May 19, 2014.
My life changed completely on my fourteenth birthday.
Which is today.
After school, I started heading home. All the way, I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Everything seemed strange. Everyone at school was gossiping about something, although I had no idea what the topic was. Chris, my only friend, and I always spent our time alone, avoiding other people's conversations.
Honestly, I didn't care much. They didn't talk about it seriously; they were making jokes, so it couldn't be important.
As I walked down the street on my way home, I was surprised to find the usually busy road completely deserted. The sun was shining, and the weather was lovely, but I didn't see any kids playing in the yard as they did every day at this time. Most house windows were covered with curtains, and at one house, I saw people struggling to push a cabinet against the window.
I found this a bit peculiar.
Maybe I should have just asked what they were talking about.
When I reached the end of the street, I turned the corner and finally found myself in front of our house. I was relieved to see that nothing had changed at our house. I didn't see any cabinet in the window.
I went through the gate and walked up to the front door, and as I opened it, a delightful aroma wafted out from the kitchen.
Mom hadn't noticed my arrival. She paced nervously by the table, studying a newspaper. She had her brown hair tied in a bun, as she always did when cooking, working, or reading.
"Hi, Mom! I'm home," I greeted.
My mother looked up from the newspaper, somewhat surprised. She placed the newspaper on the table and hugged me. Meanwhile, I glanced at the newspaper.
"The Darkness Begins! Is this true, or are they just trying to scare us?"
"Hi, Ana! What happened at school today? Is Chris coming later?"
"Yes, Chris will arrive later. At school, they were talking all day about something that wouldn't normally be interesting because it's always like this. But today, non-stop, and I saw some frightened faces too. But I think it's nothing serious, nothing I'd want to know about because many just made jokes about it."
My mother's face darkened.
"What were they talking about?"
"I have no idea. I didn't hear the topic exactly. I caught a few words, though: 'Made up, doesn't exist.' And I heard a name too, maybe 'Dorian.' I glanced at the newspaper again and then turned to my mother. 'Mom, what does it mean, "The Darkness Begins"?' I asked, pointing to the newspaper. But before she could answer, we heard the front door close, and a few moments later, Dad walked into the kitchen. He looked extremely distressed. His face was pale. He cast an anxious glance at Mom and then at me. He wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Finally, he left without a word.
Mom picked up the newspaper and threw it in the trash. She returned to cooking, and in the meantime, I told her what I got from Chris. The topic of Darkness was not brought up again.
Later, our conversation was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
"I'll open it. It's probably Chris who arrived," I quickly got up and ran to the front door. After I opened the door, instead of Chris, there was nothing there. No one stood in front of the door.
I was about to step out to look around when a figure jumped in front of me.
I screamed.
But when I heard the figure start to laugh, I fell silent.
"Frankly, I didn't think this would work!" Chris said triumphantly. When I saw his face, the anger I felt a moment ago disappeared.
"Chris! This wasn't funny!" I said, also laughing.
"But you're laughing!"
I gently tapped the boy's shoulder.
He was wearing black jeans and a white shirt. The boy's very light blonde – almost white - hair was tousled by the wind and hung a bit over his freckled face. He smiled as he entered the house, reached for his hair, and adjusted it so that it wouldn't fall in front of his face.
I closed the door, then turned to Chris, who hugged me immediately.
"Happy birthday again, even though I wished you once already. I hope you're happy. Are you happy?"
"Of course, I am! Thank you, Chris." When I look into the boy's brown eyes, I always think of an endless forest.
When I think of an endless forest, I find it terrifying. What if I get lost, and no one ever finds me?
That's what happened to my brother.
But when I look into the boy's eyes, I don't find this forest scary; I see a calm, friendly path through the trees, full of interesting and wonderful things waiting to be discovered.
"I'm glad. It might sound strange, but I feel like we're in a movie. People are behaving strangely, and it got dark unusually early. It's not even five o'clock yet. Do you think... isn't it strange?"
Indeed, it's very dark. It feels like evening already. Strange.
"I thought maybe more time had passed, which is why it's so dark. Mom and I were talking, and we didn't pay attention to the time. But... is it even possible for it to get this dark suddenly?"
"In movies, this is the moment when people will see monsters in the streets," Chris joked.
