ENTRY NUMBER ONE : DELPHINE
"never walk in the woods on a full moon"

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It was a full moon that night, and Delphine Alayna Fontebleau was ready to go to sleep. She'd always hated the dark—it made her skin crawl and her mind spiral with irrational thoughts. She pulled the covers up to her chin and reached for her lamp. But just as she was about to flick it off, a soft creak echoed from somewhere behind her.

Her heart skipped.

She jolted upright and ran to the light switch. The moment the room flooded with brightness, she turned around—only to find Ezra Milton Calloway standing in the middle of her room, completely unfazed.

"Ez! Jesus Christ, you fucking scared me!" she hissed, her voice sharp and pitched.

Ezra just smirked. "Please don't shout," he said, casual as ever.

"You could've used the front door, you dummy," she snapped, her pulse still racing.

"Now where's the fun in that?" he replied, tossing himself onto her bed like it was his own.

Delphine crossed her arms. "Care to explain why you're here at midnight?"

Ezra sat up, his expression shifting. "A body was found in the woods."

Delphine's face twisted. "Eww."

"Half a body," he corrected, raising a finger for dramatic effect. "To be exact."

Delphine paled. "Okay, seriously—what?"

Ezra stood. "Let's go for an adventure."

Her eyes widened. "Ezra, are you out of your goddamn mind?"

"Come on, Dellie. It'll be just like the other times. We'll have fun. It's just the woods."

"In the dark," she muttered, rubbing her arms as a chill ran through her.

Ezra grinned. "That's your problem? Worry not, lady—I shalt be thy savior," he said in an exaggerated medieval voice, striking a ridiculous knight-like pose.

Delphine couldn't help but laugh. "You're so silly. You do realize my father will kill us if he finds out."

"He won't."

"He's the literal sheriff, Ezra!"

"And yet, I remain undefeated." He flashed a cocky smile. "C'mon. Grab your jacket."

She hesitated for a beat, then gave a dramatic sigh. "Fine. But if we die out there, I'm haunting you first."

"Deal."

Together, they quietly opened her window. Ezra climbed out first, landing silently on the grass below, then reached up to help her down. The moon hung high above them, casting a silver glow over the backyard. Delphine's heart was hammering, but a thrill buzzed through her veins.

They snuck around the side of the house and hopped into Ezra's old Jeep. The engine purred to life, headlights off until they were well away from her street.

"Got the flashlights?" Ezra asked, glancing over at her.

Delphine held them up. "Two. Fully charged. And a backup battery, because I'm not dying in a horror movie cliché."

Ezra laughed, accelerating onto the road that led to the edge of the forest. "That's why you're my best friend."

They drove in silence after that, tension thickening as they neared the woods. The trees loomed ahead like crooked fingers, swaying gently in the breeze. Ezra pulled over just before the trail began, where the Jeep couldn't go any farther.

They got out.

Delphine stared into the woods, her grip on the flashlight tightening.

"You sure about this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ezra nodded.

The forest was quiet—too quiet.

Delphine and Ezra walked side by side, their flashlights casting long beams through the tangled brush. The dirt path beneath them was uneven, and the trees pressed in on either side, like they were being swallowed whole. Crickets chirped faintly in the distance, but even that felt forced, like the forest was pretending to be normal.

"Are you sure this is the right trail?" Delphine asked, glancing around nervously.

Ezra nodded. "Positive. They said the body was found near the old fire pit."

"That's comforting," she muttered.

A few minutes passed. Then—Delphine froze.

She sniffed the air, her nose crinkling. There was something sharp and thick in the air. Faint, but noticeable. Like iron.

"You smell that?" she asked, stopping short.

Ezra turned to her. "What?"

"Something smells... metallic."

Ezra swept his flashlight across the ground. The beam caught on something dark against the dirt. He squinted—then took a step closer and angled the light again.

A trail of blood.

Long, smeared streaks of deep red led off the main path and into the trees.

Delphine gasped and stumbled back a step, nearly dropping her flashlight. "Ezra."

He didn't say anything. Just stood there, staring, his jaw tight.

"Can we go home, please?" she asked, her voice small now. All the humor from earlier was gone.

Ezra looked at her, then back at the blood. He nodded slowly. "Yeah... yeah, let's go."

But just as they turned around—

A twig snapped behind them.

Delphine whirled around, flashlight beam jerking wildly. "What was that?!"

Ezra moved in front of her instinctively, shielding her as his own light swept the trees.

Silence.

Then another crunch. Closer this time.

Delphine gripped Ezra's arm. "Ez..."

