Chapter 1. Bloody moon and eyes

Roxanne's Point of view 

"Heuk!"

It's getting darker, darker, and darke- "heuk!" It's even getting colder. If I can't go back, I might die soon. 

"Heuk!"

'But how will I go back now?! This dessert is so vast, and has no plants! But if... if mom and dad realize that I'm gone, will they even try to look for me?.....' 

It was this sudden betrayal that made me doubt my former conjecture.

My feet are already shivering from the desert's coldness so I helped myself to sit and wore my royal blue strappy heels. It's a relief I didn't destroy it. My Brother insisted that I should wear it and I hesitantly obliged because I THOUGHT, I thought that there is a special place in this desert that needs long heels. And that he intends to surprise me with it. Yet when he pushed me in that choppe-

"Heuk!"

I felt like it was the end of the world. MY world. 

'Why?! How can he do this to me?! What did I do?! Where have I gone wrong?!' 

Almost my entire life, I loved him like a real brother, even if I KNEW, I knew that he was the adopted one. Even mom and dad, I followed and respected them even if I HEARD the fact that they hid the true result of our DNA test on us. I don't kno-

"Heuk!"

-I don't know if they still hated me for being their real child, but I don't remember doing anything that made them feel like that towards me. Ever since I can control my actions, I have restrained myself. I even became an introverted woman because of it. And my so-called beauty? I tried my best to make it mediocre. To make people feel like I am nobody. That I am not worthy of any praise. I never dared to try and stand out. Because I could sense how much people outside hated me because of my appearance. And now that I have reminisced about it properly, I have realized how every member of my family's compliments are the same as those people. And-

"Heuk!"

And that their thin smiles are just the restrainer of their boiling anger and possibly jealousy towards me. I couldn't even figure out where it came from. I am or was, their legitimate child. That carries not only their inner traits but even outside their features. A stunning combination of features from a well-known actress and historian. And yet, perhaps it is the reason itself why they hated me. I am very well aware of my possession. Because I, myself, am bewildered by my face. Every time I watch a movie of great fantasies, I could somehow imagine myself doing what they're doing. Because my face is being praised as a magnificent combination of fantasy beauty with a little bit of my Canadian mom. If I am to- 

"Oh! My hiccup is gone. Thank goodness, I would not survi- WOAH, is that the real moon?"

'Why is it so red? And big? I don't think there is a lunar eclipse this year, I would've known if there was.' 

'Is this a prank? A surprise? Am I just being pranked?!'

"BROTHER!? Brother Luther are you there?! Please stop this now?! I'm already tired!" 

I waited, I waited and turned my sight thither and hither to see if someone was coming but there was none. The red desert being illuminated by the moon's radiating bloody red light stays calm, pathetically calm. I let myself get stumbled again, then pulled some free fabric out of my simple blue royal halter dress. Even this, my brother also forcefully insisted that I should have it, because I am the birthday girl. And I, being utterly curious why, merely followed. But now that I can see how much it's not helping me, I'm certain it's for this reason. 

'He wants me to go away from them. To die alone, and rot alone.' 

Thinking this, my already swollen puffy eyes began producing another group of warm droplets. Making me close and silently pull them back to where they belong.

 I am already shivering so I curl myself up and try to sleep, but the desert's coldness is consuming me. 

When I finally opened my eyes, I was more shocked because of how the moon seemed to get bloodier and bigger. And was it just my eyes? It's as if it's coming towards me, to heat me. I just stared at it just as I felt its hidden eyes staring back at me. It seems I have guessed right, it's getting redder and bigger. 

Bigger and- "OWOOOO!"

"AHHHH! Oh my god, what's that?! A wolf?"

A sudden loud howl of something, a wolf definitely, from everywhere interrupted my stare at the consuming moon, making it go back to its original size. While the-

'OH. MY. GOD. Is that really a wolf? Why is it so dark? OH NO! Why is there a wolf in the desert?! Am I already hallucinating?!'

I instinctively began to crawl backward and try to get up but I can't seem to get up. No, I can't seem to escape.

' I- it's a b- black M-Mackenzie valley wolf! A- and with very red glowing eyes! W- what should I do?!'

The wolf kept its ablazing red eyes on me as it slowly walked closer. I fought with my inner self who doesn't want to escape because of the feeling that I can't escape and began running hard. But because I am pathetically wearing a tight dress and sandals, I kept drowning in the ocean of sand. But still, I dare not look back and get up quickly. When I felt like I'd been running for all eternity, even though I know I didn't get that far, I built my courage to look back. And it was not there. The moon is alone again. I sighed beyond relief then loo-

"AHHHHH!" 

That's the only word I was able to say when my eyes saw the giant dark wolf in front of me before complete darkness covered them all.