We both laughed, not suspecting anything.
We didn't think much more about the sudden darkness.
"Let's go to the kitchen! Dinner will be ready soon."
After entering the kitchen, my mother greeted Chris with a hug.
"Chris, you look great! But your hair..." she said, then messed up the boy's hair even more.
"You're as beautiful as ever, Natalie! Can I help with anything?" - asked Chris
"Yes, please set the table. Dinner will be ready soon. Are you hungry, Chris?"
"Even if I weren't hungry, I'd never miss your cooking."
"That's why I love you so much! Ana couldn't have found a better friend than you."
"She's right," I said, smiling at Chris. Chris has been my best friend since he arrived at our school six years ago and was seated next to me. From then on, I spent every day with him; he helped me with everything, becoming like a sibling to me. A sibling, after losing my brother. From the very beginning, he was friendly, caring, and brave. Despite seeing fear in him many times, he never backed down. "You're the best friend, Chris."
When everything was ready, my mother asked me to go upstairs and call Dad for dinner.
So I went upstairs, but before I entered Dad's office, I paused in front of a door.
His door.
Leon.
My brother's empty room.
My brother, whom I never had the chance to get to know.
A tear rolled down my cheek, but before I could cry, I continued and tried to push thoughts of him from my mind.
At Dad's office door, I knocked, then turned the doorknob.
It was locked.
I knocked louder.
No response.
"Dad? Dinner's ready. Are you okay?"
No answer.
I leaned my ear to the door and listened. Nothing. No sound.
I knocked harder.
"Dad! Dinner's ready! What are you doing in there?"
Still, no response.
I was about to give up and go back downstairs, but then I heard something.
A faint whisper, almost inaudible.
But I could swear it sounded like my name.
"Ana..."
"Dad, is that you? Are you okay?"
I tried to turn the doorknob again, but it was still locked.
"Ana... stay away..."
I felt a chill run down my spine. There was something wrong with Dad's voice.
"Dad, what's going on? Why won't you open the door?"
"Stay away, Ana. Don't come in."
His voice was trembling, filled with fear. I had never heard my father sound like this.
I ran down the stairs back to the kitchen.
"Ana? Is everything okay?" my mother asked, seeing the concern on my face.
"There's something wrong with Dad," I said.
"Stay here, I'll be right back," she said and quickly headed toward the stairs.
We didn't listen to her. Chris and I followed her.
My mother pounded on the door.
"Will, honey, is everything okay?"
Still, no response.
"William, open the door!" my mother continued to pound on the door, but she stopped when we heard a loud growl from inside.
Then suddenly, the door was ripped from its hinges.
Chris pulled me back by my hand. My mother stood motionless, staring at the figure in front of her.
When I saw him, I wanted to scream, but no sound came out of my mouth. I froze in fear. It wasn't my father standing in the doorway, or at least, he didn't resemble him. Everything about him was black, his head, his skin, his entire body. He was much larger than an average person. His body was surrounded by black mist, and his eyes glowed red. He opened his mouth, and as he screamed, his long, sharp teeth became visible. Moreover, he had long claws.
This couldn't be my father. What was this?
He grabbed my mother, who started crying and screaming, trying to break free from the monster's claws, but in vain. The monster plunged its sharp claws into her side and then moved its teeth closer to her neck.
The next moment, I was running downstairs with Chris. He held my hand tightly, and if he hadn't, I probably wouldn't have run after him. In the kitchen, he grabbed a sharp knife, then rushed toward the door and pulled me out into the street.
The situation outside was even worse. Screams and shouts echoed from all directions. It was very dark, as if a thick fog had descended.
I noticed movement. Someone was approaching us quickly. Not someone, something. It looked just like what was in my father's office.
"Ana, pay attention to me! You need to escape from here," the boy said, releasing my hand and raising the knife in front of him. I didn't move.
"Ana! Get away from here!"
"No... Dad... Mom... they're in there with that..."
"Ana, you need to go! I'm sorry to say this, but your parents are probably no longer alive!"
No longer alive.
That word repeated in my mind as I stood there motionless, unable to make myself do anything. I just watched as the boy was attacked by that monster. I watched as the boy stabbed the monster with the knife, but before it died, the monster bit into the boy's arm.
