I In the shadow of the night

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The night was heavy, stifling, as if the air grew thicker with each passing minute. I was running through a dark forest, each step echoing in my head. On one hand, I felt relief, but on the other… fear, which became more real with every step.

I knew I couldn’t stop. I had run from many things in my life, but this was different. This was an escape that could change everything or… completely destroy me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jeongin. His face was tense, but his eyes still sparkled with determination. He didn’t say anything, but I could feel his presence giving me the strength I desperately needed.

My thoughts wandered back to the moment I decided to leave everything behind. Home, the city, the people I knew. Even now, far away, the same questions echoed in my mind: Is this worth it? Can we really escape? But the answers never came, and all I could do was keep running, never looking back.

The forest thickened, and the darkness seemed to swallow us whole. I felt adrenaline fuel my movements, but at the same time, the awareness that I could fall at any moment—that any step could be my last—was paralyzing. One thing was certain, though: there was no turning back.

Somewhere in the distance, I heard the faint sound of a river. Just a bit further, I thought. Just a few more steps. I didn’t want to stop, but my body had other plans. I paused for a moment, leaning on my knees, trying to catch my breath. My heart pounded in my chest, and my head spun. Jeongin stood beside me, just as exhausted, but the strength in his eyes remained.

“We’ll make it,” he said softly, his voice full of the certainty I lacked.

I looked up at him. In that moment, I realized we were no longer just two lost boys. Now we were a team, and our fight for freedom was just beginning.

Breathing heavily, I tried to focus on Jeongin’s words. We’ll make it, I repeated to myself like a mantra, the one thing that could get me back on my feet. The night was still dark and impenetrable, but knowing I wasn’t alone gave me comfort. I felt his faith in our escape seep into me, giving me courage.

Slowly, I straightened up, ignoring the pain in my legs. The forest that surrounded us felt even more hostile now, as if the trees were trying to consume us, to trap us in their thick darkness. I stared into the blackness, searching for any sign that could guide us. The river, which I’d heard earlier, was now a faint whisper. Maybe fatigue was distorting the sounds, or maybe the forest itself was trying to keep us within.

Jeongin moved beside me, reaching out as if to grab my arm. I hesitated only for a moment before moving forward with him. I knew I couldn’t show weakness now. He was counting on me, and I couldn’t let him down.

“What’s next?” I asked, more to myself than to him, but Jeongin responded almost immediately.

“We follow the river. If we stay close to it, we’ll find our way.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure it would be that simple. Still, the thought of water was comforting, a reminder that there was something alive near us, something that wasn’t our enemy.

~🐶🦊~

With every step, the pain in my legs lessened. What seemed impossible at first now felt distant, less real. The fear that had accompanied me from the start transformed into something else—determination. I knew this wasn’t the end, but I felt we were closer than ever before.

Finally, the river appeared before us, its dark surface reflecting the faint light of the moon breaking through the trees. We stopped for a moment, staring at it. The water flowed calmly, quietly, as if it was trying to soothe us. I glanced at Jeongin, and he looked back at me. In his eyes, I saw a hint of a smile.

“This is only the beginning, right?” he asked softly, as if afraid the forest might overhear our plans.

I nodded. Yes, this was only the beginning. I knew we still had a long road ahead, full of uncertainty and danger, but standing by this river, I felt like we had a chance. Maybe small, maybe risky, but we had it. And that was enough to keep moving.

I took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, then slowly exhaled, letting the tension leave my body. Before us lay a dark, unpredictable future, but I no longer felt afraid. I had Jeongin by my side, and together, we would survive whatever came our way.

~🐶🦊~

The night remained impenetrable, but in the silence, I sensed a hidden force guiding us. Maybe it was the river, whose sound became clearer, or maybe it was simply Jeongin’s presence. At that moment, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that we kept going, not allowing ourselves to doubt.

We followed the river’s edge, letting the sound of the water lead us. Each step felt more certain despite the exhaustion. The forest seemed less hostile now, as if it had acknowledged that we had passed its test and was letting us go. But I knew this wasn’t over. Whatever was chasing us was still out there, close by—I could feel it in the air. Like a shadow that never fully disappears, only waiting for the right moment to reappear.

Jeongin walked beside me, his shoulders tense, ready for action. We were exhausted, but he kept searching for the way forward, still holding onto hope. I looked at him and wondered where he found that strength. Maybe it was the same determination I saw in his eyes when he first said we needed to run.

Suddenly, on the other side of the river, we spotted a light. Barely visible, as if someone had lit a single candle in the darkness. We stopped, staring at the distant glow, trying to understand what it could mean. Jeongin’s expression grew more focused, his lips pressing into a thin line.

I stared at the faint light through the shadows and trees. It felt like it could mean anything—danger, help, or something more. This was the moment that would decide our future, but I wasn’t sure which path to choose.

“It could be a trap,” I whispered, though I wasn’t certain. My voice barely rose above the sound of the river.

Jeongin nodded, but I saw hesitation in his eyes. That light might be a trap, but it could also offer hope. I knew he wasn’t sure what to do, but he had something I lacked—firm resolve.

“We’re going,” he said finally, his voice filled with certainty, leaving no room for argument. This was how he faced fear—by acting, not by stopping.

We crossed the river, the icy water instantly waking our senses. The current wasn’t strong, but it was enough to demand caution. On the other side, the forest seemed to open up before us, guiding us toward the light, now brighter, though still mysterious.

We moved toward it silently, listening to every sound, watching every shadow. When we finally reached the source of the light, we found a small cabin hidden among the trees. Its walls were rough, made of old wood, and the roof barely held together, but the light we’d seen was indeed burning in the window.

Jeongin approached cautiously, and I followed closely behind, ready for anything. Just as we neared the door, it swung open, and an old man stepped out, holding a lamp in his hand. His face was weathered, but his eyes held a softness that somehow calmed me—maybe it was kindness, maybe something more.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” the old man said, his voice quiet but filled with strength. He looked at us calmly, as if our arrival was the most natural thing in the world.

I didn’t know what to say, but as usual, Jeongin found the words.

“Why?” he asked, looking the man straight in the eye.

"The old man smiled gently, as if the question was amusing, but his answer was serious.

'Because this night does not end your journey. It is only its beginning.'

He invited us inside, and I realized that this place, this moment, could be a turning point in our escape. We crossed the threshold of the hut, ready for whatever the next day would bring."

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