chapter 4:The Stranger in the Flames

Isla's breath vanished the moment she felt it — that sudden, unmistakable push against her back.

And then… she was falling.

The world tilted. Her body felt weightless, like the air had stolen her balance, her control. The cold rush of wind whipped against her skin as the ground surged closer, and her mind screamed — but no sound escaped her lips.

In the chaos, instinct took over. She twisted, trying to face upward, desperate for something — anything — to make sense. And that's when she saw her.

The little girl.

Standing perfectly balanced on the railing. Pale and still and calm — as if gravity meant nothing to her. Her silver eyes watched Isla fall, and that same eerie, knowing smile curved her lips.

And then… the girl raised her hand.

And waved.As Isla fell, time slowed. The wind roared in her ears, but all she could focus on was the girl.

The smile was still there — but now, it wasn't just strange. It was wrong. The girl's face twisted into something no child should ever wear — a smile full of pain so deep, so ancient, that it didn't belong to someone so young. It was the face of someone who had suffered far beyond their years.

And then Isla saw the tears.

Not clear, not light — but dark. Thick. When the moonlight hit the girl's face, the tears shimmered crimson. Blood.

Isla's breath caught. Her heart pounded. The sight rooted her in a fear so sharp she almost forgot she was falling.

But then—

BAM.

The world went black.Darkness wrapped around Isla like a heavy, suffocating blanket. She didn't know how long it had been—seconds? Hours? Days? There was no way to tell.

What's happening? The thought echoed in her mind, frantic and wild. Why can't I move?

She tried—tried with everything she had—but her body wouldn't respond. Her fingers didn't twitch. Her lips stayed sealed. Even her eyelids refused to obey.

Am I paralyzed? Panic surged through her like ice. Am I in a coma? Oh my god—how long have I been like this?

Her thoughts spiraled. Maybe the paramedics found me. Maybe they saved me. But then—why couldn't she feel anything? No pain, no warmth—just this terrible, endless stillness.

My internship. The realization hit her like a punch. Aurora General. It was supposed to start tomorrow.

Her breath would've quickened—if she could breathe.

What if I never wake up?

Trapped in her own mind, Isla started to scream. But no one could hear her.Time lost all meaning.

At first, Isla fought. She panicked, screamed inside her own mind, begged her body to move—just a finger, just a breath—anything to prove she was still there. But nothing came. And eventually, the fear burned out, leaving only exhaustion.

Then… nothing.

No sound. No light. No sensation. Only her thoughts, circling like vultures.

Maybe I'm dead.

But no—if she were dead, wouldn't there be something? Peace? Pain? Instead, there was only this endless void.

The silence stretched so long, her mind turned on itself. The memories started creeping in.

Her mother's voice: "You're just ordinary, Isla. You'll never be like me."

The sharp sting of being overlooked, over and over again, while Sofia shined so easily. Beautiful, brilliant Sofia—who never had to try, who was loved without question.

What if Sophie finds someone better? What if she forgets about me?

The thought twisted deep. Isla didn't know how long she'd been here. Maybe they'd all forgotten her already. Maybe the hospital had given her spot away. Maybe no one was even looking for her.

What if I'm missing? What if I'm… gone?

Her thoughts spun faster, crashing into each other, slipping between sense and nonsense.

What if I never wake up? What if this is all there is? Forever?

And then the worst fear of all.

What if no one even cares?

At first, it was faint — so faint she thought she imagined it.

A soft… thump.

Her mind froze, latching onto the sensation. Then it came again. Thump. Stronger. More real.

Is that… my heart?

The realization hit her just as the rhythm sped up. Thump-thump-thump. The sound grew louder, clearer, until it was deafening. Her chest felt tight, like something had been jump-started after lying still for too long.

What's happening to me? The pounding became almost unbearable — a drumbeat surging through her entire body. Is this normal? Is there a medical term for this?

She tried to breathe. She couldn't. The blood rushed faster, faster, until it felt like fire flooding her veins. Every inch of her was waking up too fast, too hard — and she didn't know if her body could take it.

Help me! The thought was desperate, but no one could hear her.

And then came the rush — a wave of sensation so sudden and overwhelming that she couldn't even name it. Her limbs tingled like they'd been asleep for a lifetime, pins and needles and heat and cold all at once.

It was terrifying. It was exhilarating.

And then… she felt something else.

Movement.

The air tore into her lungs like fire.

Isla's chest heaved as she sat bolt upright, legs spread, body trembling. She gasped again — a desperate, broken sound — her hand flying to her chest, clutching hard over her pounding heart.

Thump-thump-thump. It raced like it was trying to escape her ribcage, and she pressed harder, as if she could force it to calm down. The rhythm was wild, frantic, like an engine pushed past its limit. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to slow.

It took a while — seconds? Minutes? She didn't know. But eventually, the beating softened, though her breath still came in shaky bursts.

What is happening to me? she thought. Fear tangled in her throat, but she was too dazed to cry, too disoriented to scream.

And that's when she noticed it.

The air smelled… wrong. Clean, but rich, with scents she couldn't place. The ground beneath her was soft, covered in cool moss. A gentle wind stirred leaves above her — leaves that whispered in an unfamiliar, musical rustle.

She opened her eyes.

Towering trees stretched toward the sky, their bark smooth and almost silver in the moonlight. Strange flowers bloomed in shades she couldn't name. The night air shimmered faintly, like it held something… otherworldly.

She was in a forest. A forest she had never seen before.

