Chapter 1

"Alice, run!" her dad shouted while running and being chased by a beast. 

She doesn't know what to do until her feet started running as if they have their own mind. She wanted to run as far as she could but her legs are shaking and weak. She stumbled and fall to the ground. She looked around and saw how the people in their village are being killed by these beasts and how they fought for their lives.

"Daddy!"

"Daddy!"

She cried loudly and screamed waiting for her own death... when suddenly she felt a slight slap on her face. 

"Alice! Alice, wake up!" she rose from her bed panting. How come it always felt so real?

"Are you ok?" 

It was her mom trying to wake her up. Thanks to her she escaped from her nightmare death. She looked at her mom and nodded. 

"It's the same old nightmare mom," she said while breathing heavily.

"Ugh! Alice, I always told you to always pray before you go to sleep. Look at you, you are having the same nightmare all over again." She scolds her while handing her a glass of water.

"Mom, I always pray. I know there is something behind that dream. Dad was there, he wanted me to run!" she tried to explain. She knows there is something with that bad dream.

She was only ten years old when her dad died. They didn't even get to see his dead body. It was not only him who died that night. A lot of the villagers vanished as if they have been abducted by some extraterrestrial. Some men and women and even boys in their twenties. It was too questionable for her how they died. Until now that she's seventeen there is no trace of their death. Some are saying they have been killed by werewolves, like what the hell? Is this some kind of a freaking twilight drama? She doesn't believe in those things unless she will get to see them with her own eyes. She will never give up on finding the truth about her dad's death. 

"You should get ready for school, get up now," her mom threw her the bath towel.

She stood up and went directly to the bathroom.

She was patting a towel on her hair and went to the kitchen. She grabbed one veggie sandwich that her mom prepared. She always eats veggies. Never tasted meat her whole life. Her dad told her she has a rare disease that will trigger once she tasted any meat. 

"Mom?" She called her mom as she can't see her around.

She saw her younger sister Annie just come out of her room.

"Annie, have you seen mom?" She asked while chewing her sandwich.

"Nope!" She coldly said.

She always has this feeling that she's somehow an outcast in this house. She got two sisters, she's the middle one and she never had the chance to bond with them the way they both do with each other. Her mom and dad showed her the real love a daughter can ever ask for. That's why she was this broken-hearted when her dad died. He was always on her side whenever one of her sisters pull something against her. Whenever she get bullied from school, he was always to the rescue. He will drive her around, bring her to shopping malls. And cooks her fave dish. Though she doesn't have any fave dish at all. Veggies are veggies almost always taste the same. She just wanted to see her dad happy cooking her "fave dish". 

She went around looking for her mom. She remembered the school principal wanted to talk to her about something she doesn't have any idea about.

She always makes it to the top every school year. Since this is gonna be the last year of her high school life, she wants to make her mom proud that she consistently made it to the top. But this time she doesn't have any idea why the principal wants to talk to her. 

She found her mom in the backyard talking to Jacob. She was about to interrupt them when she heard her mom say.

"She needs proper training Jake."

"Yeah I know, but how will I do that if she's still going to school?" Jacob argued with her mom. 

"I already sent a request to the princip-" her mom stopped talking when she noticed her.

She walked in their direction. 

"Hi, Jake!" she waved at him and gave him a bright smile.

"Hey there Alice, how are you?" he waved back at her. 

"Getting prettier," she jokingly said.

Jacob is the son of his dad's best friend. His dad was one of those who vanished from their village seven years ago. She felt bad about him since he only have his dad as his family but unfortunately, he died so now he was left alone. He is ten years older than her they grew up together and always got each other's side as best friends. He got his good looks from his dad that every girl from their village is going crazy for his charming look and dashing personality. Well, she can't blame those girls because even she herself, has a crush on her guy best friend.

"Honey, aren't you supposed to go to school now?" Her mum asked.

"Yup, but I just need to tell you something before I go. Actually, the principal wants to talk to you about something. She asked if you are available today?"

"Oh, that? Ok, I'll be there later this afternoon," she smiled at her while she caressed her face. 

"Alright mom, I'll be going then," she said and kissed her mom and turn to Jacob.

"Let me drive you off," he offered. 

"Of course you will," she laughs and throws him the car key.

After school, she saw her mom waiting outside. She waved at her to get her attention. 

Oh, so she really came! I wonder what is it about this time!

"Get in the car, Alice," said her mom in a hurried tone. 

She went to the other side of the car and hopped in. Her mom started the car quickly and before she knew it, they are already at Jacob's house.

"Mom, what are we doing here?" 

