Episode 1: the bite in the dark
Today was an important day for Lie.
A day that would quietly change everything.
It was his first day of high school.
Lie lived in a small village, far from the noise and rush of the city. His world was small—his mother, his younger brother, and their modest house surrounded by trees and narrow dirt roads. Life there moved slowly, peacefully. Just like Lie himself.
He was a quiet boy.
Not shy, not afraid—just silent.
Someone who listened more than he spoke, who stayed in the background while others stood in the light.
That morning, Lie woke up early. The air was cool, and pale sunlight slipped through the curtains. He got ready without saying much and stepped outside.
Before leaving, he stood in front of his mother.
She placed her hand gently on his head and said softly,
“Study well… and come home safely.”
Lie nodded, touched her feet, and smiled faintly.
That blessing stayed with him as he walked toward school.
The school building felt huge. New classrooms, unfamiliar faces, loud voices everywhere. Lie took his seat quietly, keeping his eyes down. He didn’t speak to anyone. No one spoke to him either.
Classes passed slowly.
Then came the break.
That was when he heard a familiar voice.
“Hey, Lie!”
He looked up.
Old friends. Faces he hadn’t seen in years. The same laughter, the same carefree energy. Something warm stirred inside his chest.
For the first time that day, Lie smiled genuinely.
They talked and laughed together, and time seemed to move faster.
After school, one of them said,
“Lie! Let’s go eat at the hotel today.”
Lie hesitated for a moment… then nodded.
“Okay.”
Evening came quickly.
They finished eating and stepped out together. The sky had darkened, and the village road stretched ahead—long, empty, and quiet.
There were no street lights.
Only darkness, shadows, and silence.
One by one, his friends took different paths and waved goodbye.
Soon, Lie was alone.
His footsteps echoed softly on the dirt road.
“There’s nothing to be scared of,” he told himself.
“Let’s just go home quickly.”
He walked faster.
Then—
A rustling sound.
From behind a bush.
Lie stopped.
His heart skipped a beat.
Slowly, he turned around.
In the distance, something stood still.
A black figure.
Unclear.
Unnatural.
Not human.
The air felt heavy, as if the night itself was watching him.
Lie swallowed and took a cautious step forward.
That was when the figure spoke, its voice broken and clumsy, followed by a strange laugh.
“Heh… heh…
I had a good meal today…”
Lie’s entire body froze.
Fear ran through him like ice.
Before he could react, the figure rushed at him.
Lightning fast.
Too fast to escape.
Pain exploded through his shoulder.
“Aaaah!”
Lie screamed as his vision blurred. The world spun, and darkness swallowed him whole.
He didn’t know how much time had passed.
When Lie opened his eyes, he was lying on the ground.
Cold.
Silent.
The smell of blood filled the air.
His body was covered in it—his own blood.
For a moment, fear tried to take control, but Lie forced himself to move.
“I need to go home…”
He stood up unsteadily and ran.
Breathing hard.
Heart pounding.
Legs burning.
He didn’t stop until he reached his house.
Without letting anyone notice, Lie slipped into the bathroom and locked the door.
He turned toward the mirror.
And froze.
On his shoulder was a deep bite mark.
Not human.
Not normal.
The skin around it had begun to turn black, spreading slowly like ink in water.
Lie touched it carefully.
It was warm.
Alive.
“What… is this?”
His reflection stared back at him, but something felt wrong.
A strange pressure built inside his chest. His heartbeat changed—stronger, heavier.
Lie felt something shift within him.
Something dark.
Something awakening.
And somewhere deep within the shadows of the village—
The night smiled.
