I made sure I wore one of my more movement-worthy dresses tonight. I wore them every time I killed, but I made sure to wear one because I knew I was entering the forest.
The forest... this forest no one was supposed to enter because the creature lived here.
My father even feared him.
I—personally—never entered the forest, mainly because I wasn't allowed to when I was younger, and I never had time to when I was older.
Especially with all the killing.
But now I stood outside the beginning of the trees, staring at the green leaves that blew slowly in the midnight wind.
He said he had a cabin here... but... where was the cabin? Was it like in those old fables that when you entered the forest, whatever you'd want would appear right before you?
I lightly slapped my cheeks.
No, he said to be there before dawn. So I would.
I then stepped into the trees, breaths shaking slightly as I passed through the final bushes.
I've exited the city.
I didn't know how long I'd been walking, but it was too long.
It wasn't dawn yet, so I was pretty sure I would be okay... but...
I was getting really tired.
It was valid, to be honest. I hadn't slept last night, and the night before I didn't rest well, so being tired was valid.
I had to kill someone every night... there were just too many entitled, heartless people in our city, and I had to get rid of them all.
How else would they be punished? My father wouldn't do anything about it.
And I was a master of murder.
I kept walking down the forest floors, glancing around nervously.
Wait... I passed that tree earlier.
Was I going in a circle?
The panic settled in then, and my heart throbbed against my chest.
I spun around.
Oh, no... I was getting so tired, and I was nowhere near Elias's cabin! Why didn't I ask him where it was first?
I continued stepping forward before my legs buckled, and I collapsed onto the dirt.
I couldn't walk anymore... my mind was fading from exhaustion.
I glanced over at a tree next to me—one that miraculously had a hole in the trunk—and I immediately crawled into it and curled under its cove.
I would be safe here.
Elias said before dawn, but... I couldn't make it until then. I could find his cabin tomorrow, when I was well rested.
And when I could think straight.
I let my lashes flutter shut then.
Get there before dawn.
I'd find him. I'd make it my life's duty.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiHfrDdsk3
