At the end of the road abandoned by time, a road full of potholes and mud stretches endlessly. The quiet atmosphere was instantly shaken by a loud shock that made the boy wake up from his sleep in the car.

"Are you awake?"

His gaze opened, yet a trace of doubt still remained, as if the female voice echoing in his ears was a fragment of a realized dream.

"You must have suffered for a long time, right? I will train you. Your life will be much better than before."

The woman continued to speak, her voice sounding strong, but her eyes remained fixed on the road in front of her. On the other hand, the boy stared at her with half-closed eyes, as if trying to come to terms with a reality he had never understood.

Hesitantly, the boy lifted his face, and it was here that their eyes met in a fate-changing moment. The woman smiled softly, "Just call me Dian."

They walked up the hilltop, and the mansion finally came into view. The atmosphere became tense, unclear if it was the tension of nature or just a reflection of their feelings.

When the car finally stopped, the boy opened his eyes once again, and the sight that stared at him was unparalleled. A stately home stood in front of him, silent yet eerie, as if it held a mysterious story that didn't want to be revealed.

"We've arrived." Dian's soft words broke the silence, but the boy only remained silent with an expression of unstoppable anxiety.

No words were spoken, only an air of uncertainty enveloped them. He didn't know why they were here or what to expect from that place. However, one thing he was very sure of.

"That... that's what killed uncle earlier!"

The boy pointed his trembling hand at the corner of the trees with an expression that showed how scared he was.

Seeing that, Dian hurriedly turned her head in the direction he was pointing. However, there was nothing to be seen there but a dense and dark grove of trees.

*****

A week had passed since Dian had brought the child to the place where she lived her life. After completing all the tasks she had to do that day, she thought it would be best if she set aside the remaining time to take a walk in the moonlight.

However, when she reached the terrace of the house, her gaze fell on a shadowy figure standing under the light of a lamp that illuminated the darkness of the street in front of her. The person was motionless, as still as a shadow blending into the silent night. Suspicion suddenly crept into her, making her heart race.

Cautious steps brought her closer. When Dian called out to the figure in a cold voice, the figure quickly responded to her call by looking back. Her eyes showed emptiness without a hint of emotion, yet their eyes met in a silent harmony full of hidden meaning.

The figure standing silently before her was none other than Sarah, a "messenger" who was only sent if something went wrong between them.

When Sarah set foot on the porch of the house, the silence that enveloped the night was even more eerie. The moonlight seemed to pause, as if nature itself sensed an unusual presence. In silence, Sarah gazed at her surroundings, and her gaze penetrated the walls of the magnificent wooden house.

"Something is wrong here," she hissed softly at Melinda, her voice almost a whisper that no one wanted to hear. "I feel an uneasiness that I can't explain. Like something is watching our every move from a distance. Do you feel it too?"

Hearing Sarah speak, Melinda not only nodded in understanding, but also confirmed the feeling. 

Something unknown to them was roaming the forest. Something very dangerous.