Escaping

My eyes gazed at a blood-stained chain knife in my hand, and a sheer determination towards something arose from within me, and words took shape in response to it.

"I will kill both of those bitches with my hand. ELYANA!!!!!!"

—Resolution.

Amidst the stifling silence, I found myself ensnared in despair.

"I must get out of here."

My body has no strength. I felt resistance to even stand and move from here, but a silent resolve urged me to stand, to honour Dad's wishes and the things he asked me to do that I must fulfil.

I wiped my tears and, with a trembling, weakened hand, grabbed the chain knife and lifted myself to stand.

I looked at Mom and Dad one last time, remembered their smile, their teachings, and all the time that we have spent together, and with a lingering glance filled with sadness and hesitation, I turned away from them and started walking through the hall.

As soon as I was about to reach the main door, I heard a girl screaming outside, and by the next second, I heard a loud Thud* above the roof of the house, as if it had been hit by something. I dash outside in panic to see what's happening.

A chilling wind swept across my face as snow suddenly halted its flow in the air. A grim scene unfolded before me—blood-stained snow and lifeless bodies strewn across the desolate road. Amidst this haunting landscape, a house in the neighbourhood stood engulfed in flames.

"What in the world is happening?"

What if someone might be trapped in the house? I must help. Just as I ran a few steps towards the house, thinking if someone might be trapped, suddenly I heard Harry uncle and her wife screaming in their house.

"What- WHO ARE YOU-"

"DEAR..!!"

The glass window from their house shatters, and Harry uncle's lifeless head flew through and landed before my feet.

I got spooked and fell down on my hands.

Trembling, I looked above towards his window, and I saw a man with big, haunting eyes staring down at me.

Frightened, I turned back and started running away, holding the chained knife that Dad gave me.

What was that thing? It's over. It's beyond my help. I must leave this area and seek help from the Knights. They must be stationed at a nearby booth leading to the Royal Capital. I must tell them what's happening here.

The street lights started flickering everywhere around the town, rendering the scene haunting and terrifying. In a frenzied sprint, I charged forward, oblivious to my surroundings. Lifeless bodies lay strewn across the path, and other worldly creatures, which I've never seen, had three arms or four; others had five eyes and swords, killing people around them and creating an ominous, chaotic situation. They were cutting heads and gauging eyes out. Spreading people's legs until it dismembered them, and some were eating the flesh.

Desperate cries and screams for help are echoed around me as lives are mercilessly vanishing. The darkness of night and the falling, thick snow were making it harder for me to run.

Huff* Huff* 

I was already out of breath, but I still kept running.

As I crossed the creaking wooden bridge and the path between the canopy of trees, my eyes caught sight of two familiar children approaching. It was Ron and Nina, fellow neighbours. Harry uncle's son and daughter. They are holding their tuition bags, coming this way.

"Ron..Nina.!!" I stated, Huffing* holding myself on my knees.

"Elea Sis.." said Nina cheerfully.

"Where are you running? Night training?" asked Ron casually.

"Where are you two going?" I looked at them anxiously.

"Where? Means? Our classes are over, so we are going home." said Ron

It seems like they are clueless about what's happening and what has happened to their parents. I must take them away from here.

"Listen carefully." I hold them both on their shoulders. "We can't go back to our locality. We must go to the knight's station as soon as possible."

"Ehh..Why? I am hungry." said Ron, resisting.

"Don't ask; I can't explain."

Nina was staring at my troubled face for a while until she came close to me and touched my cheeks gently.

"Are you okay? Elea, sis?" she asked.

In that moment, I wanted to cry so badly and tell them what had happened to my family and to their parents, but I had no time for all this.

"Yes, I am. First, let's just move out of this pla-"

Before I could complete my words, I saw an ominous silhouette with menacing horns and long nails against the wall behind the trees coming this way. A surge of terror gripped me.

"I-"

As Ron was about to say something, I stuck my hand tight on their mouths, and in the urgency of our escape, I hastily pulled them along, causing a rustling noise on the ground. The ears of the creature were alerted by the sudden noise, and within an instant, it swiftly dashed towards the source and smashed to the ground.

...

By his realisation, what he punched was Nina's bag, which had fallen down when I pulled them with me. I sprint fast, holding their hands, and hide ourselves behind the wooden stable designed to store water. By chance, the bulb light in the stable was off.

I pressed a hushed finger to my lips, signalling Ron and Nina to remain silent. Fear etched across their faces as they understood my command. While running away, they saw the creature too.

Beads of sweat have formed on my forehead, but I am still picking up the courage. Shaking, I peeked to get a glimpse of the creature.

It lowered its head, inhaling the scent of the bag in its grasp. Then it closed its eyes and slowly raised its head, sniffing out loud. With one eye fixated and my breath all caught up, I anxiously awaited to see its next move.

And just then— he instantly turned his face towards me. —Startled, I jolted back. I held my chest, breathing in fear.

Ron and Nina stared at me, wide-eyed with fear, but I couldn't afford to panic. I blinked reassuringly, silently conveying that everything would be okay. After taking a moment to control my breathing, I cautiously peeked again to see if the creature had gone or not. I gazed my eyes around a little bit, but I couldn't see it anywhere. Thinking that it had gone away, I sighed* with relief and turned my right— A chill ran down my spine. The creature, menacingly grinning, was merely a metre away, its saliva dripping. Fear kept engulfing me as our eyes locked—it was right there, staring at my face.

As soon as he lifted his hand to attack

"RON, NINA RUNNN!!!"

I jumped towards them, pushing them aside along with me.

I landed on my face, and my chained knife fell before me. We barely manage to escape its attack.

Ron and Nina, gripped by fear, clung to each other in tears as the creature advanced towards them.

"RON..NINA!!"

I ran forward and positioned myself in front of them. I hold my chained knife firmly in one hand, pointing it towards the creature. The other hand supported Ron and Nina. I was shaking but couldn't bring myself to lower my knife.

I know for sure that if it attacks, it's over. I don't even know how to wield these chains, and its attacks are extremely strong.

Please..someone..please...Help us..

The creature raised its hand, ready to blow away my head. My scream echoed as I turned my head down, clutching the knife as tightly as possible. In the next moment, a sudden gush of blood splattered across my face.

Shivering, I slowly opened my eyes. I witnessed the creature collapsing, with its head flying before my very eyes.

Behind it, a mysterious figure emerged from the shadows, holding a sword, and as the clouds dispersed, it revealed the moonlight. The silhouette we see is of a heroic knight with black hair in a shimmering silver-white long jacket.

A fellow protector of our kingdom had intervened, his sword gleaming with the promise of safety.