"Chris..."
Hearing my voice, he turned toward me. Dark-colored blood flowed down his arm.
What's happening? Why is this happening?
"Nothing will happen to you!" he said while stopping in front of me and hugging me tightly. "I promise, okay? I'll find you later, just run now!"
Chris let go of me, then turned away and started running.
I turned too; I didn't want to see whatever was about to happen. I know Chris said those words to reassure me, but I still believed in him. He was so brave! If I manage to escape, he'll surely make it too. I believe in him.
"Take care, Chris! Come back to me!"
I ran as fast as I could. I didn't pay attention to where I was going, but I didn't stop. I heard screams coming from all directions, but I didn't stop even when I couldn't hear anything anymore. I left the city, continued down the empty main road, then I ran through the dark woods.
I don't know how long I ran, how far I got from the city, how safe I was here in the woods, alone. But I didn't stop until my legs couldn't carry me any longer.
I collapsed onto the ground, and as my legs gave way, tears streamed from my eyes. I didn't want to comprehend what had just happened, didn't want to believe that this was real. This couldn't be reality.
Everything will be fine; I just need to wake up somehow.
I closed my eyes.
When I wake up, my mom will be making my favorite breakfast in the kitchen, just like every year after my birthday. After breakfast, they'll take me to my mom's friend's farm, where I can do some horseback riding. Then, dad will come for me and take me to the archery competition. In the evening, Chris and I will watch the stars together.
But when I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in my bed. I was in a dark forest, and this wasn't the kind of forest I always saw in Chris's eyes. This was its opposite.
I was terrified. My whole body trembled. I was lost, just like my brother.
I didn't know what to do. My parents were probably dead, and I was likely next.
Or I will be some kind of monster. My father had turned into a monster.
These monsters were once people.
As I knelt there in the grass among the trees, I realized I would never wake up because this was real. I had lost everyone in less than five minutes.
"Are you injured?" a deep, gentle voice said.
I looked up in the direction of the voice and saw a man. He held a flashlight that he was using to illuminate the ground, so it wouldn't blind me. He had a tall, muscular build, broad shoulders. I couldn't see his face due to the darkness.
I felt fear for a moment, but it wasn't a monster in front of me; it was a human, and it could have been the other way around. I was alone in the woods, and I was very lucky this man was here.
Behind him, not far from him, I saw a house from which dim light was coming. A boy approached, young, around my age.
"I'm just... tired, and I got lost," I said. My voice broke, and I couldn't continue. I couldn't say it out loud, but I didn't need to. The stranger immediately understood what had happened.
"Poor child," he said as he knelt in front of me. "I'm sorry for what happened. They haven't reached here yet. You can be safe with us. Come, if you want, you can tell us what happened. Daniel, make some tea for her. She's exhausted," the man said, and the boy nodded before disappearing into the house.
With the stranger's help, I stood up, and he held my hand, leading me towards the house.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"I'm Ana Lewis," I replied, trembling slightly. "And who are you?"
"I'm Adam Clark, and the boy you saw earlier is my son, Daniel. How did you end up here? Would you like to tell us what happened?"
"We were at home... getting ready for dinner. My dad turned into... some kind of black monster. It was terrifying. He attacked my mom," I choked on the words. Tears started flowing again, the pain of thinking about my parents became too much to bear. "My friend, Chris, saved me. He told me to run, and I just ran without stopping until I got here."
"You ran all the way from the city?" We entered the house, and as he closed the door behind us, I heard those distant screams again—the screams of the monsters.
No, please, not again!
My body began trembling again. They were already here; they had come for me too.
"There's no need to be afraid. They can't harm you here."
"But..."
"They won't hurt you as long as we're in this house," the boy named Daniel said when he entered the room. He offered me a cup of tea, and I took a sip, feeling warmth spread through my body.
"What is all this? What are these creatures, and why are they here? What's happening?" I asked one question after another. I didn't ask what they meant by the monsters not being able to hurt us in this house. I wanted to believe them, but the thought lingered in my mind—why wouldn't they hurt us here? It would only be possible if this were some kind of special house.
Although, after today, anything seemed possible.
Adam and his son exchanged glances and then looked back at me. Adam was the one who spoke.
"The Darkness has begun."