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The calm filled the place, broken only by the sound of the wind playing with the leaves of the trees, as if trying to whisper hidden secrets.
In the living room, Lily and Vivian sat on a long velvet-covered couch, with a small table between them holding glass cups that sparkled under the light. Lily lifted her cup quietly, took a small sip, then looked at her friend and said:
"Um… Vivian, that day when you were asked who you loved… you answered that it was the actor Leon. But why do you love him? I don't know, I don't know him well, I only met him once at a party, and he seemed extremely arrogant to me… almost awful."
Vivian smiled softly, then placed her cup on the table, her eyes sinking into a faraway place as if summoning an old image from deep in her memory:
"Yes… I won't deny that he's selfish and extremely arrogant, but the thing I liked about him… was the courageous stance he took with me when all my friends disappeared."
Silence fell for a moment before she sank deeper into her memories, traveling back… to the year 2016.
The atmosphere back then was tense, and the team was working hard to prepare a promotional campaign for her first movie, a film everyone was talking about because it brought together the most famous models and rising actors, led by Leon. But suddenly… a deadly rumor appeared out of nowhere.
Vivian continued with a trembling voice as she narrated:
"They said I was addicted to drugs… and that I had tried to commit suicide several times. That false rumor was enough to turn everything against me.
I faced a wave of harsh criticism and insults, until I fell into severe depression. All the actors were against me, demanding that the leading role be taken away from me… My frustration grew until I felt I couldn't continue."
She lowered her head slightly, then continued:
"And in one of the interviews… before the film's premiere, we gathered in a hall filled with the press."
The questions attacked me like sharp knives. I sat on the chair trembling, repeating that these were just rumors… but no one listened to me. Then Leon suddenly stood up, who had been sitting beside me, and began speaking firmly, justifying my position and defending me. His voice filled the hall and forced everyone into silence.
He was the only… the only one who stood by my side. And from that moment, everything inside me changed."
Vivian sighed lightly and returned her gaze to Lily:
"After that incident… I loved him and cherished him."
Lily shook her head slowly, raising her eyebrows with a mix of surprise and slight mockery:
"Maybe what he did wasn't for you… but for himself, so the film wouldn't fail."
Vivian smiled with a small bitterness:
"I don't care… what matters is that he defended me when I desperately needed someone to save me."
Lily lowered her gaze, thinking for a moment, then said:
"It was really surprising that he was the boy you loved… but what puzzles me… why did he disappear overnight?"
Vivian's voice dropped slightly, as if speaking to her own heart:
"Yes… I never knew where he went. Many rumors appeared saying he died or was killed… I hope they are just rumors."
Lily took a long sip of her drink, then said with concern:
"I wonder… what rumors could appear in our absence?"
And while the conversation continued in that warm room, elsewhere, other people were fighting for their lives.
In the forest, Elias was running frantically, panting nonstop, holding Camelia's hand tightly so she wouldn't fall, while behind them, the ghoul was chasing them at tremendous speed, its footsteps striking the ground like thunder, almost catching up to them.
Camelia shouted sharply:
"Elias! Why don't we split up too?"
Elias replied in broken breaths:
"No! We don't have time… it will catch us!"
A determined smile appeared on Camelia's lips, and she said:
"I have a great idea! Elias… run a little slower, and when I tell you: Let go of my hand… do it!"
Elias panicked, panting: "W-Why?!"
Camelia: "Trust me! Now… let go of my hand!"
They ran between the dense forest trees, and the ghoul's sound drew closer and closer. At a massive tree in the middle of their path, they both let go of each other's hands.
The ghoul lunged after them, but with its immense strength, it couldn't stop and collided with the tree with a terrible force, knocking it down and falling on it itself.
And as it tried to rise, Camelia raised her sword with all her strength and struck the back of its head, but the ghoul's skull was so hard that the sword got stuck in it. At that moment, Elias took out his gun and fired two direct shots at its skull, finally extinguishing it completely.
Elias breathed heavily, then looked at her and smiled despite his exhaustion:
"That was a brilliant plan of yours."
Camelia wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hand:
"Yes… that was close."
But they didn't have time to rest, as they heard other sounds approaching, forcing them to flee even faster, trying to find Linda and Jude.
Nearby, Jude was stunned by what he saw. A girl with long brown hair, wearing a short skirt, lay on the ground unconscious.
Linda stepped forward slowly, her eyes tense:
"Jude… is this real or just a hallucination?"
Jude, trembling, replied:
"Yes, I see her too… but maybe it's a trap."
But Linda had a different opinion:
"Maybe we weren't the only ones here…"
Jude shook his head stubbornly:
"But she can't survive in a place like this… it's impossible."
He approached slowly, his legs trembling. He held a thin tree branch and shook the girl, but she didn't move.
He turned to Linda and said:
"Maybe she's dead."
Linda: "Put your finger on her nose."
Jude bent down and did so, feeling faint breaths: "She's alive!"
He tried to wake her repeatedly, but to no avail. Suddenly, Elias and Camelia appeared from the trees, making Jude scream in panic:
"I… I'm… I'm not doing anything!"
Linda raised her gun in confusion, almost aiming at Elias before realizing.
Elias looked at the girl in bewilderment:
"Wh-What's going on here?"
He stepped closer and looked at the girl: "Who is she?"
Jude answered his question: "I don't know… we just found her."
Camelia approached slowly, examining her:
"But… she looks dead."
Linda pointed to the girl's nose: "No, she's alive, she's breathing."
Camelia's eyes scanned the area with suspicion and fear:
"Her presence here is suspicious… maybe she's bait."
Elias: "I don't think so… maybe she's the one who will tell us."
Jude (firmly): "If we leave her here, it's cowardice; if we take her, it might cause a disaster."
Linda sighed and said: "It's fine… we have to take her to the palace, since she's a victim like us."
After a long discussion, they decided to carry her. Elias lifted her onto his back, while Camelia took his bag, and Jude held Linda, who looked exhausted.
---
Elsewhere, inside the village, Black Wyd was holding her breath. The ghoul gripped strands of her braid fiercely, lifting her off the ground.
Suddenly, another ghoul appeared, approaching the first one and biting its arm, trying to claim the meal for itself. The scene quickly turned into a brutal fight between the two ghouls.
Dante seized the opportunity, looking at Harmon quickly and said:
"I'll save Black Wyd… and you cover me!"
He pulled a small dagger from his pocket and ran like an arrow toward Black Wyd, cutting the braid that the ghoul was holding, then grabbed her tightly and hugged her, falling to the ground with her. Meanwhile, Harmon fired bullets frantically, emptying his magazine into the bodies of the battling ghouls until they fell, drenched in blood.
Dante held Black Wyd to his chest with all his strength, his body trembling. She slowly lifted her head to find his face very close to hers… his eyes teary, tears falling onto the ground.
He pressed her head closer to his chest, gasping through his sobs, saying:
"Sorry… I'm sorry…"
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