Prologue

As the night grew colder, the wind howled through the trees like a lonely cry. Strong gusts swept across the land, shaking the branches and making the windows rattle. Some people stood by the window, watching the storm with wide eyes, feeling a strange peace in the chaos, the lightning lit up the sky, showing the clouds like torn curtains drifting above.

The thunder rolled like distant drums, deep and powerful, shaking the air with every strike.

Bright flashes of lightning lit up the faces in the dark, casting sharp shadows on the walls. Rain poured down heavily, hitting the wooden roof tiles with a loud, steady rhythm that sounded like thousands of small feet running above.

The wind slammed against the windows with force, making eerie, almost human-like wails that sent chills down the spine.

Outside, the world seemed wild and alive, but inside, hearts beat fast — some with wonder, others with fear.

Thirteen-year-old Jasmine stood frozen in horror, her feet rooted to the ground. It felt like a nightmare she wanted to end by simply blinking her eyes. Her eyes bulged as she witnessed the traumatizing scene unfolding before her.

Her gaze fixated on the lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. The once white braided hair now stained red, the knife in Jasmine's hand remained clean, but splatters of blood adorned her face and hands. Her throat was dry, her heart seemingly stopped.

Her eyes reflected shock and horror as lightning illuminated the lifeless body, causing her to gasp for air. Her gaze shifted to the man standing at a distance, holding a gun with a sinister grin on his face.

Disgust washed over Jasmine as she observed his twisted satisfaction, prompting her to step back with trembling legs.

Before the man could advance, she turned and fled upstairs, clutching the knife tightly, her mind in turmoil. Uncertain of what to do or think, she wished it was all a scripted movie scene, but the harsh reality of the situation weighed heavily on her.

 A dark reality-

She ran up to her room and quickly hid herself in a corner, an innocent mind unable to think of any way to save herself. All she knew was the game of hide and seek. She closed her mouth tightly, hiding in a dimly lit corner where the furniture almost concealed her figure.

Taking deep breaths, she tried not to make a sound, sealing her lips completely and resting her head against her knees, her body curled up, a lump in her throat.

Footsteps approached, entering the room, causing her heart to skip beats in fear. She didn't raise her head, believing that as long as she didn't look, she would remain hidden.

After a moment of silence, she thought the person had left, cautiously raising her head to check.

However, a scream escaped her mouth when she was roughly grabbed by her hair, causing her to yelp as she was pulled to her feet and dragged away from the corner that had initially felt like a safe haven. The sudden pull caused her to lose her grip on the knife, which fell from her hand.

The man harshly pushed her to the floor, prompting her to quickly crawl backward. However, he was fast enough to grab her leg and pull her towards him, hovering over her with a disgusted laugh. 

He took off his belt, remarking, "The boss told me to kill you directly, but it's so boring without a little fun."

The girl was baffled and terrified by the man's presence, her movements sealed by his grip on her biceps, restraining her on the ground.

His touch disgusted and discomforted her, causing her to grit her teeth and shout, "Don't touch me!"

Tears streamed down her red eyes as she struggled against him, but his smirk only widened, finding her helplessness arousing.

She frantically tried to free herself, her eyes scanning for something useful. Spotting a knife nearby that had slipped from her hands earlier, she seized it.

As the man forcefully grabbed her face, she swiftly plunged the knife into his neck, his eyes widening in shock. She twisted the knife to ensure he couldn't escape, but horror filled her as his blood sprayed, staining her neck, arms, and face.

Pushing the man away, she recoiled in pain, but his groans meant nothing to her. Trembling, she touched the blood on her face, trying to wipe it off, only to feel it spreading.

Panicked, she screamed, "Blood! Blood! Blood!" before fleeing the room, running downstairs in a daze, her mind reeling as if in a horror movie. 

Her foot slipped on the cold, wet floor, and she fell hard. Pain shot through her body, but it didn't matter. When she turned around, her heart stopped. There, lying still on the ground, was her grandmother. Her eyes were open, but empty. Blood spread slowly around her like a dark red blanket.

She couldn't breathe. Her hands shook. Her chest felt heavy, as if something inside her had broken. The one person who had always loved her, always protected her, was gone. Just like that.

The world felt quiet for a moment, too quiet — like time had stopped.

Tears filled her eyes, then spilled down her cheeks. Her mind screamed, but no sound came from her mouth. She wanted to scream, to cry, to wake up from this nightmare — but it was real. Too real.

She couldn't stay there. She didn't want to feel this pain. She didn't want to see the blood, the still body, the truth. Without thinking, she got up and ran.

Barefoot, she rushed out of the house into the night. The road was cold and rough under her feet, but she didn't care.

Her tears blurred everything in front of her. Cars sped by, horns blaring, but she didn't hear them. Her mind was lost, her heart numb.

All she could feel was the crushing pain, the unbearable silence, and the desperate wish to disappear.

The heavy rain poured from the sky like a waterfall, soaking her clothes, her hair, her skin—everything.

Cold drops hit her face, but she didn't care. She didn't even notice. Her feet moved on their own, slow and unsteady, dragging her through the empty streets. She felt nothing. Just a deep, empty ache in her chest.

She reached the edge of the main road, her steps unsure, her mind far away.

Then, headlights appeared—bright and blinding. A car sped toward her, tires cutting through puddles, engine roaring louder by the second.

Jasmine froze.

Her eyes locked on the car, but her body wouldn't move. Her thoughts were foggy, slow. The world felt like it was happening in slow motion. She didn't think of running. She didn't think of screaming.

She just stood there, ready—ready to let go.

But just as the car came dangerously close, her vision began to blur. Everything turned hazy, and dark shadows crept in from the corners of her eyes.

Then—suddenly—she felt a strong hand grab her arm, yanking her back with force. Her body stumbled into someone's hold. Arms wrapped around her tightly, keeping her from falling.

She couldn't think. Her heart pounded, her breath shallow. Everything around her was spinning. But through the haze, she heard a voice. It was close, shaking with worry, almost a whisper—but full of feeling.

"I'm here."

That was all she heard.

Her body gave in, the weight of everything too much. Her eyes fluttered, heavy with exhaustion and pain.

Just before they closed, she caught a glimpse of a face—only half of it. A man's face, wet from the rain, his lips trembling slightly. A small silver ring shone on the side of his mouth.

Then everything went black

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