33 parts Complete Aleah Sullivan wakes up to the sound of her alarm blaring. Another day at the café. She swings her legs over the bed, stretching and yawning, feeling the dull ache in her muscles that has become familiar over the years. Her physical strength has always been a little abnormal, but she chalks it up to good genetics, not thinking much of it. In her small town of Redfern, she's known as the strong, independent girl who's been on her own since her parents passed away in a car accident when she was young.
The day begins like any other: making coffee, chatting with customers, and meeting her best friend, Sophie, for lunch. Sophie, ever the inquisitive one, brings up her favorite topic-Aleah's love life.
"You're 22 and still single. When are you going to let me set you up with someone?" Sophie teases, her eyes sparkling as they sit in a small diner.
Aleah rolls her eyes. "I'm fine, really. I've got too much going on to think about dating."
"Right," Sophie scoffs. "Because you're just so busy... serving coffee and working on your poetry. You deserve more, Aleah."
More. The word stirs something deep inside Aleah, something she can't quite put her finger on. There's always been a strange pull, a feeling that there was more to life than her quiet existence. But she has no idea how much more.
Later that evening, as she heads home, Aleah feels the familiar tug that's grown stronger in recent weeks. It's a pull toward the woods, which have always seemed oddly comforting yet mysterious. She shrugs off the feeling, attributing it to fatigue and the solitude of her rural town.
Little does she know, the life she's known is about to be shattered.
