KIRA

"Your room is right here," Evelyn announced, opening the door.

The room was spacious, the walls painted a soothing dark blue instead of the blinding white of the room I had been in before. White curtains hung over the windows, and I noticed two beds placed opposite each other.

"You’ll be sharing this room with someone," Evelyn explained.

I nodded, " Okay."

One wall was dominated by two small wardrobes, while a full-length mirror stood on the opposite wall. A slightly ajar door led to a cream-tiled bathroom, a sharp contrast to my room back in the village. It reminded me of life before the war.

It had been two days since I woke up here, and in that time, I had relentlessly asked the general to let me leave. But the bald man had refused every time.

Frustration settled over me. I had given up asking him to let me go. Now, I just needed to figure out how to escape on my own. The question was when... and how?

"This one’s yours," Evelyn said, drawing my attention back to her as she stood in front of the first wardrobe. She opened it, revealing a colorful array of clothes.

"These are all yours. If anything doesn’t fit, the seamstress in the other building can make adjustments," she added.

I walked over to the wardrobe, a thousand questions swirling in my mind. How did they know my measurements so quickly? But I chose to focus on the clothes instead. They were a luxury I hadn’t seen in a long time.

"There’s a welcoming party for all the newcomers in Safe Land, and you’re expected to attend," Evelyn said, her tone brightening.

That caught my attention. A welcoming party?

I glanced at her, once again struck by how someone can be so perfect. If I had a choice, I’d rather avoid Evelyn. She was effortlessly beautiful, a constant reminder of how inadequate I felt. Today, she wore a peach-colored floral dress that perfectly showcased her curves. Her long red hair was pulled into a high ponytail, drawing attention to her flawless features.

"Do you have any questions?" she asked.

I paused, distracted by my thoughts. "Where and when is this party?"

Her eyes lit up, "It starts at six. Don’t worry, I’ll take you there."

"Why are you so excited?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She sighed. "All we do here is train, train, and train some more. Only the general and a few chosen hunters leave for missions. I’ve only been outside once when I was part of his team. You have no idea how monotonous it gets. But today... there’s a party. Finally, a break from training!" She grinned widely. "Everyone’s looking forward to it."

I forced a smile, but the thought of being around so many people, of socializing, was already making my chest tighten.

"Is it mandatory?" I asked reluctantly.

"Yes," she confirmed with a nod.

I forced a smile, even though anxiety was tearing at my insides.

"I’ll leave you to settle in," Evelyn said, smiling back at me before heading for the door.

"Evelyn," I called, stopping her.

She turned, still smiling. "Yes?"

"Thank you… and I’m sorry for being rude when I first woke up," I muttered, feeling embarrassed.

She chuckled. "It’s normal. Most people react that way when they wake up here. I’m used to it."

"Are you in charge of new arrivals?" I asked.

"Yes, I’m part of the group of hunters that helps newcomers adjust. We make sure everyone’s settling in okay," she explained.

"You must be powerful, then," I said, surprised by her role.

She shook her head. "It’s not about power. I just enjoy helping out."

I remembered something then. "Evelyn, can you tell me about Devon’s powers?"

Her brow furrowed. "Devon?"

I nodded. "The demon."
Ever since our encounter, I hadn't stopped thinking about him and what he said.

She hesitated before answering. "No one knows the full extent of his powers, but I’ve seen him conjure things."

The chair.
It made sense now.

"He can teleport," I added, remembering how fast he’d appeared in front of me.

She nodded. "He’s capable of more, but most of it’s still a mystery."

"He put me to sleep," I said, my voice tight.

She didn’t seem alarmed. "I’ll make a note of that."

"He called me by my name, even though I hadn’t told anyone. He said he knows everything about me," I added, unease creeping into my tone.

Evelyn didn’t seem as concerned as I was. "Kira," she said, her voice soft.

I frowned. "How do you know my name?"

"The seer knew your name before I even called her and the general. She must have already told Devon before he teleported to meet you," she explained.

