5. Predator Found its Prey

Evianna:

My footsteps blended with the rustling of leaves beneath me as I sprinted through the dense forest. The canopy above cast intricate patterns of sunlight and shadow on the forest floor, adding an eerie ambiance to my desperate flight.

The scent of damp earth and pine needles filled my nostrils, the ancient sentinels of nature standing tall around me.

I dared not pause to consider my fate. The memories of a childhood spent in the orphanage, aching with neglect and abuse, before being kidnapped on a dark chilly night now blended with the chilling prospect of captivity under the hands of a remorseful captor.

Survival demanded my full attention.

I ran as far as my legs could take me, the sound of the wind swooshing past my ear, my ears picking up the rustling sound of dry leaves as I went deeper into the forest. The forest grounds were wet and I had no shoes on, birds in the trees made chirping sounds giving life to the forest.

"Aaargh"

A thorn, hidden amidst the foliage, had found its mark, piercing my bare sole. My steps faltered, and I collapsed onto the forest floor, the weight of my fall crashing upon me.

Grimacing, I clenched my teeth against the searing pain. I crawled behind a tree and looked down at my feet, blood trickled down as the thorn twig had gone deep into my skin, my left foot had sustained an injury and it burned.

Moving my hands lower, I gently pulled out the thorn from my left foot and whimpered lowly with scrunched face at the pain I felt.

I released a breath and tried to catch my whiffs, my heart was thumping so fast and I tried to tone it down, my eyes scanned around my surrounding, I had gone deeper into the forest and I wasn't sure of a way out, there were trees, really tall ones with their leaves making a shade above me.

After resting for a couple of minutes, I tried to stand up, using my left toe on the floor cause of my injuries, I had to leave there fast, I didn't like the air of the forest.

Resting my back on the tree, I stood up and looked down at my shirt which was extremely dirty right now, also having blood and mud stains. Taking a deep breath I left the back of the tree to continue my run.

Coming out from behind the tree, I bumped into something hard and it made me stagger at my footing before falling backward, I yelped in pain and closed my eyes tight when my butt hit the hard forest grounds.

Pain from my butt and feet coursed through my veins and I opened my eyes to see what in the world had me falling.

My senses momentarily shut down when I saw him, the same person I was running away from, standing in my front with his hands in his pocket, how...how did he get here?

His abyss-dark eyes which I had seen earlier were flickering from red to black with his jet-black hair covering part of his face, I had to blink my eyes to be sure of what I was seeing.

"Where are you running off to, dear?" the question hung in the air, drilling with false familiarity and a disturbing hint of amusement. My skin crawled as his low, condescending tone seeped into my senses.

The way he addressed me, with that twisted endearment, sent a wave of unease crashing through me. It was a reminder that danger lurked beneath his calm facade like a predator biding its time.

I couldn't ignore the unsettling combination of his serene expression and the same glint in his eyes

He squatted and I moved back to keep a physical distance between us, my heart was racing fast in fear as our eyes were connected, his eye color had flickered back to black but a darker one as he stared at me, his gaze traveled down to my clothes and he muttered "Look how bloody you are" his deep voice rang into my ears as he dangerously looked back into my eyes, no smirk, no grin, his expression devoid of any emotion.

"You.." my voice caught in my throat as I attempted to question him, but a sudden, throbbing pain engulfed my head. Clutching my temples, I collapsed to the ground, consciousness slipping away as darkness consumed my soul.

*******************

The house was dark, only the lights from the burning lamp in the little place helped me to see where I was going, my feet walking on the cold wooden floor, it was midnight and I woke up cause I heard a sound, I came out of my bedroom to check what it might be— father wasn't at home, he had traveled to a nearby town to visit a relative, and also to buy a gift for me, that's what he told me. My five years birthday was just in a few days, he promised to get me a tiara, for he always called me his princess. A smile curled on my lips as I reveled in that cherished title— I was, indeed, his princess.

I'm looking for my mother, she had laid me to bed before she left my room, I was hearing a sound and I followed the direction it came from. After a short walk from my bedroom, I stood outside a door, Mother always cautioned me against entering when night befell. Though curiosity gnawed at me, I heeded her words, for she had always assured me that she wanted nothing but the best for me.

The door to the room wasn't completely closed, there was a dim light coming in from there, my curious eyes led me further as my little legs wandered closer to the door.

When I got to the door, I hesitated a little, before I decided to take a peek at what the light from the room was.

