Prologue

WARNING: Attention, dear readers! Please proceed with caution, as the content ahead may dive into themes that are quite heavy and unsettling, including suicide, violence and other potentially triggering topics. You have been forewarned.

Author's Note:

Hello all, please note that I will be rewriting and re-editing the chapters but the plot will remain the same. This is a one-person project hence it will not be perfect. Please read with discretion.

~~~

For as long as I could remember, I'd spent many sleepless nights reliving the only place I'd ever known. Whenever I closed my eyes, I could hear them from a distant land; my friends. Their laughter, a nostalgic melody that courses through the wind and fills the air in pure delight. A symphony of unfiltered joy. A memory of a time when everything felt perfect, only to slip through my fingers like grains of sand.

As time passed, the faces of those dear friends began to blur in my memory, their names carried away and lost in the wind.

Like a flicker in the dark, not all hope was lost. Amidst the memories of laughter and fading faces, there was one place that served as a vital link among us all.

I can still vividly recall the enchanting tapestry of vibrant gardens that surrounded Hope Haven's Orphanage, a sanctuary nestled at the edge of the woods. If I concentrated hard enough, I could smell the gardens infused with the sweet fragrance of roses, sunflowers, and tulips. Each flower unfurled in bright colors, painting the landscape into a scene reminiscent of what I had always imagined Heaven to be like.

Over the years I had always wondered about the what-ifs of my life, and when I do, a pang of regret would wash over me.

What if I had made more of an effort to fit in with the other children?

What if I had actively participated in Mother's educational games. Although, Mother was just another teacher at the orphanage, I vividly recalled her beauty and the nurturing presence she held in my life. To me, she was the epitome of a mother figure, and so I will affectionately refer to her as "Mother".

If only I had smiled a little more brightly, then perhaps I could have been able to forge a deep friendship with a girl whose infectious laughter brought joy to everyone at Hope Haven's Orphanage. Maybe, just maybe, like her, I would have been chosen by a loving couple, finally a family to call my own. Then in that reality, I would have been thousands of miles away from the tragedy that marked the beginning of it all...

But instead, I was destined for a life of despair and ruin. Since the moment I entered this world, it seemed as though I was fated to face hardships. They called it a miracle that I survived the fire that claimed both the lives of my parents. But in the depths of my sorrow, I couldn't help but wish that I had perished alongside them, reduced to mere ashes.

~~~

On that particular mid-summer night, when the world seemed to slow down and savor the lingering warmth of the day, something felt...

Different.

However, none of us could have imagined just how profound that difference would be, especially as we slept beneath a night sky that was nothing short of breathtaking.

The heavens were painted in a deep indigo hue, a vast canvas adorned with twinkling stars that cast a gentle, ethereal glow over the landscape below. Each star sparkled like a tiny gem, illuminating the surroundings with a subtle radiance that felt almost magical. The night air was filled with a strange rhythmic chirping of crickets, their melodies harmonizing in a symphony that carried throughout the nearby woods and mingling with the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming wildflowers that hung in the air, enveloping everything in a comforting embrace.

But amidst the tranquility, a sense of unease settled deep within me. I couldn't shake the words of Mother from my mind, her wisdom echoing like a haunting refrain: "Nothing lasts forever, children."

Suddenly, the soft music that played the tune of my life shifted, jolting me from my sleep.

Sleepily, I glanced around to scan the other children nestled in their beds, clutching their beloved stuffed animals that Mother lovingly knitted during off hours. There was a void, a palpable absence that lingered in the sleeping quarters we called home. My gaze shifted towards the front of the room, where an old retro clock hung on the center of the wall. Its rhythmic ticking reverberated through the room, like a steady heartbeat in my ears. I strained my bleary eyes to read the time.

It was 2 am, a late hour for anyone to be awake.

If only I had dismissed it as a trick of the tired mind and returned to sleep, maybe I wouldn't have witnessed it for what it was.

Like a shimmering stream of stardust, glistening and weaving its way through the fabric of reality, this celestial phenomenon captivated all my senses and momentarily made me forget about everything and for a moment, even who I am. I sat, wide-eyed, staring at its ethereal glow illuminating the darkness around the large sleeping quarter. Each flicker and glimmer seemed to pulse with life, whispering of secrets and unseen wonders.

At the age of 10, I couldn't comprehend the nature of this phenomenon, and none the wiser, I was intrigued. Slowly, my eyes followed its path as it gracefully flowed past the rows of slumbering children and through an open doorway which I did not question.

For no apparent reason at all, I shifted my eyes to the window beside my bed. Even through plain curtains, a faint glow caught my attention, it seemed to emanate from beyond; outside from the garden. Quickly, I pushed aside the curtains. Somehow it appeared to beckon me, drawing my gaze further down the garden path, further, and further down. Disoriented and taken aback, I instinctively rubbed my eyes, hoping to clear my vision just before my breath caught in my throat and I involuntarily let out a short gasp.

"Lau-"

Panic surged within me like tidal waves, washing away all my sleepiness. My heart raced as I tried to focus on the scene unfolding before me.

Laura, Sam, and even Anna were moving in a straight line, their bodies still clad in their pajamas, the kind we all wore for comfort during the long, cozy nights at the orphanage. But amidst the familiar sights of my friends, something felt profoundly wrong. The strange sparkles that surrounded them, shimmering like tiny stars caught in an invisible net, cast an eerie glow on their faces. I could hardly see from a distance but I knew for a fact that their eyes were eerily glazed, devoid of any spark of recognition or emotion as if they had become mere dolls trapped in a spell, their very essence replaced by a haunting stillness.

This surreal spectacle should have been concerning, but at that moment, in my mind, the fact that they were wandering the orphanage grounds at night—a forbidden act that would send them straight into detention if discovered—gnawed at my thoughts.

Instinctively, I stumbled out of bed, my mind racing to make sense of the bizarre situation. In my haste, I nearly tripped over a girl sleeping closest to me, her peaceful expression a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding just beyond my gaze. I steadied myself and called her name but my voice was groggy as I attempted to shake her awake. Instead, she shrugged off my hands and turned away, continuing to slumber peacefully.

