The Calm

Ava sat with her friend, Sam, at the edge of the village, enjoying the cool breeze that carried the scent of the ocean. They watched as the sun set in the distance, painting the sky with shades of pink and orange.

"did you go to the ruins again?" Sam asked, breaking the peaceful silence.

Ava shook her head. "yeah, I did. It's pretty cool out of the confines of the village , you know."

Sam nodded. "I know, but don't you think it would be best if you tried not to explore so much."

"What are you talking about?" Ava asked, slightly irritated.

"...i heard from my mum that you were hearing things near the end, im just a bit worried " Sam said,

Ava rolled her eyes. "i was just a bit tired nothing to worry about."

Sam pouted. "You don't know that for sure. Besides, there's still fun stuff here in the village."

Ava smiled. She knew Sam had a mild crush on her, but she didn't mind. They had been friends for years, and she valued his company.

"yeah, like what?" she asked, prompting him to talk more,

"Well, for starters, there's the festival coming up," Sam said eagerly. "There will be music, food, and even a dance competition. You know I'm a pretty good dancer."

Ava laughed. "Yeah, you are. But I'm not sure if I want to join the competition. Dancing in front of everyone sounds intimidating."

"Come on, Ava," Sam pleaded. "It'll be fun, and I promise to practice with you every day until the festival."

Ava sighed, knowing she couldn't resist Sam's puppy-dog eyes. "Okay, fine. i'll consider it."

Sam grinned. "Deal. its a date!"

"don't push your luck Sam,"

They spent the rest of the evening talking about their plans for the festival and other things happening in the village. Ava couldn't help but feel grateful for Sam's friendship. He was always there for her, even when she was feeling lost and confused.

As the stars began to twinkle in the sky, they decided to head back to their respective homes. Ava waved goodbye to Sam and made her way to her small hut on the outskirts of the village.

But even as she lay in her bed, listening to the gentle sound of the ocean, Ava couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The dreams she had been having lately were becoming more vivid and disturbing, and the strange voice she had heard in the ruins was still echoing in her mind.

She tried to push those thoughts aside, reminding herself that everything was fine. But deep down, she knew that something was about to change. Little did she know, the arrival of the stranger would mark the beginning of a dark and dangerous journey, one that would test her strength and courage in ways she never thought possible.