CHAPTER 2–LEAVING MY LIFE BEHIND.
1402 Words
Emma's POV
Footsteps echo toward my cell.
The iron gate creaks open. Two men step inside, with long whips coiled in their left hands like sleeping snakes.
They grab my arms without a word. Their grip is painful and bruising, but I bite my tongue. I won't give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry out.
Outside, darkness swallows everything. The full moon is setting out heavy in the sky, casting silver light over the empty village.
It's been two days since they threw me in that cave.
Tonight, I leave everything behind. My childhood. My freedom and my family's memory.
Tears rolled down my cheeks silently. I can't stop them. Why bother? My life is already over. I'll die in the Abyss, and no one will come for me.
We reach the village square, where the chiefs and elders wait, their faces cast in shadow by the torchlight. A few other officials stand nearby, here to witness my final judgment.
"Tonight," the Head of Chiefs announces, voice carrying across the space, "we sanctify the curse this disgusting family brought upon our town."
He signals the village priest.
The old man stands, his robes dragging dirt as he approaches. He pulls out a pouch, muttering words I don't understand. Then he throws something at me, a powder or ash, I'm not sure.
It hits my skin.
Fire erupts across my body.
I gasp, biting down hard on my lip to keep from screaming. The pain is everywhere; it's burning, stinging, crawling under my skin like a thousand needles. My knees crumple, but I force myself to stay standing.
I won't give them what they want. I won't break.
When I look up through the tears, I see shock in their eyes. Disbelief. Whatever they expected to happen didn't.
For a moment, satisfaction flickers in my chest. I won something, somehow.
The priest finishes. The two men grab me again, dragging me toward a large truck. They throw me inside and slam the doors shut.
Darkness again.
My eyes adjust slowly; there are others here, men and women. We're all being sent to the Abyss.
I don't ask questions. My body is still recovering from the burning pain. But then I see her.
A young girl, curled in the corner. She can't be more than thirteen. Her skin is pale, almost gray. She's shaking, hugging herself tight. She looks sick, dying even.
And they're sending her to the Abyss anyway…
Rage burns in my chest, hotter than the priest's powder.
"Where did humanity go?" I whisper, tears blurring my vision. "Where's the empathy?"
The truck lurches forward. We ride in silence except for the quiet sniffing of people crying, trying not to be heard.
I sit, staring at nothing, thinking about what waits for us. What will life be like now?
If I even have a life left.
The truck stops.
My heart slams against my ribs.
The doors fly open. "Get out! Quickly!" one of the guards barks.
We scramble out, legs shaking and freezing.
Before us stands the Mighty Gate of the Abyss. The Gate of No Return.
It towers above us, massive iron bars twisted into intricate patterns, vines and thorns, and symbols I don't recognize. The metal gleams despite the darkness, polished to perfection. Strange gems are embedded along the edges, glowing faintly red and gold, casting eerie light across the ground. It's beautiful and terrifying at once, like staring at something that shouldn't exist.
Beyond the gate, I glimpse shadows of towering trees and stone structures that look ancient, powerful. Even from here, I feel the weight of the place pressing down on me.
This is where humans come to die.
Figures emerge from the shadows on the other side. Guards. But not human guards.
They're massive, built like warriors carved from stone. Their eyes glow amber, gold, silver, and shifting colors in the moonlight. Their teeth are sharp when they speak, too pointed to be human. Claws instead of fingernails. Every movement radiates power and danger.
The Werewolves…
My father told me about them once, but nothing prepared me for this.
One of our human guards hands something to them, a parcel, maybe papers. The werewolf guards nod. The gate begins to open with a low, grinding sound that makes my stomach twist.
"Move," one of the human guards orders.
We hesitate. Our feet won't obey. We're walking into death…
One guard raises his whip.
Before I can think, I step forward, blocking the others. The whip cracks through the air and strikes my back.
Pain explodes. I bite back a scream.
"Hurry!" I shout at the others, pushing them toward the gate.
Another strike. My back burns, but I don't stop. I shove the last person through and stumble after them.
The human guard smirks at me, cold and satisfied.
I glare back. I can't do anything to him, but I won't let him see me broken.
The gate slams shut behind us with a sound like thunder.
One of the men catches me as I stagger in.
"Thank you," someone whispers.
I nod, barely hearing them. I'm looking around now, trying to understand where we are.
The Abyss…
We stand in a massive courtyard paved with dark stone. Lights line the walls, their flames burning blue instead of orange, casting strange shadows. In the distance, I see the outline of a castle, its tall, imposing, built from black stone with sharp towers reaching toward the moon. Everything feels ancient, powerful, like the air itself is alive.
It's terrifying. But it's also... breathtaking.
"Where do we go from here?" someone asked, voice shaking. "What now?"
No one answers. No one knows.
Then I see them.
Four massive figures walk toward us from the shadows. As they get closer, the woman beside me starts whimpering, trying to back away.
These werewolves are even more terrifying up close. Muscles ripple beneath their skin. Their eyes glow brighter now. Their teeth glint when they speak. Claws flex at their sides. They move like predators, silent and deadly.
My father's warnings echo in my head, but they weren't enough. Nothing could prepare me for this.
My stomach churns. Fear claws at my throat.
They stop in front of us.
"Welcome to the Abyss," one says, voice deep and rough.
Welcome to death… I think bitterly.
"You were selected as a tribute and sent here by your villages," he continues, cold and commanding. "From now on, you are slaves to this kingdom. You obey. You serve. You survive, that’s if you're lucky." I swear he smirked.
"Follow us," another orders, gesturing forward.
The others start moving, trembling with every step. One of the werewolf guards walks around us slowly, eyes scanning each person like he's inspecting livestock at a market.
When he reaches me, he stops.
I freeze.
He steps closer. His breath is warm against my neck.
What is he doing?
His hand moves to my back, pulling me closer. I gasp; the wounds from the whip burn at his touch.
He's... sniffing me.
Does he smell blood?
He pulls back slightly, eyes locking onto mine. They're amber, glowing faintly. "Why are you bleeding?" His voice is low, threatening.
My eyes widened.
"I... I got whipped," I stuttered, avoiding his gaze. "That's why."
A slow smile spreads across his face. It's not kind. It's hungry. "Will taste nice."
My heart stops.
His smile widens like lust and hunger mixed together in a way that makes my skin crawl.
He held the back of my neck, pulling me closer to his chest.
I would like to have a taste of you he whispers. His lips are grazing my ear. My blood ran cold. I didn't know what to do with a werewolf wrapped around me. I close my eyes, praying I don't die in his arms. I could feel the heat in his eyes.
His hands almost caressing my body before he then places his hand gently on my lower back, now nudging me forward.
"Move," he said
I walk, feeling his eyes on me the entire time. That smile is still there. I know it is.
My hands tremble. I fold them quickly, hiding the fear.
This is just the beginning. And if this is what waits at the entrance, what horrors lie ahead?
Tears fill my eyes, but I blink them back.
I hold myself together.
I have to.
- Writer