"We need to move. Now."

They turned to run—but before they could, something moved in the trees ahead of them.

Suddenly, a shadow lunged from the trees—a dark, shape moving faster than anything Delphine had ever seen. Ezra shouted, "Run!" and they both took off, pounding through the underbrush, branches whipping past their faces.

"Ezra, wait!" Delphine called out, but he was already ahead, dodging roots and rocks.

Then a sharp, guttural growl echoed behind them.

Ezra stumbled—"Shit!"—as something caught his leg. He let out a painful grunt and fell hard to the ground.

"Ez!" Delphine screamed, skidding to a stop.

The creature was closing in, its heavy footsteps thudding in the dark. Ezra struggled to stand, clutching his leg, but the pain was too much.

"Go! Get out of here!" he urged, eyes fierce despite the agony.

Delphine hesitated—her chest heaving, breath coming fast and shallow. The cold night air burned her lungs, and panic surged like wildfire.

"I'm not leaving you!" she gasped.

"No choice!" Ezra snapped, pushing her toward the path. "Run, Dellie! Run!"

With a tearful glance, she turned and ran, heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst.

Her breath came in ragged gasps, sharp and shallow. She was hyperventilating, panic clawing at her throat, making it impossible to think.

The creature was getting closer—she could hear its heavy footsteps, the snapping of twigs, the low growls.

She tried to run faster, but her legs felt like lead.

The forest closed in on her, the path narrowing until she was trapped.

The cold  seemed to brush her neck, and everything went black.

Then, a sharp, searing pain stabbed through her skin—like her head was being ripped from her body.

Delphine's vision blurred, the world tilting violently.

Her last thought was a desperate plea—then darkness swallowed her whole.

After what felt like forever, a faint voice broke through the darkness.

"Dellie? Dellie, hey! Wake up!"

Delphine's eyes fluttered open. Her breath hitched, and she let out a scream.

"Hey, hey! You're fine, you're fine," Ezra's voice soothed urgently, his hand gently shaking her shoulder.

She scrambled up, heart pounding, and her hands flew instinctively to her neck—half-expecting to find blood or a wound. But there was nothing. No pain. No bite. Not even a scratch.

"That thing—" she started, voice trembling.

Ezra cut her off gently. "It must have been a rabid dog, Dellie. C'mon, let's get you out of here."

"No! No! It—it bit me, Ez!" Panic laced her words.

Ezra gave her a strange, almost confused look. "You're fine, Dellie. I checked. There isn't a single scratch on you."

Delphine's eyes darted down her arms, legs, neck—everything was clean, untouched.

But she felt different. Something deep inside her was screaming that this wasn't normal.

They began walking back slowly, the night air cool and heavy around them.

Ezra kept a protective arm close but didn't push her to go faster.

"The woods are creepy as hell tonight," he said quietly.

"Yeah," she whispered, still shaken. "I don't want to ever go back there."

Ezra nodded. "Same. Let's just get you home safe."

03
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Dellie! Wake up! Time for school!"

Her father's voice echoed up the stairs, warm and routine.

Delphine groaned, her head pounding like someone had dropped a brick on it. She slowly blinked awake, sunlight leaking through the blinds and slicing across her face. Her whole body felt sore—like she'd been run over. Twice.

Last night came back to her in flashes. The woods. The blood. The thing. The bite that didn't exist.

She sat up, running her fingers through her tangled hair, and turned toward the outfit she had picked out last night: a grey hoodie and baggy jeans. Comfort clothes.

But something in her said no.

Delphine stood up and opened her closet. She didn't know what compelled her, but her eyes landed on the white crop top and low-rise jeans her mom had bought months ago—ones she had always refused to wear.

They used to feel too much. Too bold. Too not her.

Now? She kind of wanted to see what she looked like in them.

She pulled them on. The jeans hugged her hips perfectly, and the top felt cool against her skin. She glanced in the mirror. Different. Confident. Hot.

Mascara. Brown lip gloss. Eyeliner. All applied with an ease she didn't normally have on early mornings.

She looked... good. Too good for a regular Tuesday.

Delphine grabbed her bag and headed downstairs.

The scent of toast and coffee hit her nose first—and then she saw them.

Her dad stood by the counter with a thermos in hand, and Ezra was already seated, probably waiting to walk with her to school like usual.

But both of them looked up at the same time—and froze.

Ezra's mouth literally parted, eyes scanning her from top to bottom like he'd never seen her before.

Her dad raised an eyebrow, then blinked. "Well, damn," he said under his breath before regaining composure. "Okay, kids, I'm heading out now."

