Prologue
ARH-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... (wolf howling sound)
“Rohesia, did you hear that? They are not far from us and, soon, they will catch us if we continued to run at this pace. So please, can you move a little faster. We have to cross the forest before sunrise or, else they will kill us.” A nervous slim- tall guy said to the lady walking alongside.
That lady was tired from running. It was too much for her to take another single step. Panting, she said to him, “Gilbert, it’s getting impossible for me to take one more footstep, so can we stop for a while. We can hide somewhere in this forest and, once I regain my strength, we can continue our journey. I’m breathless and feeling a lot tired also. And in this condition...” There was no strength left in her to utter a single word. She sat down using the support of a nearby tree.
Rohesia was pregnant.
It must be past midnight as the whole forest was calm and quiet, except for the hooting sounds of the owls. Gilbert was frightened and disturbed within this strange peace. As if a big storm is coming towards them. He sits near Rohesia and, tucking the strand of hair behind her left ear he, looked straight into her lovely eyes. “Sweetheart, I can understand your pain, but if we don’t leave from here, then they will catch us. And after that, you can imagine what the outcome will be. So please, try a little harder. I promise you we will arrive there soon. At least think about our baby.”
Rohesia, understanding Gilbert’s words, stands up taking, the support from her lover’s hand. She has to do this for Gilbert and their unborn baby.
They kept running, holding each other’s hands. Even if it was getting next to impossible to keep pace with Gilbert, Rohesia kept on trying. Panting, huffing, trying to catch breaths in between, she was risking everything to save her family.
“Rohesia, look!” After a few miles of running, Gilbert pointed to the lights emitting from the far end of the forest. “That’s my village. My home, we are safe now!”
She looked at the direction, which Gilbert was pointing. Lights were coming from houses just outside the forest. Looking at those lights, her heartfelt comforted. Both were happy and relieved that they finally will be safe. But they never knew that their nightmare is yet to begin.
They increased their pace, thanking God for helping them to overcome this dreadful night.
But as soon they were about to enter the village, those monsters out of nowhere attacked them. The sound of paws fiercely trampling along the forest floor tore the peaceful quiet apart. Birds squawked in fright and took off as some wolves rushed through the forest, snagging branches, pebbles and any other loose bedris coming in their path. Snarls filled the air as wolves of all sizes and colors broke through the brush and surrounded the couple. All the wolves bared their sharp canines to the surrounded couple. Their eyes were black as the night sky, hackles raised, showing the wildness that came with being one of their own kind.
Gilbert already knew, his escape is impossible, but he had to save his family, he had to stop those monsters from harming his love. “Rohesia, run!! I’ll try to fight them here. Just go and seek help!! ” He yelled while fighting those monsters. Rohesia hesitated to leave him alone there, fighting all by himself. She wanted to join him, even if she dies there.
“No, please! I’m begging you. You just go!!” Gilbert was losing the battle, and soon they will rip him apart. “Give lots of love from me to my baby.” And with that, he jumps into the battle fiercely without looking back.
Saying a final goodbye to Gilbert, she turned one last time to catch a glimpse of her lover fighting, to save her and this baby. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she ran away from there. ” This child will have to live for mine and Gilbert’s sake.”
