The forest at night was a world apart from the gentle woods where Alice and Alex had once played. By day, sunlight filtered through the green canopy, dappling the mossy ground with warmth and hope. By night, the trees became silent sentinels, their branches clawing at the sky, and the wind howled with the voices of things unseen.
Alice stumbled through the undergrowth, her legs scratched and bleeding, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The cold bit through her thin dress, and every sound—every crack of twig, every distant cry—sent a fresh jolt of terror through her small body.
She did not know where she was going. She only knew she could not go back.
The memory of her father's rage burned behind her eyes. The way he'd struck her mother, the way Alex had tried to protect them. The look of pain and fear on Liora's face. It played over and over in her mind, a nightmare from which she could not wake.
She pressed on, deeper into the darkness.
The First Night
Alice's feet finally gave out beside a fallen log. She curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest, shivering violently. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and silent.
She missed her mother's gentle hands, the warmth of Alex's arms around her. She missed the lullabies that had once soothed her to sleep. Now, only the wind sang to her, and its song was cold and cruel.
A pair of glowing eyes watched her from the underbrush—a fox, curious but wary. For a moment, Alice stared back, unafraid. The animal seemed to sense her pain and slipped away into the shadows, leaving her alone once more.
Hunger gnawed at her belly, but she had nothing to eat. She tried to remember the stories her mother had told her about brave girls who survived in the wild, but the words felt distant and hollow.
She closed her eyes, wishing for Alex. Wishing for home.
A Mother's Grief
Back in the village, Liora searched the forest's edge with a torch, her voice hoarse from calling Alice's name. Alex trailed behind, his small fists clenched in helpless frustration.
"Where is she, Mama?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "Why did she run?"
Liora knelt and pulled him close, her own tears falling into his hair. "She was scared, my love. But we will find her. I promise."
But as the hours passed and the torchlight faded, hope began to slip through Liora's fingers like water. She looked up at the sky, searching for a sign, a miracle. All she found was darkness.
The Village Reacts
Morning brought no relief. The villagers gathered, murmuring in worried tones. Some offered to help search; others shook their heads, muttering about the dangers of the forest—wolves, wild boars, and worse things that lurked in the shadows.
Alex refused to rest. He combed the woods until his legs gave out, calling Alice's name until his voice was raw. Each time he thought he heard a reply, his heart leapt—only to break again when the echo faded.
At home, Liora prepared food Alice would never eat, folded clothes she would never wear. She kept Alice's favorite ribbon tucked in her pocket, rubbing it between her fingers as if it might summon her daughter back.
A World Without Mercy
Alice awoke to the sound of rain pattering on leaves. Her body ached, and her stomach twisted with hunger. She wandered through the forest, searching for berries or mushrooms, but found little. Once, she tried to drink from a muddy puddle, gagging at the taste.
As the days dragged on, she grew weaker. Her mind drifted, memories blurring with dreams. She saw Alex's face in the shadows, heard her mother's voice in the wind.
On the third night, a storm rolled in. Thunder shook the ground, and lightning split the sky. Alice huddled beneath the log, sobbing as the rain soaked her to the bone.
"Why did you leave me?" she whispered into the darkness. "Why did everyone leave?"
In her fevered mind, the trees seemed to whisper back, their voices cold and mocking.
The First Encounter
On the fourth day, delirious with hunger and exhaustion, Alice stumbled upon a narrow path winding through the forest. She followed it, half-hoping it would lead her home.
Instead, she found herself at the edge of a wide, rushing river. The water was cold and fast, but she drank greedily, ignoring the pain in her belly.
As she rested, a shadow fell across her. She looked up to see a man—tall, with a rough beard and a cloak patched with mud. His eyes were sharp, but his smile was gentle.
"Well, what do we have here?" he said, crouching down. "Are you lost, little one?"
Alice shrank back, her red eyes wary. She remembered her mother's warnings: never trust strangers, especially men.
The man's smile widened. "Don't be afraid. I can help you. My wife and I have a warm fire and plenty of food."
Alice hesitated. Hunger gnawed at her, and her legs trembled. Against her better judgment, she nodded.
The man offered his hand, and she took it.
The Trap
He led her through the woods, speaking softly, telling her stories to calm her fears. But as they walked, the trees grew thinner, the path rougher. The man's grip tightened.
When they reached a clearing, Alice saw no fire, no home—only a battered wagon and a group of rough-looking men.
The man shoved her forward. "Got another one!" he called.
Alice's heart pounded as the men closed in, their eyes cold and hungry. She tried to run, but they caught her easily.
"Pretty little thing," one sneered, grabbing her chin. "She'll fetch a good price."
Alice screamed for Alex, for her mother, but no one came.
The End of Innocence
They threw her into the wagon, locking the door behind her. In the darkness, Alice curled into a ball, sobbing until her voice gave out. The world she had known was gone, replaced by a nightmare from which she could not wake.
Outside, the men laughed and drank, their voices echoing through the night.
Inside, a piece of Alice's heart died.
Far Away: A Brother's Despair
Back in the village, Alex sat on the steps of their home, staring at the empty road. Liora knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around his trembling shoulders.
"We'll keep looking," she whispered, though her voice was hollow. "We can't give up."
Alex nodded, but in his heart, a cold certainty took root. He had failed his promise. He had lost his little shadow.
Closing
As the wagon rattled away into the unknown, and the forest swallowed the last echoes of her cries, the world shifted. The bond between brother and sister stretched thin—nearly to breaking—but somewhere, deep within, a spark of hope remained.
For now, the darkness reigned. But the whispers of fate had only just begun.