Chapter 15

11:24am.

4 days left

“What?!” Rajesh exclaimed with a wide smile developing on his face. “This is the best news!” Rajesh sparked a short laughter he turned to Iliana who wore a smile.

“Your enemy has fallen,” Iliana said to Rajesh.

“Oh not yet, my dear child, the foundation of my enemy has fallen. Now, I will take advantage of this and make the very walls crumble.”

While Rajesh felt overjoyed, Iliana felt greatly saddened. What has happened in her absence? To think, how long have they been absent? A bitter news to Iliana, however, she saw it coming but not like this.

“Pardon me.” Sophia entered the cabin.

“Sophia! David! Erik! I have news!” Rajesh was greatly overjoyed. “Jonah Claude of the Shadow Pack is dead.”

Sophia, David, and Erik were unsure of who it was but they felt it was a significant person to Rajesh, judging from his expressions. Rajesh resembled a child reunited with his favorite toy.

“I have other news from one of us outside.” Sophia interrupted Rajesh’s moments.

“What is it? Another good news?” Rajesh asked excitedly.

“No.” Sophia replied “Two of Shadow pack are coming to the Silver Creek. According to information, their aim is uncertain.”

“Is that so?” Rajesh’s vocal tone changed. “Let them in. We may have more than just two bodies under the full moon.” Rajesh smirked. “Stupid Jonah.”

“Rachel…” David spotted Iliana seated on a couch. Iliana heard his call but had a strong motive of fleeing from the cabin.

“Sorry. I have to leave now.” Iliana hastily got up from the couch and left the cabin without speaking to David or Erik.

11:57am.

Iliana stood over the underground passage, looking up to see if anyone was watching her. She slowly walked down the stairs leading to the catacombs. The catacombs felt even colder to her compared to the last time, it make her skin shiver. Iliana began to walk through the maze of the catacombs, remembering every corner Alexander took the last time. She followed her memory and…the strong scent of blood.

The heavy sound of exhaustion could be heard, Iliana knew she was close. As she drew closer, she heard footsteps. Without a second thought, Iliana dived into a very narrow gap. She slowed her breathing so it won’t be heard, but who was it? The person had walked past the gap yet, Iliana couldn’t tell who it was.

The squeaking sound of a metal door being opened could be heard; the cell door was opened. This made Iliana even more eager to know who it was. The person, she thought, had the key to the cell. It could be anybody, she couldn’t risk getting caught.

Iliana waited and waited until she heard the cell being closed and sealed. The person walked near to the gap Iliana hid in and halted. Iliana instantly held her breath and closed her eyes, however, she listened closely to the person’s heartbeat and breathing pattern. She couldn’t associate it with anybody she have met face to face. The person walked past the gap. Iliana waited until the person’s loud footsteps faded. She stepped out of the gap, inspecting the area, making sure no one is there. Iliana made her way to the cell that held Stuart and Samuel.

The sight of Samuel and Stuart greatly enraged but deeply saddened Iliana. Questions of why the Silver Creek would go as far as disfiguring one's facial appearance. It was a cruel sight. Samuel laid on the floor; unable to move and Stuart sat on the floor, leaning against a wall. They both looked very lifeless.

“Stuart.” Iliana’s voice rang through Stuart’s ears. Stuart flinched at the sound. He struggled to lift his head to look at Iliana. Iliana felt so much pain looking at Stuart’s face. Bloodshot eyes, torn lip, broken nose, swollen cheeks. “Samuel.” Iliana also called Samuel but Samuel did not seem to move. He still breathed but did not move.

“I…lia..na.” Stuart struggled.

“Yes. It’s me.” Iliana was still glad they were still alive but for how long? “Stuart, it’s me.”

“I…I’m s-so…rry.” Stuart tried apologizing. Iliana felt her eyes conjuring an ocean. “W-We…tried t’ l-leave…you.”

“Stuart, please, enough.” Iliana’s voice wobbled “I should’ve returned to you two on that day. If I had, you two wouldn’t have gone to search for me. None of this would happen.”

“O-Oh. What…happened?”

Iliana sat on the floor outside the cell. “I don’t know. There’s this strange power in here. It interferes with time. I don’t know why, when, or how it happens, it just happens. I’m wishing it won’t happen before the next three days.”

“T-three…d-days?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Iliana?” Samuel woke from his unconsciousness; Samuel managed to still speak but couldn’t move.

“Samuel.”

“Iliana, you’re here. How are you? How is the Shadow pack?”

“Jonah’s dead.” Iliana broke the news.

“Oh.”

“Samuel, what happened?”

Samuel tried turning his head to look at Iliana.

“Samuel, don’t force yourself.”

Samuel moaned in pain as he turned his head to Iliana. His face was the same as Stuart’s but partly better.

“On that day at the park, when I went with your phone. I had finished and wanted to return but something interesting struck me. This is the second time and I fell victim.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like there’s an uncontrollable time release here. I’ve told Damian about it. I didn’t think it would happen outside of the forest. I believe you’ve experienced it too.”

“…I have.”

“I don’t know how it happens or when it happens, but I’m sure of one thing, it has to do with the forest and those alphas.”

“the alphas…”

Samuel remembered the first time Iliana saw them in there. “How did you get through to the alphas?”

Iliana did not have a clear answer to the question. She thought about telling him about the masked man or Alexander’s nightly visits.

“It doesn’t matter. I have to tell you something.” Iliana evaded the question to her aim of coming to see them. “In four days, you’ll be—” Iliana hear the footsteps of somebody approached. She hurriedly dived into a narrow gap in front of the cell. She waited for the person to appear in front of the cell.

It was hard to tell who it was but she tried to listen to their voice. There was no voice. She heard the door of the cell open but there was no other sound. She thought it was strange. She moved a little further to see who it was. She widened her eyes at the sight. It was the masked man.

“Savor your last moments here. You’ll be moved to a better place in time.” The masked man’s voice became audible to Iliana’s hearing. She watched as he stepped out of the cell and locked the door. “I know you are here. Come out.”

Iliana gasped. She couldn’t hide anymore. She slowly marched out of the gap to the masked man.

“What were you doing here?”