I could feel it.

The clock on the wall and its steady ticking, its rhythm a constant reminder of the passing time.

My gaze shifted between the sleeping girl and the scene outside the window. Laura, Sam, and Anna were closer to the forest line as the sparkles danced around them in an otherworldly display. To my dismay, they were treading straight towards the mouth of the dark woods.

Was it my imagination or did the nearby trees seemed to part and clear a path, as if the woods themselves were beckoning them inside?

"Wake up!" I cried out in urgency as I forcefully removed the girl's blanket and tossed it aside, even so, she did not stirr which was strange in it itself but I did not had time to wonder why. 

At that moment, a deep sense of foreboding gripped me, a gut feeling that something wrong was about to unfold. This time more clearer than ever. I knew that if I didn't intervene, the consequences could be dire.

Little did I know that this pivotal decision would alter the course of my life forever. I could have easily crawled back into bed and ignored the strange events.

I often wondered about the what-ifs, the alternative paths I could have taken. But deep down, I couldn't ignore the bond we all shared. I had witnessed their sun-kissed faces as they laughed, dreaming of finding a loving home during the sweltering summer heat. I had heard their subtle cries of longing during the frigid winter nights. They were not just acquaintances—they were my friends, and their well-being mattered to me more than I ever believed.

With a determined resolve, I hurriedly made my way through the room filled with my slumbering friends, careful not to disturb the lingering sparks in the air.

Desperation fueled my actions as I screamed for everyone to wake up, my voice echoing through the halls as I navigated towards the quarters of the nearest adult, Mother. Despite its proximity, it felt like an insurmountable distance, stretching out before me like a daunting hundred-mile journey.

As I rushed through the halls, my eyes darted towards the large windows on either side, hoping to catch a glimpse of my friends. But to my dismay, I saw was the distinct silhouette of Anna disappearing into the mouth of the woods, her figure swallowed by the encompassing trees and tangled vines.

Fear gripped my heart, causing all rational thoughts to dissipate from my mind. In a state of panic, instinct took over, diverting me away from the intended path towards Mother's quarters. At that moment, it was as if I had become unhinged. I was running directly toward the menacing mouth of the dark woods.

Operating on nothing but adrenaline, I braced myself and bolted right through the spot where I last saw Anna.

There was nothing more exciting than a game of hide-and-seek in the woods. Every few days inside these woods were filled with laughter as the thrill of exploration took hold of our little minds. Every one of us at Hopes' Haven Orphanage had become intimately acquainted with every nook and cranny of the woods, turning it into our very own playground. These woods, a mere 3-acre piece of land, were earmarked by the government for future reforestation plans. Within this familiar setting, there was never anything strange or unsettling to raise concerns. The trees stood tall and sturdy, providing a canopy of shade and shelter. The soft rustling of leaves and the gentle symphony of nature's melodies enveloped us as we played. It was a place of comfort and adventure, where we could let our imaginations run wild to create fun memories blissfully unaware of the tragedy that would take place.

But when I stepped into the woods that night, it was not the familiar playground that I had come to know and love.

It felt as though I had crossed an invisible threshold into an entirely different realm—one that existed in the delicate balance between the known and the unknown. In this liminal space, the boundaries of reality seemed to blur and shift, leaving me in a state of weightlessness, suspended between worlds. The moment my foot touched the ground, an exhilarating surge of energy coursed through me, propelling me forward as if I were being drawn through a shimmering veil that separated the tangible from the intangible.

As I emerged on what I believed to be the other side, a profound disorientation washed over me, making it difficult to catch my breath. It was an unnerving sensation and I felt awfully strange as if every fiber of my being had changed in a way. I stood there, taking in my surroundings, feeling both awe-inspired and unsettled by the sheer presence of this otherworldly place. It was an experience that defied explanation, a realm where reality and fantasy seemed to intertwine.

I noticed that the colors appeared more vivid as if they were imbued with a surreal quality. The scent of the air was sharper, carrying hints of freshly tilled soil and the dewy fragrance of the surrounding greenery, yet there was an underlying sweetness that permeated the surroundings. The trees stood taller and more majestic than any I'd seen, their branches reaching toward the starlit sky. The stars seemed to bleed through the leaves. The ground beneath my dirt-covered feet felt alive, pulsating with an energy that I couldn't quite comprehend. Even the air felt strange. It felt thick with an electric energy, crackling with unseen forces that sent tingles down my spine. It was as if the very essence of nature had been intensified within this mystical realm.

It was here when a growing sense of dread began to take hold of me, threading its way into the very fabric of my being. It was a feeling that would linger and intensify over time, like a dark thread woven into the tapestry of my soul.

In the middle of this mounting dread, a moment of stillness and silence enveloped the unfamiliar woods. No rustling of leaves. No sound of crickets and critters. No movements of animals or birds. Nothing but my own heavy breathing. It was then that I heard it, faint at first, but gradually growing louder—a soft and tranquil melody drifting through the air like a gentle caress. The music seemed to come from the heart of the woods, its ethereal notes weaving through the trees, soothing the soul and quieting the mind. Each note felt like delicate brushstrokes, clearing my senses and painting a picture of serene beauty in my mind's eye.

The music flowed effortlessly towards me, its enchanting melody drawing me closer, as a glass-like shroud slowly descended over my eyes. There was something undeniably eerie about the music in the middle of nowhere that should have sent me running in fear. Yet, against my better judgment, I found myself inexplicably drawn to it, becoming one with the melody, as if the very essence of my being had merged with each note.

When the figures of my friends came into view, a jolt ran through the depths of my soul, causing the shroud that had clouded my vision to dissipate. Though I couldn't comprehend or question what had just transpired, I forced myself to focus on the scene before me.

My friends stood frozen in a line, their bodies motionless as if trapped in a timeless tableau. The sparkles that had once surrounded them had vanished, leaving only a lingering echo in the air. To my surprise, the soft strains of music that floated through the woods were gradually beginning to fade away.

