Chapter 1 - The Chase - a sneak peek

Genre: gothic fiction (supernaturals), semi-fiction, action, mystery, thriller, young adult, contemporary, slice of life.

11:59pm

Opening her eyes, she found herself lying in the middle of a gloomy clearing, surrounded by fog. Around her is a forest thick with pine trees, they stretched high, caging the girl in this dark foreign place.

Aliena’s eyes flicked to the tall trees, iris twinkling with curiosity.

“I’m here again...” Her whisper trailed off. The thoughts from earlier now replaced with eagerness to explore this dream land once again.

Aliena stood and dusted the dirt off her legs. Chuckling when she felt the gravel ground under her feet, “I should have worn shoes to bed.”

From the corner of her eye, Aliena raised a pale eyebrow at a shadow she saw behind the trees.

A twig snapped from behind the girl.

Shoulders tensed.

Her rigged exhale condensed in the chilled air.

She wouldn’t dare turn around.

“I’m sorry,” A voice said.

A boy, who looked around her age with pale rosy cheeks walked closer to Aliena. His swiped-over black olive hair, untouched by a brush, and small patches of brown on the boy’s sleeveless cardigan and black sweater.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. You seemed as lost as I am.” He said. His neon green eyes, happy that he found someone.

“It’s okay,” she replied as she glanced back at the shadow she saw earlier, lips pressed together slightly at what she saw.

Gone.

The five-nine man noticed the girl’s uneasiness.

“I don’t know how you ended up here since it’s restricted,” the boy said. The albino-haired girl cocked a brow at him.

The boy answered with a small smile, “I was picking mushrooms. I’ve heard that the good ones are here. A villager also told me that this forest is haunted, so maybe that’s why it’s restricted.”

Stepping near, his voice lowered, “Do you want to come with me? Better than being alone.”

Aliena nodded, her mind indifferent.

She followed the stranger to a path that split the forest in two, tracks left in the dirt behind them. Their small talk didn’t last long when two children stood in the middle of the dirt path, blocking their way.

An identical twin boy and girl, at least twelve years of age, with blond hair, bright red eyes, and pale skin. They looked like dolls in their Victorian style outfits.

The twins stared at the other two strangers, hand in hand with smiles on their faces.

“Welcome I say, to the depths of the Forest Glade,” the little twin boy spoke first. “You seem so strange…”

The little girl rolled her eyes. “If you think I’m going to continue this lullaby, Nathaniel, keep dreaming.”

“Clara…” The blond little boy, troubled by her uncooperative attitude as he watched she walk away. Hurrying to her side, the twins walked off the path and disappeared pasted the trees.

The stranger grabbed Aliena’s arm. “Where are you going?”

“I think that we should follow them. And I feel like we’ve been walking in circles since the beginning.” She remarked.

“Can we trust them? I have never seen these kids.” His hold on her tightened slightly, “And�"”

They both paused at the sound of sheep in the distance�"the noise came closer and closer as the seconds passed.

The boy and the girl stared at each other. He shuttered while a slight smile tugged at Aliena’s lips. They rushed off, worried they lost sight of the twins.

Two sheep-like creatures chased them. They ran upright on hooves. Having the horns and heads of mountain sheep but with the torso of a man.

They were Goatmen.

Coming to a river at the edge of the forest, Aliena ran behind the boy and crossed over a wooden rope bridge. In time to see the twins have crossed it.

An abandoned two floored mansion came into view as they got closer to the end of the bridge.

Aliena looked back to see how close the monsters were. The water rose high, blocking her line of sight. It destroyed the bridge the moment her feet touched the other side.

Wasting no time, the stranger dug into his pockets and swiftly lock picked the door.

With a click, it swung opened.

Hurrying inside, they helped close the heavy door. Aliena stood there with the unnamed stranger. Their breaths gradually became steady.

Glancing around for the kids, she muttered. “I can’t feel their aura...”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

She waved him off as they walked further into the old place. Taking a seat near the window, she sat across from the man.

They watched the sheep-like creatures checking the water current and where the bridge once was. Having no other way, the Goatmen retreated back into the woods.

Across the water, at the edge of the woods. A shadowed figure stayed hidden within the trees.

Aliena turned her head and carefully took a closer look.

It’s glowing red eyes stared back into hers.

She blinked.

They disappeared.

Author's Note

These are sneak peeks from my wip. I'm trying to go for a eerie mysterious but also has some carefree moments if you know what I mean. Trying to have a similar style to Violet Evergarden and Noragami.