Back to the present, As the moon hung high over the camp, casting long shadows that danced
with eerie, flickering light, Joseph stumbled into Johan and Nora's tent, his face pale and drawn
with terror.
"Wake up! We need to go back home now!" he whispered urgently, shaking Johan and Nora from
their slumber.
Groggy and confused, Johan rubbed his eyes. "Why? What's going on?"
"There's no time to explain," Joseph insisted, his voice trembling.
The commotion roused William, who emerged from his tent, irritation etched on his features.
"What in the blazes is happening here?" he demanded.
Joseph and William locked eyes, a heated argument quickly igniting between them. "We have to
leave now," Joseph insisted. "There's a monster out there, a wolf man!"
William's face twisted in anger. "A wolf man? Are you out of your mind? If you don't want to be
here, just go home yourself! Stop ruining our trip with your nonsense."
Nora, sensing the tension, tried to mediate. "Joseph, what are you talking about?"
Joseph's eyes darted around, filled with dread. "I'm not lying! Look!" He pointed to a tattered,
blood-stained suit lying near the campfire, the remnants of Edward's clothing, torn apart by some
wild beast.
William's face turned white as he screamed, "Where is Edward? Stop messing around!" He cursed
Edward, assuming it was another one of his pranks.
Joseph's voice dropped to a frightened whisper. "Shut up! It will hear us!"
Nora and Johan exchanged worried glances, their fear mounting. "Joseph, explain properly," Nora
pleaded.
Before Joseph could elaborate, a blur of fur and fangs burst into the clearing. In an instant, the
wolf man seized William, dragging him into the darkness with a speed that left everyone frozen in
terror. William's screams echoed through the night, then abruptly fell silent.
Nora and Johan screamed, the sound ripping through the still night. Joseph grabbed a burning stick
from the fire, brandishing it as a weapon. "Run! Back to the orphanage!" he shouted, his voice
breaking with fear.
They bolted, their minds reeling from the horror that had unfolded. Joseph led the way,
holding the makeshift torch aloft, its flickering light casting long shadows on the forest
path. Nora clung tightly to Johan's hand, guiding him as they stumbled through the
underbrush.
Johan, his blindness rendering the night even more terrifying, clung to Nora's hand,
trusting her to lead him. The sounds of the forest seemed amplified in his ears: the
snapping of twigs underfoot, the rustling of leaves, and the distant, predatory howl of
the wolf man.
Joseph glanced over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "Keep moving! Don't stop!" he
urged, his voice hoarse with fear.
They pushed themselves to run faster, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. The forest
seemed to close in around them, the trees looming like dark sentinels. The path to the
orphanage was long and fraught with danger, but they had no choice.
Every sound seemed to carry the threat of imminent danger. The howling wind, the
snapping branches—it all conspired to feed their fear. But amidst the chaos, they held on
to the faint hope of reaching safety.
Nora's grip on Johan tightened as she led him over uneven ground. "We're almost there,"
she whispered, more to herself than to him. "We have to be."
Joseph's eyes scanned the darkness, the torch flickering in his trembling hand. "Just a
little further," he urged, his voice barely more than a breath , he threw the torch and it
seemed to hit the monster.
They ran, their hearts pounding, driven by sheer terror and the desperate will to survive.
The wolf man's howls echoed behind them, a chilling reminder of the horror they had
narrowly escaped. They dared not look back, focusing instead on the path ahead, the
faint glow of the orphanage's lights a beacon of hope in the oppressive darkness.
As they neared the edge of the forest, the safety of the orphanage finally in sight, Joseph
glanced back one last time. The forest seemed to breathe with malevolent life, shadows
shifting and morphing into sinister shapes. But there was no sign of the wolf man.
"We're almost there," he gasped, urging the others to keep moving.
With a final burst of energy, they crossed the threshold of the orphanage grounds, collapsing in a
heap on the grass. Safe, for now, but their hearts and minds scarred by the horrors they had
witnessed.
Nora held Johan close, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "We made it," she whispered, tears
streaming down her face. "We're safe."
