CHAPTER 01

It was still dark, Ocean was sleeping peacefully in the back seat of the car. Her father, Sam Knight was driving the car and her mother Carla was talking to him.

Carla: She doesn't feel comfortable with the triplets.

Sam: Come on honey. They aren't that bad.

Carla: Tell that to your daughter. She told me that it's her condition to visit Jack, that she'll get her private room. She's not gonna share it with her cousins.

Sam: Okay fine. I'll tell Jack. He'll arrange her a separate room.

Carla: Yeah you better.

Sam: Okay wake her up, we're almost here.

Carla tapped on Ocean's shoulder to wake her up. It took her a minute to understand her surroundings.

Carla: We're almost here baby.

Ocean: Yeah! Can we go to the woods please? I wanna see the rising sun.

Sam: No baby! Uncle Jack is waiting for us and your Aunt made you lots of cookies. Do you wanna Miss that?

Ocean: But daddy?

Sam: No buts. We've already talked about it.

Ocean: Fine.

She said as she leaned back to her seat. Ocean Knight is the only child of Carla and Sam Knight. She's 10 years old, she's a very smart, sweet, cute and very obedient child. Summer vacations were about to end. Ocean and her parents were visiting Sam's younger brother Jack Knight. Jack lived in New Orleans and Sam lived in New York City. Ocean loves her uncle and Aunt, but their bratty 3 daughters, they were the worst nightmare for Ocean. They always trouble her.

Her father parked the car and Ocean and Carla came out of the car. Her uncle called her and she ran to him. Jack knelt down on the ground, and pulled his niece in a long embrace. Ocean is the youngest child of the family. She was born 8 years after her parents wedding. Because of her obedient and loving behavior, everyone loves her more than her cousins.

Jack: I've missed you so much.

Ocean: I've missed you too uncle Jack.

Jack: Really, I thought you might have forgotten your uncle.

Ocean: No... 

Lora: Darling, you're not the only one here. Come her baby girl.

Jack's wife, Lora hugged Ocean and Carla. Jack helped his brother with the luggage. Lora invited everyone in the Villa. They all made their way to the dining room. Ocean gasped as she looked at the table, full of all her favorite baked goods. Lora loved baking, and every time Ocean visited them, Lora baked her a lot of things.

Lora: I didn't know what you would like to eat, so I baked a few things you like most, tell me how it tastes?

Ocean took a big bite of chocolate chip cookies and moaned.

Ocean: Mmmmm.... It's amazing Aunt, thank you so much.

Lora sat beside Ocean and they all enjoyed their breakfast together after a long long time. After they finished, they all went to their rooms. As promised, Sam talked to Jack and Ocean got her separate room. She ain't had to share the room of her evil cousins, Monica, Marina and Melody. Jack helped Ocean to unpack her stuff, after an hour or so she set her room and went out to play with her doll in the garden. She wanted to go to the forest behind her uncle's Villa. She always wanted to see that forest but her father never allowed her, saying it's not safe for her to go into that dark forest. Sam always feared that forest, but his daughter loved it.

Ocean was playing peacefully when her evil triplet cousins came and Monica took her doll from her hands.

Ocean: Give it back to me please!

Marina: Come and get it.

Ocean stepped forward to get her doll back but instead of giving her doll back, they threw it in mud. Laughing hysterically, triplets left Ocean with her doll. She picked up her doll and went to her room. She bathed her doll. She put the doll on the bed and sat beside it. There was a window above her bed's head. She sat with the window, looking at the forest. She has seen so many woods and forests in New York City, but this forest, it was something else. Like it has so many mysteries hidden deep inside.

It was the weekend and second last day of Ocean and her parents in New Orleans. After that they will be leaving for New York City. Ocean secretly requested Jack to set up a picnic in the forest. Triplets didn't like the idea, but Jack said Ocean visits them once a year. So it's her time to enjoy the way she wants. Triplets were playing together but Ocean chose to play alone. Walking here and there, looking at trees and flowers, Ocean was enjoying. In a while she heard the evil laughter of her cousins. She followed the direction, voices were coming from. She gasped at the scenery in front of her. It was like a piece of heaven on Earth. It was a beautiful and Crystal clear lake. Seeing her there, her cousins left. She came close to see what they were doing. It was a fish out of water, and they left it on the ground to die. She quickly grabbed the fish and ran to the lake and gently left it in the lake. It took a few seconds, and the fish started swimming again. Ocean's lips curled up in a cute smile. She stayed there for a minute or two and went back to the picnic spot. 

Lora: Did you enjoy your time here?

Ocean: Yes. Thank you Uncle Jack and Aunt Lora.

Jack: When you visit next, we'll go to the forest again, okay?

Ocean: Really, thank you.

Ocean and her parents bid their goodbyes and left for the airport. They had a highway to cross first. Ocean had a great time, she enjoyed her visit as always but the most she enjoyed her time in the forest. She wanted to spend some more time in the forest. Ocean looked out, enjoying the scenery in front of her. Suddenly she saw someone following the car on foot. Sam always drives faster than the limit.

Ocean: ( It must be an illusion. Who can follow us this fast on foot?)

She looked again but nothing was there. She sighed in relief and leaned back on the seat. She put earphones and played her favorite song on her music player. She closed her eyes and inhaled the crispy fresh forest air. Suddenly, she felt as if their car hit something and the father hit the breaks as hard as he could. Sam and Carla got out of the car and looked around.

Carla: Sam, what did we hit?

Sam: Nothing, can you see anything here?

Carla: Sam look at the car, it bumped into something.

Sam: It's nothing.

Carla: Oh my God, there is blood on the road Sam. And it's fresh.

Sam: But nobody is here.

Carla: I told you not to speed up but you never listen to me.

Sam: I was driving on the highway and....

Carla: And you hit something or someone.

Sam: Do you see anything or anyone around here?

Carla: We need to look around. Maybe someone needs our help. We can't just leave. At least I'm not leaving until I'm sure that we didn't hit anything or anyone.

Sam: Okay fine. Let's go.

Ocean heard the whole argument. Her parents disappeared into the woods and she stayed in the car. She sat quietly in the car. She again felt that she's being watched. She looked through the car's windows but no one was there. She tried to shake off the feeling but she couldn't. She heard her parents voice from a distance. She sighed in relief that now they will leave this creepy place. They weren't late for their flight. The feeling of being watched was still there. She looked around then locked all the car doors. Her parents came out of the dark woods. They were still arguing. Sam was irritated that his wife wasn't listening to him.

Sam: You're being worried for nothing. That blood ain't look that fresh.

Carla: Oh it's fresh. Don't teach me that. I'm a doctor, I know these things not you.

Sam: You're overreacting Carla.

Carla: I'm not overreacting. We need to check again 

Sam: No way.

Carla: Sam please, I can't shake the feeling that someone is hurt. Please, just one last t.e.

Sam: Okay fine. Last time, then we're out of this creepy place.

Ocean was alone again. She felt again that someone was watching her. She looked around and to her surprise, she actually saw something, actually someone. She focused on the element she saw. She saw two shining green orbs, sparkling like two stars in the dark forest. She felt the world around her started to turn dark. Slowly, everything vanished. The only thing she could see were those beautiful eyes. She opened the car and got out. She stood at her place for a minute, then she started to move in the direction of those eyes she saw. Her brain completely shut down and her legs were obeying those eyes. Slowly she walked towards the forest and in that moment, she felt nothing but the urge to get closer to those stars.