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CHAPTER 2

AMY PIERCE

"I didn't want to do this, Mom. But it's the only way. It's the only chance we have to have a free life in this world dominated by supernatural creatures.", I murmur between sobs, my fingers trembling as I wipe away the tears that insist on streaming down my face.

"You could continue hunting in the forest and selling the meat to others, and I could keep working, and...", I interrupt her, holding her hands and seeing that her fingers are injured from sewing clothes for the vampires and wolves of the kingdom's monarchy.

"What we're doing is not living, Mom. It's surviving, and I want to be free, I want to be free...", I whisper, my eyes are filled with tears at this moment.

My mother, embracing me tightly, shares my pain and fear. Together, we cry for the loss of innocence, accepting the cruel reality that now imposes itself upon us. Hours pass, but the solace is fleeting, replaced by endless waves of anguish.

As the night stretches on, exhaustion envelops my mother, leading her into restful sleep. I, however, remain awake, my eyes fixed on the sleeping figure of the woman who gave me life. My heart aches with the awareness that the journey ahead will be filled with unimaginable challenges.

Silent tears stream down my face as I contemplate the sacrifice I am about to make. I rise quietly and, with one last glance at my mother, proceed to the task at hand. In the pre-dawn darkness, I prepare the deer I hunted, focusing on each movement to drown out the storm of emotions raging within me.

The aroma of roasting meat fills the modest house, a strange contrast to the lingering sadness in the air. With determination, I try to find comfort in the familiar routine of preparing the morning meal. However, the anxiety that consumes me is palpable.

Tomorrow is a new day, and all the competition participants must present themselves at the castle tomorrow before the wolf king of the kingdom to showcase their skills.

I'm scared, and it makes me look at the photo of my father on the wall of our house. He was a great fighter, and he managed to teach me many things before he died.

"I will take care of her, Dad. I promise...", I whisper, looking at his happy face in the photo.

I close my eyes as the hours pass, and my mother continues to sleep, but I can't sleep tonight because my heart is hurting too much.

My mother has already lost my father, and I know she will suffer even more if I die in this competition, but I can't give up on this anymore.

When I open my eyes, I feel more tears wetting my face at this moment, and I look at our small house illuminated by scattered candles.

I take a deep breath before looking at my sleeping mother. I grab my bow and arrows before opening the door and leaving quickly.

Carefully, I descend the village steps, each step calculated to avoid attracting the attention of the vampire guards patrolling the dark streets. The night is dense, and my heart beats unevenly as I strive to maintain silence. Darkness is my ally, and the promise of freedom propels me forward.

I run, my feet touching the ground lightly, as if I could disappear into the shadows of the forest. I patiently wait for a group of vampire guards to pass before quickly returning to the safety of the trees. The forest is my confidante, the place where I can be free before the chains of competition pull me away from this refuge.

Anguish tightens my chest as I think about the impending, deadly competition. Tears mix with the cold wind as I run, holding my bow and arrows firmly. The dark night is a silent witness to my distress, and I allow myself to cry, letting the tears flow while my hurried steps merge with the sound of the night.

Fear and sadness dance in my mind like shadows that persist in not leaving me. Every tear shed is an expression of the uncertainty I carry, knowing that tomorrow will bring an unwanted reality. The castle, where I will face the competition in front of everyone, seems distant and threatening—an imminent prison to which I must surrender.

I don't stop running, the dark night enveloping me in its cold cloak. The crying becomes more audible, but there is no one around to witness my pain. Sometimes, I only stop when the need for air becomes unbearable, but the anguish persists, filling the surrounding emptiness.

I lift my head to look at the full moon in the sky, its silver lights filtering through the leaves of the trees. The tears continue to fall, like drops lost in the darkness of the night. The moon, a silent witness, seems to reflect my melancholy, echoing the sadness that permeates my being.

In a moment of pause, I feel nature around me—the whisper of the wind in the leaves and the distant call of an owl. The forest, unlike the world that awaits me, is a place of serenity and freedom. My footsteps echo among the tall trees, creating a solitary melody that resonates with the sorrow I carry.

A sincere desire fills my heart as I imagine a world without vampires and wolves, a world where deadly competition is not necessary to ensure a dignified life. The darkness looming over our reality is a heavy burden, and my tears bear witness to the helplessness I feel in the face of these supernatural creatures that govern our destiny.

I continue running through the night, holding the bow and arrows as an extension of my determination. Each step is a temporary escape, a breath of freedom before I return to my imposed cage. The competition looms, but on this dark night, under the full moon, I am just Amy—a soul lost in the vastness of sadness and longing for a different world.

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