SCENE — The Breaking Point..
The hospital corridors glowed with sterile white light, echoing faintly with the shuffle of nurses' shoes. Simon stood still outside the restricted room, his eyes fixed on the door as if waiting for it to breathe. A second later, his body shimmered—fading out of the hallway and reappearing inside the room where the deer lay.
The deer's breaths were shallow, its chest rising and falling as though weighed down by the world. Then, sensing Simon's presence, its eyes welled with tears. The silent grief cut sharper than any scream.
Simon stepped closer, lowering his hand gently onto its forehead. His smile was soft, but there was steel in his voice.
"Don't worry, Jack," he whispered, his tone carrying both promise and power. "I came here to save you. And I know… you are innocent."
The room darkened. In the blink of an eye, both Simon and the deer vanished, leaving only an empty hospital bed and the soft creak of the curtains swaying in their absence.
At the hotel, the morning was thick with silence, broken only by pounding fists against a locked door.
"Prizey! Prizey, please open the door!" Aliyah's voice cracked with desperation. "What happened? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Inside, the room was a storm. Prizey sat on the floor, her arms wrapped around her head, tears streaming down her face. Her voice was a trembling whisper to herself:
"Why me? Why always me? Why does everyone betray me?"
When at last the door creaked open, Aliyah and the others rushed forward—only to freeze. Prizey's face was pale, her eyes hollow. She didn't say a word. Instead, she dragged her suitcase out and began throwing her belongings into it with frantic hands.
"Prizey, what are you doing?" Max asked, stunned.
"Yeah, why are you packing? What happened?" Sonia demanded, her voice sharp with confusion.
Prizey ignored them, her voice breaking as she finally muttered:
"That's it. Enough. Vacation is over. We're leaving this place. Right now."
The room fell silent. Everyone stared at her in disbelief.
"What?" Max whispered.
"I'm leaving," Prizey snapped, her voice cold. "I'm going back to my mom. If anyone wants to come, fine. If not… stay here. I don't care."
Her words cut like glass. She shoved clothes into her bag, muttering under her breath, lost in her own storm.
Aliyah stepped forward, grabbing her shoulders. "Prizey! Have you lost your mind? Why are you—"
Her words ended in a gasp as Prizey collapsed into her arms, clutching her desperately.
"It's over, Aliyah," she whispered, trembling. "Everything is over. Another turning point in my life… and once again, betrayal. I can't take this anymore. I need to go home. I need Mama…"
Aliyah didn't fully understand, but she didn't need to. Prizey's brokenness was enough. She simply nodded, brushing away her tears, and turned to the others. With a firm glance, she silenced their questions.
"Not now," she signaled.
The group said nothing. Their vacation was ending—not with laughter, but with the weight of something unspoken.
---
By dawn, their bags were packed. They loaded the car in silence.
Sonia muttered bitterly under her breath, "Because of their family drama, our vacation is ruined."
Louis turned on her sharply. "Sonia, stop. Look at Prizey. She's falling apart. She matters more than your fun."
"Fine! Fine!" Sonia hissed, folding her arms.
Max frowned, glancing around. "Wait… Where's Simon? I haven't seen him since last night."
Aliyah hesitated. "He… was with me. Then he left. Said he had something important."
"Important? Like what?" Lina asked, confused.
Aliyah shook her head. "He didn't tell me. He just… disappeared."
Prizey's voice cut through like ice. "He's gone. Don't talk about him again. He has nothing to do with us anymore. Understood?"
Her fury startled them all. It was the first time anyone had seen her eyes blaze like that. For a moment, they almost feared her.
Max leaned toward Aliyah. "Did they… fight?"
Aliyah's gaze dropped. "I don't know. But whatever happened—it's bad."
Louis gripped the wheel. "Let's go."
The car rolled onto the road. The city woke around them, but the silence inside the car was deafening.
---
By noon, they reached the college. Prizey pulled her bike out of the parking lot. She swung her leg over it, ready to leave, when Aliyah caught her wrist.
"Prizey… we're still here. You're not alone."
For the first time in hours, Prizey met Aliyah's eyes. The fire softened—just for a second. Then she nodded, allowing Aliyah and Max to climb onto the bike with her.
