𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅

prologue

FINALLY FREE
Cheetan
🎶

The slow tempo of music enveloped the desolate, cold room, its pitch-black shadows consuming most of the space. A little girl sat alone, trapped with no way out. Despite her despondency, she continued to crank the music box, seeking solace in its melody. Everything was a mystery to her—her origins, her creator. She knew nothing about herself.

One thing was certain: every time she closed her eyes, even for a nap, a glimpse of a masked lady haunted her dreams. The lady seemed to be searching for her, but the reason was unclear. What did she want?

No matter how hard she tried, every attempt to escape the room was in vain. Despair settled over her, and she decided to spend her time calming herself with the music, despite the constant nightmares of the masked lady.

Unease,           Unease,             unease

Unease

                      Unease

                                                 Unease

Numb

                             Numb

                                                      Numb

She grew numb, slowly adapting to the continuous nightmare. She pondered why the lady was haunting her so persistently. Had she done something offensive? But why couldn't she remember anything?

The questions tormented her, remaining unanswered. Was this punishment for an unknown crime? Her dreams of a happy survival seemed increasingly hopeless. She reflected on her situation and eventually gave up on the idea of achieving happiness.

🎶

Following her usual routine, she continued to turn the crank, producing the cold melody. Suddenly, she heard faint noises outside, but ignored them until a loud crash shattered the silence. Agitated, she quickly hid under some broken wood nearby. Fear and despair welled up inside her.

Was this the end of her life? If only she could pray for one more chance to live peacefully. She tried to reassure herself that it was just some rats or the wind knocking things over. But then, another crash came, right in front of her. She flinched, her hands trembling, her breathing erratic with fear. This felt worse than ever before. She shut her eyes, not wanting to see the reaper she imagined would end her life.

Silence filled the room again. The girl noticed the quietness but stayed hidden, unwilling to risk exposing herself. Suddenly, she heard faint footsteps approaching her hiding spot. She hugged her knees tightly, trying to calm her panic.

"Hey."

A voice broke the silence, making her open her eyes. She saw a paper bag with two holes, revealing a pair of brown eyes behind it. The spark of hope she saw made everything seem to slow down. It was a human—a child? Her body relaxed slightly. The voice was soothing, deep, and comforting, despite the chills it sent down her spine.

"Hey, it's alright. Come out now. You're finally free."

The voice spoke again, and she slowly crawled out from her hiding spot. The figure reached out a hand, inviting her to hold it. She hesitated, a flash of her nightmare stopping her. Could she trust this person? She didn't know the creature's intentions and feared it might cause her harm.

An opportunity to escape from her doom emerged in her mind. She chose not to take the hand, instead bumping it away and running. She embraced the fresh air of freedom, her new journey beginning as she sought to stay away from anyone hunting her.

Kill, eat, sacrifice

To survive

She chose freedom, running away from the figure, embracing the fresh air and the chance to finally be free.