-The Land of ETERNALS-

-Part 10-

Alora's POV

It was our last day in Tokyo, and due to unforeseen reasons, mom, as well as Adriel, had to leave the country earlier than planned.

"Guys, let's do something special today," I said, rallying everyone as we gathered in our hotel room. "We might not have mom and Adriel with us, but we can still have so much fun."

Fiorella's nodded eagerly. "Absolutely! Let's go watch a movie! I heard there's this new release that's supposed to be incredibly emotional. It'll be the perfect way to spend our last day here."

Eric grinned, always up for an adventure. "Emotional movie? On the last day?" The way he said it we thought he wasn't up for an emotional movie but then he said, "Sounds great! Count me in. What's the movie called?"

I quickly checked my phone, scanning through the list of showtimes. "It's called 'Eternal Bonds.' It's a deeply moving story about love and sacrifice. I think it'll be perfect for our last day."

With our movie destination decided, we made our way to the theater.

As we entered the theater, a wave of cool air enveloped us, contrasting with the sweltering heat outside. We took our seats and waited for the movie to start.

The lights dimmed, and the screen came to life, transporting us to a different realm of emotions. We laughed, we cried, and we connected with the characters on a profound level. The only person who showed no emotion was Alaric. 

By the time the movie concluded, tears streaked down our faces, and our hearts felt simultaneously heavy and uplifted. The impact of the film lingered within us, its emotional resonance filling the theater. 

As we slowly filed out of the theater, wiping away our tears, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for this bittersweet experience. It was a reminder of the beauty and fragility of life.

But as I turned to say something to the others, my words caught in my throat. My eyes widened with terror as I spotted a lifeless body lying near the exit. Fear gripped me, and I instinctively clutched onto Fiorella's arm. People were running around in fear.

"Guys, look!" I managed to stammer, pointing towards the motionless figure. Eric followed my gaze, his expressions morphing from confusion to horror.

Without a moment's hesitation, Eric quickly pulled out his phone and dialed the emergency number. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke to the operator.

As we waited for help to arrive, we stood frozen in shock, our minds racing with questions. The bite marks on the boy's hands and the eerie cross sign near the body sent shivers down our spines. It was a scene straight out of a nightmare.

Minutes later, the wailing sirens pierced the air, and the police descended upon the theater, their presence bringing a semblance of order to the chaos. Detectives and forensic experts meticulously examined the body, their faces etched with concern and solemnity.

One of the officers approached us, his voice gentle as he asked for our account of what had transpired. We recounted every detail. As the investigation commenced, I couldn't shake off the feeling that danger lurked in the shadows. But we had done our part, and it was now in the hands of the authorities. We could only hope that they would unravel the truth behind these gruesome deaths.

However, our respite was short-lived. A blood-curdling scream tore through the air, and we turned to find Fiorella pointing in terror. Our hearts sank as we saw another lifeless body, even more brutally mangled than the first. The sight was unimaginable, and it sent waves of nausea rippling through our bodies.

Eric wasted no time and informed the officers about the second victim. The police, already present at the scene, rushed to secure the area, their expressions mirroring our shock and horror.

Fiorella trembled uncontrollably, her eyes wide with terror. "I saw it, guys," she whispered, her voice quivering. "I saw a giant tail, like that of a massive snake. It was... it was horrifying."

Alaric and I exchanged puzzled glances, their brows furrowed with confusion. He knew I was as terrified as Fiorella, so he held my hand.
"Everything will be alright" He spoke and I gave him a small smile.

We moved towards the spot where Fiorella had witnessed the tail, searching for any signs of the creature she had described. But the area appeared empty, devoid of any trace of a snake or any other animal.

"It's okay, Fiorella," Eric said softly, approaching her with concern etched on his face. "It might have just been your imagination playing tricks on you. We'll figure this out together, alright?"

Alaric nodded in agreement. Fiorella nodded too, but her eyes darted around nervously, as if expecting the creature to reappear at any moment. The trauma of the gruesome scene and the terrifying encounter had shaken her to the core.

The police arrived once again, their attention now divided between the two bodies and the mysterious creature Fiorella had described. They listened intently as we recounted our experiences, their expressions shifting from concern to a grim determination.

Sirens blared in the distance, drawing closer with each passing second. It was time for us to leave. As we walked away from the theater, the weight of the events pressed heavily upon us.

Alaric, typically cool and distant, broke the silence. "We can't stay here," he said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "I need to make sure Alora feels safe. Let's go somewhere else, away from this place." That was so sweet and by now I was assure that he shared the same feelings as me.

Eric nodded, "You're right. Fiorella is really scared too. Let's leave."

Fiorella, still trembling, looked up at them with tear-filled eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Eric placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We're here for you, Fiorella. Always."

We found ourselves at a bustling park. This was the same park me and Alaric came to a few days ago and this time Alaric really forced us to come here again. We enjoyed our time there but me and Ella couldn't stop thinking about what we had witnessed. Especially Ella, since she couldn't believe what she saw and she every now and then tried making us believe it wasn't her imagination.

I assured her that if no one else I believe her. Which made her a little less stressed knowing at least someone believed her and didn't say it was just her imagination.

"Let's head back to the hotel and take our belongings? It's almost time for our flight." Eric reminded us all. 

We went back to the hotel, packed our stuff, and left for the airport. It was almost time for us to board the plane.

As we boarded the plane, we quickly found our seats. I am not really a person to sleep in planes cause who knows it might crash and I wake up in heaven. But this time I slept because that was the only way to stop thinking about what had happened.

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-our love above everything-

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