I open my eyes slowly, bracing them for sharp light, but am met with a gentle, dim one instead.
Firewood crackles somewhere close, and my body feels warm… a little too warm. I sniffle but find my nose stuffed, so I huff in frustration before breathing through my mouth instead. I stare at the ugly ceiling that stares back at me from above.
Staring up at it, I take my time frowning and trying to remember what has happened.
'Wasn't I in the—'
I gasp and sit up fast, and the sudden pressure on my head makes me dizzy.
'Fucking hell!! That weird ass vampire took me... to where? Where is this?!'
I look around, panicking.
'Eh? Wait. This is... a cabin. A cabin?? Not a dungeon?'
I look around again to assess the surroundings. A fireplace, a bed, a circular table with two chairs, it's not too big, nor too small, rests on the right side of a door. Actually, there are two doors.
I give them both equal amounts of glares. 'Shit, which one is the exit?'
I swallow and look down at the bed I am sitting on, then slide off it slowly. 'There's no one here, right?'
I look around again, but this time warily. My feet sprint to the door that's closer to the bed, light and hurried. Taking a deep breath in, I plant my hand on the handle.
'What if there's a monster outside?? Like, guarding or something... what if it's just a roaming one? If it sees me, it'll attack immediately, and I will be done for, right?'
I press my ear to the door slowly and carefully to try to catch any sound that indicates that there are monsters outside.
'Monsters always growl or screech, so if there are any, I will know it.'
SILENCE.
'Phew, does it mean that it's safe outside?'
My eyes fall to the door lock.
'But... what if that vampire guy locked it so I couldn't escape?? No—
I should still try. I need to leave before he comes back to drink my blood dry!'
I huff in frustration as I try to suppress my tears
'Waaahh. I don't want my blood to be sucked, that sounds like it hurts like hell!
but—'
My grip on the handle tightens.
"Where will I even go?" I mumble to myself.
'There are vampires everywhere.'
I stare down at my knuckles as they turn white from my grip on the handle. 'WAIT—'
I gasp, the memory of them discussing their leave in an hour occurring to my mind.
'Still, what if the hour still hasn't passed? What if they're still in the village??' I freeze at the sudden thought.
'No, did that Lord even listen to what that Livi guy asked for? Wait—his name is Livius? What was it?'
I raise an eyebrow.
'Ah, no. It was Salvius...'
I bite my bottom lip, remembering my sweetheart Salvi. 'Ugh, no! Now's not the time to grieve.'
My eyes move to settle on the door, determined.
I push the handle down slowly to check if it's locked or not.
CLICK.
An excited inhale enters my lungs as I feel the door move instead of staying still when the latch bolt is pulled out of its place.
'It's open!!
Wait—let's still be careful.'
I push the door open slowly, my heart hammering inside my chest. I freeze when I look inside.
A bathroom.
'Jeez. Oh, come on. You mean I went through all that stress for this?'
My shoulders slump as I turn back slowly, my eyes glaring at the other door that has the table on its right.
"Ugh!" I grumble under my breath and walk to it, annoyed.
My hand grips the handle once I reach it, I exhale slowly before sniffling.
'I can do it. I mean, come on, even if it's locked, I can just break it down.'
I squeeze my eyes shut and push the handle down, shoving the door open. I freeze when the door swings free.
'It's freaking open!'
Reluctantly, I move my head forward and open my eyes, peeking outside. Creepy darkness and vague trees at the distance greet my sight.
'The great news is... yay! I am outside.'
GULP
'And the bad one is... darkness.'
My hand trembles on the now-warm handle I am gripping tightly. I glance inside, the fire crackling, eating the splits of logs slowly, then look at the hopeless darkness outside.
'I have a phobia of being alone in the dark. What a great situation to be in.'
I shut the door in frustration and stomp inside, wipe my runny nose with my sleeve and sniffle.
'Ugh, this is frustrating.'
Sniffling again, I enter the dark bathroom and blow my nose in the sink before washing my face with the cold water.
"Ow ow ow oww! Cold!!"
After stepping out of the bathroom, I go and slump on the bed, feeling my muscles sore all over my body.
'Umm, is it because of the temperature difference that happened? Since I was cold, my muscles must've been suffering… whatever.'
