Chapter 1
When I opened my eyes, Vesper Marlowe's hand was resting on the animal‑proof bolt.
Click. The heavy metal bolt was drawn back.
A sharp pain tore through the back of my head, as if something were still biting into bone.
The stench of blood, the screams, and the sound of the wooden door shattering from my previous life's final moments all surged back in that second.
Vesper held a plate of sliced sausages, wore a white fur shawl, and had rhinestones on her face.
When she saw me sit up, she looked annoyed at first, then shoved the camera in my face. "Good, you're awake. Help me with the lighting."
I stared at the half‑open balcony door, motionless.
The primeval forest at night was pitch‑black.
Wind crept in through the gaps, carrying the smell of damp earth and a hint of familiar animal stench.
Maeve Wallace stuck her head out from the top bunk and yawned. "Hey, Freya, why the long face? Vesper filming a video isn't in your way."
Another roommate, Juno Ford, also sat up, wrapped in her blanket, smiling. "Exactly. If this video of hers blows up, our class graduation trip will blow up too."
In my previous life, I had rushed over to grab the bolt at this exact moment. I said the guest handbook clearly stated that opening heavy animal‑proof doors at night was strictly forbidden, as was feeding wild animals.
They called me a killjoy, accused me of jealousy, and said I was doomed to never get any traction. Later, when the bear actually came, they pushed me out.
This time, I didn't stop her. I threw off the blanket, put on my jacket, and picked up my phone and keycard.
Vesper went still for a moment. "Where are you going?"
I picked up the guest handbook from the bedside, folded it open to the safety rules page, and tucked it into my coat pocket. "To the front desk."
Her face changed instantly. "Are you going to tell on us?"
I smiled. "No. Didn't you say small animals can sense kindness and will only be drawn to you? I'm afraid someone as selfish as me will only get in your way."
Maeve scoffed, "Who are you putting on an act for? If you're so scared, don't stay in a forest cabin."
Juno immediately chimed in, "Yeah, and Vesper's fans are all waiting to watch. If you run out now and get caught on camera, people will think we're bullying you."
Those words were so familiar they sent a chill through my stomach. In my previous life, they had done the same thing. They were the ones breaking the rules, yet they had already painted me as the buzzkill.
I pulled open the door and glanced back at Vesper. She had already scattered the sausages across the balcony floor, little red pieces rolling everywhere.
"Then make sure you film it clearly," I said, my tone flat. "Who opened the animal‑proof door, who scattered the food. You better make sure it's all on camera."
The corners of Vesper's mouth tightened. Without thinking, she tilted her phone camera to the side.
Maeve frowned. "Freya, what do you mean? Are you threatening us?"
"No," I said, directly opening the door. "I just think viral videos need to keep it real."
The hallway light was dim and yellowish. Outside, the wind whistled through the cracks in the walls.
The moment I stepped out, Vesper suddenly rushed to the doorway, her voice rising. "Don't you dare leave!"
She grabbed my sleeve. "The four of us share this room. If something happens to you while you're out in the middle of the night, the school counselor will definitely blame me. Don't even think about pinning this on me."
I looked at the hand gripping my sleeve. In my previous life, it was this same hand that had pushed me toward the bear's jaws.
I gently pulled my sleeve free. "I won't let you take the fall."
I lit up my phone screen and dialed the front desk, putting it on speakerphone. The moment the call connected, I spoke into the receiver and said, "Hello, a guest in Cabin Seven, Area B, is violating the guest handbook rules by opening the animal‑proof door at night and scattering sausages onto the balcony. I am requesting a room change, or to go wait in the safe room."
Vesper's face turned completely pale. There was a second of silence on the other end before the attendant's voice turned abruptly serious.
"Please leave the room immediately and do not approach the balcony. We will notify the rangers and the lead teacher right away."
Just then, hurried footsteps came from the end of the corridor. It wasn't rescue. It was our class monitor, Caius Knox. He walked over, frowning, phone in hand.
"Freya, Vesper was crying in the group chat, saying you went crazy in the middle of the night and wanted to get us all punished."
My phone was still on speakerphone. The attendant asked coldly from the other end, "Is the animal‑proof door of Cabin Seven currently open?"
Caius froze. A livestream notification tone suddenly chimed from inside the room, and then Vesper's voice rang out, "Don't get the wrong idea, babies. My roommate is just too nervous. I'll protect everyone."
And outside the balcony, from deep within the darkness, came the first sound of branches snapping underfoot.
