Chapter 3:
A scream tore from my mouth as I sprang to my feet in a flash of movement, running to a rat-free corner. I muffled another scream as my head collided with the hard brick wall, sending me crashing to the cold floor.
For a few seconds, everything went blank as my head rang with a dull roar.
I massaged the throbbing spot on my head as I sat, resting my back against the wall, wincing in pain.
Peering into the darkness that surrounded me, fear clawed at my heart, and I quickly looked away. My heart pounded against my ribs, and my breath grew heavy. By the Moon Goddess, I hated dark places. They made me feel as though I were surrounded by gigantic monsters.
To make matters worse, I was the only one in this part of the dungeon.
Quietly, I crawled carefully until I found a safe corner. I curled into a ball and buried my face in my palms. Slowly, I fell into a deep slumber. That was the only way I could survive in the darkness.
The last thing I heard were the chattering of my teeth, my torn clothes barely covering my body, and the rapid beating of my heart as I remained petrified.
As soon as I shut my eyes, I was transported to another world.
Fear filled my heart as I walked amidst two women, both gawking at me — my mother and the Luna.
“Mother, help!” I called to her, stretching my hand out as the wind blew me away, but she remained unperturbed, watching me with disdain as I struggled to get back on my feet, tossed about by the wind.
“Please, mother, help me!” I screamed louder, desperately trying to reach out to her.
“Mother…”
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“Don’t you dare call me that!” she yelled, growling at me like a wild beast.
The Luna, on the other hand, stared at me quietly, her eyes filled with compassion — unlike my mother, whose appearance was like that of a fire-breathing monster.
“I’m sinking! Help, mother!” I screamed, struggling against the sand that was about to swallow me, the wind making me fall again and again.
“You think I care?” my mother spat angrily, turning her back on me and walking away nonchalantly. “You ruined my life, I hate you!”
“I’ll help you, dear,” the Luna’s smooth voice filled my ears, and I gasped.
How kind!
I was about to stretch my hand toward hers when the wind caught me, throwing me off balance and burying me in the sand.
I jerked awake with force, snapping my eyes open as my heartbeat accelerated. The dream had been so vivid, I could almost smell my mother’s scent.
I had dreamt of my mother’s indifference toward me… but there was something strange about this dream.
It frightened me.
I screamed in fear as my eyes met the terrifying darkness.
It was as though my mother’s figure was staring at me.
Despite her absence, I could feel her burning gaze hovering around my vulnerable frame.
