Chapter 2

LEONIE

Everything here looked entirely different from what I was used to seeing in situations like this– situations that warranted me to wander around for research purposes.

But, right now, I saw things that I barely recognize, things I’m very certain I’ve only seen in my dreams, and frankly, they were never this beautiful or vivid in my dreams. 

The sky gleamed like an artist had splashed a whole lot of a few colors together to achieve this final look, along with sprinkling a lot of glitter over it.

But, that was about where the fairy tale look ended.

Scattered around were a lots of tunic and cloaks and not only that, I noticed some painted terracotta slabs, and carved funerary monuments, it all seemed unreal and extremely old.

Right around me, was a very wide expanse of forest that honestly looked too scary for me to get an excited trill from.

I felt something brush against y leg and I looked to see what it was as something else caught my attention, the color of the sand on the ground was also different, I’d tried to tell the color but I could barely tell it properly even though there was light.

I bent over to pick it up and it felt kind of warm too, like something hot had been placed on it. I examined the sand carefully and it looked really beautiful. It wasn’t the usual white or brown sand, it was the color blue.

Everything in this part of the world that I was standing looked too beautiful to be true, everything unusual but something about it seemed peaceful. I continued my walk as I decided to look around. I had better make the best of my current unbelievable and laughable situation right now.

I picked the cloaks that were hung as I examined them too carefully.

I’d completely forgotten about my pen and jitters as I took in everything in this whole new world, it looked nothing like anything I’ve seen before and they all amused me, it all left me yearning for more.

Just when I was about to take a look at one of the beautiful old jewelry I’d found, I heard a strange noise. It was unfamiliar but it sounded like an angry wild animal, it sounded like it knew someone strange was in its territory.

Not thinking, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me in the other direction in search of the safest place to hide. I knew why I didn’t want to come for this research in the first place.

I’ve just been here how many minutes and it looks like I wouldn’t be making it back alive, I’d lost my friends, I had no idea where I was and I’d just angered one of the wide animals by entering its territory.

“It probably just wants me alive now so it could make a meal out of me.” I whispered to myself fearfully as I kept trying to find somewhere to hide, my breathing was fast and I placed my palm on my mouth to stop me from breathing so loudly so whatever it was wouldn’t find me as I stopped for a while.

“Oh shit!” I yelled as I looked back to find some animals running in my direction, not thinking and a terrified whimper slipped past my lips as I slapped my hand over it hastily while my eyes bulged out.

On realizing the animals were closing in on me, I got out of the safe space I thought I found to continue running.

I had no idea where I was running to but I knew I wasn’t going to stay and try to find out what they would do to me if they caught up with me.

The animals looked so huge and frighteningly terrifying from the little glances I was able to get of them.

I didn’t seem fast enough as they were almost catching up with me, I felt my heart beat race even faster and it wasn’t because of how fast I was running, it was more because of how scared I was.

“Oh god please let me out of here alive.” I cried silently as I continued my race to nowhere in particular. I didn’t know anywhere around here and so I didn’t know where I was heading to.

I heard another growl and it was as though the earth was quaking as the thunderous howl caused me to cry out in fear as shivers ran down my spine, I looked back to see how far I was from them that I didn’t know when I ran into a wall, I bounced back and fell but I wouldn’t wait.

I’d almost broken my nose but that was absolutely better than getting eaten up alive, I couldn’t count how much I tripped but I knew my legs were giving up on me as my toes were already numb, my feet were tired and I was getting slower.

I couldn’t help the tears that ran down my cheeks as I panted but kept running, I knew I was getting slower but I ignored the feeling of my body trying to give up on me as I kept running.

Just when I’d thought I was approaching a safe zone, I felt something on my back that caused me to fall down and it turned me around, I’d never seen an animal as scary as the one in front of me right.

“Oh fuck! Oh God!” I couldn’t help my scream and it looked as though the animal in front of me was enjoying it as I sensed a little bit of amusement in its countenance.