Behind them, the others loaded into a cab, trailing silently after Prizey. The air was heavy with unspoken words, and with the sense that nothing would ever be the same again.
SCENE — The Deer's Secret....
The forest villa lay cloaked in shadows, its towering pines swaying under the cold breath of the night. A dim lantern swung from the porch, casting restless flickers of light over the ancient wooden benches in the courtyard.
On one of those benches lay the deer—its sides rising weakly, its eyes glistening with pain. Around it stood Xavier, his grandfather, and Master Shifu, forming a silent circle like guardians of an unspoken truth.
Grandfather broke the silence, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"My God… Xavier, seriously… how is this even possible?"
Xavier's jaw was tight, his fingers stroking his chin in thought, his eyes locked on the animal.
"I don't know, Grandpa," he admitted. "But I can feel it—it's not just a deer. It's Jack."
Master Shifu's brows knitted together, his tone heavy with ancient wisdom.
"This is strange… beyond strange. In all of history, nothing like this has ever happened."
The deer shifted slightly, its labored breath filling the stillness. Xavier's eyes softened, but his mind churned.
Grandfather finally asked, "How are you so sure it's Jack?"
Xavier exhaled slowly. "Last night… Luna called me. She asked me to bury a stone. While I was doing it, I felt something—something wrong. And then…" He hesitated, recalling the vision burned into his mind. "I saw John. He was there. I was moving toward him when suddenly—I felt her presence too."
Grandpa's gaze sharpened. "Her? You mean… Prizey?"
"Yes." Xavier's voice dropped. "I wasn't completely sure… but it was her. And I knew something bad was about to happen to them both."
Master Shifu folded his hands behind his back, eyes narrowing as though peering into a hidden realm. "Prizey is not an ordinary girl. If she did see something that night, she will put the pieces together faster than you think. She's sharp. Maybe… too sharp."
Xavier clenched his jaw. "That's what I fear. If she already knows…"
"Don't worry about Prizey." Grandfather's tone was steady, though his eyes betrayed unease. "We'll make her understand, one way or another. Right now, the real danger is figuring out what creature, or what power, had the strength to do this to Jack. To twist him into… this."
The deer let out a weak cry, as if protesting its fate. Xavier stepped forward, crouching beside it. His voice cracked.
"Grandpa, whatever you do, just… please save him. Jack's a good person. He doesn't deserve punishment for a war that isn't his."
Grandfather's weathered hand landed on Xavier's shoulder, firm but reassuring.
"Don't burden yourself, child. I'll find a way. But for now—" his tone sharpened, carrying the weight of command, "—you need to go to Prizey. She needs you more than anyone. She's with her aunt. Go to her."
Xavier straightened, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Her aunt's house? Why there of all places?"
"Don't question it," the old man said sternly. "Just go."
The silence stretched, the lantern flickering against the deer's trembling body. Xavier finally nodded, his expression torn between worry and determination.
"Alright."
In a shimmer of light, Xavier's figure dissolved into the night air—vanishing from the villa and leaving behind only the faint hum of power.
The deer whimpered once, its eyes rolling toward Grandfather and Master Shifu, as though pleading for time. The two men exchanged a grave look. The weight of what they had just witnessed pressed on them like the forest itself—dark, vast, and merciless
SCENE — Shadows of Betrayal....
The night had deepened when Xavier appeared at Max's house, the faint shimmer of teleportation still fading from his figure. He had barely taken a step inside when Aliyah stormed forward, her eyes blazing. Without a word, she grabbed his collar, pulling him close.
"What did you do, Simon?" she hissed through clenched teeth. "What the hell did you do to Prizey?"
Simon froze, eyes wide with shock. "W–what? I didn't… I didn't do anything! Why? What happened?!"
For a long second, Aliyah's grip remained, her fury trembling through her fingers. Then, as if the weight of her own confusion broke her, she released him with a sharp shove.
Simon, still stunned, searched her face. "Aliyah… tell me. What happened? And where's Prizey? Is she alright?"
But Aliyah said nothing. She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Simon stranded in his own storm of confusion.
---
That night, Max's mother called everyone to dinner. The long table was set with warm dishes, the house alive with soft chatter and clinking cutlery—but one chair remained empty.
Prizey's chair.
