Chapter 1

• Nerissa POV
• Darkness around me felt like it was going on forever as I couldn’t find a way out.
• No, where I would look I could see any trace of light as I did once before.
• Horrible thoughts were playing in my head as fear wrapped around my heart, fearing I’m forever stuck in this darkness.
• Falling down onto my knees, placing my head in my hands, feeling broken and about to let the tears fall down freely, fearing I’ll never get out from here, fearing I’ll never get to see them again. Alex… Allister… my heart felt broken.
• As the tears were about to slide down my cheeks, feeling as all hope was gone, I felt the slight warm nudge inside my heart making me lift up my head and look up.
• ‘What was that?’ I wondered, not being able to see anything yet the same feeling nudged at my heart once again.
• Slowly, I got up to my feet, looking around, feeling the warmth inside my heart slowly intensifying.
• I pressed my palm to my chest, taking in a deep breath, feeling my heartbeats increasing slightly.
• The tingling sensation was all too familiar, yet so strange. Like a new one. It rushed through my body, warming my cold limbs as the same nudge was not stopping.
• Turning to my left, blindly, not able to see through the darkness, I took a careful step forward, slowly walking ahead like I knew where to go.
• The feeling inside of me was like a compass that led me through this dark maze that was all around me.
• I didn’t know why, but somehow deep down inside of me it was like I knew I could trust the feeling.
• I walked for a while, not actually knowing where I was going, but I continued on, following the invisible thread, when suddenly I heard a voice, talking to me, startling me at first as I couldn’t see anything.
• “Raise your leg up, carefully.”
• Startled, I stood there, hearing the voice I couldn’t recognize, yet it was so familiar. Raising up my leg as the voice told me, I felt like a step in front of me, making me walk up the dark stairs, slowly.
• “That’s it… little more.”
• “Wh-who are you?” I asked into the darkness, but there was no response.
• “Hello? Are you there?” Not wanting to be left alone, I called for the voice of a person who was helping me.
• “Just one more step.” The voice said as I followed its lead and took the last step, feeling the ground beneath me steady and flat, making me able to walk slowly ahead.
• “Where am I?” I needed to find out the answers so I can try to find my way out of this darkness.
• “Pssst… you need to be quiet…” the voice whispered.
• My heart was racing so fast in my chest, a bad feeling rising up inside of me, making me feel a chill at the clear warning that was in its tone.
• “Why do I need to be quiet? I need to know where I am and how to get out from here!” Feeling frustrated and scared, I said into the darkness.
• I heard something… a sound coming from behind me, making me stop and turn around, looking carefully, trying to see something, anything when I saw it.
• Two big red eyes opened in the distance, peering right at me, making my breathing stop as fear rushed through me.
• A scream tore out from my throat as I watched in fright at the big red eyes growing taller and taller, making me almost crumble down to the ground as the giant beast stood up at its full height.
• An ear-piercing sound of screeching scream made me cover my ears as the beast kept its eyes locked down on me.
• “Run!!” The voice from earlier shouted loudly, making me instinctively move my feet as I turned around and started running straight ahead while the beast screeched behind me.
• The loud thundering sound followed me and I knew the beast was chasing me, making me push myself harder to run faster.
• My foot caught up to something in the ground, making me lose my footing and fall down to the ground.
• I looked behind me and could see the red eyes beast approaching fast.
• “Get up! Get up and keep on running, Nerissa!” The voice was strong and so authoritative, giving me the strength that I needed as I rushed back up to my feet and continued on running.
• I was running for a while not knowing where to and slowly I was getting tired, feeling exhausted, wanting to give up.
• “Don’t give up! You have just a little more to go. Turn right here. You can do it, Nerissa!” The voice was so confident and even though I felt exhausted and wanted to give up, I did what the voice told me to, following its lead as I turned right and continued on running.
• My body crashed into something firm, making me fall down with a yelp.
• “Feel the surface and look for a handle and press on it. Do it now before it catches you!”
• If the situation was any different, I would not listen to such orders, but I pushed down my feelings and stood back up, extending my arms in front of me until I could feel the hard surface that was ice cold on the touch.
• I searched for the handle, my hands shaking as I would keep glancing behind me, watching at the beast approaching fast.
• I saw it coming, making my eyes grow wide as it let a victory screech, leaping up into the air.
• A loud ear-piercing scream left my lips, while my hands continued on blindly searching for the handle.
• Closing my eyes, preparing to be swallowed by the beast, I felt something cold and firm under my fingers, making me grab onto it and pull it with all of my strength.
• A loud sound like a lock unlocking reached my ears, making me open up my eyes the moment my body fell through, what was a moment ago a hard surface, closing up right at the moment when the beast tried to pass through.
• Pressing my hands over my fast beating heart, shaking from fear, I tried to calm myself down by taking in a few deep breaths.
• I could feel something soft underneath me, like grass, but I still couldn’t see anything yet.
• Out of fear of other dangers, I didn’t make any sound. Slowly, I managed to stand up on my shaky legs, when suddenly, I saw something in the distance.
• A small light growing wider and wider, making me stand there and look in silence until I felt its warmth caressing my cold skin.
• I could see a tall silhouette, standing at the end of the passage that this glowing, warm light created, as I stood there, squinting my eyes, trying to see the person.
• “Don’t waste more time, follow me, Nerissa.” The voice said, making me see the silhouette extending its arm towards me, inviting me to come.
• Feeling hope rising up inside of me once again, I forced my unsteady legs to run towards the silhouette, wondering who the person is.
• Nearing the brighter light, I saw the silhouette turning away from me, making me call out, shouting, “No! Wait! Please, don’t go!”
• I pushed myself faster, harder to reach the person, having my eyes locked on its tall, wide back, I heard its voice without it turning back towards me, “I can’t. I need to go for now. You're safe.”
• “No, wait! Who are you?” I shouted as I was coming closer, almost reaching the silhouette.
• “You will find out everything when the time is right… I promise.”
• Just as the words reached me and I came closer, extending my arm to reach out and touch its back, I saw the silhouette shatter into millions of tiny little sparkles that flew away.
• Breathing heavily, I watched at the sparkles, feeling some kind of loss but not knowing why; I wanted to see who it was and properly thank the person for saving me, but I couldn’t, not now as it was gone.
• Taking in a deep breath, I heard a loud banging from behind me, a beast trying to break down the wall. Not wanting to waste any more precious minutes, I took a step into the bright light, closing my eyes, feeling the warmth welcoming me with its open arms.