Chapter 1: The Hunt
CYRILLA'S POV
I was harshly awakened by a cold liquid being splashed on my face. I coughed and gasped for air as some of the liquid got inside my nose.
"Wakey, wakey, princess," a man's voice jeered, mocking me.
Confused, I opened my eyes and took a moment to take in my surroundings. I was in the middle of a thick forest. I couldn't tell if it was night or day. The towering trees loomed overhead, their dense canopy blocking out any trace of sunlight.
Where am I? How did I get here? Why can't I remember?
I did not have a chance to voice out my confusion because the man who woke me pulled me by the collar, forcing me to sit up. He held my chin to make me look into his eyes. I flinched at how cold his hand was against my skin before I looked into his bloodshot eyes. He's pale with a slim build, but the way he conducts himself gives a scary and haunting vibe.
"Run," was all he said.
"No!" I said firmly. "Not until you tell me what the f**k is going on."
For some reason, the man seemed taken aback by my resistance. Did he expect me to obey him and run like a coward when I didn’t even know who he was or what was going on?
"Hey, Brad! You have to see this," he called out to another pale man with bloodshot eyes, who quickly complied and approached within seconds.
"What's going on, Sylas?" the guy named Brad asked.
This time, Sylas gripped my face with both hands, his hold firm as he ordered in a sharper tone, "Look at me. You should run," he insisted. "Now."
I did not fully understand what was happening, and I am scared sh!tless about this entire situation. But with each passing moment, I became more pissed off than scared.
First, I hate how weird this guy stared into my eyes as if he's trying to drill holes into my skull. F**king creepy!
Second, I have been manhandled three times since I was so rudely woken up.
"F*ck you! Don't touch me," I spat at him as I pushed his hands away from my face.
Brad's eyes widened in awe. "She can't be compelled," he exclaimed. "How is that even possible?"
Sylas shrugged, his expression bored. "No clue. All I know is she's a goner," he replied lazily.
Brad turned to me again, his gaze locking onto mine. "Listen, love. We're going to play a little game called Cat and Mouse. I’ll give you a 5-minute head start to run as fast as you can before my friend and I release our ferocious beasts," he said in a posh British accent. "You and the others are going to be chased, hunted and killed. So you should stop wasting time and run along now."
I realized I was not the only one who was being forced to participate in whatever sick game these sickos were trying to play. There were at least seven other men and women who were now screaming and scampering away for their lives.
"Why the hell are you doing this?" I screamed at them.
"You don't need to know," Sylas said curtly, his lips curling into an evil smile.
Brad grabbed my shoulder from behind. "As much as I enjoyed our little chit-chat, you really have to go now, love. "You’ve only got three minutes left," he warned, pulling me up, urging me to start moving.
This time, my instincts told me to obey, especially when I heard growling sounds in the distance. I couldn’t tell if they were coming from wild dogs or bears, but I had no time to figure it out. I allowed Brad to hoist me up, stood straight, and was immediately hit with a wave of dizziness.
Fragments of memory came rushing back to me before I got into this predicament. I remember myself driving and pulling my car over. I also remember getting out of the car and walking to the side of the road.
Lastly, I remember kneeling down to reach for something, before I felt the sting of the needle piercing my neck. And then everything went dark. The next thing I knew, I was in this godforsaken place.
I was drugged. That I know for sure. I can still feel its effects messing with my system. I ran as fast as my wobbly feet could take me without any idea what direction I was going.
The sound of growls and footsteps were getting louder, which meant they were only a moment away before I got mauled and possibly feasted upon. To say that I am having a hard time navigating through this forest is an understatement.
I tripped and stumbled multiple times because I have very poor eyesight without my glasses, which I might have lost or dropped while I was being taken. I also realized that I was no longer wearing my shoes, so I was running barefoot. To make matters worse, my head was still foggy and my knees weak because the drugs hadn't entirely worn out yet.
I can hear the chilling screams of the other victims while begging for their lives. After a while, those screams became muffled cries. All that could be heard was the howling and growling of whatever beasts those lunatics let loose.
"We are missing one more kill," Sylas' voice suddenly echoed through the dense woods.
"I am very impressed, love. I thought for sure you were the first one to drop." Brad chimed in.
I knew he was talking to me. I wanted to scream and shout every curse word I knew, but I forced myself to hold back, summoning all the strength I had to keep quiet and not reveal my location.
My heart is beating wildly. The exhaustion and fear made my eyes even more blurry, but I pushed through. "You can't pass out now," I reminded myself.
I kept running, ignoring the deep cuts and scratches all over my body from the branches and thorns that snagged me, until I suddenly found myself at the edge of a cliff.
I stopped and turned around. I considered jumping off the cliff, but it was too high. I won't survive it. If I stop, I will finally get caught. There's only one way this is going to end for me.
No point in running.
I stood at the edge of the cliff, waiting quietly. I scanned my surroundings, straining my ears to pinpoint where the beasts were. Not wanting to drag out the agony any longer, I let out an angry scream into the forest.
"I'm here," I called out. "What the f**k are you waiting for?"
Once again, I heard the growls, but this time, they were different. It sounded like they were in a brawl. I could even hear some of them whimper, as if in pain. "Great," I whispered to myself. "They are fighting as to who gets to have the last bite."
I was about to head toward the noise when, suddenly, something leaped out from behind a large tree. I was startled and let out a scream. It was a wolf—a massive, gray wolf. I never knew wolves could grow this big. It was towering over me.
What the hell is this thing?
Whatever it was, it sure looked feral and ready to pounce. I don't want to think anymore. I just closed my eyes as tears fell down my face. Sure enough, I felt its claws slicing through my abdomen. I was too shocked to even feel the pain at first. I opened my eyes and saw blood covering my shirt. The beast was about to throw another swing at me, aiming for my throat this time.
"This is it," I muttered, almost like a prayer. "This is how I die,"
I braced for the final blow, but it never came. The next thing I knew, I was tumbling off the cliff, plunging into the deep water below. Then, everything went black.
