chapter 1: blurstery night

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

The rain poured as it all began...

"Jordan, wake up! We gotta go," my dad urgently says, shaking me awake. I groggily open my eyes, trying to comprehend the situation. On the other hand, I see Gina, my older sister, standing at the door, tears streaming down her face, and blood staining her white gown.

"What's happening? Why do we have to leave?" I ask, filled with anxiety and confusion

"We gotta hurry, Jordan! Follow me," my dad insists. I swiftly jump out of bed and rush towards Gina. As I glance at the hallway, I see my mom's lifeless body lying on the ground. I scream, "Daddy, who did this?" He doesn't answer, but instead, he grabs me on his shoulder, holds Gina's hand, and we run out of the house. He leads us to a path at the end of our field.

"follow this path to the next village, keep going and don't look back, Gina please protect your brother okay, I love you both so much and I wish I could do more for you as a father"    He said and turned back to our house.   We followed the path just like Dad told us. But then we heard someone in pain and they warned us to run. We ran as fast as we could, filled with fear and uncertainty. We were left with so many questions. Dad never had the chance to tell us who was coming for us or why. It was a painful mystery we had to face alone.

The rain was freezing, and I fell to the ground, trembling. Thankfully, Gina carried me on her back as we staggered towards the next village. We found an open house with a warm fireplace and decided to take shelter. Though there was nobody home, we felt a sense of comfort sitting by the hearth.

"The room fell silent as the chilling words echoed through the air: 'No thieves are allowed, drag them out and teach them a lesson.' Fear gripped my heart as two towering figures barged in, forcefully dragging us out of the house and into the murky waters of the nearby river. The cold water sent shivers down my spine as I desperately tried to escape, but a sharp blow to the back of my head brought me crashing to the ground. 'You thought you could run?' sneered one of the men. 'Now, let's see how you like a taste of that.'"

  "I could hear Gina's desperate cries for help, but I was too weak to move. The man's voice filled with anger as he declared, 'No one's coming to save you, thieves. In this place called Freetown, thieves don't leave alive.' Our small village had a strict rule against stealing for many years, and the punishment is death."

      "Gina pleaded, "We're not thieves, just seeking warmth from the fireplace as we pass by. Please, let us go. We promise never to return." As I regained consciousness, I heard a woman's voice approaching, wielding a garden fork. She declared, "No, we can't release them. We'll kill the boy, and if the girl interferes, we'll eliminate them both."

    "Back off! Don't you dare come closer, or I'll take you all down!" Gina warned, bravely rising to her feet to protect me. The woman's laughter echoed as she closed in on us, her pace quickening.

    "Whoa! What's that? It's blinding! I can't see anyone anymore," A man exclaimed nervously. "OMG, is this some kind of real magic? It's so bright!" Gina whispered, her voice filled with awe and uncertainty.

the leader told those guys to check it out! I can't even see a thing, but I'm so curious. What's Gina up to with her magic tricks? So many questions in my mind! The two men cautiously approached the bright light and saw a girl in white with a round hat, but her face was hidden.

"Boss, it's just a girl surrounded by a bunch of lights," the first man reported. "Well, what are you two dummies waiting for? Bring her to me!" the boss demanded.

The two men ran into the light to bring the girl out, but unfortunately, they themselves didn't make it out. "Who,...What are you" The leader asked shakenly with a stamered voice, then a voice echoed out of the light saying "I'm Diane,  the Goddess of light." And that was the last thing I heard before I finally die, or is it? Am I dead?