“Please don’t kill me, I’m only here for some research and not to kill you,” I rambled on like it could hear what I was saying. I usually talk to dogs and cats back at home, and since this one hasn’t killed me yet, I thought it could hear what I was saying and would be kind enough to let me go.

“I didn’t mean to be in your territory, I swear please just let me go, let me find my friends and you would never see me anywhere near you again!” I kept talking as I cried, desperately begging for my life.

I never imagined myself talking to a wild animal and worse, begging for my life. I only see things like this in the movies and I never thought I would ever see it in real life, much less experience it first hand.

The fact that the animal was still on me and hadn’t hurt me was as surprising as it was shocking, I heard twigs breaking and I looked around to see more animals that looked like… wolves? these ones came out of the forest, only that—-

They were morphing into humans as they approached, I closed my eyes and mentally slapped myself as I thought I was seeing things because I was at the brink of death but when I opened my eyes back, I realized that I was indeed seeing right.

These animals were really turning to humans, they were humans that turned to animals or animals that turned to humans?!

My mouth was hanging open as I stared at them in shock and they returned my stare as though they were all surprised to see me or were disgusted by me? 

My thoughts kept running through my mind as I tried to wrap my head around what I had just saw.

“Evil has found us and it has come to us, it has come to ruin things once again, to take our world from us.” I heard a voice that seeped through my mind like some sort of liquid as it jolted me out of my thoughts.

I looked around to search for who had spoken and I saw one of them looking really angry as he pointed a finger to me, I had no idea why he’d calmed me evil but whatever it is, his colleagues weren’t really happy about it.

I looked around and I just knew something didn’t feel right, they were all really angry although I had no reason why they were.

I didn’t know why I’d came in here, I should’ve ignored the snake, the light and maybe, just maybe I’ll still be with my friends right now.

I watched as they stomped towards me, their countenance wasn’t really friendly and the fear if thought was gone came crippling back as one of them grabbed my hair.

“Please,” I begged while tears streamed down my eyes, “I’m not evil, I didn’t come for anyone, I’m a researcher and I’m only here on an assignment, I don’t even know how I made it over here, I swear it.” I pleaded with them as I tried to reach for my backpack but they all made to attack me at once, causing me to freeze in fear.

“I’m sorry please, just let me go and I swear I won’t come back here again, I got lost and I don’t know how I got here.” I tried to explain in hopes that they would understand me.

But that didn’t, they were all interested in killing me instead rather than having me alive.

“What should we do to you?” One of them asked and I took that as my ticket to salvation, I was going to plead for a passage back to my world.

“Just let me go and—“

“Shut up!” Another one interrupted me mid sentence just as a firm slap landed on my cheeks, making my head whipped sideways. His voice made me jump and tremble harder in fear as my cheek burned from the slap.  

Just what in God’s name have I gotten myself into?

“Please.” I cried, not trying to be strong anymore as I covered my face with my palm on the ground, it was almost as though I was bowing to them.

I just wanted them to let me go back home, I missed a lot of things and I didn’t want to be here in the first place, I should’ve fought harder to be somewhere else but here for the stupid research.

“You. Evil. Very bad, you’re evil itself.” Another snarled at me through gritted teeth. I flinched in fear on getting a glimpse of sharp looking fangs that scared me out of my wits.

“No, no, I’m not, I’m Leonie and I only cane for a research, I’ll show you.” I tried to explain again as I hurriedly cleaned my damp face with my dirty palm that was filled with the now darkened but still blue sand.

I pulled out my jotter and pen and one of them had taken it away from me angrily as he threw it back at me, letting it hit my face hard.

There was nothing I could say that would make those creatures change their minds, they all hated me and my presence angered them.

“We’ll burn you as a sacrifice to the moon goddess!” I heard another sneer.

Burns me as a sacrifice? To the——

Moon goddess?