I grumble then look around me and sigh.
'What to do now? I should be running away~ but it's so freaking dark and scary~'
I stare at the fire eating at the logs.
"GASP!!" I gasp sharply, standing immediately.
'I can just take the firewood and use it as my torch!!'
My eyes dart to the firewood stack beside the fireplace before moving to the fire excitedly.
'But… What if the vampires are still in the village?;
I stand in my place for seconds before frowning, frustration gnawing its way up my chest again.
'I feel like crying.' I grumble to myself, 'but the tears just won't come out.
Maybe cause this is nothing compared to the hopelessness and fear I felt during the last two terrifyingly ugly and gruesome days I spent wandering around, dodging vampires.'
I let out a tired huff.
'Hmmmm, now that I think about it,' I tilt my head to myself, thinking with a raised eyebrow.
'Was it pure luck that I evaded every single one of the vampires?
Was my luck always this good? Or was it the protagonist buff??
No, the fuck am I thinking about?! Focus, Eva.'
I bring my hands up and slap my face, then sigh and leave them there, cupping the cheeks as I shut my eyes in annoyance.
'If I wanna reach the forest without getting noticed, I'll have to go with no light. But I'm going to have a panic attack just by entering that scary forest without the lights!!
No, first.'
My brows furrow a little, opening my eyes,
'Do I even know my way back to the village? Where's this cabin anyway??
First of all, I need to confirm my location.'
I walk to the fireplace, grab a new log from the clean stack, light it up and step out of the cabin.
Holding the log in front of me, I shift it left and right to take a better look at the surroundings.
'Trees… all I see is forest.'
I groan. 'SCARY!'
I turn back and look up at the cabin, 'should I go and check what's behind??'
I sniffle before touching my warm forehead and neck. 'Do I have a fever by any chance? Well, it'll make sense since I was out in the cold for so long.'
I sneeze from the chilly air and look at my old, ragged dress.
'I need better clothes, these are not it. Let's quickly return to the café and change.'
I sniffle before sniffing the clothes. 'Ewww, I stink!! I should hurry back and get a shower.
But, for now.'
I turn and look at the side of the cabin, wiping my runny nose with my sleeve in determination.
'Let's go and check what's behind!' I clench my grip on the burning log.
'Come on~ it's not like the front was any safer, anything could jump out at me even now…'
My stomach grumbles before tickling my back that's now tense. Turning back slowly, I swallow, my hands trembling slightly.
'FUCK YOU, Eva. Why did you have to think about THAT right NoW!
Let's just quickly go check and return to make the plan.'
I turn, facing the cabin again, my knees weak.
'What if something really jumps at me?!' I grumble.
'Shut it! If it does, then it'll just do, I'll die. And if it doesn't, then it doesn't.
NOW GO!'
I walk forward slowly, looking cautiously. My right hand holds the burning log, and the left brushes against the cabin wall, feeling it as kind of a safe place.
'I'll push myself and run immediately if something happens.
And—'
I freeze when I find no trees in sight.
'Eh? No trees here?!'
I move the torch forward, finding a huge, moldy rock with vines all over.
'Ehhhh???' I walk closer, looking around me carefully.
'Nothing. All clear, good!'
I look back at the rock, raising the torch higher.
'Wait… where does this thing end??'
I frown to myself before freezing.
'WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!! Is this the cliff behind our village? No freaking way!!'
I huff and look at it closely, the sharp veins and patches of mold speaking as the evidence.
'Tsk. but—'
I look at the cabin with narrowed eyes.
'Was there ever a cabin right near the cliff??
I mean, yeah, it's not that close, but if I remember correctly, there was no—'
I flinch when a huge, standing dark shape catches my eyes.
'FUCK, wha—
Ohh!! It's a smaller cabin, nothing dangerous.'
My heart continues bumping in my chest, loud and hard, but slower and calmer than a second ago.
'Pheww~
Ugh fuck, I almost pissed myself thinking it's a monster…'
I sniffle and wipe my nose with my sleeve, staring forward for many seconds before turning around.
'Let's go finish my business in the bathroom first, I can't afford ruining these clothes, they're everything I've got.'