Shadow Stalker

We heard the girl's scream up front. 

A loud, piercing wail that shook the very trees. 

What type of agony could cause such a scream?

I didn't wait to find out and bolted in the opposite direction of the shriek. 

I wasn't going back to that camp. No, I'm going to find a way to survive with Lyra in these woods. 

I ran as fast as I could, not looking back to see if something was following me. 

The screams suddenly multiplied and grew louder. They were all coming from behind me

My legs were ready to give out, but I kept running, not stopping for a second. 

All at once, the screaming stopped. Everywhere went eerily quiet. 

It was that type of unsettling quiet like back at the camp. I think whatever this thing was, it got to the soldiers as well. 

But there was no screaming at the camp, so it must have drawn them out. 

I spotted a small hole and quickly jumped inside, not stopping to think about what could be in there. It had to be safer than whatever was chasing us. 

"Lyra, are you okay?" I checked on my sister, worried when she didn't make a sound. 

"I'm scared, Sera." She replied, her voice trembling. 

"I won't let anything happen to you, Lyra. I promise." I reassured her.

We stayed hidden in the hole until the forest seemed normal again. 

I stepped out of the hole and continued running. There should be a pack nearby. I just had to keep going.

As I ran, I noticed the trees thinning out, and more wildlife appearing. 

We had to be nearing a pack. 

I stopped running as I noticed everywhere was dead quiet.

"No, no ,no," I muttered anxiously.  

"Are you okay, Sera?" 

"I'm fine, Ly. Just keep calm and shut your eyes tight, okay?" I reassured her, though my own fear was rising. 

I searched frantically for a hiding spot but found none in sight. 

Coming to a sudden stop, I notice a looming shadow as tall as a tree. It resembled a tree but darker and slimmer. 

I ran towards it, hoping I could hide there, but froze at the sight of its glowing eyes. 

"A Vesperis," I uttered, trembling with fear. 

Vesperis are shape-shifting creatures that feed on fear and despair. They could sense the guilt and pain in one's heart, inducing vivid nightmares of their deepest fear, a method they used to claim lives.

This was what emptied the camp.

These creatures were often used to instill discipline in us when we were young. I never thought they were real. 

"Lyra, no matter what happens, close your eyes and don't not be afraid, do you hear me?" I instructed urgently, securing Lyra tightly to my back, getting ready to flee from this menace. 

Despite the fear threatening to overwhelm me, I resisted, I wouldn't give this creature something to feed on.

I sprinted away as fast as I could, not daring to glance back and confirm its pursuit. 

I ran as fast as I could but I wasn't fast enough to outrun a creature that floats.

It appeared in front of me, and I stood paralyzed, consumed by dread and panic as it drew near. 

Its eyes glowed brighter from sensing my fear. 

I was stuck there, scared stiff until I heard a scream from behind me. 

"Lyra!" Her scream snapped me out of it. 

"Lyra! What's wrong?!" I asked, panicking as I untied her.  

"Lyra!" A surge of genuine fear coursed through me as I saw my sister's eyes bleeding black. 

"Oh gods! Lyra!" I cried out her name repeatedly, feeling helpless. 

"Take me!" I screamed at the creature. "Take me instead and let her live! Please, I beg you!" I kept screaming and pleading as tears streamed down my face. 

"Please, I beg you! She is just a child! Please take me and spare her!" I pleaded. 

Why was nothing happening to me? I was the one feeling all pain and guilt, not Lyra. So why was nothing happening to me?

I kept pleading with the creature but it fell on deaf ears. 

Suddenly, Lyra stopped screaming,and her body went limp.

"No, no, no," I repeated, shaking my sister, but she remained lifeless. 

"No! No! Lyra, no!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs holding onto her lifeless body.

"Please, I beg you, take me instead! Spare her, please! I beg you!" I kept shouting, my voice echoing through the empty woods as the creature had vanished. 

"Lyra, no! Please don't leave me! I would take you anywhere you want to go! I would take you somewhere where you could see the sun again! Please just don't leave me!" I cried out, hoping against hope for a miracle. But my sister remained dead.

"Ahhhhh!!" A primal scream escaped my lips, resonating through the forest. 

Lyra was gone, and I was left all alone in this world. The gods, they are so cruel. How could they take everyone I love away from me? 

I sat there, tears streaming down my face, holding onto my sister one last time. 

Standing up, I sought for a suitable spot and began digging with my bare hands to lay my sister to rest.

I couldn't bury my father, or mother, or brother, but at least I could bury my sister. 

I gently placed her in the hole, holding onto her tightly as tears flowed uncontrollably.

"May the moon goddess's light illuminate your path to the underworld, where shadows dance in eternal embrace." I whispered softly.  

"May the god of the underworld welcome your soul. In the realm of darkness, may your spirit find peace, fragmented yet whole in the cosmic tapestry. As the night whispers your name, may your essence linger in the starlit void, a fragment of eternity's embrace. " 

"I love you so much, Ly." I kissed her forehead as my voice shook. "I will love you to the moon and back. " With a heavy heart, I let her be and covered her.  

Sitting by her grave, tears flowing freely, a distant howl pierced the silence. 

Driven by fear, I ran. I ran and ran, until my legs couldn't carry me anymore.

Reaching a lake, my racing thoughts slowed.  

Why was I running? Why was I trying so hard to survive when everything has been taken away from me? I had no way to go, and no one to go to. So what's the point of living?

Alone and lost, I stepped into the water, it's cold touch a sharp contrast to my numb emotions. 

I walked to the deepest part of the lake and just stood there and wept silently. 

Drowned in sadness, memories of laughter and love with my family rushed in. 

We were the perfect family. We weren't rich, but we were happy. 

We were happy, until this war came and ruined everything. 

I dunked my head in the water and stayed like that. The water rushed into my lungs, but I didn't pull out.

I remembered my mother's beautiful smile whenever my father got her the tiniest of gifts. I thought of how happy I was when Lyra blurted out her first word. I thought about how proud my father always was of me for the littlest things. I thought about how I always had a smile plastered on my face when my brother carried me around on his shoulders. 

A faint smile played on my lips as the water filled my lungs and fogged my mind. 

"I will see you again, Lyra." I thought to myself.

As darkness enveloped me, I held onto that thought.