A girl was running through the dark forest. Her eyes darted around nervously, scanning the ominous surroundings, accompanied only by the eerie sounds of nocturnal creatures.
Dry branches snapped under her bare feet as she ran, sharp twigs digging into her skin with each desperate step.
Her breath was ragged. Her lungs felt like they were shrinking, unable to take in any more oxygen. Cold sweat drenched her body, chilled by the night air.
The darkness was suffocating, making it nearly impossible for her to see where she was going. But she didn't stop. Not until her body suddenly plunged into a deep pit. The fall knocked the consciousness out of her.
"Argh!" she groaned as she slowly regained awareness. Her eyes fluttered open, trying to adjust to the blurry colors.
She clutched her head, wincing from the sharp pain. Her fingers were wet. Something was leaking from the wound on her scalp.
"Argh!" she groaned again, struggling to sit up.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Fear took hold of her heart when she heard branches snapping repeatedly above the hole. She knew it. That thing was going to find her.
"God, please don't let it find me here. My life is already a wreck, don't let me die in vain at the hands of... whatever that thing is!" she prayed silently.
Then, a tall, cloaked figure appeared at the edge of the pit, its glowing red eyes piercing down at her. Before she could scream, it moved with lightning speed and dragged her up to the surface.
"Who are you?! Leave me alone!" she screamed hysterically. She couldn't make out the figure's face in the pitch darkness, not with the pain pounding in her head.
The cloaked figure sniffed the metallic scent of her blood, then moved in close, hovering above her exposed neck. A sharp pain seared through her as something pierced her vein.
"Argh!" she screamed and thrashed. It felt like her soul was being ripped from her body. Her strength quickly faded. Her eyelids began to close.
"Zamora! Oh my God, what's wrong with you?! Wake up! Don't you have school?!" Aunt Merry's loud voice jolted her awake.
Zamora shot up from her nightmare, gasping for air. Her eyes scanned every corner of her room, and she exhaled in relief.
"Goodness! Look at your pajamas! They're soaked! What on earth were you dreaming about?!" Aunt Merry scolded as she opened the bedroom window. Zamora was still trying to gather enough strength to stand.
She instinctively touched her neck—it still throbbed—but there was no wound. The dream had felt so real, she could hardly believe it wasn't.
"Auntie," she called out with a hoarse voice.
"What now? Don't tell me you're skipping school," Aunt Merry snapped, hands on her hips as she glared at Zamora.
"No, it's not that. I just wanted to ask if you saw—" Zamora stopped mid-sentence.
"Saw what?! Your legs? Still right there! So before they disappear too, get to the bathroom now," her aunt said as she walked out. "Hardest kid to wake up, I swear," she muttered before slamming the door.
Zamora glanced at the window where the morning sunlight spilled into her room. She reached toward the light, hoping the warmth would convince her the nightmare wasn't real.
"Zamora! Want me to bathe you in your room?!" Aunt Merry hollered from outside again.
"I'm up, Auntie!"
Zamora quickly got out of bed. After tidying up her room, she ran to the bathroom before Aunt Merry's wrath grew louder.
•••
"You're serious?!" Alena shrieked, eyes wide as Zamora recounted her dream.
Zamora nodded. "I can still feel the pain here." She pointed to her neck.
"I don't know what that thing was, but I've heard stories about a creature that lives in the forest behind our school. What was it called again?" Alena tapped her forehead. "Ugh, I forgot. I'll ask my mom later."
Zamora turned to her. "Incubus?"
Alena leaned in closer. "Yeah! That's it. How do you know?"
"This morning I overheard Auntie talking with Aunt Sam, our neighbor. A lot of young girls have gone missing in our neighborhood without a trace. The police found nothing. The locals believe those girls were taken by an Incubus," Zamora explained.
"I've got goosebumps," Alena whimpered, rubbing her arms.
"Do you know what an Incubus looks like?" Zamora asked, curious. Alena shook her head.
"I don't. And I hope I never find out. I don't want to get kidnapped and eaten."
"Hey, calm down. You won't meet one. Trust me," Zamora said, gently patting her friend's shoulder.
But deep down, anxiety stirred inside her. She wasn't sure she'd ever feel safe coming home late again.
"Good morning," greeted their Biology teacher as he walked in with a stack of thick books.
Everyone scrambled back to their seats and greeted him in unison.
