4. Moonridge Academy

There was no sender's address, no application details, just a signature line at the bottom. I stared at the message, my mind racing with questions.

Moonridge Academy? How did they know my situation? That I needed a new school? And what did they mean by "selected"?

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I reread the email, my excitement tempered by skepticism. Could this be a prank? One of Brielle’s schemes? Or was it genuinely an offer from a new school? The thought of starting fresh was tantalizing, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

I stared at the email, my mind reeling with possibilities. Moonridge Academy seemed like a beacon of hope, a chance to start anew and leave my troubles behind. As the night wore on, I finally felt my eyelids growing heavy, and I drifted off to sleep, the email's words still echoing in my mind.

But my rest was short-lived. A vivid dream assaulted my senses, transporting me to a place that felt eerily real. I found myself standing in the midst of a dense forest, the trees towering above me like sentinels.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting an otherworldly glow over the landscape. It was blood-red, and its light seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

As I stood there, frozen in fear, four men emerged from the shadows. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and I could feel their gazes piercing through me like knives.

One of them reached out a hand, his voice low and husky as he whispered, "lady Bloodrena. You returned too soon. You should have stayed dead."

I tried to step back, but my feet seemed rooted to the spot. Another man growled, his voice like a beast's, "She's not ready yet." His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt a sense of unease wash over me.

The third man knelt down, his nose inches from my skin. He inhaled deeply, and his eyes seemed to gleam with a feral light. "Even now, she smells like Elara," he whispered, his voice sending a chill down my spine.

But it was the last man who commanded my attention. His voice was like thunder, shaking the very foundations of the forest. "She's mine to claim," he growled, his eyes burning with an intense passion.

I tried to scream, but my voice was trapped in my throat. The men's words seemed to swirl around me, creating a maelstrom of fear and confusion. Suddenly, the dream shattered, and I jerked awake, drenched in sweat and my pulse racing like a jackrabbit's.

I sat up in bed, my heart still pounding in my chest. The dream had felt so real, like I was actually there in those woods, surrounded by those men with glowing eyes. I looked around my room, but something felt...off. The shadows seemed to cast longer and darker than usual, and the air felt thick with an unseen presence.

I threw off the covers and got out of bed, padding over to the window. I pulled back the curtains, letting the moonlight flood in. But it wasn't the same moon I had seen in my dream. This one was normal, a gentle crescent in the night sky.

I shivered, despite the warmth of the room. What had triggered that dream? And who were those men? Their faces were etched in my mind, their words still echoing in my ears. I felt a sense of unease, like I was being watched, even though I knew I was alone in my room.

As I stood there, trying to calm my racing heart, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life was about to change in ways I couldn't even begin to imagine. The email from Moonridge Academy seemed like just the beginning, a doorway to a world that was full of mystery and danger. And I was stepping right into it, without even knowing what lay ahead.

I sat back down on my bed, my eyes drifting back to the email on my phone. Moonridge Academy seemed like a lifeline, a chance to escape the chaos that had been my life. I thought about all the drama, the rumors, the pain – and I knew I had nothing to lose. This could be my breakthrough, my ticket to freedom.

In my mind, I started to imagine a new life, one where I could leave all my troubles behind. I could run away from the gossip, the judgmental looks, and the constant reminders of my mistakes. I could start fresh, be someone new, and leave the past behind.

With a sense of determination, I typed out a response to the email.

"Dear Admissions," I wrote, "I accept the offer to join Moonridge Academy. Please let me know what the next steps are." I hesitated for a moment before hitting send.

What was I getting myself into? But the thought of a new beginning was too enticing to resist.