"Laura... Sam... Anna?" I whispered their names, but the sound seemed to carry far beyond the confines of the woods, echoing loudly like the booming voice of Mother calling for us to rise in the morning. Yet, in this strange realm, the words felt foreign, as if they shouldn't be spoken, as if the very air itself held a silence that demanded respect and caution.

With wary steps, I approached Anna, the last in line among my frozen friends. Gently, I touched her hand and looked into her glazed eyes, I could feel the warmth of her skin, a sign that she was still alive. I tried to shake and tug at her hand, hoping to break her free from whatever spell had rendered them motionless, but she remained unresponsive. Laura and Sam remained eerily still as well, unaffected by my attempts to rouse them.

Time seemed to stretch on as they stood there, amidst the trees and foliage until...the music completely died away.

Apprehension intensified within me, and I darted my eyes around the woods like a madman, searching for any sign of disturbance. Yet, the surroundings remained undisturbed, as if the music had never existed.

Had it all been a figment of my imagination?

Like the snap of a finger, all three of my friends abruptly sprang back to consciousness, gasping for breath like they had been submerged in water. Beads of sweat glistened on their foreheads, and their eyes darted around the woods with a mixture of confusion and fear etched upon their faces.

Laura's voice trembled as she spoke, her words barely above a whisper, "Where... where are we?" Her voice carried a ghostly quality as she glanced at each of us, recognizing the shared sense of unease and realization that something was gravely amiss.

Before we could utter a response, a rustling sound and the snap of a twig caused us to spin around in fright, our eyes searching for the source of the disturbance. Yet, there was nothing to be seen but the towering trees, standing tall and silent, casting elongated shadows that seemed to dance with a dreadful life of their own.

Despite that, we knew without a doubt that someone or something was just beyond the shadows.

A long minute passed as our bodies tensed up by every seconds, preparing for whatever may come. Hearts pounding, breaths quickened, we held still and braced ourselves for the unknown.

I watched as my friends trembled, their bodies shaking involuntarily under the weight of distress. Their jaws and hands clenched tightly, and their eyes darting anxiously, searching the ominous shadows for any sign of impending peril. We were like sitting ducks, waiting in anticipation of what horrors might materialize from the darkness.

Suddenly, a voice pierced the oppressive silence, laced with a malevolent cruelty that slithered through the thick atmosphere like a venomous snake.

"How very eagerrrr..."

It carried a smooth and sinuous quality, coiling around our senses with a hypnotic allure that was both captivating and unsettling. Each word ladened with an unimaginable darkness, hinting at intentions too horrifying to comprehend. The malevolent tone turned our blood cold, paralyzing us with a deep, primal fear.

Alarm bells blared in my head, urging me to flee, to escape this nightmarish situation, and never look back. The instinct to run surged through my veins, a primal survival mechanism kicking in. Yet, a morbid curiosity held me in place, rooting me to the spot. I was unable to tear my eyes away from the darkness where the voice came.

But, I knew better than to freeze and wait for death. With every ounce of strength and resolve within me, I willed my body to move, to break free from the paralyzing grip of this nightmarish situation. My legs, which had previously felt as heavy as lead, finally responded as I desperately reactivated the muscles that had gone numb.

Just as I was about to turn and flee, the voice resounded once more, chilling me to the very core of my being. Its silky, malevolent tones slithered through the air, wrapping around me like icy tendrils that threatened to pull me back into the inky blackness. The voice seemed to know my thoughts, my intentions to escape, and it sneered at my feeble attempts at self-preservation.

"Hold still now, ...humansss."

With a slow and deliberate movement, a figure could be seen to emerge from the darkest corner beyond us. Its silhouette seemed to shift and twist as if the very darkness itself had taken on a human-like form. Towering over us, the figure exuded an aura of pure malevolence and oppressive darkness. It lacked any discernible features, its body outlined only by the absence of light, a void within the already oppressive shadows. It was a formidable creature birthed from the shadows itself.

Desperately, I attempted to break free from the invisible force that held me in place. I strained against the ground beneath me, but it was as if the very soil had conspired with the creature to keep me rooted in that spot. The more I fought, the tighter the vice-like grip became, crushing the air from my lungs and sapping the strength from my limbs. No matter how hard I struggled, I remained trapped, held captive by an unseen power. I swore I could hear the faint whispers of inhuman voices, taunting me, toying with my desperate attempts to break free.

"Trap little bugsss.. My little files..in a web made of bones..." The creature sang, its voice was almost musical except that it was dripping with a sick sadistic pleasure at the incipience.

Finally, the creature stepped out from the shadows, its form became illuminated by the pale moonlight. Every detail of its existence seemed to defy logic and reason. It stood before us, an embodiment of the bizarre and otherworldly.

The creature, taking on the form of a man with reptilian attributes and pointy ears, possessed a mesmerizing and ethereal beauty. Its skin, adorned with delicate scales, shimmered with an otherworldly iridescence. When touched by the moonlight, the scales retracted, revealing a breathtaking display of mosaic-like shades of greyish-blue that seemed to shift and dance across the surface. Despite its reptilian features, the creature's face bore a human-like visage, with chiseled and flawless skin that exuded an air of timeless elegance. The features were so perfect, so symmetrical, that they almost seemed inhumanly beautiful – a face that defied the natural order as if sculpted by the hands of a master artisan. The creature's eyes, however, betrayed the true nature that lurked beneath the captivating facade. Its eyes were twin orbs of polished onyx with pupils elongated and slitted like those of a serpent. They gleamed with a hypnotic gaze that seemed to pierce the very depths of one's soul. There was an intelligence and ancient wisdom within those eyes, but also a glimmer of something much darker – a predatory hunger, a thirst for power and domination that hinted at the creature's true, monstrous nature.

Time seemed to stand still as if the world around us had faded into insignificance. Held by its unblinking stare, we were ensnared by its unearthly beauty. Yet a deep sense of unease lingered, reminding us that this being was anything but good and that its intentions were far from benevolent.