Joseph nodded, his face etched with exhaustion and fear. "But what about William?" he murmured,
his voice filled with anguish.
The night held its breath as the trio, Joseph, Nora, and Johan, pounded on the door of the
orphanage. The silence that greeted them was oppressive, the echo of their frantic knocks
reverberating in the cold air. Desperation gnawed at their nerves, each second stretching into an
eternity.
"Why isn't anyone answering?" Nora whispered, her voice trembling.
"Keep knocking," Joseph urged, his eyes darting nervously around.
Just as their hope began to wane, a rustling in the bushes nearby sent their hearts racing. They
turned, bracing for the worst, but instead of a monstrous figure, Edward stumbled into view, his
face pale and bloodied, one eye grievously wounded.
"Why did you leave me behind?" he screamed, fury and pain etched in every line of his face.
"Edward!" Joseph gasped. "We thought you were dead!"
Edward glared at them, the anger in his eyes cutting through the night. "Well, I'm not! Thanks for
nothing!"
Before they could respond, the door creaked open, revealing one of the caretakers, her face
lighting up with relief as she saw them. "Thank goodness you're back in one piece!" she exclaimed,
her voice breaking with emotion.
But the relief was short-lived. "There's something I need to tell you," she said, her expression
darkening. "A creature broke in earlier tonight. It seemed like a wolf man... It killed Mary."
The words hit them like a physical blow. Johan's knees buckled, and he leaned against Nora for
support. Mary, the one who had taken him in, cared for him, and loved him like a mother—gone.
The memory of her kindness flooded back, overwhelming him.
A memory came in ,in the warm glow of the orphanage's common room, Mary sat beside young
Johan, her hands gently guiding his as they worked on a Braille book.
"Feel the dots, Johan," she said softly. "Let them tell the story."
Johan's fingers traced the raised dots, his face lighting up with the discovery. "I can feel it,
Mary. I can read it!"
Mary's laughter was warm and encouraging. "See, Johan? You can do anything you set your
mind to."
Another memory surfaced, Mary tending to Joseph's scraped knee after a fall. "There you go,
all patched up," she said, her smile reassuring. "Now off you go, but be careful next time!"
And another, Mary comforting Nora during a storm, holding her close and singing softly until
the thunder's roar seemed far away.
The funeral was a somber affair. The gray sky seemed to mirror their grief, and a chill wind
rustled the leaves as Mary and William were laid to rest. Johan stood by the grave, his sightless
eyes filled with tears, his mind tormented by memories of his own mother's brutal murder. The
anger simmered within him, a desire for vengeance against the creature that had torn apart
their lives.
At a distance, Joseph and Edward huddled together, their voices low.
"This whole thing feels off," Joseph muttered, his eyes scanning the gathered mourners. "I
can't believe something that is out there, I will be honest I thought it was all some elaborate
trick."
Edward's lips curled into a small, chilling smile. "You're right. It was a trick, a very good one.
But it's not done yet."
As the moon crept higher in the sky, its silvery light casting long shadows over the graveyard,
Edward's demeanor shifted. His smile grew sinister, and his eyes gleamed with a predatory
light. In a swift, fluid motion, he lunged at Joseph, his hand clamping over his mouth.
"You almost ruined it, Joseph," Edward hissed, his voice a low growl. "But the game is far from
over."
Joseph's eyes widened in terror as he struggled against Edward's grip, the realization of
betrayal cutting deep. Edward's strength was monstrous, and as he dragged Joseph away, the
night swallowed them, leaving nothing but a haunting silence in their wake.
The night was cloaked in an eerie silence as the full moon cast its spectral glow over the
orphanage. The funeral was over, and a somber mood hung heavily in the air, as if the very
atmosphere mourned the loss of Mary and William. Johan, blind yet feeling the weight of the
moonlight on his skin, asked Nora, "Where did Edward and Joseph go?"
Nora, her voice tinged with fatigue, replied, "They probably went back to their rooms. It's late."
