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Chapter 4

~Morgan Vales~

A snapping sound echoed in the cave, jolting me from my thoughts. Startled, I peered towards the cave entrance, my heart racing, but nothing greeted my sight. Panting heavily, fear crept in, intensified by the lingering questions about the Imoogi vampire that haunted me.

Confusion engulfed me—I had no knowledge of this Imoogi deity. Closing my eyes, a vision materialized. In it, a woman in a black dress approached a tree, stained with blood and etched with scratches. As she touched it, visions flooded her—images of a man being strangled by the very tree, another witnessing the horror. They were the two men from the snowy mountain who had scorned me. Now, one lay dead. The woman's sorrowful expression struck a chord within me, abruptly jolting me awake in shock.

Glancing around the cave, I shook off the unsettling vision, attempting to return to sleep. Meanwhile, in the village, Paulo's wife had fallen ill. Her daughter diligently tended to her, bathing her with warm water. Sensing something amiss, the girl stepped outside, bowl in hand. Her younger sister joined her, puzzled by her sister's behavior.

"What is it?" the younger one queried as the older sibling said, "I think I saw something over there." She poured the water away, gazing ahead. Suddenly, a figure in a black dress flashed before them, launching an unexpected attack. Their screams pierced the air, fading into silence as the figure disappeared into thin air.

The following morning, villagers congregated at Paulo house, horrified by the blood-soaked scene and the lifeless bodies within. Sensing something amiss, Josh rushed to the commotion, querying the bystanders about the grim event.

"What happened here?" He questioned, breathless with concern.

Entering the house, Josh was met with a scene of horror—a grim sight of blood-soaked surroundings and lifeless bodies that churned his stomach. Tracing the bloodied path to a tree where another man lay, he gasped in shock. His cry drew the attention of the villagers who hurried to witness the distressing scene unfold.

"Paulo's wife, kids, and his brother—they're all dead!" Josh's voice quivered, his horror evident. The villagers erupted in collective grief and despair at the devastating news.

"Oh no! His wife too? This is horrendous!" The villagers exchanged mournful expressions, grappling with the overwhelming tragedy.

Amidst the chaos, the shaman's piercing cry cut through the commotion. "It's here! It's has reached our village! It's come for the boy who crossed its path in a previous life!"

Startled and terrified, the villagers turned to the Shaman, seeking answers. "Did Imoogi vampire do this to them?" one trembling villager asked.

"Yes," The Shaman confirmed, her voice grave. "Until Imoogi Vampire finds the boy, it will haunt us, knocking on our doors every night."

Fear swept through the villagers, their unity shattered by the grim prophecy. "We're all going to die!" panic-stricken cries echoed through the crowd, pleading for help.

Infuriated and determined, Josh stood up, pick up a cutlass, his face contorted with rage. "We have to kill that boy!" His declaration shocked and terrified the already panicked villagers.

Without hesitation, Josh stormed out of the gathering, making his way toward the snow-capped mountain where I reside, the villagers' terror echoing behind him.

The furious mob, goaded by Josh's rage, surged forward, fueled by a thirst for vengeance. "Kill him!" the cry reverberated as they charged up the mountain, their fury driving them onward.

Unaware of the impending danger, I roamed the mountainside in search of sustenance. Spotting two grapes on a snow-dusted tree, I reached out to pluck them for a quick meal. But before I could taste them, voices shattered the tranquility around me.

"Where is he hiding? That rat should've been dealt with already!" The urgent, angry voices sliced through the serene air. Panic surged within me as I glimpsed a group of men, frantically searching the landscape, their anger is noticeable.

Realizing the imminent danger, I turned and bolted, heart pounding, as they spotted me and launched into a hot pursuit, their angry shouts urging them on. "Stop right there! Get him!" they clamored, their cries echoing across the snowy expanse.

Exhaustion clawed at me, but I pushed through, my breaths coming in ragged gasps as I continued to flee. Despite the challenging terrain, I didn't relent, rolling through the snow after a fall, desperate to evade the chasing horde.

Racing toward the frozen sea, I leaped onto its icy expanse, the mob hesitating on the shore, wary of the frozen waters. Their cries to draw me closer went unanswered as I struggled to walk on the treacherous ice, keeping my distance from the angry mob.

"Go after him! Get him! He's escaping!" Josh's voice pierced through the chaos, inflaming the mob's determination. As they urged each other to seize me, the frozen sea beneath my feet began to fracture.

The frozen sea cracked ominously beneath my feet, the sound echoing terror through the air. Panic-stricken, I froze in fear, knowing that my time was running out. The ice fractured, and before I could react, I plunged into the freezing water, unable to swim and engulfed in a struggle for survival.

As the frigid waters enveloped me, memories flooded my mind—moments of rejection, accusations, and abandonment. The scornful words of those who deemed me cursed by the Imoogi vampire echoed relentlessly.

In the midst of my despair, recollections surfaced—of a stranger's act of kindness, a fleeting moment of compassion amidst a world filled with hostility. But the weight of my father's disregard, the villagers' disdain, and the haunting label of being cursed seemed too much for a mere child like me to bear.

In a moment of overwhelming despair, I resigned myself to the fate that awaited me beneath the icy surface. The bitter memories and the relentless belief in my cursed existence became a suffocating reality.

Just as I felt the grasp of darkness closing in, a figure swiftly propelled towards me through the icy waters. A glimmer of hope flickered within me at the sight of this unexpected savior.

The person grabbed my hand, I found myself whisked away from the icy depths and into the safety of my cave. I awoke to the warmth of a crackling fire, a lifeline in the biting cold. But in the cave's dim light, I couldn't discern my savior's identity. A bag pack caught my eye, reminiscent of one my father carried. Could he have been the one who rescued me? Hope surged within me.

Driven by a desperate longing to find my father, I ventured out from the cave, scanning the surroundings for any sign of him. Instead, I encountered the enigmatic lady from my vision, standing at a distance. As I contemplated her presence, the air turned tense as the group of menacing men reappeared.

Panic gripped me as they spotted me. "There he is! Get him!" their aggressive cries pierced the air, sending me scurrying back into the safety of the cave. But they were relentless, seizing and hauling me out. Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded for mercy, but their determination to protect their families from the perceived threat of Imoogi vampire had turned to blind rage against me.

"We have to kill him to save our families!" That is their chorus. Josh, his fury unbridled, brandished a knife, his intent unmistakable. Closing my eyes, I braced for the fatal blow, resigned to my fate. But in that harrowing moment, an unexpected intervention altered the course of events.

A sudden embrace enveloped me, shielding me from the impending strike. Startled, I heard the sickening sound of a knife plunging into flesh, followed by gasps of horror from the mob. As I cautiously opened my eyes, a stunning sight unfolded before me—it was the enigmatic lady from my vision, sacrificing herself to save me, a complete stranger.

Stunned and bewildered, I gazed upon her, her face etched with pain yet radiating an inexplicable kindness. Despite the chaos around us, she looked at me with a serene expression, her selfless act leaving me in awe and confusion.

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