Ava tries to resist, but it is useless. The moment she closes her eyes, she’s transported back to the same nightmare she had before. She wanders around aimlessly looking for a way out, but she can’t seem to find one, and nothing Anne said earlier seems to help either.
What secrets was she talking about?
The truth in my blood? What is that?
This is useless; I need to find a way out of here, and quick!
Ava goes deeper into the labyrinth as howls echo through its walls. From a corner, a wolf stares at her before suddenly vanishing into the darkness.
In a state of desperation and fear, she calls for Anne, but no one answers.
“Anne, where are you? I need you!” she shouts.
A figure hidden in the shadows emerges from behind her.
“I’m here, Ava; don’t be afraid; no one will harm you!”
"Anne, where have you been?”
“I’ve been here for a long time! Lying in the shadows, dormant and almost forgotten, waiting for you. Waiting for the right moment to reveal the truth.”
“What truth?”
“The truth, that the life you’ve known until now is a lie!”
“No, that’s not true!”
“But it is only a small piece of the whole truth! One you will have to find yourself!”
“No, I don’t believe you!”
“You may choose to keep living this life, but you will never truly be free.”
“Why not?”
“Because deep inside, you know it to be true."
Ava remains silent.
“The pack is calling. Will you heed its call? The choice is yours; I’ll be here when you do," and she vanishes.
Ava wakes up, troubled, thinking about what Anne said.
It was all just a dream, right? It can’t be real!
It’s not real! Calm down; everything is okay now!
It’s early morning, and through her small bedroom window, she is able to watch the rain falling outside. Feeling better, she removes her bandage and gets out of bed. Eager to surprise Caden and Adeline, she sneaks downstairs without making a sound. Meanwhile, someone is knocking at the door.
Who could that be?
He appears to be an elderly man, and that voice—I’ve heard it before.
Caden lets him inside, takes a key from the hook, and they ultimately make their way into the study.
Ava is able to remain hidden, so she sneaks up to the study’s door to overhear their conversation.
“Is it secure, Caden?”
"Yes, Doctor, no one will listen to us here.”
“I came because I need your help, my friend. You’re the only person I can trust!”
“What’s wrong doctor?”
“Do you remember Dr. Rosenthal?”
“Sure, he was a brilliant man who ended up on the wrong side. Had a daughter named Anneliese if i recall correctly.”
“Do you remember the circumstances of his death?”
“As far as I know, he burned his own lab, along with all his research! He died in that fire, but his daughter was never found."
“You are wrong, Caden; not all his research turned to ash.”
The doctor reaches for his briefcase, picks up a small black book, and shows it to Caden.
“This is Dr. Rosenthal’s diary. In it, he documented every failure and every progress he’s made while conducting his research.”
“How did you get it?” Caden asks.
“This little black book was entrusted to me by a very good friend of mine. Unfortunately, he recently passed away under mysterious circumstances.”
“You think somebody else is looking for that diary?”
“No doubt, and I fear that I may suffer the same fate.”
“Why don’t you destroy it then?"
“As a doctor, I must admit that, despite Dr. Rosenthal’s unethical practices, I believe his research can prove invaluable to mankind!”
“You can’t be serious; do you remember what it did to the others!”
"I know it too well, Caden; the secrets contained in this diary have indeed the potential to either heal us or exterminate us. We can't let it fall into the wrong hands!"
“Why risk it then?”
"Please, my friend, promise me you’ll keep it safe.”
“I’ll promise if you guarantee Ava’s safety. She’s all that matters.”
“You know you can trust me; no harm will come to her!”
“Give it to me then; I know of a safe place to hide it."
“Thank you, my friend; I will not forget this.”
Caden opens a drawer in his desk and removes its contents, among which is a wooden board.
“A false bottom? Oh Caden, you’re full of surprises!”
Caden smiles.
“You came to check on Ava’s progress, right?” Caden asks.
“Yes, how is she?”
“She’s feeling better; she must be awake by now.”
“Let’s go see her.”
Ava hurries upstairs, trying to remain undetected. She gently closes the door, and jumps into bed, hoping no one noticed. After a moment, Caden knocks on her door.
To be continued…