The harsh rays of sunlight hit my face like a slap, forcing my eyes open. The brightness stung, and for a few seconds, I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or awake. My head throbbed painfully, and the air around me smelled of dust and dry heat.As my eyes adjusted, what I saw nearly made my heart stop.All around me was an open desert, endless sand stretching toward a trembling horizon. The air shimmered with heat, and not far from me stood something that looked like a modern hut, but it was made of steel sheets and concrete walls. It wasn’t a home. It looked like a bunker, like something built to keep things in, not to keep things out.When I tried to move, my arms wouldn’t budge. My legs, too, felt stiff. I looked down, and a thick iron chain wrapped tightly around both my wrists and ankles. My skin was red from where the metal had rubbed me raw. Panic crawled up my throat.Then a sound made me freeze.A sharp crack! , followed by the desperate cry of a wolf.I turned sharply toward t
Last Updated : 2025-11-19 Read more