Alysa stirred awake, her body heavy with exhaustion as she slowly took in her surroundings. The room felt eerily still, the soft hum of nighttime settling around her like a weighted blanket. She blinked, trying to shake off the lingering haze of sleep, her eyes adjusting to the dim glow of a bedside lamp. Across the room, Lyka lay in another bed, her face pale, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.
Lyka lay motionless, her frail body sinking into the bed. Her closed eyes were rimmed with exhaustion, dark shadows marring the skin beneath them. The paleness of her face was startling, her skin almost translucent under the soft lamplight, and it was clear she had lost weight—her once full cheeks now hollowed, her bones pressing against the fabric of her blanket. Each shallow breath she took seemed like an effort, her chest rising and falling in a slow, uneven rhythm.
Alysa's heart clenched at the sight. It was as though the life had been drained out of her friend, leaving behind only this fragile shell. How long had she been like this? The thought was unbearable. Alysa had to look away, her gaze drifting toward the window.
Outside, the night pressed against the glass like a thick, impenetrable veil. The darkness was absolute, inky black and heavy, swallowing everything beyond the villa's walls. There were no stars, no moonlight to break through—just an endless abyss that seemed to stretch on forever. Even the distant trees were hidden, their branches lost to the consuming night. The silence outside mirrored the stillness in the room, the weight of it all pressing down on Alysa’s chest.
For a moment, she closed her eyes, trying to find comfort in the familiar sounds of her friends' breathing, but the darkness, both outside and within the room, felt suffocating.
Alysa shifted under the covers, wincing at the stiffness in her muscles. As she moved to sit up, she noticed Bev slumped in a chair beside her bed, her body rigid even in sleep. Despite her closed eyes, Bev’s posture was alert, like a sentinel who could spring into action at any moment. Alysa’s heart softened at the sight, a wave of gratitude washing over her. Always watching out for me, she thought.
Slowly, Alysa slid her feet over the edge of the bed, the cold floor biting into her soles. She crept toward Bev, careful not to disturb the stillness. Her steps were light, but the floor creaked faintly under her weight. She didn’t want to wake Bev—not yet. Reaching out, she gently stroked a strand of Bev’s hair, letting the gesture speak what words couldn’t. The warmth of her fingers brushed against Bev’s cheek just as her friend jerked awake.
"Alysa, you’re awake!" Bev gasped, her eyes wide, full of relief and concern. She shot up from the chair, her hands immediately reaching out, as though afraid Alysa might slip away again. “Are you okay?” Her palm flew to Alysa’s forehead, feeling for any sign of fever.
“I’m fine, Bev. Really,” Alysa replied softly, though her voice was still thick with fatigue. She offered a small smile, hoping to ease the tension she saw etched on Bev’s face.
“Don’t worry, you say?” Bev huffed, her expression a mix of frustration and lingering fear. “Alysa, you fainted.” Her voice cracked, betraying just how scared she had been.
Alysa’s smile faltered. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” she whispered, reaching for Bev’s hand and squeezing it gently. The warmth of Bev’s fingers in her own brought her a sliver of comfort.
Bev sighed, the tension leaving her body in a heavy exhale. “So... are you going to tell me what happened?” she asked, her voice softening as she guided Alysa back to the bed.
Alysa lowered herself onto the edge of the mattress, feeling its familiar give beneath her. Bev sat beside her, close enough that Alysa could feel the steady rhythm of her breathing. “Honestly, I don’t know,” Alysa admitted, her brow furrowing. “There were these flashes of memories, but they’re... scattered. Every time I try to piece them together, they slip away.” She shook her head in frustration, her hands tightening in her lap. “I feel like I’m forgetting something important.”
Bev squeezed her hand again, this time more firmly. “Don’t force yourself,” she murmured, her voice steady and reassuring. “If it’s really important, you’ll remember. It’ll come back to you when you’re ready.”
Just then, the door creaked open, and Hazel stepped inside, balancing a tray of food. The smell of warm broth filled the air, comforting and inviting. “Well, look who’s up,” Hazel quipped, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “I thought for sure you’d pull a Sleeping Beauty on us.” Her voice, though playful, held a thread of relief.
