Erased

18 - Darkness

Mina watched as Sana paced. Within a month, four murders had happened within her pack. Sana was busy barking orders at the other leaders while Mina sat in the fancy leather chair behind Sana's desk.

"I don't care. I want the killer found." Sana snarled. 

"Yes boss..." The leaders sulked out, afraid of their pack leader. Sana let out a frustrated groan, running a hand through her hair as she turned to see her mate sitting in her chair. 

"When did you get here?" She asked. 

"A while ago." Mina answered, head tilted at her mate's reaction to her being in her office. 

"What about the bakery?" She frowned. 

"It's Sunday..." Mina frowned. 

"Right.." She sighed. Mina stood up from the chair, walking to her mate as she flopped onto the couch. "Everything about these murders... They scream animalistic..." She frowned. "But... A wild animal would never get that close to the villages... Never." She shook her head, unable to think of what it could be. 

"We never found Shizuha.." Mina whispered. 

"You don't think..." Sana whispered. Mina nodded, a grim look on her face. "No.. Not our baby..." She frowned. 

"I just... Feel it..." Mina frowned. "I know she's not dead... And you found all those dead animals... Her scent all over them... She could've been waiting... Waiting for a time to strike." Mina shook her head at the thought. She didn't want to think of her daughter as a killing machine, but it was how she was acting. Sana shook her head, not wanting to process the idea. 

"Our daughter would never.." She whispered.

Sihyeon wandered through the woods, finally escaping her mother and Mia. She had been trying to ditch them all day, and she had found the perfect opportunity by sneaking away under the bushes. She walked until she caught the familiar scent of her mother, following it down a path to a dark cave.

"Mama?" Sihyeon whispered. She heard a low growl from the depths. She let out a small giggle and ran down the cave, instantly smelling her mother's scent. She found the one opening in the dark, sliding down until she found herself in an underground forest. She smiled as the little mushrooms illuminated light, little flowers even giving off some light in the completely pitch dark cavern. 

She walked around, touching the little mushrooms, giggling at the way the light got brighter as she interacted with it. She heard a small scream, then a sound of something hitting the ground. She stood up immediately, running towards the sound, but hiding behind a tree. She saw her sister coughing, picking herself up and patting the dust off of her clothes. She looked around, terrified. 

"Sihyeon?" She called out. A loud growl was heard, Sihyeon saw the dark cloud looming around her. Mia let out an ear piercing shriek, running from the dark cloud. It shifted into a person, following her... A look of terror came across Sihyeon's face. She knew she needed to help, but she couldn't find the strength to move her own legs. 

"Mommy!!" Mia cried as she ran. She tried to run faster, her little legs wanting to give out. Eventually, she fell, tripping over an exposed tree root, causing her to tumble, rolling into a patch of grass. Her cheeks were covered in mud, tears and her own blood as she looked up at the dark cloud staring at her with bright red eyes. It's mouth opened, sharp teeth dripping blood as it went to attack the child. Mia shut her eyes tightly, bracing for whatever was going to come as it lunged. 

"Mama no!" Sihyeon cried before the darkness attacked Mia. She ran to her sister, tears running down her face as she tried to help. Her little hands out stretched grabbing at the dark cloud. It vanished as soon as her fingers touched it, falling over from the lack of anything, she quickly picked herself up, running to her little sister who was unconscious. "Mia! Mia!" She shook her violently, trying to get her to wake up. "No... T-this is my fault.." She whimpered as she held her sister's limp body. "Mia!" She cried. "Wake up!" She sobbed. 

Sihyeon watched her sister just laying there. Her entire body covered in dirt and blood. She couldn't get her to wake up, making her cry even harder. 

"Come child." Sihyeon looked up, seeing an elderly woman standing next to her. Her eyes widened at the sight. She could see the woman there, but she wasn't talking to her... She saw Mia stand up, looking at the woman with terrified eyes. 

"What about mommy? And my sister?" She sniffed. 

"You'll see them again one day." She held out her wrinkly hand, allowing Mia to take it. "Right now.. It's time to help your mother." She explained. Sihyeon blinked away tears, holding her sister's limp and now cold body. She cried loudly, not afraid of anything anymore. 

"Sihyeon..." She looked up, seeing her mother staring at her. 

"She's gone mama..." She whispered. 

"I know..." She frowned. "I was too late... I couldn't protect her.." She whispered. "Come... Your mother is looking for you both.." She lifted Mia in her arms, walking with Sihyeon attached to her leg. "When you get up there.. Scream for mommy." Shizuha instructed. 

"Okay..." Sihyeon sniffed. 

"A bear hurt Mia. Don't worry about anything else. I'll take care of the rest.. Okay?" She explained. Sihyeon nodded, looking at her sister in her mother's arms. 

"Is Mia going to be okay?" Sihyeon sniffed. "Is she going to wake up?" Her little lip quivered at the thought of her sister never waking up again. 

"One day..." Shizuha lied. 

Before she knew it, Sihyeon was outside the cave, no trace or anything from her mother.. She saw bear tracks, but nothing else. She looked around to see Mia laying on the floor, immediately she cried out for her sister, then her mother. Just like Shizuha told her. 

Almost immediately, pack leaders were running towards her, all of them stopping when they saw what had happened. Sihyeon looked up to see her grandmother watching her with wide eyes. 

"I couldn't pr-protect her from the b-bear.." Sihyeon sobbed. 

"Did you find them?" Soyeon's worried voice cut through the silence, her eyes landing on her daughters.. "No..." She whispered. 

"Mommy... Help.." Sihyeon hiccuped.