it impossible to see the features of the face. I took a step back. Male or female, I won't take any chances.

- Are you OK? What were you gonna do? - the figure asked a question, undoubtedly directed at me.

I couldn't guess the gender of the person standing in front of me after the voice. The lump in my throat prevented me from uttering a single word.

I hated it about myself. I was completely unable to make new friends. Each time I needed time to get used to the person and to open up to some degree. However, not everyone understood this. I was considered a freak for the most part. Is it my fault that I am antisocial? Did I want to be born an introvert? No. Of course not. At least, I wouldn't like it if I knew how much it makes my life difficult. However, not everyone can understand it.

It is better to try to force me or take me to a psychologist because it heals. Like when I informed me when I was ten that I would not eat meat. Of course, it was decided that something changed in my head and for a long time they tried to force me. And the fact that the body did not accept such food? So what? Do not make things up. You have to and don't whine.

The figure raised its head without getting any answers to the questions asked. The hood exposed a part of his face revealing full lips, a straight nose, and prominent cheekbones. A long fringe fell over her left eye, hiding it. It took my breath away. I may not have seen much, but it was enough for me to know that I did not know this person. It's a stranger. Nobody from our town. Everyone knows everyone here. And I did not recognize this person even by sight. She was a stranger.

I took a step back. My stomach tightened with fear. The breathing quickened. The hands trembled uncontrollably. I took another step back, my eyes never leaving the stranger. The figure doesn't move. She just stood there watching me.

"You only live once." I thought.

I turned on my heel and ran away, hiding in the dark forest. Hidden and safe, I looked back, trusting that the darkness of the coming night would hide me from her sight. The setting sun illuminated the figure of the stranger who seemed to sense my gaze upon him, she turned and looked straight at me, and I ran away without turning around.