The creature's movements were fluid and calculated, weaving a sinister dance as it made its way from Laura to Sam, and finally to Anna. With each step, its presence grew more ominous, until its piercing gaze fell upon me. The closer it came, the more I could sense the raw, primal power that emanated from it.

"Youuu..." The creature's voice trailed off as its serpent-like tongue slithered out from its lips, heightening the sense of fear that gripped me. "You were not calllllled..."

As the creature drew closer, a primal curiosity began to stir within me, overriding the paralyzing fear that had gripped me. My lips parted, a silent question trembling on the tip of my tongue, begging to be voiced.

What did it mean when it said I was "not called"? The question echoed in my mind. There was no way I dared to speak.

Instead, I instinctively lowered my head in a futile attempt to shield myself from the intensity of its gaze. But the creature, with a scaled hand, gently yet firmly tilted my chin upward, forcing me to meet its gaze. As I stared into those slitted, otherworldly pupils, I felt a profound vulnerability, unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if the walls of protection I had so carefully built around myself were crumbling, layer by layer, leaving me exposed and utterly defenseless. All of my innermost thoughts and emotions seemed to be laid bare for all to see.

Overwhelmed I found myself trembling, not from fear alone, but from a strange, almost visceral fascination that threatened to consume me. The creature was doing something to me. I seemed to forget who I was for a moment as its gaze drew me deeper into the abyss of the unknown, where the very boundaries of reality seemed to blur and distort.

When it seemed to have detected something within me, its eyes widened for a fleeting moment as if seeing something new and unexpected. "Interesting," it spoke, the word laced with intrigue and contemplation.

But just as quickly as the surprise had registered on its perfect features, it was replaced by a sudden, sadistic delight that shone brightly in its slitted eyes. It was as if it had uncovered a secret. A secret that I had no clue about and was not thrilled to find out. I longed for a swift end to my existence for whatever it found amusing had sealed my fate.

I knew, once again, the burden of impending doom.

"Unfortunatelyyy..."

The creature's voice slithered through the air, its tone leaking with a twisted amusement. It withdrew its hand from my chin, turning its head back to my friends. With a serpentine movement, it twisted towards Anna, its scaly hand coming to rest on her small, trembling shoulder. "I only have use for threee of you."

My heart froze in my chest as a glint of something razor-sharp emerged from the creature's hands. In that instant, time seemed to stop. Before I could even register what was happening, the creature struck with lightning speed, its clawed hand lashing out with devastating force. In a horrifying flash, Anna's head was neatly severed from her body, the sickening crunch of bone and the spray of arterial blood filling the air with a gut-wrenching finality.

Her lifeless form crumpled to the ground, a crimson-red pool rapidly spreading across the earth, staining the surrounding area with its horrifying reminder of the fragility of life.

Shock and horror rushed through my trembling body, rendering me utterly paralyzed once more and unable to look down at the gruesome scene before us. The air was rent with the piercing, anguished screams of Laura and Sam, their hysteria echoing through the eerie, foreboding silence of the woods.

In the middle of the chaos, a suffocating guilt drowned me. It should have been me, I thought, my mind consumed by a sense of survivor's guilt as the weight of Anna's death bore down upon me, tormenting my soul.

I wanted to scream, to run, to do anything to escape the horror that had just unfolded, but my limbs refused to move, my voice trapped in my throat. All I could do was stare, wide-eyed and trembling, as the creature loomed over the fresh remains, its eyes glinting with a twisted, sadistic delight.

"Plea-" Laura's voice choked with anguish as she began to beg for mercy, but her words were abruptly silenced by the overwhelming, oppressive presence of the creature.

The entity's gaze bore down upon us, its very existence commanding our complete and absolute attention. We were mere specks in the wake of its towering, otherworldly power, and we knew, instinctively, that any attempt at defiance would be met with swift and merciless retribution.

"Tell me," the creature demanded, its voice resonating louder than the cries of the frightened children, the very sound of it vibrating through our very bones. "Your namessss... or meet the same fate."

Laura's gaze shifted frantically between Sam and me, her eyes filled with a desperate pleading that cut through the haze of terror that had enveloped us. In that shared, fleeting moment of connection, we understood, without a single word spoken, that we had no choice but to comply with the creature's demand.

"L... Laura Everett," she stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

"... Sam D-Davis," Sam announced, his voice wavering.

Finally, the creature's gaze fell upon me, a twisted, predatory grin spreading across its face and revealing rows of razor-sharp, needle-like teeth. My voice quivered as I spoke, uttering my name with a sense of resignation that cut deeper than any blades.

"... Ash... Ash Morin."

As the sound of my name left my trembling lips, I felt its loss. It was as if a precious and innocent part of myself had been stripped away, leaving me feeling naked and vulnerable.

In that moment, I was assailed by a whirlwind of memories, a kaleidoscope of moments from my past that had, until now, remained safely tucked away in the back of my mind. I saw flashes of a young girl with dark hair and eyes, her delicate features adorned with a smattering of freckles across her cherubic cheeks. I remembered her in her favorite floral blue dress, the ruffled trim billowing gently as she ran through the lush, vibrant flower garden, her infectious laughter filling the air with a pure and joyous sound. I recalled the fleeting glances and shy smiles she had shared with a boy, a bittersweet intimacy that now felt like a lifetime away.

These fragments of my past, now irrevocably lost, caused my very soul to cry out in mourning for what had once been so full of light and innocence.

That girl, Ash Morin, from Hope Haven's Orphanage, died at the tender age of 10.

At that moment, the creature's laughter exploded into the stillness of the night, its mocking, malevolent tone reverberating through the woods like a haunting, discordant melody. The sound seemed to be echoed back by the very essence of the surroundings – the towering trees, the inky blackness of the night, the very air itself, as if they too found our plight utterly and cruelly amusing.

All of them.

