FAR FROM HOME

KORA'S POV

Deep in the woods, I sat on the bare ground, leaning against a tree as I watched my father pitch a tent with the help of my uncle and my two brothers, Sam and James.

My mind wandered back to my home. I really missed it. The thought of never returning home sent shivers down my spine. I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely noticed the voice of Vincent, who was a few metres away from me.

Vincent was my uncle's last son. He was the same age as me, and that made him my cousin.

"Kora! I've caught you!" Vincent shouted as he ran towards me with a cane in his hands.

If there was anything I hated so much in this life, it would be vampires and being spanked.

I knew Vin very well. He was definitely going to hit me with that stick in his hands.

I immediately jumped to my feet and took to my heels, running as fast as my legs could carry me.

I ran deeper and deeper into the woods without looking back. As I ran, Vin's voice slowly faded into the wind until I could barely hear him.

Eventually, I came to a halt and looked behind me, only to discover that Vin was no longer chasing me.

I sat on the ground, trying to catch my breath, hoping that he would eventually find me. But after a while, he didn't.

"Vincent!" I shouted.

Nothing.

I screamed his name again, but all I could hear were the sounds of birds and insects in the woods.

Fear suddenly gripped me.

"What if the bloodsuckers have killed him?" I thought.

I quickly stood up and tried to retrace my steps. But the more I tried to find my way back, the more lost I became.

I continued walking deeper into the woods, occasionally looking behind me. I refused to give up. I didn't want to spend the night alone in the woods. Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine.

I occasionally looked up at the sky, and it became very clear to me that night was approaching fast.

Soon, my legs became shaky, and I couldn't get them to move any further. I sat on the ground and watched as the sky gradually lost its blue colour, giving way to darkness.

I remained there, not minding the darkness that was slowly surrounding me. I couldn't even lift a finger because of the exhaustion that had taken over my body.

Then I began to hear sounds.

They were quite different from the sounds of the insects.

They sounded more like the dreaded bloodsuckers...

The vampires.

The thought of them made me angry. I cursed them inwardly for forcing me to leave my village and, now, leaving me lost in the woods.

When I tried to stand up, I realized that both my feet were sorer than they had ever been. It took the very last strength in me to get back on my feet.

I continued walking deeper into the woods, hoping that somehow I would walk straight into our camp.

I couldn't bring myself to make a sound. I was afraid that whatever the night held might devour me.

So I just kept walking, looking back at intervals for any sign of danger.

As I journeyed farther into the dark woods, fear was evident on my face. I felt goosebumps all over my body. At some point, I felt like adrenaline was going to gush out through my ears.

I leaned against a tree to catch my breath.

The sounds of creeping insects and owls were all I could hear in the darkness.

I managed to push myself up and continued venturing into God knows where.

"Auch!"

I suddenly banged my head against something I couldn't quite make out in the darkness.

I stumbled backward, trying as hard as I could not to lose my balance.

I raised my head and stared at the strange thing I had just bumped into.

It appeared to be a wall.

I stepped forward to get a better view. Then I realized that it might be wrong to call it a wall.

It was glowing.

And it appeared to be transparent.

But somehow, I couldn't see what was on the other side.

I stood there, examining the strange wall-like structure. Then, something suddenly flashed through my mind.

I had seen something similar before.

I immediately covered my mouth to prevent myself from screaming.

It was a boundary.

And it could only have been set by the Creator Himself.

Fear gripped me even tighter when I remembered that it was through a similar boundary that the vampires had attacked my village, forcing us to hide in the woods.

I took a few steps backward.

"What is behind this wall?" I wondered.

"Could there be other weird creatures besides the vampires?"

I felt the urge to run.

To run as far away from the boundary as possible.

But at the same time, I was curious.

I wanted to know what was beyond it.

I stood there like a lifeless thing, pondering whether I should leave or get closer and touch it. For a moment, I almost forgot how tired I was and that I desperately needed to find my people.

I bent down and picked up a stone from the ground.

Then I threw it at the boundary.

Nothing happened.

Instead, it was as if hitting the boundary with the stone had made it glow even brighter.l threw stones again.

And again.

I continued throwing stones at it, watching in amazement as the strange boundary continued to glow.

After some time, I began to feel as though something was calling me from beyond it.

The urge to feel its texture became more and more tempting.

Slowly, I moved closer.

I stretched out my hand.

But just as my fingers were about to touch the glowing boundary, images of the vampires flashed through my mind.

I immediately withdrew my hand.

I stood there, staring at the mysterious boundary.

"What if I attract something worse than the vampires?"

My heart pounded against my chest.

"How do I face Father?"

I took another step backward, still staring at the glowing wall.

I didn't know what was waiting for me beyond it.

But somehow, I had a feeling that I was about to find out.