Love Hunting

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

Shama’s ragged breaths echoed through the dark forest.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Her shoes pounded against the forest floor, the rhythm erratic, fueled by panic. A sharp pain throbbed in her forehead where blood trickled down, and her clothes clung to her skin, drenched in crimson. Her legs trembled, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm her, but she forced herself to keep moving.

"I didn’t do it," she whispered between gasps. "I... I didn’t—"

She dared a glance behind her, her heart hammering, expecting someone to emerge from the shadows. But in that fleeting moment, her foot caught on a rock.

She fell.

The forest floor rushed up to meet her, and the world around her dimmed as everything went black.

---

Earlier that day, Shama lay sprawled across her bed, lost in the colorful pages of her favorite comic book, *Mystical World of Mythical Creatures*. She giggled to herself as her eyes danced across the familiar illustrations and stories she knew by heart.

"Why can’t life be like this?" she sighed dreamily. Clasping her hands together, she closed her eyes. "God, please, just once—let me experience a magical world."

Her phone’s ringtone cut through her thoughts, and with a groan, she rolled over and answered.

"Have you checked the results yet?" Tara’s voice chirped through the line.

Shama bolted upright. "Oh no! I forgot today was result day!"

She grabbed her laptop, typing frantically. As the page loaded, she crossed her fingers and squeezed her eyes shut. "Please, please let it be good..."

When she peeked at the screen, her breath caught.

"I topped the state?" she whispered in disbelief.

Tara’s laughter burst through the phone. "And you’re on the front page of the newspaper, miss topper!"

"Wait, what?!" Shama blinked, stunned. "I can’t believe this. I really—"

"Believe it, girl! Now, where’s my celebration?" Tara teased.

"Domino’s in fifteen minutes," Shama declared. "My treat."

"On my way!" Tara whooped, hanging up.

Shama jumped off her bed and threw on fresh clothes. Before rushing out, she paused at the door and glanced back at her room, where the comic book lay open on her bed. With a smile, she shut the door behind her.

As soon as the door clicked shut, an unsettling silence filled the room. The comic book glowed softly, its pages flipping on their own as the ink slowly vanished, leaving the paper blank.

From the darkness, a voice whispered: "It’s time."

---

The aroma of cheese and garlic filled the air as Shama entered Domino’s. Tara was already waving from a corner booth, her excitement practically vibrating off her.

"There you are!" Tara beamed. "Okay, here’s my order: cheeseburger, paneer pizza, Coke, and dessert. All on you!"

"You’re going to bankrupt me!" Shama groaned, sliding into the seat.

Tara gave her a playful pout. "You said a ‘special treat,’ remember?"

Shama tossed a napkin at her. "Fine, fine. But you’d better eat it all."

They laughed, chatting and taking selfies while waiting for their food. Tara had a way of making everything feel light and joyful. She was Shama’s anchor—her first real friend, the one who had pulled her out of her darkest days.

The hours flew by, and soon they were stepping out into the cool night air. Tara gave Shama a tight hug and kissed her cheek. "See you tomorrow at school, love!"

"Love you too," Shama said with a laugh, watching as Tara hopped onto her bike and rode off into the night.

With a content sigh, Shama began her walk home. The streets buzzed with life—cars honking, people chatting, neon signs flickering above shop windows. As she strolled, she spotted two children playing ahead of her. They tripped over each other and tumbled to the ground, giggling as their mother rushed over to scoop them up.

Shama smiled at the scene, her heart warming. For a moment, everything felt right with the world.

---

When she reached her apartment, the air inside felt strange—heavier than usual, as if something was lurking just beneath the surface. She brushed off the feeling and kicked off her shoes, tossing her purse into the closet.

The exhaustion of the day hit her all at once. She collapsed onto her bed, pulling the blankets around her. But just as sleep began to pull her under, a sharp pain shot through her head, dragging her back into wakefulness.

She groaned, reaching for the water on her nightstand—but the dizziness was too much. The room spun, and darkness claimed her.

---

When Shama opened her eyes, she wasn’t in her room anymore.

Her heart skipped a beat. Everything around her was hazy, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of blood.

Then she saw her.

A girl stood in front of her, clutching her stomach. Blood seeped between her fingers, staining her skin red. Tears streamed down her pale face, her eyes filled with pain and betrayal as they locked onto Shama’s.

"Why?" the girl whispered, her voice barely audible.

Shama’s breath hitched. Her mind swirled with confusion. "W-What...?" she stammered, her voice shaky.

Her gaze drifted downward—and that’s when she saw it.

A knife was buried deep in the girl’s stomach, and the handle was gripped tightly in Shama’s hand.

A wave of horror crashed over her. "No… no, I didn’t…" she whispered, her hand trembling as she released the knife.

The girl coughed, a wet, gurgling sound, and blood dribbled from her mouth. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground, her hands weakly clutching the knife still lodged in her abdomen.

Shama stumbled backward, her heart pounding against her ribcage. "This isn’t real. It can’t be real," she whispered, tears blurring her vision.

She pressed her hands to her mouth, trying to suppress the rising scream in her throat. Her mind raced, desperate for answers. "Where am I? Who is she? What’s happening?"

But the world gave her no answers—only the haunting image of the girl’s lifeless body, surrounded by a pool of dark, glistening blood.