Whisper of the Mark

chapter 1

"Khai, an ordinary teenager, suddenly finds himself trapped in a world he doesn't understand. The mysterious mark on his collarbone is not just a strange symbol, but a doorway to a darker realm. Phantoms, souls trapped in curses, are targeting his life. But what is the true meaning of the mark? And can Khai escape their grip?"

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A teenage boy walked alone on the street, feeling both confused and a bit fearful. How did I even get here? Earlier, he had just closed his eyes to sleep, but after hearing some strange, scary sounds, he instantly opened them. Before he realized it, he woke up in the middle of a deserted street.

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"Huh?... Where am I?"

With confusion, I slowly stood up and started walking aimlessly. This place appeared to be nowhere, situated in the middle of a forest. My eyes focused on the red sky. It was a clear night with a full moon but no stars. This phenomenon was really strange for me to comprehend. I wasn't sure whether to be amazed or terrified. Maybe it's just a dream.

Since I wasn't wearing any shoes, my feet hurt as I stepped on small rocks scattered along the street. Jeez, can dreams actually make people feel pain? I thought, doubting the myths I'd heard before.

I kept walking for at least 15 minutes but eventually stopped when I realized that the landscape hadn't changed at all. It felt like the place restarted every time I walked forward. Is it a loop? Panic slowly crept in, but I forced myself to stay calm, convincing myself that it was just a dream... Just a dream...

Suddenly, I heard strange animal noises coming from the bushes not far from me. My heart immediately started racing, and my pathetic attempt at calming down failed. There was no way I was going to check what was behind those bushes. In a panic, I quickly moved away from that spot, but then it felt like the place restarted once again when I passed by a huge rock a few meters away.

The unknown sounds grew closer and closer until finally, a weird shadow lurked onto the street. A shadow without an owner appeared, terrifying me. I instinctively stepped back. To my surprise, the shadow slowly took on a human shape, though it lacked a face. It was taller than me. I froze, unable to move, my body paralyzed by fear.

"Wh-what...?" I mumbled under my breath.

The shadow opened its red eyes, staring into my soul. It slowly tilted its head, maybe wondering what kind of creature I was, or perhaps something worse. The figure stood still for a few seconds before it turned and walked away. I felt relieved but my heart was still pounding hard.

I cautiously took a few steps back but accidentally kicked a small rock behind me. The creature's head snapped around 180°, instantly facing me with a sickening cracking sound.

Panic surged through me. Without thinking, I sprinted away.

The creature let out a loud scream, shaking the ground beneath me. Wait, is that thing chasing me?!

I glanced back-Oh no, it's really chasing me! The figure had grown larger, revealing its sharp teeth as it pursued me with a terrifying face.

"Oh god, someone help me!"

I ran as fast as I could, but the creature kept getting closer. I don't want to die, I don't want to die! I suddenly remembered the loop in this place. This is not good. Definitely not good! What if this place resets me? What if that thing doesn't disappear and keeps chasing me?!

The creature raised its hand and smashed it onto the ground near me, clearly trying to crush me. I felt like I could cry out of sheer terror. Screw your gender roles, Khai! There's no one here to see you anyway!

The creature continued its assault, but I managed to dodge its attacks and kept running. My eyes locked onto the big rock up ahead-the spot where the loop began. I silently prayed, hoping I could pass through it.

"Please don't loop. Don't loop!" I whispered, increasing my speed, putting some distance between me and the creature.

The creature behind me screamed again, causing my ears to ring in pain. Gosh, this thing is so loud.

I ignored the ringing and closed my eyes as I sprinted past the big rock.

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Suddenly, the eerie noises stopped. I halted, taking a deep breath and slowly opening my eyes.

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"Huh?"

The loop... it was still active. I could see the creature far ahead. It was enormous and terrifying to look at. The creature slowly turned its head, tilting it while flashing its shark-like teeth at me.

I instinctively stepped back. To my surprise, I bumped into something behind me. Startled, I quickly checked and realized I had hit an invisible wall. Oh no, what should I do?

I heard heavy footsteps approaching. It was the creature.

"No, no, no, wait!" I frantically looked around for an escape route, but there was nowhere to go. The distance between us closed rapidly. There's no way I can run without getting caught!

Desperately, I slammed my hands against the invisible wall, hoping it would break, but it was too strong. And worse, the creature was almost upon me.

"It must be a dream, it must be a dream!" I kept repeating, trying to stay rational.

Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and I nearly lost my balance. I glanced back one last time and saw the creature charging toward me, its mouth wide open, ready to devour me.

"Wait! Please!" I banged against the wall with all my might, my voice filled with desperation.

"Someone help me!"

Just as the creature was about to reach me, the landscape changed abruptly. I felt my feet leave the ground as if I were floating. Then, I realized I was falling from a great height.

"Argh!" I screamed as I plummeted down, crashing onto the same huge rock below.