CHAPTER 1: LEO HUNTER

Aria's feet are already sore from running, and she could still feel the blood gushing out of her wound in her shoulder. Despite the hunger, tiredness, and not seeing the path clearly, she kept running.

The only thing that lights her path is the moon from above that shines thru the gaps of leaves and branches of the trees. She is confused why she's not healing despite having the ability to do so.

Not far from Aria is a group of men and women chasing her. They don't have anything that illuminates their path, but they run as if they see everything in the dark forest.

"You can't run away from us, Aria," their leader said. His voice echoed in the woods and made every bit of Aria's being tremble for fear.

The fear made her run faster, but it was too late when she realized that she has already reached the precipice of the cliff. Now, she needs to choose; go back and die fighting or fall and take a risk in the gushing river below.

Before she could even make up her mind, the group of people chasing her have reached her. She picked up a twig to at least have something to defend herself. They just laughed at her.

"I told you, you can't outrun us," said the leader of the group.

She looked at the man beside the leader. She looked into his eyes to ask for help, but all she saw is a pair of emotionless eyes looking back at her.

Gone are the eyes who looked at her lovingly. The man she used to love is dead. Despite that, she was still hoping that beneath the apathetic man he is now, he would still help her escape.

"You're not healing," the curly-haired girl said.

The leader inspected her wound from where they were and smiled. "This would have been over if you only cooperated 'till the end. You wouldn't have to suffer like this anymore," he said.

They stepped forward towards her, and she stepped back. They took another step, and she also took another one.

"Get away from me!" she shouted.

"Or what? You would stab us with that twig?" one of the men said, and they laughed at her, mocking.

Aria looked around her, and that's when she realized that this is all a dream. The full moon above, the noisy river below, and the bloody white dress she is wearing; she had been here before, in her other dreams.

She looked at them and smiled slyly.

"You could never break the curse," she said. Despite not knowing what she's talking about, the words came out of her naturally. As if she already said it before.

Then she spread her arms, embraced the icy breath of the night breeze, and let herself fall from the cliff.

---

Aria jolted back to reality as she woke up from the familiar nightmare. But she almost fell off her chair when she saw her teacher's annoyed face looking straight at her.

"I'm sorry, did we interrupt you from your sleep, Miss Martin?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, Ma'am, I'm sorry. I won't do it again," she said and looked down at her book.

She flipped pages to act like she's trying to read what they are discussing but couldn't even remember what it was before she dozed off.

Luckily for her, the bell rang not long after that. She quickly fixed her things. She can't wait to go home and get some sleep. Those dreams have been keeping her up in the middle of the night these past few weeks.

"Girl, you look tired," Lizzie said. She quickly pulled out her mirror from her bag and looked at herself.

She just sighed and put the mirror back in her bag. She rested her head on Lizzie's shoulder while they were walking. "I am tired," she sighed.

Then, two strong arms enveloped her from behind, and she doesn't have to turn back to know it is her boyfriend.

"Hey," she greeted him weakly.

"Babe, are you alright?" Frank asked.

"Yup, I only need sleep."

"Okay, it's those dreams again, right?" She nodded her head. Then he walked beside her with his other arm around her.

"I really think you should tell your parents about that," Lizzie said. "I mean, it's already over a month since you turned eighteen, and you're still having those dreams."

"Lizzie's right, babe," Frank agreed. "But it's alright, you're still gorgeous," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Get a room," Lizzie scoffed. Aria and Frank just laughed at her and continued walking.

"So, are you not going to come or do I need to drag you later?" Lizzie asked Aria.

Aria seemed confused at first but quickly realized what Lizzie was referring to.

The party in the woods.

She already told them she won't go. She was also trying to persuade them not to come anymore as it is dangerous. "It was just a few months ago when those campers were killed there, are you guys not scared?" she asked both Lizzie and Frank.

"The woods already took its due for this year, besides do you think whoever or whatever that killer is would be able to kill someone in front of many people?" Lizzie explained.