"Welcome to the Faerie Realm."

~~~

If you like what you'd read, please leave a star or comment or both! Doing so is greatly appreciated and it will really help motivate me to write faster! Thank you!!WARNING: Attention, dear readers! Please proceed with caution, as the content ahead may dive into themes that are quite heavy and unsettling, including suicide, violence and other potentially triggering topics. You have been forewarned.

Author's Note:

Hello all, please note that I will be rewriting and re-editing the chapters but the plot will remain the same. This is a one-person project hence it will not be perfect. Please read with discretion.

~~~

For as long as I could remember, I'd spent many sleepless nights reliving the only place I'd ever known. Whenever I closed my eyes, I could hear them from a distant land; my friends. Their laughter, a nostalgic melody that courses through the wind and fills the air in pure delight. A symphony of unfiltered joy. A memory of a time when everything felt perfect, only to slip through my fingers like grains of sand.

As time passed, the faces of those dear friends began to blur in my memory, their names carried away and lost in the wind.

Like a flicker in the dark, not all hope was lost. Amidst the memories of laughter and fading faces, there was one place that served as a vital link among us all.

I can still vividly recall the enchanting tapestry of vibrant gardens that surrounded Hope Haven's Orphanage, a sanctuary nestled at the edge of the woods. If I concentrated hard enough, I could smell the gardens infused with the sweet fragrance of roses, sunflowers, and tulips. Each flower unfurled in bright colors, painting the landscape into a scene reminiscent of what I had always imagined Heaven to be like.

Over the years I had always wondered about the what-ifs of my life, and when I do, a pang of regret would wash over me.

What if I had made more of an effort to fit in with the other children?

What if I had actively participated in Mother's educational games. Although, Mother was just another teacher at the orphanage, I vividly recalled her beauty and the nurturing presence she held in my life. To me, she was the epitome of a mother figure, and so I will affectionately refer to her as "Mother".

If only I had smiled a little more brightly, then perhaps I could have been able to forge a deep friendship with a girl whose infectious laughter brought joy to everyone at Hope Haven's Orphanage. Maybe, just maybe, like her, I would have been chosen by a loving couple, finally a family to call my own. Then in that reality, I would have been thousands of miles away from the tragedy that marked the beginning of it all...

