.

The night was a true wonder, as it lay between perfection and cold dread. Which side it would reveal today remained uncertain for the young brunette. But one thing the girl could say was that it was an especially quiet night. It was best compared to the moment when water withdrew before crashing against the cliffs, forming a wave.

As if the world were taking a deep breath.

Outside, on the narrow paths separating the barracks, there was not a soul in sight. Not even the wind kept Lily company tonight.
Dreamily, the girl stood in front of her hut and gazed at the sky.
Bright, pale yellow was the crescent-shaped moon on the horizon, surrounded by a thousand sparkling crystals, the stars. In the twilight of the night, they formed a fine mist. Their light was clear and pure, majestic, almost mystical.

Immediately, a particular diamond of the night, a star, caught Lily's eye and made her grin widely.
Just an hour ago, she had been stargazing with Will. They lay together on the muddy ground, their hands touching the entire time. Even now, Lily could feel that pleasant tingling in her stomach.
Lost in thought, she stood in the midst of the darkness in front of her home and closed her eyes.

"Do you know what you remind me of?" echoed the deep voice of the boy in her memory.

His woody scent immediately wafted into her nose. She had gazed at him expectantly from the side.
His dark skin was flawless except for a tiny scar on his cheekbone. He also had a very distinct jawline, which visibly tensed under his stern gaze. To her, Will looked like a perfect painting.

Slowly, he averted his gaze from the stars and looked into her face. The moonlight reflected in his black eyes like on the calm surface of a lake. He gently tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear with his fingertip, and the spot where he had touched her tingled pleasantly.

"What?" Lily had asked.
"You remind me of that star. Because no matter how dark it is around him, he always shines the brightest of all. He's the one who turns the bleak space above us into a night sky. Every evening, he's the first and in the morning, the last star I see."
Those had been his words after he had pointed to the sparkling spot in the sky. The stars shone peacefully, as if their watchful gaze rested on the world's happenings.

Breathing heavily, Lily opened her eyes, biting her lower lip in happiness, trying not to burst into laughter. Her stomach felt like a butterfly house, with butterflies fluttering wildly throughout her body. Every time he looked at her, Lily felt like the most beautiful creature in the world.

Furthermore, he revived the long-lost dream in her, the dream that they could build a life together in the city. A life of freedom, a place where they could do as they pleased. Even in this place, where her life held more cruelty and pain than anyone could imagine, Will made it at least full of love. Since she had known him, she just wanted to sing and dance every day, at any time.

Her wonderful evening didn't last forever. Instead of finally going into her barracks, Lily had been dancing around it for an eternity. Unaware that this feeling would soon come to an abrupt end: The darkness seemed to be her friend.

However, the next thunderclap in the distance woke Lily from her dream. Startled, she looked at the sky. Clouds had already formed, slowly consuming the sparkle of the stars. Like a demonic force, they crept across the night sky, stealing its beauty.

With quick steps, the young girl entered her run-down wooden hut. Most of the corners had cracked and rotted due to untreated wood, which made it smell unpleasantly like a damp cellar. Recently, she had desperately tried to seal the numerous gaps with mud to protect herself from the whistling wind, but it was in vain as the dried mud simply fell off.

Another thunderclap. Now, the pitch-black night was revealing its second face, Lily thought, while she glanced at it one last time. The next thunder was accompanied by rain. It was not a torrential rain, but she could imagine how it turned the many small paths into a swamp.

Hastily, Lily grabbed the handle of the plywood plank, representing a makeshift door, and attempted to close it with great effort. Unfortunately, the untreated wood had absorbed rainwater over the past few days, causing the board and frame not to match.

"This damn... door," Lily panted as she struggled against the makeshift barrier.

Unexpectedly, the wood gave way and crashed into the opening it had covered. The sudden movement sent her crashing to the ground, followed by a sharp pain in her hand. Cursing, she clutched her wrist in an attempt to alleviate the pain. In vain. Tomorrow, there would likely be a significant swelling.

Apprehensively, the young girl glared at the doorknob before grabbing it. A bitter laugh escaped her as she desperately rattled it. Of course, the lousy thing had to get stuck now.

"This is such crap," she cursed and kicked the damp, rotting wood.

She had managed to lock herself inside this windowless nightmare. Due to the short but intense effort, her muscles were burning, and the fall had left her hand hurting. But that was not all, as the damn door was now jammed.

Powerless, the girl also realized that her last candle had burned out. There was nothing she could do but fumble through the sparsely furnished chamber. The initial euphoria gave way to sheer exhaustion. Annoyed, Lily pushed her brown hair back and sighed. If she told Will about this tomorrow, he would probably laugh at her.

Tired, she slipped into her thin nightgown and lay down on her austere bed. She quickly wrapped herself in the linen cloth.

The gentle drizzle seemed to have turned into a full-blown storm. By now, it sounded like a thousand little imps running across the roof. Furiously, Lily stared at the door; she knew it was just an object, but at that moment, she blamed it for everything that had gone wrong. After a while, fatigue caught up with her, and she fell into an almost comatose sleep.

Something was amiss.

It was just a feeling, but within seconds, Lily felt the urge to flee. Rain poured outside, but it wasn't that which had awoken the girl.

Someone was here.
She was sure of it. She instinctively felt this presence.

Anxiously, Lily stared at the locked door. She felt her heart pounding wildly against her chest, and for a fraction of a second, she was relieved that her only entrance was sealed. Almost silently, she pushed herself upright and pressed her ear against the thin wooden wall separating her from the dark outside world. Her breath was frantic, so she held it to listen better. It took a moment before she could hear it clearly.

Footsteps.

An icy chill overcame her, and her body began trembling uncontrollably. Someone was creeping around her hut. The squelching sound of shoes in the mud was all too clear. Then she understood what was happening.

The DOOR!

Something was moving straight towards the door. Panicked, she turned around, but she felt like a trapped animal in her own trap. There was no escape! Would someone find her in this place? The only thought her deprived brain could muster ordered her to ensure that no one could enter. Panting, Lily rushed to the entrance and leaned her entire body against it.

Outside, she heard the man's heavy breathing, and the sound seemed to burn into her. The usually protective darkness was becoming an oppressive space around her. Pale and almost faint, she struggled to breathe.

"Open the door!" the man's demonic voice ordered, piercing directly through the barrier into her ear.

Behind her, the empty, dark room seemed more threatening than ever before. It felt as if every second, a creature of the night would reach out for her naked ankles and drag her into the underworld. The words of the stranger echoed in her head, and his voice conjured grotesque faces in her imagination, lusting for her soul in the darkness. Her pulse soared, and the unbearable sound echoed in her ears.

Outside, the man's hand slid over the thin wood. The sound was unpleasant, like someone quickly coloring with markers.

Stop, she silently begged.
Helplessly, she pressed her hands against her mouth to stifle her plaintive sobs, while tears blurred her vision.

"Congratulations, little girl, you've been chosen for our special treatment," he sneered, then paused.

Without another word, the stranger took a deep breath, readying himself for the final push. With a loud crash, the door shattered under the impact of his boot. This final kick immediately silenced her, and her body fell to the ground as if in slow motion. Shaking, Lily tried to get up, but she couldn't. She was heaving, spewing bile, and crying. She looked down and saw vomit in her hair.

The last thing the young girl recognized was the man's wicked grin and a bestial desire. In that moment, she knew it would be a night of cold dread.

Afterward, her world was swallowed by the deepest darkness.

Hoping she would never wake up again.