Chapter 1

2005

In the western part of England, precisely in the Lancashire region. There was a small town called Blackpool. There, on the shores of Lancashire, is a quaint Midland resort popular as a family getaway.

This incredibly intrigued the Hesters. Towards the middle of the season, this family from London is willing to travel 249 miles in the first week of March. To enjoy their vacation. That was the reason Mr. Hester insisted on taking his wife—and—children for a week's layover in Midland.

"So what's your plan after this, Grace?" Hester asked his little 10-year-old daughter.

His little daughter was playing with his brother—Korvin, who was now seven years old.

"I want to go to the dock, Pap... after playing in the sandy beach this afternoon," Grace replied, looking at her father, who seemed to be unpacking her things from the suitcase.

"Well . . . I guess, 40 pounds per night wouldn't be bad to force a vacation to this little place." Larina, the red-haired woman, wrapped her arms around her husband, then kissed her husband's lips briefly.

After that, she walked over to Grace and Korvin, who was playing. Then arrange some things from the suitcase.

"Okay ... now, you two play together. Papi and Mom will follow you after this," said Hester. Changed Grace's outfit into a yellow bikini, then changed Korvin's clothes.

The two red-haired children ran. After both of them left the resort. Play in the sand, then start walking towards the less crowded pier.

Visitors in the middle of the season will not be as crowded with visitors when summer comes. That is why some inns provide a moderately sloping price.

"Hey, Korvy! Come here! Don't play too far from the beach, you know!" Grace shouted, waving at her little brother.

The wind is quite cold this afternoon. Enough to make Grace's little body shiver.

"Damn you, Grace! Stop pushing me around like I'm a baby!"

"You're a baby, Korvy! You're just 7 years old!" They both threw sand at each other before the calm atmosphere became gripping.

Yes, Grace could see from her grey eyes that the resort she was staying at was being ransacked by people she didn't know. People dressed in black with guns in hand.

"Aaaah!"

BANG!!!

Grace shrieked. When she saw the figure she had just met, and she knew he was the owner of the resort, she screamed at the same time as her body swayed from gunfire.

The resort owner's corpse looked terrible. His eyes widened with a reddish tinge of blood that kept pouring out of his head.

"Grace!" shouted Korvin, who realized that the surroundings were not safe.

The situation became dangerous!

"Grace, Papi! Mom! They're there, Grace!" Korvin cried frantically. He kept tugging on Grace's hand. It made Grace hold Korvin's hand and hug his sister tightly.

"We can't go there, Korvin, you know? We're going to die!"

"But, Papi? Mom?"

Korvin's blue eyes lit up. His pale nose was red as the tears dripped down his cheeks.

BANG!

The third gunshot. However, none of the victims looked pitifully dumped out.

Grace has to help her parents, no matter what! However, she also has to save Korvin, her brother, whom she loves the most before those gunmen catch her.

"Run Korvy . . . run," Grace stammered. Her pale face looked panicked, while her gray eyes continued to correct her brother's already crying face. "Run to the dock! Yes... there! I'll catch up with you after this, I promise."

"But, Grace... you?"

"I'll see how Pap and Mom are."

"But, Grace... you're going to die! They... they're monsters, Grace!" said Korvin panicked. Grace held Korvin's face with her tiny hands. She was trying to calm her little brother down.

"Listen to me, Korvy . . . I'm not going to die, for real! I'm taking Pap and Mom back with us. So go to the dock and I'll follow you there. Okay? Can you do that for me, Korvy?"

Although he was hesitant, Korvin finally nodded. He believed in Grace more than anyone. And he believed... that Grace would follow him along with Papi and Mom soon. Yes, Korvin believed in his older sister's promise.

Despite being quite frightened, Korvin ran with all his might across the relatively deserted beach. They tightly shut their eyes for fear that he might see a corpse in front of them. All he had to do was... make haste toward the dock because... it was the only safe spot to hide.

BANG!!

Grace stumbled. Sometimes she gulped. Her two tiny hands were clenched into fists before she was sure that going to the resort was the right decision. Up ahead, two men of enormous stature were standing in a huff. A woman wearing a thigh-length skirt was having a serious conversation with the two men.

Whoops!

Grace jumped. She hid between the chairs so that the eyes of those bad people missed her figure.

After Grace was certain that they weren't paying attention. She ran back towards the side of the resort. She was looking for a back door to enter so she could meet her parents.

She was certain... Papi and Mom were still alive. The two of them were still in the room packing up their clothes and Korvin, who was in the suitcase. Or at least Papi and Mom are planning to make a second sister for her. Yes... she had to emphasize that so that the rumbling in her chest wouldn't suffocate Grace.

"Mr. Kyle looks like the Bowman family isn't in this place!"

"Tsk!" Kyle flicked his tongue. Grace couldn't see his face because his black cloak managed to cover the body of the man named Kyle from behind.

"Search again... then, we'll go." absolute orders—the man who reported immediately left. We are leaving the man named Kyle alone.

Bloodstained jeans. It made him more terrifying than the two men Grace had seen in front of her.

His aura was cold and gripping. It was as if the devil had already resided in his body.

Grace gulped again as a man named Kyle walked into her bedroom. No, no! That man can't go there!

She didn't have time to get up from hiding. Hester's voice rose, Papa Grace's body was tightly gripped by a figure named Kyle. Then, he dropped it on the floor in a painful manner.

"What... what do you want, Sir?" asked Hester, stuttering with fear.

He was only bare-chested. Who could hear his breath gasping from his chest rising and falling irregularly?

The man named Kyle just smiled, tilting his face. Grace's eyes narrowed, trying to identify who it was.

But, nothing!

The man was wearing a mask to cover his face. Everything seemed pitch black with hideous red streaks.