But instead, I was destined for a life of despair and ruin. Since the moment I entered this world, it seemed as though I was fated to face hardships. They called it a miracle that I survived the fire that claimed both the lives of my parents. But in the depths of my sorrow, I couldn't help but wish that I had perished alongside them, reduced to mere ashes.

~~~

On that particular mid-summer night, when the world seemed to slow down and savor the lingering warmth of the day, something felt...

Different.

However, none of us could have imagined just how profound that difference would be, especially as we slept beneath a night sky that was nothing short of breathtaking.

The heavens were painted in a deep indigo hue, a vast canvas adorned with twinkling stars that cast a gentle, ethereal glow over the landscape below. Each star sparkled like a tiny gem, illuminating the surroundings with a subtle radiance that felt almost magical. The night air was filled with a strange rhythmic chirping of crickets, their melodies harmonizing in a symphony that carried throughout the nearby woods and mingling with the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming wildflowers that hung in the air, enveloping everything in a comforting embrace.

But amidst the tranquility, a sense of unease settled deep within me. I couldn't shake the words of Mother from my mind, her wisdom echoing like a haunting refrain: "Nothing lasts forever, children."

Suddenly, the soft music that played the tune of my life shifted, jolting me from my sleep.

Sleepily, I glanced around to scan the other children nestled in their beds, clutching their beloved stuffed animals that Mother lovingly knitted during off hours. There was a void, a palpable absence that lingered in the sleeping quarters we called home. My gaze shifted towards the front of the room, where an old retro clock hung on the center of the wall. Its rhythmic ticking reverberated through the room, like a steady heartbeat in my ears. I strained my bleary eyes to read the time.

It was 2 am, a late hour for anyone to be awake.

If only I had dismissed it as a trick of the tired mind and returned to sleep, maybe I wouldn't have witnessed it for what it was.

Like a shimmering stream of stardust, glistening and weaving its way through the fabric of reality, this celestial phenomenon captivated all my senses and momentarily made me forget about everything and for a moment, even who I am. I sat, wide-eyed, staring at its ethereal glow illuminating the darkness around the large sleeping quarter. Each flicker and glimmer seemed to pulse with life, whispering of secrets and unseen wonders.

At the age of 10, I couldn't comprehend the nature of this phenomenon, and none the wiser, I was intrigued. Slowly, my eyes followed its path as it gracefully flowed past the rows of slumbering children and through an open doorway which I did not question.

For no apparent reason at all, I shifted my eyes to the window beside my bed. Even through plain curtains, a faint glow caught my attention, it seemed to emanate from beyond; outside from the garden. Quickly, I pushed aside the curtains. Somehow it appeared to beckon me, drawing my gaze further down the garden path, further, and further down. Disoriented and taken aback, I instinctively rubbed my eyes, hoping to clear my vision just before my breath caught in my throat and I involuntarily let out a short gasp.

"Lau-"

Panic surged within me like tidal waves, washing away all my sleepiness. My heart raced as I tried to focus on the scene unfolding before me.

Laura, Sam, and even Anna were moving in a straight line, their bodies still clad in their pajamas, the kind we all wore for comfort during the long, cozy nights at the orphanage. But amidst the familiar sights of my friends, something felt profoundly wrong. The strange sparkles that surrounded them, shimmering like tiny stars caught in an invisible net, cast an eerie glow on their faces. I could hardly see from a distance but I knew for a fact that their eyes were eerily glazed, devoid of any spark of recognition or emotion as if they had become mere dolls trapped in a spell, their very essence replaced by a haunting stillness.

This surreal spectacle should have been concerning, but at that moment, in my mind, the fact that they were wandering the orphanage grounds at night—a forbidden act that would send them straight into detention if discovered—gnawed at my thoughts.

Instinctively, I stumbled out of bed, my mind racing to make sense of the bizarre situation. In my haste, I nearly tripped over a girl sleeping closest to me, her peaceful expression a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding just beyond my gaze. I steadied myself and called her name but my voice was groggy as I attempted to shake her awake. Instead, she shrugged off my hands and turned away, continuing to slumber peacefully.

I could feel it.

The clock on the wall and its steady ticking, its rhythm a constant reminder of the passing time.

My gaze shifted between the sleeping girl and the scene outside the window. Laura, Sam, and Anna were closer to the forest line as the sparkles danced around them in an otherworldly display. To my dismay, they were treading straight towards the mouth of the dark woods.

Was it my imagination or did the nearby trees seemed to part and clear a path, as if the woods themselves were beckoning them inside?

"Wake up!" I cried out in urgency as I forcefully removed the girl's blanket and tossed it aside, even so, she did not stirr which was strange in it itself but I did not had time to wonder why. 

At that moment, a deep sense of foreboding gripped me, a gut feeling that something wrong was about to unfold. This time more clearer than ever. I knew that if I didn't intervene, the consequences could be dire.

Little did I know that this pivotal decision would alter the course of my life forever. I could have easily crawled back into bed and ignored the strange events.

I often wondered about the what-ifs, the alternative paths I could have taken. But deep down, I couldn't ignore the bond we all shared. I had witnessed their sun-kissed faces as they laughed, dreaming of finding a loving home during the sweltering summer heat. I had heard their subtle cries of longing during the frigid winter nights. They were not just acquaintances—they were my friends, and their well-being mattered to me more than I ever believed.

With a determined resolve, I hurriedly made my way through the room filled with my slumbering friends, careful not to disturb the lingering sparks in the air.

Desperation fueled my actions as I screamed for everyone to wake up, my voice echoing through the halls as I navigated towards the quarters of the nearest adult, Mother. Despite its proximity, it felt like an insurmountable distance, stretching out before me like a daunting hundred-mile journey.

As I rushed through the halls, my eyes darted towards the large windows on either side, hoping to catch a glimpse of my friends. But to my dismay, I saw was the distinct silhouette of Anna disappearing into the mouth of the woods, her figure swallowed by the encompassing trees and tangled vines.

Fear gripped my heart, causing all rational thoughts to dissipate from my mind. In a state of panic, instinct took over, diverting me away from the intended path towards Mother's quarters. At that moment, it was as if I had become unhinged. I was running directly toward the menacing mouth of the dark woods.

Operating on nothing but adrenaline, I braced myself and bolted right through the spot where I last saw Anna.

There was nothing more exciting than a game of hide-and-seek in the woods. Every few days inside these woods were filled with laughter as the thrill of exploration took hold of our little minds. Every one of us at Hopes' Haven Orphanage had become intimately acquainted with every nook and cranny of the woods, turning it into our very own playground. These woods, a mere 3-acre piece of land, were earmarked by the government for future reforestation plans. Within this familiar setting, there was never anything strange or unsettling to raise concerns. The trees stood tall and sturdy, providing a canopy of shade and shelter. The soft rustling of leaves and the gentle symphony of nature's melodies enveloped us as we played. It was a place of comfort and adventure, where we could let our imaginations run wild to create fun memories blissfully unaware of the tragedy that would take place.

But when I stepped into the woods that night, it was not the familiar playground that I had come to know and love.