He walked over to Delphine, kissed the top of her head, and smiled softly. "Learn something new today, my pretty girl."

"Bye, Dad," she said, voice calm, almost unreadable.

As the sheriff grabbed his keys and headed out the door, Ezra continued staring, fork still suspended in midair.

"Ez, what's wrong?" Delphine asked, narrowing her eyes.

Ezra blinked, clearly still stunned. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing," he said, his voice soft.

There was the tiniest blush dusting his cheeks as he finally looked away and shoveled a bite of eggs into his mouth like it might distract from whatever was spinning in his head.

Delphine smirked to herself.

They didn't say much on the ride to school. Ezra kept sneaking glances at her from the driver's seat, his fingers tapping restlessly against the steering wheel. Delphine leaned her head against the window, watching the town blur by. Everything felt familiar, but...off. Like her senses were dialed up too high. Every sound sharper. Every color brighter.

When they parked, Claudia was already waiting by the bike racks, sipping an iced coffee and scrolling on her phone. As soon as she spotted them, her face lit up—but the second her gaze landed on Delphine, she froze, mouth slowly dropping open.

"Okay—hottie alert!" Claudia gasped, rushing over. "Who are you, miss? What did you do with Dellie Fontebleau?"

Delphine laughed, feeling her cheeks warm slightly. "Just... trying something new, I guess."

Claudia slung an arm around her shoulders. "Well, whatever this is, keep it. You're serving and I'm obsessed."

Ezra coughed beside them, not saying anything.

They made their way into the building, students buzzing all around. Whispers floated as they passed—people noticing. Staring.

Delphine didn't shrink under it. She walked taller.

Their first period was English, and Delphine slid into her seat between Claudia and Ezra, pulling out her notebook. Mr. Calloway, their teacher, started writing on the board.

Today's topic: Transformation Symbolism in Literature.

Delphine leaned closer to Claudia during the quiet hum of Mr. Calloway's lecture. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Do you perhaps have strawberry gum?"

Claudia shook her head
"Nope. Nothing."

Delphine chuckled softly, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Liar. You do."

Claudia raised an eyebrow, defensive.
"Bae, I don't. I think I would know if I—"

Before she could finish searching her bag, then she grabbed something. She pulled it out and it was indeed a strawberry gum packet.

"How the hell -" Claudia muttered, equally surprised and suspicious.

Delphine just shrugged, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
"Magic, maybe."

Claudia rolled her eyes but couldn't help grinning.
"Seriously, what is happening to you today?"

"Beats me," Delphine said, popping a piece of gum into her mouth. The sweet strawberry flavor was a tiny comfort amidst the strange whirlwind inside her.

The bell rang, and the three headed to their lockers, chatting quietly about the upcoming exam.

Their next class was Economics with Mr. McHale—the strict teacher who also happened to be the football team's coach. The room buzzed with low murmurs as students settled in.

Mr. McHale cleared his throat, "Alright, everyone. Exam topics will cover supply and demand, market structures, and government policies. Any questions before we start?"

Delphine suddenly felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The scent of cologne, perfume, and body odor mixing in the crowded room made it worse. Her vision blurred slightly.

She clenched her jaw, trying to focus, but it was no use. Standing abruptly, she raised a shaky hand.
"Excuse me."

Ezra and Claudia immediately stood too, concern flashing across their faces. Mr. McHale's eyes narrowed in surprise as Delphine hurried out.

The other two exchanged worried glances and quickly followed her.

In the bathroom stall, Delphine doubled over, dry heaving. She squeezed her eyes shut as the nausea intensified. Then she blinked—and the toilet bowl was stained bright red, a metallic taste thick on her tongue.

She yelped, stumbling back from the sight.

A moment later, everything was normal again. The toilet was clean, the smell gone, just the usual remnants of flushed waste.

"Dellie, you okay?" Claudia's voice called from outside the stall.

Delphine opened the door, breathing heavily. "I just threw up everything I ate today and yesterday."

She splashed cold water on her face, trying to steady herself.

Outside the bathroom, Ezra leaned casually against the wall, holding a Snickers bar.
"A Snickers bar? It's your favorite."

Delphine gave a weak smile, shaking her head. "You're the sweetest, but I can't even look at food right now. Makes me wanna throw up."

"Are you pregnant?" Claudia teased, laughing.

"Oh yes, I'm expecting your baby," Delphine played along, winking. Ezra sighed.

"You two are so weird," he muttered.