I gasped in shock at the sight, Mother was there, alongside another person, I couldn't see who it was cause they both had their backs to the door, the person beside Mother was dressed in a black cloak, I almost mistook whoever it was as the darkness of the room. With my hands in the opened door, I peeked my head further and then I heard.

"The time shall come when your daughter would be used for the sacrifice, no matter what happens don't let her go away from your side, she is the key. If Vincent doesn't agree with it, kill him" the person on the cloak said, a female chilly voice, my breath hitched, and my eyes widened, I don't understand what they are saying, but Vincent was my father's name.

"I know" I heard my mother say, devoid of no emotion, my eyes moved to her back.

I suddenly hiccuped and thus attracted the attention of the two people, Mother immediately looked towards my side at the door, I stood there staring at her "What are you doing here, Evie?" her voice changed and with a rather sweet smile she walked up to me.

"I warned you to never come to this room when night falls, didn't I?" she asked with a smile that had a sweat trickle down my face, the woman who stood there a few minutes ago was no longer there as I looked to check on her, where did she go? The room was cramped and little so where was she? I looked at the window where the moonlight shone into the room, and I wondered if she ran out from there, but when?

I looked back at my mother, she was smiling, and I wasn't okay with the way she smiled

"Mama, I woke up and couldn't sleep" I cried, I was scared, my heart was racing, my mom wasn't acting normal, she wore a black dress that reached her foot, she squatted in front of me, a smile on her face, I didn't know if it was genuine or not. She was scaring me.

Mother abruptly dragged me into the forbidden room, her hand striking my face with a force that stung my cheeks. Gripping my hair tightly, she locked her gaze with mine, her eyes transformed, devoid of their usual warmth. At that moment, I realized I had stumbled upon a realm of darkness and secrets within our own home "Didn't I warn you, Evianna Winston?" her eyes were different as she spat to my face.

"Mama, it hurts" I cried in pain, she banged my head to the table close by and threw me to the floor, she walked out of the room, living me alone there as blood began to trickle down from my head, I hugged my knees as my back rested on the wall, tears gushing down, my long hair covering my face as I bent my head in fear.

Mother walked in a few minutes later, I looked up, wondering if this was really my mother, she was always sweet, loving, and gentle with me, what was wrong? Why does she look different and distant to me?

She squatted in front of me, forcefully tilting my head to face the ceiling. "Mama" I whispered, my fear palpable

She pried my mouth open with a firm grip, forcefully pouring a bitter liquid into it.

"You will forget what happened. Morning will come, and everything will return to normal..." Her chant echoed in my ears as she whispered something unintelligible into my ear.

My young mind couldn't grasp the depth of the situation. All I knew was that my mother's actions and words were unsettling, leaving me confused and scared.

My body weakened and slowly my eyes began to feel heavy, darkness enveloped my soul and I fell to the ground as she finally released me from her grip. In those final moments, her words echoed in my fading awareness, a chilling proclamation of a world torn asunder and her disdain for me.

"World apart, the end shall come, you disgust me."

******

Evianna:

I woke up in a panic, my heart racing and my body drenched in sweat. It felt like a vivid memory, an incident from my past before the orphanage. My head throbbed, urging me to push the unsettling thoughts away, to leave the mysteries behind.

Memories of my life before being dropped at the orphanage at the tender age of five remained elusive. It was as if a veil shrouded that part of my past, leaving me with only recollections from my time at the orphanage.

Confusion washed over me as I sat up in an unfamiliar room. The surroundings were foreign, and I couldn't help but wonder where I was.

A sudden sound caught my attention, causing my head to jerk toward the nearby couch in the bedroom.

My eyes settled into the dark obsidian eyes of the very person that purchased me at a steep price, the man I had desperately sought to escape from.

"Where... Where am I?" I asked, staring straight at him. Nothing seemed to make sense. Waking up from one nightmare only to find myself confronted by another.

"My abode" he muttered, a smirk dancing across his face. "A place where you can never escape from. We're in my domain now, dear." I couldn't help but despise that smile; it lacked sincerity. With elegant, slender fingers, he reached for a coffee cup on the nearby table, bringing it to his lips and taking a sip.

Unbeknownst to me, this was the beginning of a wretched existence I never anticipated, a new life that would plunge me into a web of misery and mystery. Brimming with anguish and unanswered questions from my past.

The predator had found its prey.