Johan nodded, a sense of unease gnawing at him. He felt a sudden wave of sickness wash over
him. "Nora, I need to go to the bathroom," he muttered, his voice strained.
Nora helped him to the bathroom, her heart pounding with worry. Once inside, Johan splashed
water on his face, hoping to alleviate the growing discomfort. But instead, his condition
worsened. He coughed violently, blood splattering into the sink, and his muscles swelled
painfully, tearing at his skin. He collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony.
Nora rushed in, her eyes wide with terror. "Johan! What's happening to you?" she cried,
kneeling beside him.
He looked up at her, his face twisted in pain. "I don't know. It hurts so much," he gasped.
Without a second thought, Nora helped him to her room. She had always aspired to be a medic
and knew she had to do something to help him. Johan lay on her bed, struggling to breathe, his
body trembling. Nora noticed the hair on his head was growing slightly longer and
remembered the wolf man they had encountered.
Johan was terrified, and he said that he was not a monster and would never kill anybody.
"Johan, you're not the wolf man. You're not a monster," she said, trying to calm him as
tears streamed down his face.
"It's been happening for a while," he confessed, his voice shaky. "Every night, I feel a little
pain, but tonight it's worse. Please, Nora, don't tell anyone. They won't understand."
Nora's heart ached for him. She saw the fear in his eyes, the vulnerability. "I won't tell
anyone, Johan. I promise," she reassured him. "But I need to treat your wounds. Can I take off
your shirt?"
Johan blushed, feeling embarrassed. "Okay," he agreed shyly.
As she carefully removed his shirt, she saw that he was more muscular than she had realized.
His shyness deepened, and she began cleaning his wounds with gentle hands. The pain was
evident in his strained expression, but it was also clear that he was acutely aware of Nora's
touch.
"You're doing great, Johan," she said softly, trying to soothe him.
"This is so embarrassing," he admitted, his face flushed.
Nora chuckled, her laughter a balm to his nerves. "You've always been so modest," she said, finishing up.
"But I need to treat the rest of your wounds."
Johan's eyes widened in mortification. "What?! My pants too?" he asked, horrified.
"Yes, but I promise to be quick," Nora replied, smiling warmly. "Remember, we're family. You treated my
hand when we were kids, despite being blind. Let me help you now."
Reluctantly, Johan agreed, feeling more vulnerable than ever. As she worked, he could feel his heart
pounding, his face burning with embarrassment. Nora's hands were steady and sure, her presence a
comforting anchor in his turmoil.
"Done," she said finally, he could not move so she helped him sit up. "You should stay with me tonight, just in
case."
Johan's shyness intensified. "Stay with you? Here?" he stammered, feeling trapped in a whirlwind of
emotions.
Nora nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Yes, you helped me last night. Now it's my turn."
After a long, awkward silence, Johan wondered what Nora was doing. He heard the rustle of clothing and
asked nervously, "Nora, what are you doing?"
"You're mine now," she replied, slipping under the covers beside him. Her bare skin brushed against his.
Johan felt the earth shift beneath him. His heart raced, and he lost the ability to speak, his face turning a deep
crimson. Nora's warmth was both exhilarating and terrifying.
"Johan, do you still see me as a friend, or something more?" Nora asked, her voice soft and filled with
emotion.
Johan struggled to find the words. "I... I don't know what to say," he admitted.
Nora reminded him of their conversation back at the camp and how he had confessed his love for her. She
spoke of Mary's wish to see them together as a family.
Johan nodded, remembering Mary's kindness and wisdom. "You're right," he said softly. "In these dark
times, having someone who cares is a gift," and Johan got his first kiss from Nora.
In that moment, Johan felt a profound sense of gratitude. The pain and suffering of his past seemed to melt
away, replaced by the warmth and love of the woman beside him. He was lucky to have Nora, and for the
first time in what felt like an eternity, he allowed himself to enjoy the rare and precious moment of peace and
love they shared.
They lay together in silence, the horrors of the night temporarily forgotten. For Johan, the world outside
ceased to exist, and all that mattered was the gentle presence of Nora, her love a beacon in the darkness of this world.