Chapter 1 - Revived

The cold air hits my face, the same words repeat in my head. “Not now, not today,” I wish it wasn’t me.

I was terrified, shaking, and leaving a bloody trail as the blood pours from my hand. I was attacked by something non-human. Something monstrous. Something deadly.

I stopped in front of a large church; it was the size of my old home which is about the size of two elephants stacked on top of each other. The church had red lanterns glowing from around the paths. The lanterns smelled awful.

I was about to touch the red glowing light of one of the lanterns until I heard a snicker behind me.

“Can’t believe your still alive, kid,” Xister chuckled, “I’d thought you be dead by now with all that blood on your hands.”

“Well,” I said, clutching my bag around my back with my free hand. “I’m still here, and I’m not going back after what I just saw and got attacked by out there.”

Xister slowly opens the gate to her church and looks me in the eyes. The fog is extreme, and it’s difficult to breathe in weather like this.

“So...you say you’re not going back huh,” Xister reaches a hand on my shoulder. “There’s not just that big ol’ beast Fen out there, Agetha’s out there too you know.”

“Who’s...Agetha” I looked around, feeling a bit uneasy.

“They are...well sometimes nice, but rather brutal,” Xister smirks, “You aren’t scared, are ya?”

“No- well not by a lot...since you’re here and everything...” I say taking a deep breath. “Why aren’t you helping any of us...?”

“There’s more of you? Pathetic,” Xister crosses her arms, “I have a really good feeling that you’re the last one.”

“Do you think that’s entertainment?!” I yelled. “For us to be dead?! I lost my friends out there!!”

“Friends- those monsters out there are my friends, not yours,” Xister chuckles. “Being a trespasser isn’t like people who come around these parts, luckily you are alive and you should be thankful, brat.”

It started to become even darker.

“You better get out of here and find somewhere safe,” Xister grins, closing the gate and pushing me out of the church. “See you later, or never.”

I immediately started to panic as I heard a faraway roar, running away from the church in a hurry. I kept on running until I saw a cabin with its door open, I ran inside and shut the door.

I started breathing heavily and calmed down slightly as I took a second to look at the place around me.

“Hm,” some strange man scoffed behind the counter. “Another one of those stupid kids, Vivian.”

“Stupid huh? You always say that it’s unbelievable, Miller!” Vivian chuckles slightly before her expression darkened as she looked at me. “They aren’t stupid if they managed to get here alive.”

“Whatever,” Miller locked eyes on me. “Don’t even try talking to me, this is a store, get what you want and leave.”

“AND!” Vivian raises a finger before crossing her arms. “This is a safe cabin so you can stay as long as you want but once you leave were not letting you back in till next night.”

“Oh, wow uh...” I nervously sat down on the floor of the cabin. “Did you hear a roar a little while ago or was that just me...?”

“It’s Fen,” Vivian sighed. “She’s always walking around hungry looking for her prey at night, while Agetha’s running around with two bloodied saws and a glint of mischief in their eyes.”

“Bloodied...saws?” I gulped, shivering as the air grew colder after what Vivian said. “So, uh...that means...?”

“Death.” Vivian cleared her throat and leaned back against the pillar behind Miller. “If you make it out alive without running into Agetha’s ad’s I might just let you stay a little longer.”

“Ad’s- wait I’m so confused,” I raise an eyebrow.

“It’s all part of the experience, once you see it, you’ll never want to see it again!” Vivian smiled and put her hands on her hips.

Loud stomping echoes throughout the forest, making me jump a little.

“See it’s all about the experience,” Vivian said, crossing her arms a little. “Oh, and here comes Fen now.”

Fen slowly walks past the cabin window, with loud big footsteps.

“So- that’s Fen…?” I ask, clutching my bag even tighter, afraid.

“Yeah! It’s Fen alright…” Vivian grins, amused. “You know, she’s kind of looking for a snack, hopefully you aren’t her next target.”

I was about to say something but then Vivian interrupted.

“What’s your name?” Vivian asked.

“Oh, I’m Paranoid…” I replied.

I lied.

“Paranoid? That doesn’t sound human at all,” Vivian scratches her head before shrugging. “Nothing’s human here anyways.”

I glance around me, taking in the details of the cabin. I don’t understand anyone here, I don’t belong here. I don’t deserve to be in a place like this.

“Out of thought?” Vivian fixed her tie, looking at me.

I shook my head with nonsense and turned towards her again. “No, I’m alright, just thinking.”

Miller rolls his eyes getting impatient with every word the conversation is bringing up.

“Fine. How about this. You and this weirdo girl go out there and deal with that FEN because I don’t want to deal with any of your stuck-up talk,” Miller growled eyeing me and pointing at Vivian.

“Oh, now the angry man is talking again!” Vivian slapped her knee laughing.

Miller glared at Vivian.

“Ah- okay…” Vivian looked away from Miller and started nervously fixing her tie again and then turned towards me. “Alright. Paranoid, you and I will go and somehow talk Fen out of “going around and eating people” for fun.”

I nodded, agreeing with Vivian’s terms since I didn’t want to go out there alone.

“And make sure to bring me back a dead body! AHAAAHAHAHAAA!” Miller shouts at me and Vivian as we make our way out of the cabin and into the dark forest.

“Shut up old man,” Vivian called back which made Miller go back into a mood.

I laughed a little, Vivian wasn’t that bad and I was slowly starting to be around her more, she’d tell jokes along the way and how much she hated Miller than she hated Agetha.

“So why do you hate Agetha? I mean yeah, you told me Agetha isn’t a good person and carries around saws but…who is this Agetha you’re talking about?” I asked with confusion, turning to look at Vivian with her sincere face.

“Agetha isn’t friendly, that’s why I hate them,” Vivian sighs, as we continue to trot along the path she looked behind herself cautiously then back at me. “Agetha isn’t a normal human being anymore.”

“Huh? What do you mean...?” I was going to finish but then I heard a creak like a door opening...

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