People of Clarke's Lake are aware that there are killings in the woods every year. The woods have been closed because of that. But there are still some stubborn campers who camp there despite the danger.

They say it only happens once a year, but what if it's not?

But Aria thinks that if she won't go, she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway worrying about her best friend and boyfriend.

"Look, it would only be in the opening of the woods, not deep in the woods, okay? So stop overthinking, just come with us," Lizzie said.

"It is so dangerous, why would you guys come up with that idea? We could just have a party at somebody's home," she said and looked at Frank.

Frank's team - their school's basketball team, devised the idea of the party in the woods. Most seniors agreed as this would be like their goodbye party before graduation and the fact that it would be somewhere dangerous makes it even more exciting.

She's sure none of the teachers know about the party.

"Relax, babe. Nothing will happen, but if you're really worried, I don't want to force you, okay? Your peace of mind for me," he said.

"No, you will not force her," Lizzie contradicted Frank. "But I will."

"Come on, Aria, this is exciting, are you going to let me, your one and only best friend, go to a party without you?" Lizzie begged as she looked at her with pleading eyes.

She looked at her for a few seconds and couldn't say no anymore, so she just agreed. "Okay, fine. Fine," she said.

Lizzie jumped out of excitement and hugged her. "Thank you! I know you can't resist me," she said.

"But I want to go home first, take a shower and freshen up, okay?" Aria said.

"Okay," Lizzie agreed, smiling avidly.

"What about you, babe? Are you going straight there?" Aria asked, turning to Frank.

"We have a training but it won't be long, do you want me to pick you up later?"

"Nah, I could use a walk to come-alive to the party," she said, chuckling.

The girls said goodbye to Frank and went to the parking lot. They brought each other's car so they said waved each other bye before getting in.

Aria is still thinking about the party later. She still can't stop herself from thinking the worst. So, she took a deep breath and tried calming herself.

Maybe Lizzie's right. Maybe whoever or whatever is killing people in the woods every year wouldn't be able to do it if there are a lot of people.

Also, they'll only be in the opening of the woods, so that is, somehow, safer.

When she turned to their street, Aria abruptly stepped on the brake when someone crossed the street out of nowhere.

She felt like her heart stopped for a moment, then started beating rapidly.

She was inches away from hitting him. So, she immediately took off her seatbelt and run towards the person she almost hit.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't see you, you just crossed the street out of nowhere. Are you hurt? I could take you to the hospital," she offered.

Surprisingly, the guy she almost hit did not look petrified at all. If anything, his face lit up upon seeing her.

"No, I'm fine. What about you? Are you hurt?" he asked, then he came near her and tried to see if she's hurt somewhere.

"I'm fine. But, are you sure you're not hurt anywhere?" she asked back.

"No, I'm fine." he said. This made her calm down and breathe properly.

"By the way, I'm Leo. Leo Hunter. I just moved in here," he said, extending his hand for a handshake, towering over her.

She took his hand and smiled. "I'm Aria Martin, do you live nearby? I can give you a ride, you know, to make it up for almost hitting you," she said.

He was just smiling and a few seconds passed before he realized he's still holding her hand so he immediately let go of it.

"I live 3 blocks from here, but it's alright, you don't have to. Besides, it was my fault, I wasn't looking at the road," he said.

"Oh, okay, are you sure, I really don't mind," she said.

"No, it's certain, thank you anyway, and I'm sorry if I scared you," he said calmly.

"Okay, then, I'll get going but, again, I'm sorry, and well, welcome to Clarke's Lake," she said trying to look lively and hide her anxiousness.

"Thank you, Aria," he said.

She just smiled awkwardly and walked towards her car, still fidgeting. Then, Leo stepped back on the sidewalk and signaled for her to go first, which she did.

As soon as she reached their house, Aria went up to her room and took a quick shower. While drying her hair, she still thinking about the reaction of the guy earlier.

If other people he would have been panicking and probably mad at her for almost hitting him, but that person, Leo Hunter, he looked...delighted.

