Two months later

Two months later, in the woods,

When I opened my eyes, I found myself completely naked, lying in the woods. I was too tired to get up.

"What's the time?" I murmured to myself. It was eerily silent, but I could see around clearly because of the moonlit night. The trees stood tall and shadowy, casting long, eerie shadows across the forest floor.

I shivered, not just from the cold but from the bizarre situation I found myself in. How did I get here? My mind raced as I tried to recall the events leading up to this moment. 

"Where is Arina?" I called out her name.

"Arina?"

I didn't see her beside me when I woke up. I called her name so many times, but I got no response. An unknown feeling started devouring me. I had heard many rumors about these woods—dark deeds done here in the past, tales of devil worshippers, and sacrificial rites. My body trembled with fear at the thought of those things. So, I called out again, more desperately,

"Arina, where are you?"

After a moment, I felt someone standing behind me. My heart stopped beating when I felt a hot breath on my shoulder. Summoning all my courage, I turned around, and I sighed in relief when I saw her.

"Arina, where have you been?" I asked, still a bit shaken.

Arina was smiling, but there was something off about her expression. It wasn't the warm, reassuring smile I was used to. It was colder, almost predatory. I became confused and a little more scared. I shook her arm gently.

"Arina?"

She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she moved her hands to my shoulders and wrapped them around me. Her grip was firm, almost too tight. Her eyes seemed different, darker.

"I was just making sure everything was safe," she finally said, her voice sounding a bit strange.

Arina was smiling but not smiling. I became confused at that moment. I shook her arm, but Arina moved her hands to my shoulders and wrapped them around me.

"Why are you so afraid of the dark, honey?"

Her words echoed in my ears. I wrapped my arms around her bare waist; her skin was so cold. Under the moonlit sky, she looked extraordinarily beautiful. I told her,

"I'm not afraid of the dark; I'm afraid of your beauty."

She burst out laughing as she heard my reply. But this time, her laugh felt different—it directly hit my heart, and for some unknown reason, I became nervous. Something strange was happening here.

I grabbed her waist tightly and asked her to stop laughing, "Babe, stop it. We have to go now. Where are our clothes?"

Arina nodded her head lightly, pointed her finger at the ground, and said, "You tore my dress, and I tore yours."

What did I do? When did that happen? Why couldn't I remember anything? Maybe I did.

"Zoe, forget it," Arina called seductively and pulled me close to her. 

"Let's enjoy this night here."

I touched her cheek, unable to say no, but also unsure of how to respond. I smiled and smooched her. I didn't know how long we kissed, but while kissing her soft lips, I felt like I was in heaven.

Arina suddenly gave me a serious look and said, "Let's get married now, Zoe."

"What? Arina, are you serious?" I came back to my senses and asked her. I hadn't completed my graduation yet, so how could I do that?

"Why? Don't you want to marry me?" Arina asked, but her gaze and voice changed in a second, becoming cold and demanding.

She tightened her grip on my arm, her nails digging into my skin. 

"No, that's not it, Arina. You know I only do a part-time job."

"So what? You don't have to worry about me. I will manage."

"But—"

I was about to say something, but Arina licked my cheek seductively. I was shocked. What was she doing now? We were talking about some serious issues, but she seemed so unmindful and playful. She said, "If I have nothing to eat, I will eat you instead," and burst out laughing.

At that moment, I didn't know what happened to me. I smiled and accepted her proposal. I asked, "Tell me what to do, and also, we can't go to a church like this, right?"

She smirked and kissed my index finger. "Let me do it my way."

"Your way?"

"Yes. I heard there's a lake in these woods. Let's take a bath there."

"What? No, no, Arina, not now. I'm not going to take a bath there. Also, this place is weird. I've heard so many rumors about these woods."

Arina looked at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Are you scared, Zoe?"

I hesitated. "It's not about being scared. It's just... this place gives me the creeps."

"What did you hear?" Arina asked me.

I told her, "People believe there was a witch who could subdue men."

"And?" she prompted.

"And," I continued, feeling a strange tension in the air, "she ate newborn babies."

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. The wind died down, and everything became eerily silent. I noticed that Arina's breathing had become strange, almost labored.

"Arina," I touched her shoulder gently, "are you okay?"

"Do you believe this?" Her voice was different now, almost unrecognizable. It sent a chill down my spine.

I thought she might be scared if I said yes, so I quickly reassured her. 

"No, no, those are just rumors."

After hearing my answer, she turned back to me and smiled. 

"Really!"

Her smile should have been comforting, but there was something unsettling about it. The moonlight cast shadows on her face, making her look almost otherworldly. I tried to shake off the feeling and smiled back at her.

"Yeah, really. People just like to tell scary stories," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Arina nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. 

"You know, Zoe, sometimes rumors have a grain of truth in them."

I laughed nervously. 

"I guess. But they're just stories, right?"