"But..." I protested.

"And I’m sure that’s all he knows. He was probably just trying to scare you. Just let it go," she added, cutting me off gently.

I wasn’t convinced. The way Devon had looked at me that day—it felt like he knew more about me than I did myself.

"Let it go, Kira," Evelyn urged her tone firm but kind.

"How can you all trust him? He’s a demon," I whispered as if saying it aloud might make him appear in the room.

A faint blush crept across Evelyn’s cheeks. "That’s what I thought when he first came here. He was badly injured, barely clinging to life when the general found him. Even though he’s a demon, he’s still a half-hunter. The general couldn’t just leave him to die, so he brought him here. Devon’s actually nice, once you get to know him. But people are too scared to see past his demon side. They prefer to judge him. He’s not evil, Kira. He’s..." She blushed deeper.

I wasn't an expert at emotions, but it was obvious she had feelings for him, though I didn’t mention it. I simply nodded. "Okay, I’ll keep that in mind."

She seemed relieved to stop talking about him. "I’ll see you later then," she said, heading for the door.

"Later," I mumbled.

__________

I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror after pulling my hair into a high bun that framed my face.

The party was about to start in six minutes, and my nerves were getting the best of me. If the other guests looked anything like Evelyn, my confidence, which was already on sinking sand, would drown.

Unlike her flawless skin, my caramel complexion was dotted with bruises. Dark circles shadowed my brown eyes. I stopped myself before I could sink into the comparison.

I focused on what I liked about my appearance: long lashes, a cute button nose, and a pale pink mouth. I wasn’t as curvy as some girls, and my breasts were smaller than I liked, but I had a small waist and rounded hips. Still, compared to Evelyn...

I groaned. It felt like a lost cause.

I knew I was attractive, but compared to the hunters, I felt like I didn’t measure up. They were inherently more beautiful than humans, and yet, here I was—just human-level beautiful.

I glanced down at my outfit: black trousers and a simple yellow top.

I was content with it, but when I heard a knock on the door and rushed to open it, I regretted not putting in more effort. Evelyn appeared, looking breathtaking in a tight black dress that hugged her every curve.

She scanned me from head to toe. "You look great," she said, her tone polite.

I offered a tight-lipped smile. "Please, let's just get this over with."

__________

The party was overwhelming. The music was deafening, and people of all ages—both humans and hunters—danced, chatted, drank, and ate, enjoying themselves. But all I wanted was to return to my room.

Evelyn wouldn’t let me, though. She said it was mandatory, and I didn’t know how to get back. So, here I was, two hours later, still trapped at the party.

A tall, blonde hunter approached Evelyn and leaned down to whisper something in her ear.

She turned to me. "Kira, I’ll be right back. I need to take care of something."

A genuine smile crept onto my face, the first I’d managed all night. "No problem. Take your time."

Evelyn narrowed her eyes playfully. "You better still be here when I get back."

I fluttered my lashes. "Of course."

As soon as she left with him, I stuffed as many snacks into my pockets as I could and bolted from the building.

I pulled out a pack of chips and tore it open, savoring the crisp sound as I took the first bite. The cool night air was a welcome relief. It felt good to be alone for a moment, far from the noise and the eyes that made me feel like I was under a microscope.

But as I walked, the eerie silence of the forest around me began to settle in. The trees towered above, their thick branches blocking out the moonlight, and the more I wandered, the more it felt like I was trapped. Every direction seemed the same. I couldn’t even hear the muffled sounds of the party anymore. Panic began to creep in, and I stopped, trying to steady my breath.

I was lost.

I tried retracing my steps, but nothing looked familiar. The air grew colder, and the sense of déjà vu intensified. My heart started to race.

I stopped, trying to calm myself, but I couldn’t push away the creeping fear.

Then, just as I was about to turn back, a voice came from the shadows.

"You seem lost," it said calmly.

            ________________________

                AUTHOR'S NOTE

Popcorn's ready, hehe.