From the head of the table, Aunt Sandra frowned, concern wrinkling her face. "Max… what's wrong with Prizey? She hasn't stepped out of her room since she arrived. Did something happen?"
Max sighed helplessly. "Mom, I don't know. She's not talking to anyone… not even Aliyah."
Simon leaned forward, his voice firm. "I'll go get her."
But Aliyah's sharp glance cut him off immediately. "No. I'll bring her." Her tone was laced with something deeper than distrust—something protective.
Simon's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Aliyah rose quietly and slipped away, her footsteps carrying her to the heavy silence of Prizey's room. She knocked gently.
"Prizey… please. Just eat something, at least. You're scaring me. Talk to me."
Inside, Prizey lay curled on the bed, hugging her pillow tightly. She didn't respond. Aliyah sighed, closed the door behind her, and sat down beside her.
"Okay, listen," Aliyah whispered, her voice tender. "It's just me. No one else. So please… talk to me. Tell me what's going on."
For a moment, there was only the sound of muffled breathing. Then, slowly, Prizey shifted, laying her head in Aliyah's lap like a child seeking refuge.
Her voice was broken, trembling.
"Aliyah… do you know what my life has always been? Not love. Never love. Just betrayal. Just hate."
Aliyah stroked her hair gently. "Prizey… why are you saying this? Who betrayed you now?"
Prizey's eyes brimmed with fresh tears as her lips trembled.
"Simon. He betrayed me too."
Aliyah stiffened. "What? No… what do you mean? How?"
Prizey sat up suddenly, her body trembling with urgency. Her voice grew sharper, almost frantic.
"I saw him, Aliyah. In the forest—when we went for the assignment. He was there, wearing a mask. But those eyes… I can never forget those eyes."
Aliyah's breath caught. "You're saying—"
"Yes!" Prizey cut her off. "It was him. He threatened me that night. And… he knows about my mark, Aliyah. He knows!"
Aliyah's eyes widened in shock, her mind spinning.
Prizey's voice dropped, shaking with fury and despair.
"After that night, he came back… as Simon. Pretending to be one of us. Pretending to be normal. But last night—I saw him again. In the forest. Burying something."
Her words came faster now, spilling like fire. She clutched Aliyah's hand tightly, her nails digging into her skin.
"And you know the villa I told you about? The one no one believes exists? It's real, Aliyah. It's real. And Simon knows about it. He's connected to it somehow."
Aliyah whispered, stunned. "Oh my God…"
Prizey's eyes blazed, half with fear, half with anger.
"Simon isn't who we think he is. He's not just some guy in our lives—he's here for a reason. He has a motive. And whatever it is… it's dangerous."
The words hung in the air like smoke, heavy and unshakable.
Aliyah cupped Prizey's trembling hands, her own eyes glassy. "Prizey… I understand, okay? But what if—what if this is just a misunderstanding? Huh?" her voice cracked, desperate to soothe her friend.
Prizey's face was pale, streaked with tears, but her gaze was sharp, unyielding. "No, Aliyah… no. I'm telling you the truth. I swear I'm not lying… I felt it." Her voice broke into a whisper, almost as if the night itself was listening.
Aliyah's throat tightened as she saw the raw torment in Prizey's eyes. Her own tears spilled freely. "Please, just once—talk to Simon. Look him in the eyes. If anyone can explain, it's him."
Prizey shook her head violently, her sobs tearing the silence. "No, Aliyah! I won't! The moment I face him… everything inside me feels like it'll break apart!"
And then—
A deafening BOOM shattered the air. The ground beneath them quivered. Both girls froze, their grief drowned out in an instant. The echo of the explosion rolled through the forest like a beast's roar.
Aliyah's grip tightened on Prizey's wrist. "What… was that?" she whispered, terror widening her eyes.
The wind shifted—unnaturally cold, carrying with it the faint metallic tang of blood. The leaves rattled, the shadows stretched unnervingly long.
Prizey's tears stilled on her cheeks. Her breathing quickened. "Aliyah… that sound… it wasn't human."
The two girls locked eyes, their sorrow forgotten, replaced by the primal fear of something hunting them from the dark.
And then came the second sound—low, guttural, animalistic. A growl.
Closer.
...........!