"Reil, where the heck have you been? Do you have any idea of how we have been worried about you?" Emiem asked placing her hands either side of her hips the moment I stepped inside the cottage in early morning 7:00 am, uhh maybe late morning.

I'm not in the mood to talk or listen to her blabbering so I made my way towards my room ignoring her calling my name and slammed the door in front of her face.

"What happened to you?" I heard her say on the other end of the door but I made my heart as stone as hard and decided to take a warm bath, maybe it could heal my wound that I'm feeling both internally and externally.

I stripped my clothes and stepped on the shower. As expected the water healed my body pain. Then what about my feelings? No one care.

I slumped on the cold tiles while the warm water is pouring all over my body. My tears are mixed with the water and I stayed there for almost an hour, waffling for my loss. I can buy a new Scooty but I can't fill the memory, that my dad gave to me.

"I'm sorry. I failed to keep you safe. I'm so sorry." I murmured what seemed to age until I feel like my skins are burning. And when I looked at my hand I could see the angry wrinkles all over my finger and palm.

Heaving a heavy sigh, I finished my bath within 5 minutes and stepped out of the bathroom wrapping a pink towel around my small frame. I looked at the image who is looking back at me through the mirror and cried even harder.

I had thought I'm a strong girl who never cries for a silly reason until today. It took me 10 more minutes to calm down. I glanced at the wall clock, it shows 9:00 am. I'm late...

I went through the closet and decided to wear a simple plain black shirt and paired with the white Pant. For me, today is a black day.

Once I put my underwear, I looked back at the mirror and examined my wrist just below my palm where I had a fresh purple stain half day ago and now it has turned into dry brown like I had a bruised wrist a week ago, not yesterday. How it's possible?

And then I turned my back to examine the ugly wound which will definitely leave a permanent scar, and to my surprise, the wound has faded completely and I can see the faint trace of the scar if I look more closely and I can't even feel any pain.

IM.POSSI.BLE!

He is not a magician, will he?

And I recalled the dream as it felt so fucking real. Wait... I was in the basement which is an open area under the control of that monster. That means Heil could have come there and it could have eaten me right there if it wants but why it didn't happen?

But someone is there while I was drowning in my sadness. And it can't be a normal human because everyone is afraid of Heil, then who would be there?

A hand, yes I remember. A hand placed a cold cloth on my forehead because I had a severe fever which would burn a whole city. And he even applied the lotion to my back.

Would it be Heil?

Shitt! Something really bad had happened to my head otherwise I wouldn't have think of these shit. I think I'm overthinking.

I dressed up in a hurry and combed my black hair until it shone. I applied the concealer just below my eyes where I got a black bag but I couldn't hide my red shoot eyes which I got as a reward of crying over an hour.

Everyone must have left the cottage to start their investigations. I think it's better to tell them the truth. Then they won't waste their time for collecting a piece of solid evidence to prove the heil is not real. At least we can process our next step as to how to kill the monster.

Yeah! We have already planned this if the monster is real, we are going to kill because it had drunk most innocent people's blood. And it deserved to die.

Okay... I inhaled sharply and made my way out of my rooms but I think I have forgotten something. Yeah! Where is my bag? I don't remember it was with me when I came to the cottage.

Arggg! I must have left them in his cabin. But wait. How did he do this? I mean from where did he get the liquid the one he inject me?

He is living here for ages. He must have known about the cruel heil and may have medicine for its bites or whatever damage it will cause. After all, he is the maintainer here, they won't hire him without reason.

Okay? But how did the injury in my wrist faded? It was caused by him, not the Heil, isn't it? Huh! If the liquid has the power to heal the monster's gift then the human gift is nothing in front of that liquid, it's like a drop in the sea and who care that drop.

Am I right? Or I assume everything?

Huhhh? Lots of confusion!

He is the answer to all my questions but I'm not going to ask him. I will find out on my own without his concern. Haven't I said I'm hating him for my own passion?

First, I wanted to get my bag from his cabin as soon as possible with that I started to walk towards the research center with a heavy heart. Yesterday at the same time I was happy with my baby but in a blink of eyes, everything changed.

Once I reached the building Rakesh crushed me in his open arms leaving me to struggle for breath. What the hell happened to him?

"You are crushing me you--"

"Idiot. Right?" He finished the sentence on behalf of me.

"Absolutelyyy!" I muttered under my breath.

"By the way, Reil I have a piece of good news for you." He grinned like he achieved something first time in his life.

"I found one book from the old buildings which can feed us with more information we need. I'm giving this to you." He handed me a dusty book which looked like the book was written over a century ago.

"Did you go through the books?" I asked.

"No...and it's not my duty." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

"Let see. How it's gonna helpful." I said and turned my heels to leave.

"Seriously, no hug?" I heard him whine.

I have no idea what got into my mind. I turn around and hugged him tightly more enough to make him squeal. "Girl! You have a bone of rhinoceros." He rubbed his chest.

"Then stay away from me," I smirked before made my way towards my cabin. I placed the book inside the drawer and wrote a quick note in my mind about giving a glance to this book, later.

I took my phone from my bag which was placed on the table...wait... how come it possible. Huhhhh! He is annnnnoyingggg. He must have the spare key for all the rooms.

Idiot! I cursed him a thousand times.

---

"So, do you guys have any idea why we are gathering here?" I asked my colleagues, as a response they looked at each other's faces and shrugged their shoulders.

"We are going to stop our investigations--"

"That's great! I didn't like to stay here for another six months." Natasha started to sing looking upwards clutching her both hands like she won a lottery.

This girl...

"I didn't finish yet. You may sit." I dismissed her. She scoffed but sat down anyway.

"We are going to bring our project to the next level." Pin drop silent occupied the hall.

If it is a multinational company and the manager had announced those words everyone would have cheered loudly because they succeed and may expect to get a promotion, but here the matter is vice versa. We are going to start a war in the battle with Heil. As a result, we may lose our precious life too."

"But..but..bu--" Chole shuttered unable to finish her sentence.

"I have proof of that." I opened my bag and took the brown hair from the small glass that I have kept from day one then showed it to them. They have no clue about what I'm doing.

"This is the monster's hair which I found on that old lady's dead body." I put the hair back in the glass and placed my laptop on the table.

I showed them a video of me taking the DNA test and the output of the positive results. They have the curiosity of how I get the two matches.

"The cut in my back was caused by none other than the monster. For my luck, I reached our territory or else it would have drunk my blood as to how it had tasted my single drop."

"Ohh!" Everyone voiced as a chorus.

"The next day morning I found the drop of saliva on the plastic cover where the heil stood in front of the gate. And now it was proved that the Heil named monster is real and we are going to work harder to get the monster down."

The colors in everyone's face dropped making them look like a ghost, I either had this effect on my face when I saw the monster but they couldn't have noticed that, because I'm blessed with pale skin, aren't I?

"Now tell me who is willing to bring this project to the next level? Others can leave. I will book a ticket for you."

Hesitantly, one by one raised their hand. "We are ready for the mission." Yes! That's my girls. I cheered internally.

"And I'm going to work with you too." said a voice from the doorway making everyone's head turned towards him.

He is the last person I would beg for help!

*