It felt as though I had crossed an invisible threshold into an entirely different realm—one that existed in the delicate balance between the known and the unknown. In this liminal space, the boundaries of reality seemed to blur and shift, leaving me in a state of weightlessness, suspended between worlds. The moment my foot touched the ground, an exhilarating surge of energy coursed through me, propelling me forward as if I were being drawn through a shimmering veil that separated the tangible from the intangible.

As I emerged on what I believed to be the other side, a profound disorientation washed over me, making it difficult to catch my breath. It was an unnerving sensation and I felt awfully strange as if every fiber of my being had changed in a way. I stood there, taking in my surroundings, feeling both awe-inspired and unsettled by the sheer presence of this otherworldly place. It was an experience that defied explanation, a realm where reality and fantasy seemed to intertwine.

I noticed that the colors appeared more vivid as if they were imbued with a surreal quality. The scent of the air was sharper, carrying hints of freshly tilled soil and the dewy fragrance of the surrounding greenery, yet there was an underlying sweetness that permeated the surroundings. The trees stood taller and more majestic than any I'd seen, their branches reaching toward the starlit sky. The stars seemed to bleed through the leaves. The ground beneath my dirt-covered feet felt alive, pulsating with an energy that I couldn't quite comprehend. Even the air felt strange. It felt thick with an electric energy, crackling with unseen forces that sent tingles down my spine. It was as if the very essence of nature had been intensified within this mystical realm.

It was here when a growing sense of dread began to take hold of me, threading its way into the very fabric of my being. It was a feeling that would linger and intensify over time, like a dark thread woven into the tapestry of my soul.

In the middle of this mounting dread, a moment of stillness and silence enveloped the unfamiliar woods. No rustling of leaves. No sound of crickets and critters. No movements of animals or birds. Nothing but my own heavy breathing. It was then that I heard it, faint at first, but gradually growing louder—a soft and tranquil melody drifting through the air like a gentle caress. The music seemed to come from the heart of the woods, its ethereal notes weaving through the trees, soothing the soul and quieting the mind. Each note felt like delicate brushstrokes, clearing my senses and painting a picture of serene beauty in my mind's eye.

The music flowed effortlessly towards me, its enchanting melody drawing me closer, as a glass-like shroud slowly descended over my eyes. There was something undeniably eerie about the music in the middle of nowhere that should have sent me running in fear. Yet, against my better judgment, I found myself inexplicably drawn to it, becoming one with the melody, as if the very essence of my being had merged with each note.

When the figures of my friends came into view, a jolt ran through the depths of my soul, causing the shroud that had clouded my vision to dissipate. Though I couldn't comprehend or question what had just transpired, I forced myself to focus on the scene before me.

My friends stood frozen in a line, their bodies motionless as if trapped in a timeless tableau. The sparkles that had once surrounded them had vanished, leaving only a lingering echo in the air. To my surprise, the soft strains of music that floated through the woods were gradually beginning to fade away.

"Laura... Sam... Anna?" I whispered their names, but the sound seemed to carry far beyond the confines of the woods, echoing loudly like the booming voice of Mother calling for us to rise in the morning. Yet, in this strange realm, the words felt foreign, as if they shouldn't be spoken, as if the very air itself held a silence that demanded respect and caution.

With wary steps, I approached Anna, the last in line among my frozen friends. Gently, I touched her hand and looked into her glazed eyes, I could feel the warmth of her skin, a sign that she was still alive. I tried to shake and tug at her hand, hoping to break her free from whatever spell had rendered them motionless, but she remained unresponsive. Laura and Sam remained eerily still as well, unaffected by my attempts to rouse them.

Time seemed to stretch on as they stood there, amidst the trees and foliage until...the music completely died away.

Apprehension intensified within me, and I darted my eyes around the woods like a madman, searching for any sign of disturbance. Yet, the surroundings remained undisturbed, as if the music had never existed.

Had it all been a figment of my imagination?

Like the snap of a finger, all three of my friends abruptly sprang back to consciousness, gasping for breath like they had been submerged in water. Beads of sweat glistened on their foreheads, and their eyes darted around the woods with a mixture of confusion and fear etched upon their faces.

Laura's voice trembled as she spoke, her words barely above a whisper, "Where... where are we?" Her voice carried a ghostly quality as she glanced at each of us, recognizing the shared sense of unease and realization that something was gravely amiss.

Before we could utter a response, a rustling sound and the snap of a twig caused us to spin around in fright, our eyes searching for the source of the disturbance. Yet, there was nothing to be seen but the towering trees, standing tall and silent, casting elongated shadows that seemed to dance with a dreadful life of their own.

Despite that, we knew without a doubt that someone or something was just beyond the shadows.

A long minute passed as our bodies tensed up by every seconds, preparing for whatever may come. Hearts pounding, breaths quickened, we held still and braced ourselves for the unknown.

I watched as my friends trembled, their bodies shaking involuntarily under the weight of distress. Their jaws and hands clenched tightly, and their eyes darting anxiously, searching the ominous shadows for any sign of impending peril. We were like sitting ducks, waiting in anticipation of what horrors might materialize from the darkness.

Suddenly, a voice pierced the oppressive silence, laced with a malevolent cruelty that slithered through the thick atmosphere like a venomous snake.

"How very eagerrrr..."

It carried a smooth and sinuous quality, coiling around our senses with a hypnotic allure that was both captivating and unsettling. Each word ladened with an unimaginable darkness, hinting at intentions too horrifying to comprehend. The malevolent tone turned our blood cold, paralyzing us with a deep, primal fear.

Alarm bells blared in my head, urging me to flee, to escape this nightmarish situation, and never look back. The instinct to run surged through my veins, a primal survival mechanism kicking in. Yet, a morbid curiosity held me in place, rooting me to the spot. I was unable to tear my eyes away from the darkness where the voice came.

But, I knew better than to freeze and wait for death. With every ounce of strength and resolve within me, I willed my body to move, to break free from the paralyzing grip of this nightmarish situation. My legs, which had previously felt as heavy as lead, finally responded as I desperately reactivated the muscles that had gone numb.

Just as I was about to turn and flee, the voice resounded once more, chilling me to the very core of my being. Its silky, malevolent tones slithered through the air, wrapping around me like icy tendrils that threatened to pull me back into the inky blackness. The voice seemed to know my thoughts, my intentions to escape, and it sneered at my feeble attempts at self-preservation.

"Hold still now, ...humansss."

With a slow and deliberate movement, a figure could be seen to emerge from the darkest corner beyond us. Its silhouette seemed to shift and twist as if the very darkness itself had taken on a human-like form. Towering over us, the figure exuded an aura of pure malevolence and oppressive darkness. It lacked any discernible features, its body outlined only by the absence of light, a void within the already oppressive shadows. It was a formidable creature birthed from the shadows itself.

Desperately, I attempted to break free from the invisible force that held me in place. I strained against the ground beneath me, but it was as if the very soil had conspired with the creature to keep me rooted in that spot. The more I fought, the tighter the vice-like grip became, crushing the air from my lungs and sapping the strength from my limbs. No matter how hard I struggled, I remained trapped, held captive by an unseen power. I swore I could hear the faint whispers of inhuman voices, taunting me, toying with my desperate attempts to break free.

"Trap little bugsss.. My little files..in a web made of bones..." The creature sang, its voice was almost musical except that it was dripping with a sick sadistic pleasure at the incipience.