She then took her cardigan and her phone and went downstairs.

"Mom. I'll be at Lizzie's," she called out to her mom in the kitchen.

"What? It's almost dark," her mother said, then she went out of the kitchen with a ladle.

"I'll be home before 9," she said then kissed her mom goodbye and stormed out of the house.

---

Upon reaching the side of the town where the woods is located, she could already hear loud music and laughter from the party. She smiled and thought of what Lizzie said earlier.

They could cast out the killer because of the noise.

As soon as she parked her car, she someone just staring at her not a few feet away.

"Isn't that Leo?" she muttered under her breath, squinting and trying to focus more on the figure of that person.

She turned around first to make sure her car is locked, but she turned back from where that person was standing, he was gone.

Maybe she's just so nervous about going to a party in the woods or she's just so sleep-deprived that she starts seeing things.

She walked towards the party but was startled when someone started walking beside her and said, "So, party in the woods?".

She turned sideways and looked up.

"Leo," she exhaled. "I thought you were somebody," she said.

"Did I scare you again?" he backed up a little.

"No, no. I think I'm just so jumpy these days," she explained. "So, have you already met anyone in town, aside from me?"

"Yup, actually, we've lived here before with my brother, after the war," he paused, and for a moment he saw sadness in his eyes, she couldn't help but notice his luminous hazel brown eyes.

She looked at it for a few seconds and felt like something pulling her towards him.

"Aria?" he called out on her. "Are you alright?"

She blinked a few times and acted like she caught something in her eye. "Yeah, I'm okay, I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked, trying to change the subject and praying Leo wouldn't notice she was staring at his eyes deeply.

"I was just saying we used to live her before, my brother and I were one of the survivors of the war in Crescent Hill," he said.

"Really? I'm sorry. That must have been horrible-"

"Aria!" Lizzie yelled. She ran towards her with two red plastic cups in both her hands.

"I thought you wouldn't come anymore, phew," she said. Her smile widened as soon as she saw Leo.

"You're with someone," she said.

"Yeah, they just moved in here, he's Leo," then she turned to Leo, "Leo, she's Lizzie, my best friend."

"Hi! Nice to meet you," Lizzie said and she looked towards Aria with a playful smile.

"So, Leo, are you in college?" Lizzie asked.

"I will be, I just graduated high school last week," he said. "Our school closed early."

"Oh, would have been better if our principal did the same thing," Aria said.

"So, I guess I'll go ahead, I was just passing by, go ahead, enjoy yourselves," he said.

"Are you sure? It's alright if you come with us," Aria said.

"No, I'm alright. I still need to unpack a lot of things," he said.

Then he waved the girls goodbye and drove off. Meanwhile, Lizzie can't stop giggling at how gorgeous Leo is.

"Do you think he's already seeing someone?" she asked Aria.

"How would I know that, I just met him today, why don't you ask him yourself?" she asked teasingly.

Lizzie just giggled and they walked together towards the party. The basketball team set up a stage, and some seniors are dancing to the music. Some seniors are doing a keg stand while others cheer around them. While others are just chatting and laughing at each other's jokes and stories.

She roamed the area and looked for only one face - Frank.

"Where is Frank? I can't see him?" she asked Lizzie.

"Really? Let him be, he'll find you. Let's go there, come on!" she blurted and tried to drag her to the middle and dance.

"Just go there first, I'll follow. I'm just going to look for Frank," she said. She just agreed and went to the middle of the area to dance with other seniors.

She looked around once more, but she can't really see Frank. "Hey, have you seen Frank?" she asked Tommy, one of Frank's teammates.

"I think I saw him there," he said, pointing towards the deeper part of the forest.

She walked in that direction and used her phone's flashlight. She did not see anyone in there so she started walking back but was stopped when she heard Frank's voice.

"So, when are you going to tell her?" a female voice asked. She walked closer to where she heard the voice from, maybe she just mistook it as Frank's voice.

But her eyes widen and her heart skipped a beat when she clearly saw who were the people talking behind the bushes.