Captured

After fleeing the city, the three of them didn’t slow down. They ran as if the shadows themselves were at their heels, never daring to glance over their shoulders. Their lungs burned, their legs screamed, and their feet felt like they were being pricked by needles with every step—but still, they pressed on.

Only when their bodies refused to obey any longer did they finally stumble to a halt. Dropping to their knees, they gasped for air, their breath forming pale clouds in the cold night.

“Did… did we lose them?” the gray-haired girl asked, her voice trembling as much from exhaustion as from fear. She leaned on her sister for support, chest heaving.

“I… I think so…” the white-haired girl replied, her words broken by ragged breaths.

The boy stood nearby, bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to calm his racing heart. His eyes darted between the sisters. For now, it seemed they had escaped the strange men who had been chasing them through the winding streets.

They left the main path and collapsed on the grassy edge, letting their weary bodies sink into the cold earth. A harsh winter wind swept over them, cutting through their thin, tattered clothes and making them shiver. The boy huddled close to the two girls, and together they shared what little warmth they could.

Before long, the sisters drifted into uneasy sleep, but the boy remained awake. Something felt… wrong.

He couldn’t shake the sensation that unseen eyes were watching from the darkness. He turned his head, scanning the empty road and the black silhouettes of distant trees, but nothing stirred. Even so, the feeling clung to him, tightening around his chest like an invisible hand.

Trying to push the thought away, he quietly rose to his feet so as not to wake the girls. He wandered a short distance until the gentle sound of running water caught his attention. Through the moonlight’s pale glow, he spotted a river, its surface glimmering like a sheet of glass.

He knelt at the edge. The water was clear, and the reflection of the star-filled sky shimmered within it like thousands of pearls scattered in the depths. Cupping his hands, he scooped up the icy water and drank. The cold ran down his throat, calming his breathing.

Then, he leaned forward to splash some onto his face—only to freeze.

The reflection staring back at him was not his own.

Instead of his tired, dirt-streaked features, a black silhouette stood in his place, its form eerily familiar. It was the same shadowy figure he had seen before—in that strange, haunting “hallucination.”

His heart hammered in his chest. He tried to move, to step back, but his body locked up. It wasn’t fear that held him—it was something else, something unnatural. His limbs felt heavy, unresponsive. His gaze was fixed on the figure, as if the darkness in its shape had gripped his very soul.

The silhouette moved. Slowly, one pale, feminine hand emerged from the water’s surface and brushed against his cheek. The boy’s breath caught in his throat. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his body refused.

Another hand rose, ghostly and cold, caressing his face with unnerving gentleness. Then, with an almost deliberate slowness, the figure began to pull him toward the water.

His knees slid forward. The river’s edge was only inches away. His mind screamed in panic, but his body betrayed him, yielding to the pull. The moment his fingertips touched the water—

He jolted awake.

Gasping, the boy looked around wildly. His heart still pounded, but the cold night air grounded him. The sisters were still beside him, sleeping peacefully, unaware of his nightmare.

Shakily, he reached out and nudged them awake. The girls stirred, rubbing their eyes, and slowly sat up. Together, they made their way to the real river—the same one from his dream.

The boy kept his distance at first, his stomach tight with unease, but eventually he followed the sisters to drink. They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the water’s gentle flow.

“Should we… try to go back to the city?” the white-haired girl asked hesitantly. “I mean… those men could still be there.”

“I… don’t know. After what happened last night…” her gray-haired sister trailed off, glancing at the boy.

He wasn’t listening. His mind was still tangled in the memory of the dream—or was it something more? He only looked up when both sisters turned to him.

“What do you think we should do?” they asked together.

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but no answer came. His thoughts scattered—until the sound of wooden wheels crunching over dirt drew his attention.

A carriage emerged from the city road, pulled by two dark horses. It slowed as it neared the river… then stopped completely.

The boy’s stomach dropped.

The man who stepped out was all too familiar—it was the same one from the night before. His expression was cold and calculating as he glanced at the three children, his eyes narrowing.

With a sharp gesture, he motioned for his men to follow. They slipped from the carriage, moving low and quiet. The children didn’t even notice until it was too late.

In one swift motion, rough hands seized them from behind. The boy yelped into a muffled gasp as a hand clamped over his mouth. The sisters kicked and struggled, but their captors were too strong.

“Very good,” the man said, inspecting them with a thin smile. “They’re unharmed. Tie them up and load them.”

The men obeyed without question. Rope bit into the children’s wrists and ankles. Blindfolds plunged them into darkness, and cloth gags silenced their cries. They were lifted and thrown into the back of the carriage like cargo.

The wheels began to turn again. Wherever they were going, it was far from the city—and even farther from safety.