Mr. Hans, the handsome bespectacled teacher, scanned the class with a warm smile. It was no surprise to see many of the girls suddenly acting sweet around him—it happened every time.
"Look at them. Shameless," Alena muttered under her breath.
"Sshh..." Zamora warned. She didn't want Alena to get in trouble with the mean girls again.
"Today, you'll be given an assignment for your quiz grades. Write down the list of things you'll need!" Mr. Hans said, turning to the whiteboard.
"Three roses, twenty pebbles, one flower pot..." Zamora dictated as Alena jotted everything down.
"As for the groups, I'll assign them."
Zamora and Alena exchanged worried glances. They hoped they wouldn't be separated. No one else in class ever wanted to team up with them—just because they came from ordinary families.
Mr. Hans read out the group names. After Alena's name was called, Zamora braced herself for the worst.
Once done, Mr. Hans looked around. "Everyone has their groups?"
"Yes, sir," they chorused.
Zamora and Alena exhaled heavily at the same time.
•••
The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Everyone rushed to the cafeteria for lunch.
Zamora and Alena, however, sat in the back garden. They'd had enough of the cafeteria crowd—especially after Monica once poured water into their food and made them eat it all.
Disgusting.
"Ah!" Zamora winced and grabbed her neck.
"Zamora, what's wrong?"
"Nothing! Probably a bug bite," she replied with a faint smile—a lie.
The pain felt exactly like the one in her dream.
"Do you think Incubi are real?" Alena asked, chewing her rice.
Zamora shrugged. "I don't know. But I hope they're just a myth. That would be better."
"And if they're not?" Alena pointed toward the forest behind their school.
"Alena, don't believe in creatures like that. They're not real. Trust me—you'll be fine." Zamora smiled to reassure her, though she was just as terrified.
"Oh my God, there you are!" Luke arrived, panting and annoyed.
He sat next to Zamora, catching his breath before continuing.
"We're going to find roses tomorrow in the forest behind school. Don't be late or we'll leave without you."
"What time?" Zamora asked warily.
"Around ten in the morning," he replied, standing up and brushing off his pants.
"Thanks," Zamora said. Luke just nodded and walked off.
Again, Zamora saw the fear on Alena's face. She was always uneasy about that forest, haunted by rumors of the Incubus kidnapping girls.
"I'll be okay. Don't worry."
"Promise me you'll be okay," Alena said, holding up her pinky.
"I promise," Zamora said, linking hers with Alena's.
•••
That night, Zamora couldn't sleep. Or rather, she didn't dare to. She was terrified of reliving that nightmare.
But sleep tugged at her relentlessly.
"Zamora, open the door!" Aunt Merry called from outside. Fighting her drowsiness, Zamora opened it.
"What is it, Auntie?"
"Go buy sugar at the minimarket near your school! We're out."
"But it's almost eleven! It's too late—"
"You talking back now?!"
A raised voice meant only one thing—Zamora had to obey.
The night air was chilly, though her jacket helped. The streets were mostly deserted, with just a few passing cars. The minimarket stayed open 24/7 and wasn't far.
Zamora quickly bought the sugar. But as she glanced outside through the glass, she saw someone across the street, just standing motionless. Her heart raced. She looked away and hurried to pay.
"Thank you," she mumbled and risked another glance. The person was gone. She sighed in relief.
She reached into her pocket—her phone was missing.
"Damn! I left it!" She groaned, wishing she could've called Alena for comfort.
The chill and silence unnerved her, so she quickened her pace.
But then… footsteps echoed behind her. She stopped. Looked back. Empty street.
"Just my imagination" she thought.
Suddenly, a shadow dashed past her. A cloaked man stood ahead, not far from where she stood frozen in fear.
It was him.
Tears flowed. Her legs wouldn't move. But as the figure stepped closer suddenly, she broke into a sprint.
"God, please save me! I don't want to be devoured by that thing!"
She ran, blindly, until she ducked into a narrow alley beside a flower shop. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed, breathless.
No sign of it. She relaxed, just a little.
"I'm safe," she whispered.
But then footsteps. Crisp, crunching on cans. A man was approaching. She turned and saw the figure again.
"Get away from me!" she screamed, hurling the sugar bag at him.
The man grinned beneath his hood, fangs glinting in the shadows.
"Are you afraid?" he asked gently.
Zamora froze. A monster… with a soft voice? she thought. But before she could think more, The fangs plunged into her neck again.
"Argh! Oh God!" her scream echoed through the empty alley.