Chapter 1

Lir'Déha is located between two mountains, which has allowed the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the river that flows through the city. An artificial lake is used for agricultural irrigation. The city was founded in 1838 and now has a population of 415,382. The economy is based on mining, agriculture and tourism.

The main exports of the city are iron ore, wood, fruit and vegetables. Lir'Déha is known for its annual music and performing arts festival, which attracts artists from around the world. The city is also rich in cultural heritage, with a large number of museums and historical monuments that commemorate the city's rich history.

It was once a peaceful city where life was good.

Now, however, the night was hot, too hot even. The inhabitants were already asleep in their beds. The most insomniac enjoyed the cool night for evenings among friends.

It was approximately 3 a.m. Despite the heat, a chill ran through the city like a ball of brush bristles soaked in oil-based stains. The night was darker than usual. Shadows ruled over the rooftops...

The sky suddenly grew dark. Black drapes masked all forms of light.

A gale suddenly shook the forest that extended on either side of the city. The birds, frightened, stopped mid-flight, as if to escape the deranged breath. Trees broke in two, their trunks broken by the weather.

The few remaining inhabitants were petrified. Everything had changed, as if reality had been distorted. Even the animals were terrified by this sudden night storm.

No one understood what was happening. But suddenly something changed. Everything became calm, as if time had stopped for a few seconds. The moon gave no light, but the visibility was surprisingly good.

The city was now engulfed in a deafening silence, as if all form of life had disappeared from the city. As if everything had been frozen in time.

Suddenly the city came back to life, everything seemed more normal even though the sky remained dark. And the ambient heat only increased as time passed. The inhabitants were confused but did not dare to move for fear that the strange event would repeat.

Esmeralda, who had jumped up because of the strange event that had just happened a few minutes earlier, still had a knot in her stomach. What had just happened was far from normal, especially since it was in the middle of the hot season. She was confused, but mostly afraid.

After a few seconds the city suddenly came back to life. The lamps turned on and the moon shone again in the sky. But everything seemed darker than usual...

It was as if the moon had been eclipsed for a moment. It was so strange, she had to take deep breaths to relax. Esmeralda was in the midst of asking thousands of questions when suddenly something moved just in front of her. She jumped and buried herself in her bed. She gazed at the shadow in front of her which moved slightly.

- ????: My dear, are you ok?

It was her mother who had just come into her room to check that her daughter was alright.

Esmeralda was about to scream but managed to hold back when she saw her mother's face.

- Esmeralda: I'm fine mom. But this isn't normal.

- Liliana: I don't know my dear. But luckily it's over. Your father is on shift tonight. I hope he got to safety.

Esmeralda was still in disbelief. But she reassured herself in the presence of her mother. She gazed out the window at the night which seemed even more dark than usual.

- Esmeralda: Nights are usually brighter... And the temperature is too high right now...

- Liliana: Yes, I'm afraid it'll be hot as hell tonight. I've brought you some water if you want.

Liliana handed the bottle of cool water to her which she drank in one go.

- Esmeralda: Thank you mom. I hope dad is alright.

- Liliana: Don't worry. Nothing will happen to him. He's probably sheltered in an accommodation. Now come to bed, my dear. I won't be able to stay long.

She had a slightly tired face, probably due to work.

- Esmeralda: Okay. Good night mom. She hugged her and went back to bed. With all the questions swirling in Esmeralda's head, she had a hard time falling asleep.

Elle was able to fall asleep only at 5:00 am, only to wake up one hour later. She lazily put on her clothes and descended to have her breakfast. Only her mother was present.

Esmeralda: Good morning, mom. Do you have any news about dad?

Liliana: Good morning, my darling. I just sent him a message, he should be back in a few minutes.

Esmeralda's mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She set down two plates and served a baked good and jelly.

Esmeralda: Did you sleep well? You still look tired, my love.

Esmeralda: Not at all. I'll need a big cup of coffee to get ready for my day of internship training. I can't afford to look bad there.

Liliana: There is fresh coffee in the pot. Take as much as you like.

Liliana set down a cup of coffee on the kitchen table in front of Esmeralda, who was sitting in a kitchen chair.

Esmeralda quickly got into her car and headed towards her internship training. She had gotten this internship thanks to a connection her mother had made. She had proven herself and earned her place. She wanted to be hired at the end of her internship.

Once there, she greeted her coworkers with a smile, but not quite like usual, since apparently none of them had been able to sleep after the event the night before.

The day passed by quietly, although the lack of sleep made the day seem longer. But the worst for Esmeralda was an almost constant feeling that something invisible was watching her, a feeling that someone was looking over her shoulder at all times and in every moment, as if someone was following her gaze.

Esmeralda tried to shake off these feelings, rationalizing them as the result of fear and lack of sleep.

All afternoon passed, but the feeling that someone or something was watching her only grew stronger. Esmeralda grew increasingly nervous and stressed.

However, as the hours went by, she managed to shake off the feeling.