It was angry, she couldn’t deny the ominous aura that surrounded their colorless cabin. She stood in the middle of their living room and shook from head to foot. Her heart pounded relentlessly; she could almost see it taking shape over her grey dress. The colorless sofa which was the only furniture inside their living room suddenly burst into flame.
     
A desperate cry escaped from her mouth as the apparition materialized in front of her. She heard its heavy breathing. Every intake of breath it took made her take a step back. The fear it imposed upon her bloomed wildly, licking every corner of her being. She started to cry, but the tears that fell from her eyes weirdly felt hotter than usual, and as more dropped from her viridian globes, the hotter it got. It was scalding her cheeks, it stung. She tried to stop her tears but to her surprise, they kept falling, becoming searing hot which forced her to scream in pain.

The apparition before her only stood unreadable, motionless and it watched as she tried to move away. She covered her face with her palms and fell to the floor.
     
By now, blood had oozed from the path where her tears run down. She kept screaming in agony. She crawled on the floor desperately, without direction. She felt it move behind her, trailing the path she took. "Please stop! I beg you, stop," she screamed at top of her lungs, but the pain remained.
     
"You hurt me," it replied, its voice sounded like thunder, echoing inside their cabin, loud, angry, and punishing.
     
"I dint do anything," she replied desperately.
     
As quick as the pain came it disappeared. She took huge breaths finally relieved of the burning tears. But just as she thought things were over, a crippling pain engulfed her right side. The pain was a thousand times more punishing than the boiling tears. Blood began to trickle from the wound that suddenly appeared. She tried to cover it with her hand hoping to stop the bleeding, but just as she laid her hand on it, the blood sprayed violently. Like a faucet, her wound oozed blood nonstop, creating a pool of red around her. Desperately, she tried to crawl away, but fell face down, slipping from the crimson fluid that bathed her.
     
"You hurt me," the shadow said yet again. But this time, she glared at it.
     
"Let me go," she screamed between labored breaths. "Never," the shadow replied. She shrieked as the intensity in his voice shattered their roof. Her eyes began to widen, eyeballs almost bulging out as she saw small spheres of fire raining down on her. The first sphere landed on one of her legs and it immediately burned her skin. She screamed as the smell of burnt flesh filled their small cabin. She glared at her shadowy captor, but the pain never wavered. Another sphere fell on top of her head, and her long hair burst into flames.
     
Finally succumbing to the immeasurable pain, she whispered, "I'm sorry," and everything went black.
                                                                                   ***
     
It roamed around their cabin. Angry and cursing. It made its surroundings searing hot then freezing cold, unable to subdue the claw of anger that took hold of its heart. She almost broke free. It took so much to trap her there and yet it can’t deny their impending doom. But to give up on her, after everything, was futile.

It would dig its claw deeper and hold on to her tighter. No matter if she breaks or succumbs it has found its resolution. If their end was the only visible path, then it would pave the way to a new one. One that she'd willingly accept, one where she'd be happy, one where she no longer deemed it as something abominable.
                                                                                 ***
       
She was awakened by the freezing cold engulfing her room. She tried to get up but found both her wrist chained to the wall above her. She tried to pull herself free but failed. The chains only made a clicking sound which forced her to instantly freeze. The last thing she wanted was to see the apparition. In her moment of silence and stillness, she realized the absence of pain. The side of her body which once bled a river of blood no longer pained her. Her face no longer stings from the wounds created by her tears. Her hair no longer burns. Her clothes were clean.  No trace of the grisly onslaught remained. Feeling relieved, she relaxed on her bed, but the peace she felt became a banter because her door suddenly swung open, revealing the shadowy figure, this time, its hands were not merely black, it was covered with orange light. She shook her head and looked at it again, it wasn't an orange light. Its hands were engulfed in flames. As quick as a lightning, it appeared above her, straddling her. The burning hands found their way down her throat and she screamed in horror.
     
She can't remember how long those hands stayed on her neck but the pain it gave drained her strength and will. She was left motionless, bleeding on her jugular, choking on her blood. Once again she fell into slumber. Another waking hour, and once again she found no trace of the previous assault but her hand remains chained to the wall. She cried silently. The fear possessing her at that very moment cannot be compared to anything. Her body began to shake, rattling her chains. Her lips quivered. Her head was barely able to register the fast beating of her heart.
     
Defeated... Burned... Hopeless... Escape was a dream. Escape was a dream.
                                                                            ***

The melodic sound of birds woke Esther. She got up from the bed and walked towards the window. She opened the curtains and was greeted by a cool breeze. Early rays of sunlight casting multiple shadows on the lawn before her, made her heart flutter. Perhaps Mori was right she thought to herself. Maybe, just maybe, if she tries to live a bit, her life and Gen's might not take too much out of her. For the first time in her life after nine long years, Esther was prepared to take a step forward. Miniscule perhaps, but steps forward nonetheless.
                                                                              ***
       
Dr. Zackary lay awake on his bed. Sleep has eluded him the entire night. The information he gained from Genelyn Calderon piqued his interest. The gruesome murder she committed was far from what her personality would permit. The shadow she spoke of sounded so alive, her vivid description and the conversations she had with it awoke an excitement within him. Her case might just be the challenge he always longed for.