Power

The Enigma Of Unfortunate Events

Pain. The word was an understatement of what Ivy felt. A terrifying chill covered her skin. There was no doubt that she was in the water. It goes without saying that stabbing her to her death wasn't enough—she also needed to be thrown into the frigid water, apparently.

How, she pondered, was she still alive? It didn't matter now, though, for the water would undoubtedly drag her beneath to eliminate her. There was something unusual about this water. It was electrifying, but not in a pleasant manner, and it was really cold. It gave her skin a bee-like sting.

The water closed over her head like a heavy shadow, swallowing her screams. Panic seized her chest, lungs burning as she thrashed against the relentless pull below. With each desperate kick, murky tendrils embraced her limbs, dragging her deeper into the cold abyss. The world above warped into a distant, wavering memory, replaced by a relentless struggle for air. Darkness crept into her vision as she fought against the inevitability of suffocation; the once-familiar surface was now an unreachable dream.

She must've been cursed with the worst luck—but then again, she was born cursed when you really thought about it. She had been made a sacrifice from the moment of her birth. Her life was predestined to end from the moment it began. Her heart was constantly being pricked by the harsh reality.

Crack! An agonizing pain reverberated throughout her legs. Her legs were filled with searing anguish. She attempted, but was unable to scream. Her limbs were suddenly shot through with waves of unbearable ache as her joints started to pop and stretch past their breaking point. Clenching her fist in an attempt to relieve the anguish, Ivy closed her eyes while a burning sensation spread throughout her limbs.

Bone after bone cracked and twisted, releasing agony, uncertainty, and muffled cries. Her bottom half appeared to be on fire, and her bones were rearranging themselves in a vigorous manner while her skin seemed to be slowly but painfully ripping of her flesh.

Ivy, drowning with broken bones, had no idea that pain could be felt like this. She could feel her will to live and her breath leaving her lungs as they tightened.

Cracking, cracking, and more cracking. Her skin ripped from her body, causing her breath to escape as she continued to fracture. Blood shot through her brain. A deafening ringing assaulted her ears.

Pain kept pursuing her.

Then it ended.

All went silent.

Was she finally dead?

No.

The ache in her lower body disappeared as her eyes sprung open and she gulped for air, but her head started to pound so hard she was afraid she would pass out once again. And she did, but not before she felt horror tighten its grip on her as she glimpsed her fish-like, scale-covered lower half.

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As the first timid rays of dawn stretched across the horizon, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the deserted beach, Ivy stirred from her slumber. Her eyes fluttered open to the gentle symphony of crashing waves, their rhythm a soothing lullaby against the backdrop of an endless ocean. A gentle breeze caressed her very naked skin. Panic gripped her, and she attempted to jump to her feet but couldn't. She was just too tired. Tired...the words triggered painful memories that rushed to her brain. The tower, John's death, the blade, and then the waters. The latter still fresh in her mind.

It was then she realized she was not alone. A girl, the epitome of happiness and brightness, hovered over her. Her blonde hair gleamed in the sunlight, resembling braided gold threads. Her large, vivid blue eyes gleamed with a fresh vitality. Her eyes, framed by lengthy lashes, exuded an unending curiosity and a tinge of mischief. Her pleasant smile, which could brighten even the gloomiest of days, complemented her lovely, creamy complexion's inherent shine.

"Hello...are you okay?" The girl asked, concerned etched in her bright blue eyes. Ivy began moving backwards while trying to muster the strength to get to her feet again, but to no avail.

"Hello...are you okay?" With a worried expression on her vivid blue eyes, the girl inquired. Ivy started to backtrack, attempting in vain to get the strength to get on her feet, but to no avail.

"No, no, no, I won't hurt you. I just wanna help." The girl let out swiftly, pulling off her oversized blue flannel and carefully extending it to Ivy.

Ivy took a moment to think. She was too exhausted to fight, flee, or hide, and she had no idea where she was or what was going on. She parted her lips to say something, but nothing came out. With a burning throat, she tentatively took the flannel and sighed.

The girl smiled brightly. She was now left in a light pink camisole and dark blue shorts. She carefully approached Ivy, and then proceeded to help her up. "I'm Isabel. I know people who can help you. My pack. Shall I take you to them?" Isabel asked expectantly.

Isabel gave Ivy no reason not to give her a little trust because if she really intended to harm her, Ivy figured she would have done it by now. Still, she was a stranger, and Ivy was unwilling to trust anyone after the bizarre occurrence she had experienced.

Though she didn't want to overthink it—at least not right now when she was feeling so weak—she might have been led to believe that Isabel was guiding her back into death's arms.

Nevertheless, she would remain cautious and would act quickly if the right moment came. With a slow nod to the vivacious girl next to her, they began on their journey to the unknown—well, at least to Ivy, it was the unknown.

Ivy could feel the gentle warmth of the early sun kissing her cheeks as she strolled along the beach on the cool, damp sand, taking in everything around her. From a distance, seagulls sang out, their silhouettes dancing elegantly against a sky that was changing from deep indigo to light pink and orange. There were miles of untouched coastline, driftwood and shells strewn about, and the promise of a pleasant new day. The air was crisp with the smell of salt and seaweed.

They enjoyed a pleasant stroll till they got close to the forest. The wind was becoming stronger. Isabel was so sweet as to lend Ivy her shoes so she could navigate the uneven terrain. She was mostly silent, but every now and then Isabel would try to comfort Ivy by telling her stories about her pack and assuring her that she would adore it.

Ivy sensed Isabel wasn't human in some way, but she wasn't quite sure what to make of her until she heard her mention her pack. It was strangely fitting, somehow, that she was a wolf.

The mood gradually shifted as they moved farther into the forest, and a sense of something menacing persisted. The girls stopped abruptly at the sound of a twig breaking. Ivy believed it to be a harmless creature, like a deer, but Isabel had a different idea. She sniffed the air, her face stiffening, and then releasing venom as she let out;

"Vampires."

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             𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑽𝒐𝒕𝒆, 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆

   𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