"Yet you're friends with us?" Claudia shot back, grinning.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Delphine tried her best to focus, but the strange heaviness inside her wouldn't let up. Between moments of dizziness and the odd metallic taste that lingered on her tongue, it felt like something was quietly pulling at her from within.

In Biology, she stared blankly at the microscope slide but couldn't really see. Her hands trembled slightly when she tried to take notes. Claudia nudged her, whispering, "You okay?"

Delphine forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, just tired."

After lunch, she and Claudia were walking through the crowded hallways, weaving between groups of chatting students and lockers slamming shut. The usual noise seemed distant, almost muffled.

Then Maddox appeared—a tall, lean guy with sharp features and an aura that always made Delphine's skin prick. He caught sight of her and smiled.

"Hi, Delphine," he said, voice low but clear.

"Hey, Maddox," she replied, her voice steady.

She started to walk away, but then paused, turning back on a whim. "Hey, Maddox—did you recently get a dog?"

Maddox's smile faltered, and he swallowed hard. "Me? A dog? No, haha, I'm allergic to dogs."

"Oh, okay!" Delphine said cheerfully, turning away again.

Claudia gave her a curious look. "What was that about?"

Delphine shrugged, pretending not to think much of it. "No idea. Just a random question."

The final bell rang, releasing a wave of relief and exhaustion over the students as they spilled out into the warm afternoon. Delphine slung her bag over her shoulder, already feeling the weight of the strange day pressing down on her. Ezra was waiting by the front doors, arms crossed, looking as patient and concerned as ever. Claudia was just a few steps behind, chatting with some friends but clearly keeping an eye on Delphine.

As they started to walk toward the parking lot, Delphine's phone buzzed in her pocket. She glanced at the screen and saw it was her mom.

"Layna , me and your father will be late tonight. Why don't you bring Claudia over and have a little sleepover? It's been ages since you girls had some fun."

Delphine smiled and looked back at Claudia, who had overheard the voice message and immediately threw her hands in the air, signing "Yes!" in enthusiastic agreement.

"Okay, Mama," Delphine typed back, grinning.

Ezra raised an eyebrow but gave a small nod. "Okay then, girls. I'll drive you to Dellie's, and then I'm heading home."

The ride back to Delphine's house was quiet, filled mostly with the soft hum of the radio and the occasional comment about the weird weather or upcoming school events. Claudia sat in the back, bouncing her knee anxiously, while Delphine kept her eyes on the road but couldn't help stealing glances at her friends in the rearview mirror.

When they pulled up to the house, the sun was beginning to dip low, casting long shadows across the quiet street. Inside, the house was peaceful—empty except for Delphine and soon, Claudia.

The girls immediately kicked off their shoes and made themselves at home. Pillows and blankets were spread out in the living room, fairy lights twinkling softly from the corners, giving the space a warm, cozy glow. A stack of movies sat ready, alongside bowls of popcorn and snacks they'd raided from the kitchen.

Claudia flopped down onto the big couch, grabbing a pillow and hugging it close. "Okay, Dellie, spill it. You're acting weird all day. What's up?"

Delphine stretched out, resting her head against the armrest. "I don't know... it's just been one of those days. Weird feelings, weird smells, weird everything."

Claudia smirked. "You're always weird. But I'm talking about that weird." She nudged Delphine playfully.

Delphine rolled her eyes but grinned. "What, like crushes and drama?"

Claudia leaned forward, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Exactly. So tell me... anyone on your mind lately?"

Delphine hesitated, then shook her head. "Nope. Not really."

Claudia wasn't convinced. "C'mon, Dellie. You know you can tell me."

Delphine smiled softly. "Trust me, you'd be the first to know if anything was going on."

"Not Ezra?" Claudia teased, raising an eyebrow.

Delphine's gaze dropped to her hands for a moment. Then she shrugged. "Well... I don't know."

Claudia laughed and nudged her again. "You don't know? That's a new one."

The conversation drifted, turning lighter as they moved on to talk about music, favorite movies, and ridiculous crush stories from other classmates. The kind of easy, late-night talk only best friends could have.

Hours passed in warmth and laughter until their eyelids grew heavy. The room dimmed with the fading glow of the fairy lights as they crawled under the blankets.

Delphine stared up at the ceiling, thoughts swirling but calm for the first time in a long while. Claudia's steady breathing beside her was comforting.

04
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EJONA SPEAKS !!

First chapter here!
I had prewritten this chapter and now i finished adding the layout details hehe!

If you havent noticed the layout is based on a diary cause this is a story but also a diary.