Chapter 1

Tall, dark, and handsome, that's how they usually describe Dale but not for me. I don't give a damn fuck about him, but why I'm talking about him? Because they keep bothering me about my relationship with him.

But I can't blame them because Dale is so fixated on me. I'm not bragging, and I don't mean it as a romantic partner.

I met Dale when I was a kid. He's my classmate, neighbor, and childhood friend, I guess. We are not close to each other; we don't talk nor interact. But whenever I'm in trouble, he's always there to help me, and then he will leave me as if nothing happened.

I don't know his deal. That's why I can't answer them nor at least give them something they can believe.

"He's so hot! especially when he tries to outrun, Krets,"

"What I like is when he wiped his sweat using his shirt,"

Squealing of my classmate while we are walking to the library. We are in P.E class earlier, and as usual, Dale is the apple of the eye. Well… I hate to admit it, but he's really hot, especially when doing martial arts.

Anyway, it's not time to think about it because I'm doomed right now. Our next subject is supposed to be English, but our teacher is absent, that's why she left us a task to make up for her time.

I'm panicking because she wanted us to make a book representation. If you think about it, it is extremely easy but not for me. All my life, I never read a book nor even touch it. And it was because my parents, they don't want us to touch it and don't ask me why.

Reaching the library, everyone scattered their selves like they already knew their place. Sigh, how am I supposed to know where should I go or find a book for a beginner like me. I can't talk to anyone since they have some grudge against me about Dale.

Searching high and low, I still haven’t met the book that I need. As I walked deeper into the library, I found myself in a corner where old books are being displayed.

The atmosphere here is giving me an eerie feeling, and my guts are telling me that I shouldn't be here. But there's something there that calling out to me. Without a second thought, I step my foot deeply in this corner and continue to search for a book.

"What a weird book," I whisper to myself as I scan the book that piqued my interest.

There's nothing on the cover; title nor summary. As I flipped the pages, I've seen nothing but old paper with burnt edges but on the very last page, gives me a sign that I should run.

"Why is my name written here?"

I'm about to close the book when something pricks my index finger, as a result of dripping my blood on the book.

Howl of the wind and a little earthquake, something like I could describe as fantasy movie effect where you open something you shouldn't.

I know I should return the book to the shelf but when I look up, all I could see were greens and trees. Where the hell am I?

How long I've been here? I don't know anymore the concept of days; all I know was morning and evening where Chuck tortured me endlessly.

"I won't kill you yet," Chuck says after he almost drowned me and whipped me.

Rather than saying anything, I spit blood on his face that makes him more agitated. He slaps me hard enough to make my lips taste blood. He walks out of the room after several tortures but still doesn't get the answer he wants.

I become numb to his torture to the point I'm not scared of dying anymore because I have already given up living. It's easier than expecting someone to help me.

After Chuck left, Red came in and did the same thing ever since I came here.

"Sorry, this is all I can do," Red says while tendering my wounds.

Red is an interesting guy. He was the one who saved me from death when I came here. He feeds me and gives me everything I need to survive in this trial. I still remember our conversation last time, which makes me think that he is different from his peer.

"I was born and raised here, but it doesn't mean that I value the same thing. I can't oppose theirs believes, but I have the right to believe what I want," Red says with a serious face.

"Do you hate me?" I asked

"I wouldn't say, I don't hate your kind because that would be a lie. I was fed by hatred that it became normal to me. And that's the reason why I hope for younger ones to have their judgment. Sounds contradicting right?"

"I'm asking whether you hate me and not some Harold's granddaughter," he didn't answer me. He just continued tidying up the room and waited up for me to finish my food.

"A school is a fun place, but not all students love it," I said to change the topic and break the ice between us.

Red loves talking about school. He was very fond of it because he didn't have an opportunity to experience it. That's why sometimes I taught him and the children how to read and write.

But he still didn't respond to me. After I finished my food, he left without saying anything. But before he left the room, I said something to him, "Don't generalize your hatred. Everyone is individual"

I put the blanket around me after Red left. As my eyelid become heavy, the events of why I came here become vivid in my mind.

It all started with the book which has my name on it, and right after that, I was sent in the middle of nowhere. All I could see were greens and trees.

I want to think carefully about what happened but I was not given the chance. Because the moment I realized I'm not in the library, I was about to be attacked by a red fox but thankfully, Dale is always there to save me.

I was really surprised at that time when I saw the red fox lying on the ground while bathing in his blood then a second later the fox turned into a human. I was shocked that I couldn't move nor what to say at that moment.

Dale grabbed my wrist and then we started running. But the red fox catches up with us that we end up cornered.

Dale took one play card out of his pocket. He tossed it into the air and said, "Thou respond in my call for who am I your owner. Lend me strength, come forth Ari!" then a girl came out in the playing card and possessed Dale.

He fought them until the wolves' pack saved us. We rode the back of the big wolf but the red fox ambush us and grabbed me by my neck and put me here.

Chuck is the one who brought me here and put me in this situation. He accused me that I'm the granddaughter of Harold, which honestly, I don't know where he got that. I don't even know who he is.

My whole body was trembling at that time when I thought I was going to die. I wanted to cry and call my parents, to help me. So, when Red say that they must wait until they prove that I am related to this Harold, I was really relieved that I want to hug him.

But now, I don't know anymore whether I'm grateful to be alive or not. I should die right there, than slowly dying of losing hope to live. I put my arms around my knee as I hug myself and then slowly closed my eyes as my tears started to fall.