Chapter 6

Naida's heart raced as she opened her eyes, the bright fluorescent lights above her causing her to squint and shield her face with her arm. Her body was on fire, her muscles aching and her head throbbing. She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness forced her back down onto the cold, hard hospital bed.

The door swung open violently, banging against the wall with a loud thud. Two strangers, a man and a woman, rushed into the room, their faces contorted with worry and fear. They hurried over to Naida's bedside, their movements frantic. The woman, her long, dark hair falling over her shoulders, gently took Naida's hand in hers. "Ravenna, can you hear me? It's okay, you're safe now," she said, her voice trembling.

Confusion filled Naida's mind as she looked at them, her vision still blurry from the pain. "Who are you?" she managed to croak out.

The couple exchanged glances, the tension palpable in the air. "You...you don't remember us?" the man asked, his voice cracking.

Naida shook her head, confusion etched on her face. "No, I don't. I...I feel like I should, but I can't place you." She glanced around the room, her heart racing. "And this isn't a hospital. I know I was just...just now..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to make sense of it all.

She jumped off the hospital bed, practically knocking over the IV stand as she fled the room. Her heart raced, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The world around her seemed to spin, and she felt as if she were in some sort of twisted dream. She didn't recognize the man and woman who had just rushed into the room, calling her Ravenna.

Where was she? That was the question that kept echoing in Naida's mind as she frantically searched the hospital room. Everything felt so foreign, so wrong. She didn't recognize the two strangers who had just entered, calling her Ravenna. Didn't she die? She glanced down at her body, feeling a strange sense of disconnect from it. It wasn't hers. It was taller, stronger... and somehow, she knew it wasn't her.

As she swung the bathroom door open, Naida's heart hammered against her ribcage. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she stared at herself in the mirror.

The woman in the reflection was not her...

Naida could hardly believe her eyes as she stared at the stranger in the mirror. Her old messy brown hair was now long and lustrous, flowing down past her shoulders like a raven's wing. Her once dull brown eyes were now a captivating hazel, filled with an inner light that she had never seen before. And she was taller, too. Much taller.

As she tentatively reached up to touch her face, Naida felt a mixture of awe and disbelief wash over her. It was as if someone had taken her battered, worn-out body and given her a new one. A beautiful one. She couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of miracle, a gift from the moon itself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the bathroom door. "Ravenna dear? Are you okay in there?" It was the woman's voice, soft and gentle.

Naida hesitantly opened the door a crack, peeking out at the couple. "Who...who are you?" she managed to choke out.

The man smiled warmly, his face creased with kindness. "Don't you remember us, my love? We're your parents, Ravenna. You've been away for so long, and we were so worried about you."

Tears welled up in Naida's eyes as she took in their features. They had the same hazel eyes as hers, and their hair was a striking shade of silver. Parents...the word seemed foreign to her now. In her old life she was an orphan...she never knew who her parents were. But now...she had them. They looked at her with so much love and adoration that it was almost too much to bear.

As she stood there, taking in their features, she felt a strange sense of disconnect from her old life. It was as if her memories had been replaced by a new set of experiences, as if she had truly been reborn. She couldn't help but wonder how this had happened. Had the moon somehow granted her a second chance at life?

"Ravenna, dear, do you remember what happened to you? The night of the eclipse...?" Her mother's voice trailed off, filled with concern and a hint of fear.

Naida shook her head, of course she wouldn't remember...this wasn't her life. This was all some sort of strange dream, a twisted fairytale. But the more she looked at her parents, the more she wanted to believe it was real. They were so beautiful, so loving...she had always wanted a family.

Her father stepped forward, taking her hands in his. "Ravenna, sweetheart, we know this must be confusing for you. But even if you don't remember anything, please believe us when we say that you are our daughter, and we have loved you every moment of your life. We're here for you, no matter what."

As they stood together, mother and father, their presence washing over her like a warm blanket, Naida found herself beginning to accept the truth of their words. They felt real, solid, unshakeable. It was as if some part of her had always known them, had always belonged to them. And despite the strangeness of the situation, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief and contentment.

The woman grabbed her gently by the arm and led her back to her hospital room. As they walked, Naida couldn't help but marvel at the softness of her mother's touch. It was as if she were made of spun gold, so delicate and precious. She wondered how she had ever been able to survive without their love.

Once they were inside, Naida laid back on the bed, and as her parents left the room, they exchanged uncertain glances. Naida sat up straight on the bed, her mind spinning. She was having trouble wrapping her head around the idea that they were her parents, that this was her life now.

Although she was grateful for the moon giving her another opportunity at life, she only had one thing on her mind...Revenge....