Isla's breath quickened as she turned in a slow circle, taking in the forest around her. It wasn't dense, but it wasn't exactly sparse either — the kind of forest you'd hike through on some weekend adventure. But she wasn't on a hike. She was supposed to be in her studio apartment. Or… a hospital.

If she'd fallen from a building, she should be in a hospital, right? Broken bones, head trauma — something. But she felt… fine. Too fine.

Her bare feet pressed into cool moss, the softness doing little to ease the growing panic curling in her gut. She glanced down — still in her pajamas. An oversized, baggy T-shirt and shorts. No shoes. No coat. Nothing that made sense for being in the middle of the woods at night.

What is happening to me? she thought, her hands shaking.

Her mind scrambled for logic, for anything that could explain this. Maybe she'd been kidnapped. Or drugged. Was she being used as some kind of… drug mule? The thought sent ice through her veins. But no, she didn't feel any pain. If she'd fallen off the balcony, her head should be killing her. Her body should be broken, bruised. But nothing hurt.

The silence pressed in, and she forced herself to focus. Survival. Right. She'd seen some survival show once — maybe Survival of Simon or whatever — and she remembered one thing: If you're lost in the forest, find a river or a creek and follow it.

But when she turned, scanning the area, there was no river. No sound of water. Just trees and the eerie rustling of leaves.

"What am I supposed to do now?" she whispered, her voice cracking.

She was confused. Scared. And completely alone.Isla shivered as she stood there, the cold night air brushing against her bare skin. The forest stretched around her, unfamiliar and endless — an uncharted territory she had no business being in. Every rustle of leaves sent a jolt of fear through her.

What if there are animals? she thought, her breath hitching. She'd heard about bear attacks, mountain lions — wild creatures that wouldn't think twice before making her their next meal. And she was barefoot. Vulnerable.

Her pulse quickened again, but she forced herself to move. Standing still wouldn't help. She started walking, aimlessly at first, her feet pressing into cool earth and soft moss. The forest floor was uneven, every twig snap making her flinch. She glanced up, hoping for… something.

That's when she saw it. A star. But not just any star. It was the brightest one in the sky — more radiant than any she'd ever seen. And there was something strange about it. Around it, smaller stars seemed to form a shape, almost like a circle. A weird, imperfect circle.

Isla had never seen a constellation like that before. It wasn't like the Saptarishi or any pattern she recognized. But for some reason — and she couldn't explain why — she felt drawn to it.

Without thinking, she decided to follow it. She didn't know where it would lead, but it felt better than wandering aimlessly. And right now, that strange star was the only thing guiding her through the darkness.Isla winced as something sharp pricked her foot — a thorn, maybe a jagged rock. She bit down on her lip, pushing through the pain. What else could she do? She was lost, barefoot, and scared out of her mind. Stopping wouldn't help.

She kept walking, following that strange, circular star formation. The night stretched on, cold and silent, except for the sound of her own footsteps. Every crack of a twig sent a spike of fear through her.

And then she heard it. A clatter.

It was faint, distant — like metal against metal. She froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Was it… people? Or something else? She strained her ears, trying to catch the sound again.

The clatter echoed once more, clearer this time. Isla swallowed hard, torn between fear and hope. Should she go toward it? Or was she walking into something even worse?As Isla kept walking, the pain in her foot grew sharper with every step, and soon she was limping. The forest around her was silent, except for the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. She bit her lip, pushing forward, but the ache was getting harder to ignore.

Then she heard it — a faint clatter.

Her heart leaped. It wasn't the sound of an animal. It was…human. Pots? Maybe someone cooking over a fire? The thought filled her with a surge of hope so strong it nearly brought tears to her eyes. After everything — the nightmare, the fall, the strange forest — she wasn't alone.

She stumbled toward the sound, moving faster despite the pain. The flicker of firelight broke through the trees ahead, and as she got closer, relief washed over her.

Finally.

As she stepped into the clearing, she saw him.

A man sat by the fire, stirring something in a pot. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, with a rough, unkempt beard and short, greasy hair. His clothes were simple and worn — dull, dirty fabric that looked like rough cotton or maybe something like khaki. His boots were old, cracked leather, the kind she'd only ever seen in history documentaries.

For a second, Isla hesitated. Something about him felt…off. But desperation pushed her forward.

"Hello?" she called, her voice hoarse. "Please — can you help me?"

The man's head snapped up. His eyes locked on hers.

He didn't look surprised.

Instead, his face stayed calm. Too calm.

Then he spoke.

The words made no sense. They flowed in a strange, rhythmic cadence, unlike any language Isla had ever heard. It wasn't Spanish, Italian, English — nothing familiar.

"Please… I don't understand," she said, her throat tightening. "Do you speak English? Spanish? Anything?"

The man tilted his head, watching her like she was something…unexpected. He said something again, slower this time. But it still made no sense.

Then, slowly — he stood up.

Isla's breath caught in her chest.

The fire crackled between them, but the tension in the air was ice cold.

"Look, I… I don't want any trouble," she said, taking a step back. "I just — I just need help. Please."

He didn't answer.

And that's when she heard it.

A twig snapped behind her.

Her body went rigid.

Slowly, she turned — but there was nothing. Just darkness and the whisper of wind through the trees.

When she spun back around, her stomach dropped.

The man was closer.

And he wasn't alone anymore.

Two more figures had stepped out of the trees — silent, watching.

And they were speaking the same strange language.

Isla's pulse pounded in her ears. She was outnumbered. Lost. Barefoot and injured.

And none of them looked friendly.