Chapter 1: The Mark

★ ★ ★ ★

        12 YEARS AGO

DIANA ✓

*

"Diana?!" Mom called for the second time. "I won't have to tell you this again, take Micky inside and don't think about leaving the house again."

"But mom, Micky's been quiet since the whole day. Can't we have fun just for a while? We won't take long, I promise." I even had to do a promise sign but mom didn't listen.

"No fun, no play. Now inside, will you?!" She yelled.

"Come on, Micky, mother refuses to let us play." I took him in my arms, sluggishly walking into the house. 

I could hear what Aunty Kristen was telling to mother. " You shouldn't have yelled at her that way, she's still a kid. And besides, we are outside, so let her stay also."

"You definitely don't know who Diana is, one second she's here and the next, she's gone. Who knows where she'll disappear to if I let her stay?"

Aunty Kristen laughed, "You're always funny when you say that. Well, you're right but I still think you hurt her feelings."

"I don't care, Kristen, all I care about is her life. And I can't have anything take that from me."

Than my feelings! Now look who's acting the good momma here. Since I turned five my mother has been this strict and overprotective to me.

I hate it when people tries to protect me from my rights. I'm twelve, okay and I can take good care of myself and... Micky too.

But when will mom start seeing that in me?

I hate her so much, I just do and I don't care to know why. She's just f*cking annoying and I'm so tired to even look into her eyes.

That's why I so much prefer father to her, if he was here, he would have insisted that I will play with Micky.

I looked at my poor puppy who was staring outside the window, jingling his small tail at both sides. " Look Micky, I've got an idea. It's crazy but it's still the best. "

He looked at me like he even understood a thing from what I just said. But despite that, I know he can't hear me.

"So, I decided that you and I will go play when everyone is asleep. " He made this tiny sound that looked like he was gonna cry. "I know, I know. It's risky, everyone says that. But, why don't we check it out ourselves? We probably don't know if they are lying or just too scared of nothing."

He looked at me. "And fortunately, it's a full moon tonight, won't you love to see it's beauty? Not in here, I mean, outside. "I rolled my eyes. He swung his tail and I can tell that's a yes.

We patiently waited for night to fall. After dinner, I immediately left to my room, my eyes were outside, watching as everywhere instantly grew calm.

Acanda is always beautiful when everyone has gone to their respective homes. I made sure Dad and Mom were in their room before I thought of sneaking out.

I always had this long robe with me which I use to slide out of the window each time I thought of sneaking out of my room.

I held it tight, letting myself slide down until my legs were touching the ground. Thankfully, Micky decided to be quiet.

We ran far away from home, to somewhere no one can hear us. I dropped Micky to the ground, and we started playing and talking just like we always do.

He seems so happy, just as I am. I think I just made his night great. Oh, what a smart brain.

Mother would actually be thinking I'm asleep by now. So silly of her to think I'm such a kid. 

Scoffs. . .

The night shone like day because the moon was almost like the sun itself. "I told ya, you're gonna love this." I giggled.

Micky started barking, I don't know why but he was seriously shouting. I tried to calm him down but he won't stop.

I was getting terrified and scared at the same time. "Micky, what's wrong?" I asked but he kept barking.

Thankfully we aren't any where close to home and his voice is so thin to even reach five metres away. "Micky, you're scaring the shit outta me right now. Tell me, what's going on?"

He almost left me when I held him tight. "Where do you think you're going to huh? You're really freaking me out and you think of leaving without me?" I chuckled, patting him on his back. "You're really funny, Micky and silly too." He calmed down as I made sweet touches on him.

"Guess I won't have to bring you out with me next time." Again, he made that tiny sound like he was going to cry. "I can see you really are more scared than I am. Come on, I guess we gotta go back home." I stood up to leave.

*

WRITER ✓

*

Her tiny voice sounded like a speaker in his ears. She was near, and he wasn't far from her.

Someone had to disobey his rules? Someone so little and... Stubborn? No matter who it is, whether big or small, male or female, must pay for disobedience.

He followed the sound of her voice, step after step he got closer and closer and closer. He watched her from the sides of the grasses as she rubbed her puppy.

And he hated the way her dog barked, it made him more annoyed than he already is. Well she finally calmed it down, he knew he was ready to feed.

She shouldn't have left her home for any reason. Now that he was hungry, he must have his prey without looking back.

He gently walked behind her as she took Micky into her small tiny arms, heading back home. Micky began barking again and he couldn't hide how annoyed he had become, he rowled to her hearing.

She turned back, scared at what she was staring at. It looked scary and horrific. It's teeth gnashed as it growled. Eyes steaming red, saliva rolls out by the sides of its mouth.

It huffed, and again. And closer he got to her. She walks backward, slowly in the same pace. She was growing uncomfortable, and all her instincts could interpret at the moment is RUN, but with the hungry looking creature before her, it was just impossible.

Micky was shivering too, and she could tell from the way it squeezes it's body in her grip. "Micky, I think we shouldn't be here." She whispered, her voice cracked.

The creature huffed again. "Please. Please, don't kill me. Please, I'm just twelve." She pleaded.

She stepped on a wooden object, which caused her to fall. She crawled backward, Micky slipped out of her grip, running away.

It rowled. She screamed, loud enough that it couldn't reach the village.

She was left alone, staring at what looked like a nightmare... Her greatest fear.

She tried to cover her face with her hand when his canine teeth grabbed her left wrist. Feeling his sharp teeth pierced into her arm, she felt death on her door.

He pulled away, running into the woods. Her eyes felt dizzy and heavy, but she could manage it back home.

Micky never bothered her at the moment... Home did.

~~~~

To Be Continued...