“Sorry for worrying you, Hazel,” Alysa said, her smile a little stronger this time.
Hazel placed the tray down beside Lyka’s bed, then approached Alysa with her usual half-smirk. “You feeling better now, Princess?” she asked, her tone light but her eyes scanning Alysa for any sign of weakness.
Alysa nodded, the tension in her shoulders easing as Hazel’s presence brightened the room. Soon, the three of them were chatting quietly, the weight of the night momentarily forgotten. But Alysa’s gaze kept drifting to Lyka, who remained too still in her bed, her fragile figure illuminated by the soft glow of the lamp.
“If only she could be healed,” Alysa whispered, her heart heavy with worry. The laughter and conversation paused as the somber truth settled over them.
“I’m still alive, you know,” Lyka’s weak voice broke through the silence. Her lips curled into a small, tired smile, but her eyes sparkled with warmth. The three friends gasped and rushed to her side, their worry instantly turning to joy.
“Did we wake you up?” Hazel asked, her voice soft as she crouched beside the bed.
Lyka shook her head slowly. “No, I’ve been awake for a while now. I was just... happy listening to you all,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with affection.
“That’s supposed to be my role,” Bev joked, her lips curving into a wide grin. Laughter erupted from the group, the sound filling the once-tense air with a sense of normalcy.
“Come on, Lyka, let’s get some food into you,” Hazel said, her tone playful yet gentle. “You need to get your strength back.”
The three of them worked together, gently propping Lyka up in bed. Bev and Alysa supported her while Hazel carefully spooned broth into her mouth. The warmth of their shared laughter and fond memories filled the room as they reminisced about old times, intentionally steering away from anything sad. Lyka’s frail laughter mixed with theirs, the sound fragile but genuine.
And for a moment, despite the weight of the unknown, it felt like things could be normal again.
Just as Lyka finished the last bite of her meal, Joko burst through the door, panting heavily, his face flushed from running. "Alysa, Inay and Itay are leaving. Something happened to the village—they need to help."
Alysa immediately stood, her body reacting before her mind could fully process the words. She hurried toward him, concern flashing in her eyes. "What happened?" she asked, her voice steady but tight, betraying the fear creeping in.
Joko, visibly shaken, cast frantic glances around the room, as if the answers would suddenly materialize. His hands trembled, and sweat beaded on his brow. “I’m not sure,” he stammered, swallowing hard as if the words themselves were too difficult to speak. “I just heard that…”
“What is it?” Bev snapped impatiently, her sharp tone cutting through the thickening tension.
Joko’s breath caught in his throat. His wide eyes darted between them, and the fear in his gaze was palpable, like a rising tide he couldn't control. “They said... that some people... have gone missing.” His voice cracked, barely more than a whisper.
The room fell into an eerie silence, the kind that wraps around you like cold fingers. His words hung in the air, impossibly heavy, as if spoken aloud they carried a weight none of them could bear. Alysa’s stomach twisted, her pulse quickening. Missing? The word echoed in her mind, jarring against the already overwhelming sense of dread that had settled over her since she woke.
Joko looked at them, his expression riddled with disbelief, as if this reality couldn’t possibly be his. But it was.
Alysa tried to breathe, but her chest felt tight. As she struggled to process what Joko had said, another memory, distant and foggy, flickered at the edge of her consciousness. Dark shapes... shadows… a man standing before her, cloaked in an ominous darkness. His entire form was swallowed by shadows, save for his eyes—two glowing embers in the blackness. They bore into her, cold and unfeeling.
Then came his voice, deep and menacing, like a whisper from some far-off void. “I’ll bring fear and chaos to the village.”
The memory hit Alysa hard, a sudden, sharp jolt that made her breath hitch. Her heart pounded, panic rising in her chest. She swayed slightly, and Bev was at her side in an instant, steadying her with a firm grip. "Alysa, what is it?" Bev’s voice was strained, laced with concern.
Alysa’s mouth went dry. She glanced at Joko, then at Bev, her mind racing to piece together the fragments. Could it be connected?
And then, a chilling question formed in her mind, the weight of it almost too much to bear. What if they weren’t just missing… what if they had been taken?