I pull my knife from his body, and he evaporates into the fog. I start running again and yell, “Help! Someone help me!”
I trip on a log, and a searing pain slices through me. I hold my side and gasp for air.
My knife sliced through my shirt, leaving a large gash in my skin. Blood gushes out, and I press my hand against my side to try and stop the bleeding.
“Ah!” I whimper.Guess that’s what I get for running with a knife in my hand.
My father’s voice resonates in my mind. I rise to my feet and push forward to get the fuck away, each movement igniting a sharp pain that radiates through my side.
The fog thickens all around me, and I have nowhere to go. Tendrils of mist creep in from all directions, swirling around my legs and climbing upwards, obscuring my vision and altering my sense of space. It feels as if the world has melted away, leaving only the damp chill of the air and the haunting whispers of the unseen.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Think, Dani!
I’m not wearing Adonis’ necklace, and I fear there is no way for me to summon any of them. I try speaking to Adonis anyway, through my mind.
Adonis, please, help me. I’m in the woods. I’m not sure how far I am, but I need you!
I press my back against the sturdy trunk of a great oak tree, its ancient bark rough and weathered against my skin. The deep grooves and ridges scrape gently along my arms as I attempt to nestle myself into the hollow cavity within. The tree’s massive form provides a sense of refuge, shielding me from the fog and my father. The earthy scent of the wood fills my senses, grounding me in this moment.
I close my eyes tightly and take a deep, shaky breath.
“Ooooh, Danika. Daddy’s home. Where are you, Danika?” My father’s voice sends an eerie chill down mybody. My father is dead, and I know damn well that thing is not him.
I hold my knife out in front of me. Careful not to make a sound, I take my bloodied hand off my wound and place my hand over my mouth.
The fog rolls in front of my feet, and I hold my breath. A creature begins to materialize from the swirling mist, its silhouette emerging like a specter from another realm. Each movement of its hunched frame is accompanied by a chorus of creaks and cracks as if the fog is shaping it into existence. Draped in tangled, matted black fur, it shudders, sending droplets of rain cascading off its damp coat.
Shadowmire.
It lifts its long arms and swats the tree right in front of me, cutting it down with its razor-sharp claws.
Tears stream down my face as I clutch my mouth like my life depends on it. God, I’m an idiot for taking this trial!
Drip. Drip. Drip.
My blood drips on the cold ground, landing on the dried leaves.
The shadowmire suddenly whips its head around, its crimson eyes glinting like embers in the darkness. It locks its eyes with mine with intensity. It lets out a low, harsh growl, resonating with a menacing power that booms in the stillness of the night.
Panic surges through me, and I scream. Adrenaline propels me forward as I sprint away. I barely evade the razor-sharp swipe of its claws, feeling the rush of air as they cut through the space where I stood. Fear pulses through my veins as I run, gasping for breath.
I dash through the tangled undergrowth, my heart pounding like a relentless drum in my chest. With each step I take, the forest floor is a chaotic mosaic of crunching leaves and snapping twigs. Somewhere behind me, the creature growls with a deep, menacing rumble like a warning bell.
The fog swirls like ghostly fingers, shrouding everything in an oppressive gloom. Visibility shrinks to a mere hazy outline of trees, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal hands eager to ensnare me. Just as hope flickers that I might escape, my face collides full force with a thick tree branch, stunning me into disorientation. I tumble backward onto the damp earth, the coolness seeping into my skin as my vision spins and fades into a muddled haze of greens and grays.
“Get up! Get up, Dani!” The woman from the crime scene the other day, Suzanna, is leaning over me. She reaches down for my hand, but when I take it, her hand goes right through mine. “Get up! Run, Dani! Run!” she urges, fear shining in her eyes. Green eyes that look creepily similar to mine. Why didn’t I notice that before?
Just as I am about to push myself off the ground, she disappears into thin air, and the shadowmire stands above me.
Heavy, thick drool trickles from its snarling maw and splatters against my face as it looms over me.
This is it. This is how I die.
I take a deep breath and whisper,“I love you,”hoping my demons will hear my last words...
I jam my knife upward as hard as I can. I pierce the throat of the shadowmire, and its blood spews onto my face as it whimpers.
Before I can get to my feet, the shadowmire takes one last swipe, its claws shining from the rain.
