The Creepy Backroads

The backroads of the town were shrouded in darkness, a place where few townsfolk dared to venture. It was said that strange and spooky things often happened on these winding paths. Although many did not believe the tales, they still stayed far away, just in case.

Silvia and Amich felt a little scared as they cautiously made their way through the night. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the distance behind them, causing Amich to cry out in alarm.

"Sister, something bright is coming our way!" he exclaimed, moving closer to Silvia. "Is it those men from before?" A tremble was present in his voice.

"I don't know," Replied Silvia, her nerves on edge. "But I'm not sticking around to find out." She was just about to dash off the road into the woods when she heard a familiar voice calling out to them.

"Hey!" The person calling out to them turned out to be none other than Jed, the handsome youth whom they met briefly in the alley. He had noticed their familiar figures as he drove by in his vintage car, a sleek black Mustang from the 60s.

"What are you guys doing on these roads?" Jed asked while pulling his car to a stop beside them. "Don't you know what the town folks call this place?"

“No,” Silvia answered bluntly.

Therefore, Jed commenced explaining the brief history of the backroads to them. Silvia couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She had always felt that this place was cursed and now she was starting to believe it.

“Sorry to bore you with the history lesson.” After he finished, Jed offered the siblings a ride. “I don’t mind dropping you guys off somewhere. Where are you headed?”

“Ahm… that’s ok we’re fine.” Silvia respectfully declined Jed’s offer, still too afraid to trust anyone despite how friendly they seemed.

"Ok then. I understand that you don’t trust me, but hey, I have something for you." Before he left, he reached into the passenger side of his car and took out two pairs of footwear, which he offered to Silvia. "I got these for both of you," he explained. "Back at the restaurant, I tried to give them to you guys, but I lost track of you. I'm not certain they are the proper size, but they should offer some comfort to your feet."

"Oh." Silvia was reluctant to accept the gifts, but the thought of her aching, bare feet was too much to bear. She grudgingly accepted the shoes, and Amich did the same. "Thank you," said Silvia.

"No problem. Have a goodnight and be careful out there. A lot of spooky stuff tends to happen often. Bye now." Jed drove off into the night, leaving them alone once again on the creepy backroads.

With the light of the vehicle now gone, the darkness closed in around them. Danger could be lurking just around the corner. They had to stay vigilant if they were going to survive.

“Take these and put them on your feet Amich.” Silvia put on her shoes with ease, but Amich struggled to put on his own. "Here, let me help you," Silvia crouched down to assist her younger brother. “There, it is finished.”

“Thank you, sister.” Amich gave Silvia a curt hug to show his genuine appreciation. In response, she patted him on the back. The two only had each other to rely on, so they made sure to show their love whenever they had time to.

“Hugging time is over. Let’s get moving.” Silvia straightened her head and continued along the path with her brother tagging closely beside her.

While looking for a quiet place to hide in the woods, Silvia realized how dark the environment had gotten. Thus, she cast a spell, "Ero Lumin," on a leaf that she wrapped around the tip of a branch she had picked up. The leaf glowed bright, illuminating the area around them.

“This is much better.” Silvia smiled.

The light emanating from the makeshift torch revealed the lush foliage and towering trees that surrounded them. Silvia marvelled at the beauty of the forest as they made their way deeper into the woods.

“These trees are similar to ones back home, don’t you think Amich?”

“Yes, sister. They sure are. But the air back home was fresher.”

“I agree with you there. I could breathe the air back home for hours without sheltering my nostrils. But here, I have to be careful not to breathe in dust and bugs.”

The two continued to stroll through the woods until they eventually stumbled upon a glistening stream.

"Sister! There is a stream!" Amich exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy.

“I can see that.” Silvia approached the stream, holding the torch aloft. The surface of the water was reflective, shimmering in the light of the torch. "We'll rest here for the night. Hopefully, those people don't follow us here."

But little did Silvia know, the CRC agents were tracking their every move, scanning the residual Outer Burst energy that she and her brother left behind wherever they went. The night only decreased the speed of their search by a few increments while their determination to capture the siblings grew stronger.

The suspense of the unknown danger that lurked in the darkness hung heavy in the air as the siblings settled in for the night.