"You'll be getting proper training from him," she said while taking off her seatbelt.

"Get off now Alice!"

"Oh ok, why such in a hurry?" She really is wondering why her mom was acting strange. 

She exited from the car and saw Jacob open the door even before her mom get to knock! 

Wow, there is really something I need to know!

Actually, she has been having a self-training. She started from the basics, way back from she was just ten years old just after her dad died.

She watched so many videos from youtube and then apply them to herself. But now maybe she will be getting it on properly with him.

"Jake, she will be turning eighteen next month!" she heard her mom say.

"Yeah I know Maria, we need to start her training right tomorrow," he said while he locked his house and dragged a big duffel bag.

Her mom looked at her with those worried eyes. She held her hand.

"Alice baby, you need to be trained by Jacob. I have your things ready in his car's trunk. You're not anymore going to school, ok? I already talked to the principal about it and nothing to worry you will still graduate next month ok?" 

"But mom-"

"No more buts ok? You will understand about this soon," her mom cut her off. She has that urgent tone in her voice that made her just nod and say yes to whatever she said.

She falls asleep while on the drive and Jacob just woke her up when they reach their destination. She wondered why of all places why is it in the woods. They can have the training in a gym or anywhere more comfortable than here. 

Jake looked at her as if he can read her mind.

"This is the best place Alice... Trust me," he said and smiled at her. 

She looked around and this place looks like a dense forest. Big oak trees and there is no trace of a way.

"We will stay here for a while for like a month or so." He walked past her while carrying all their stuff.

"Do we have a place to stay in here?" she asked wondering. 

Deep inside here grows some kind of excitement. Finally, she will be getting the training she has been wanting all this time. And it is more exciting because she's doing it with Jacob. 

Dad, I'll be doing this all for you.

"Yeah, dad built a cabin around here. It has everything that we need," he answered. He stopped walking and turned to her. 

"We need to reach the cabin before sunset, hurry up, this isn't a safe place when it's dark." He started walking again.

She walked faster as she could so she can walk by his side. They were walking for half an hour now. She heard a rushing water sound. 

"Waterfalls!"

She ran towards the place where the rushing sound came from. It took her in awe when she saw a beautiful waterfall. And, beside it was a small cabin. She looked at Jacob with the widest smile.

"Jake, seriously?" she giggled because of excitement.

He smiled and nodded.

"That's the cabin Alice," he said while pointing at the left side of the place. Just meters away from the falls. He was smiling to see how happy she is.

She ran over to reach the cabin. 

"Wow, this seems like a perfect vacation, look how relaxing this place is," she said while she sat on the ground.

Jacob opened up the cabin and put off their things inside.

"We need to do some cleaning Alice. Your room is on the right side." He handed her a key and all her stuff.

After cleaning, Jacob told her to tidy up her room while he cook food for dinner. While inside her room, she took off all the white sheets that is covering the bed and some furniture. She put all her things inside the cabinet when she saw a small box from the bottom part drawer. She took it out of curiosity and tried opening it. 

Before she set her eyes on what's inside she heard him knocking outside her room.

She put back the box to the drawer and opened up her door. 

"Dinner is set mademoiselle, let's go eat so we can rest early for tomorrow's activity," he said while he wave a bottle of wine in front of her.

"Wow, you have a wine cellar here too?" she walked by him while being amazed that this small cabin almost has everything.

"Yes, your dad's work," he smiled.

"My dad?" she raised an eyebrow while looking at him.

"Yeah, they built this cabin together with dad." 

"Alright, so we both own this place, right? I can go back in here whenever I want then," she said with eyes sparkling.

"Not without me," he chuckled.

Definitely not without you. She giggled at her thought.

When she saw the table, she almost drool to see a lot of food. But mostly veggies. But Jake has steak on his plate. 

"How insensitive yeah?"

"Sorry, Alice but I'm not into veggies, you know that," he looked at her apologetically.

"Is he some kind of a mind reader?"

She just shrugged her shoulder and pulled out a chair.

She can't properly eat looking at him chewing his steak. That's why at home she always eats alone or sometimes with her mom. Her sisters love meat and rarely eat veggies. It's not that she doesn't want to eat meat, she knows she can, only that she doesn't want to disappoint her dad. When she was younger, she believes that she really has a disease that will trigger by the time she eats meat. But now that she's grown up. She somehow had a slight doubt about that disease thingy. She's actually craving for one especially...

"Steak!"

She grabbed his plate and took a small piece of it and put it in her mouth! She enjoyed seeing how he panicked...

"NO!!"