Marked

Bella stumbled through the woods, clutching her throbbing hand. The symbols etched into her palm glowed faintly, their crimson light casting eerie shadows as she moved. Each pulse of the markings felt like a heartbeat, sending sharp jolts of pain up her arm.

Her mind raced. The circle hadn't been broken—it had claimed her. She was now connected to the diary's sinister magic in a way she couldn't comprehend.

She tripped over a root, falling hard onto the ground. Dirt clung to her hands, mixing with the blood seeping from the fresh marks. Exhausted, she sat there, gasping for air, the forest closing in around her.

The whispers returned, faint and taunting, threading through the trees.

*"You are chosen… the price will be paid."*

"No," Bella whispered, shaking her head. "This isn't happening."

But the symbols burned brighter in response, as if mocking her denial.

### ***

When Bella finally emerged from the woods, the moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale glow over her house. She stumbled to the door, her knees weak, and fumbled with the lock. Once inside, she slammed the door shut and locked it, as though the act could keep the darkness out.

She sank to the floor, staring at her hand. The symbols seemed to writhe beneath her skin, alive and moving. She grabbed a cloth and tried to scrub them off, but they only grew brighter, the pain intensifying.

"Why me?" she cried, her voice breaking. "What do you want from me?"

The room remained silent, save for her ragged breathing.

She thought of Eliza. Her friend had been her anchor through all of this. Bella knew she should call her, but the thought filled her with dread. How could she explain what had happened? How could she tell her that the magic wasn't done—that it might demand a sacrifice?

As if in response to her thoughts, the whispers returned, louder this time.

*"The one you love… the bond must break."*

Bella clutched her head, trying to drown out the voice. "No! I won't do it! You can't make me!"

The lights in the room flickered, and the air grew cold. A dark shadow began to form in the corner, swirling and expanding until it took the shape of a tall, cloaked figure. Its eyes glowed red, burning like embers in the darkness.

Bella scrambled back, her heart pounding. "Stay away!"

The figure's voice was low and guttural, reverberating through the room.

*"The circle demands balance. A life for a life. Deny it, and the price will be your own."*

Bella's chest tightened. "You're lying. I destroyed the diary. This should be over!"

The figure tilted its head, almost amused. *"The diary is but a vessel. The power it held is eternal. It has marked you now—you cannot escape."*

Bella clenched her fists, ignoring the searing pain in her hand. "There has to be another way."

The figure stepped closer, its shadow stretching across the room. *"There is no other way. The bond must be severed. Choose, or the circle will take what it is owed."*

With that, the figure dissolved into smoke, leaving Bella alone. The whispers faded, but the weight of the ultimatum remained.

### ***

Hours later, Bella sat at the kitchen table, staring at her phone. Eliza's name was on the screen, her thumb hovering over the call button.

She couldn't do it.

Eliza was the only person left who truly cared about her, the only person who had stood by her side through everything. Sacrificing her was unthinkable.

And yet, the alternative was terrifying. Bella didn't know what the circle would take if she refused. Would it claim her life? Someone else's?

Her hand throbbed, the symbols glowing faintly in the dim light. She knew she didn't have much time. The circle was waiting, and it wouldn't be denied.

Tears blurred her vision as she finally set the phone down. She couldn't call Eliza—not for this. She had to find another way, no matter what it cost her.

Bella stood and grabbed her coat. If the diary's power still lingered, then maybe the answers were out there, buried in the dark magic that had ensnared her.

She stepped outside, the cold night air biting at her skin. The woods loomed ahead, dark and foreboding. Taking a deep breath, she began to walk, determined to confront whatever waited for her.

She wouldn't sacrifice Eliza.

She wouldn't let the circle win.

But as she disappeared into the shadows, the whispers followed her, a chilling reminder that the clock was ticking.