Finally, the creature stepped out from the shadows, its form became illuminated by the pale moonlight. Every detail of its existence seemed to defy logic and reason. It stood before us, an embodiment of the bizarre and otherworldly.

The creature, taking on the form of a man with reptilian attributes and pointy ears, possessed a mesmerizing and ethereal beauty. Its skin, adorned with delicate scales, shimmered with an otherworldly iridescence. When touched by the moonlight, the scales retracted, revealing a breathtaking display of mosaic-like shades of greyish-blue that seemed to shift and dance across the surface. Despite its reptilian features, the creature's face bore a human-like visage, with chiseled and flawless skin that exuded an air of timeless elegance. The features were so perfect, so symmetrical, that they almost seemed inhumanly beautiful – a face that defied the natural order as if sculpted by the hands of a master artisan. The creature's eyes, however, betrayed the true nature that lurked beneath the captivating facade. Its eyes were twin orbs of polished onyx with pupils elongated and slitted like those of a serpent. They gleamed with a hypnotic gaze that seemed to pierce the very depths of one's soul. There was an intelligence and ancient wisdom within those eyes, but also a glimmer of something much darker – a predatory hunger, a thirst for power and domination that hinted at the creature's true, monstrous nature.

Time seemed to stand still as if the world around us had faded into insignificance. Held by its unblinking stare, we were ensnared by its unearthly beauty. Yet a deep sense of unease lingered, reminding us that this being was anything but good and that its intentions were far from benevolent.

The creature's movements were fluid and calculated, weaving a sinister dance as it made its way from Laura to Sam, and finally to Anna. With each step, its presence grew more ominous, until its piercing gaze fell upon me. The closer it came, the more I could sense the raw, primal power that emanated from it.

"Youuu..." The creature's voice trailed off as its serpent-like tongue slithered out from its lips, heightening the sense of fear that gripped me. "You were not calllllled..."

As the creature drew closer, a primal curiosity began to stir within me, overriding the paralyzing fear that had gripped me. My lips parted, a silent question trembling on the tip of my tongue, begging to be voiced.

What did it mean when it said I was "not called"? The question echoed in my mind. There was no way I dared to speak.

Instead, I instinctively lowered my head in a futile attempt to shield myself from the intensity of its gaze. But the creature, with a scaled hand, gently yet firmly tilted my chin upward, forcing me to meet its gaze. As I stared into those slitted, otherworldly pupils, I felt a profound vulnerability, unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if the walls of protection I had so carefully built around myself were crumbling, layer by layer, leaving me exposed and utterly defenseless. All of my innermost thoughts and emotions seemed to be laid bare for all to see.

Overwhelmed I found myself trembling, not from fear alone, but from a strange, almost visceral fascination that threatened to consume me. The creature was doing something to me. I seemed to forget who I was for a moment as its gaze drew me deeper into the abyss of the unknown, where the very boundaries of reality seemed to blur and distort.

When it seemed to have detected something within me, its eyes widened for a fleeting moment as if seeing something new and unexpected. "Interesting," it spoke, the word laced with intrigue and contemplation.

But just as quickly as the surprise had registered on its perfect features, it was replaced by a sudden, sadistic delight that shone brightly in its slitted eyes. It was as if it had uncovered a secret. A secret that I had no clue about and was not thrilled to find out. I longed for a swift end to my existence for whatever it found amusing had sealed my fate.

I knew, once again, the burden of impending doom.

"Unfortunatelyyy..."

The creature's voice slithered through the air, its tone leaking with a twisted amusement. It withdrew its hand from my chin, turning its head back to my friends. With a serpentine movement, it twisted towards Anna, its scaly hand coming to rest on her small, trembling shoulder. "I only have use for threee of you."

My heart froze in my chest as a glint of something razor-sharp emerged from the creature's hands. In that instant, time seemed to stop. Before I could even register what was happening, the creature struck with lightning speed, its clawed hand lashing out with devastating force. In a horrifying flash, Anna's head was neatly severed from her body, the sickening crunch of bone and the spray of arterial blood filling the air with a gut-wrenching finality.

Her lifeless form crumpled to the ground, a crimson-red pool rapidly spreading across the earth, staining the surrounding area with its horrifying reminder of the fragility of life.

Shock and horror rushed through my trembling body, rendering me utterly paralyzed once more and unable to look down at the gruesome scene before us. The air was rent with the piercing, anguished screams of Laura and Sam, their hysteria echoing through the eerie, foreboding silence of the woods.

In the middle of the chaos, a suffocating guilt drowned me. It should have been me, I thought, my mind consumed by a sense of survivor's guilt as the weight of Anna's death bore down upon me, tormenting my soul.

I wanted to scream, to run, to do anything to escape the horror that had just unfolded, but my limbs refused to move, my voice trapped in my throat. All I could do was stare, wide-eyed and trembling, as the creature loomed over the fresh remains, its eyes glinting with a twisted, sadistic delight.

"Plea-" Laura's voice choked with anguish as she began to beg for mercy, but her words were abruptly silenced by the overwhelming, oppressive presence of the creature.

The entity's gaze bore down upon us, its very existence commanding our complete and absolute attention. We were mere specks in the wake of its towering, otherworldly power, and we knew, instinctively, that any attempt at defiance would be met with swift and merciless retribution.

"Tell me," the creature demanded, its voice resonating louder than the cries of the frightened children, the very sound of it vibrating through our very bones. "Your namessss... or meet the same fate."

Laura's gaze shifted frantically between Sam and me, her eyes filled with a desperate pleading that cut through the haze of terror that had enveloped us. In that shared, fleeting moment of connection, we understood, without a single word spoken, that we had no choice but to comply with the creature's demand.

"L... Laura Everett," she stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

"... Sam D-Davis," Sam announced, his voice wavering.

Finally, the creature's gaze fell upon me, a twisted, predatory grin spreading across its face and revealing rows of razor-sharp, needle-like teeth. My voice quivered as I spoke, uttering my name with a sense of resignation that cut deeper than any blades.

"... Ash... Ash Morin."

As the sound of my name left my trembling lips, I felt its loss. It was as if a precious and innocent part of myself had been stripped away, leaving me feeling naked and vulnerable.

In that moment, I was assailed by a whirlwind of memories, a kaleidoscope of moments from my past that had, until now, remained safely tucked away in the back of my mind. I saw flashes of a young girl with dark hair and eyes, her delicate features adorned with a smattering of freckles across her cherubic cheeks. I remembered her in her favorite floral blue dress, the ruffled trim billowing gently as she ran through the lush, vibrant flower garden, her infectious laughter filling the air with a pure and joyous sound. I recalled the fleeting glances and shy smiles she had shared with a boy, a bittersweet intimacy that now felt like a lifetime away.

These fragments of my past, now irrevocably lost, caused my very soul to cry out in mourning for what had once been so full of light and innocence.

That girl, Ash Morin, from Hope Haven's Orphanage, died at the tender age of 10.

At that moment, the creature's laughter exploded into the stillness of the night, its mocking, malevolent tone reverberating through the woods like a haunting, discordant melody. The sound seemed to be echoed back by the very essence of the surroundings – the towering trees, the inky blackness of the night, the very air itself, as if they too found our plight utterly and cruelly amusing.

All of them.

"Welcome to the Faerie Realm."