Chapter 3

Kenny’s breath came in ragged gasps as he ran, his feet pounding against the forest floor. The undergrowth rustled around him, branches slashing at his arms, but he barely noticed. A strange energy coursed through him, propelling him forward faster than he ever thought possible. It was as if fear itself had given him wings.

He wanted to scream, to call for help, but what good would that do? Wang lived alone on the outskirts of town, and by now, most people would be busy in their shops or out working the fields. The only ones who would hear him were the very people he was running from.

His mind raced as he wove between the trees. He had no idea if the two strangers were still on his heels or if he had lost them. His ears strained for any sound—footsteps, breaking twigs, anything—but all he heard was the eerie howl of a wolf in the distance. His stomach twisted. That didn’t make sense. There were no wolves in these parts.

But he had no time to think about that now. He knew these woods better than anyone and had explored every path and hidden trail since he was a child. Taking a sharp turn, he darted down a narrow shortcut that led straight to the town centre. Within moments, he emerged into the bustling streets, surrounded by the comforting hum of merchants and townsfolk. Safety.

The strangers couldn’t touch him here.

He staggered into Uncle Orvin’s blacksmith shop, panting heavily. The heat from the forge hit him like a wall, and the clang of hammer on metal rang through the air. Orvin, a broad-shouldered man with soot-streaked arms, looked up from his work, frowning.

“What’s wrong with you, boy?” he barked. “You know better than to run in a workshop!”

Kenny tried to catch his breath, his chest heaving. “Grandpa Wang…” he gasped. “He’s dead.”

Orvin’s frown deepened. He set his hammer down, wiping his hands on his apron. “What are you talking about?”

Kenny swallowed hard. “Two people—a man and a woman—attacked him.”

“Attacked?” Orvin’s brow furrowed. “Were you there?”

Kenny hesitated. How was he supposed to explain what happened? The walls glowing, the strange tattoo, Wang’s final words. His uncle was a practical man, not one to entertain nonsense. He needed to tread carefully.

“I… I don’t know why they were there,” he finally said. “But they knew him.”

Orvin crossed his arms. “And they just let you go?”

“When they pulled out a knife, I ran,” Kenny admitted. “Grandpa Wang told me to.”

Orvin studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he turned to the cobbler, Mr. Kanti, who had been watching the exchange. “Come with me,” Orvin said. “We’re going to Wang’s house.”

Kenny’s stomach clenched. He didn’t want his uncle to go there. What if those people were still there? Orvin wouldn’t stand a chance. But then his uncle said something that made Kenny feel like an idiot.

“Go to the police,” Orvin ordered. “Tell them what happened.”

Of course. Why hadn’t he thought of that first?

He nodded quickly and sprinted toward the police station, pushing his burning legs to move faster. When he burst through the doors, the officers looked up in surprise.

“There’s been a murder,” Kenny blurted out, struggling for breath. “Grandpa Wang… two strangers… attacked…”

The officers didn’t hesitate. Within moments, they were gathering their weapons, and mounting their horses. Kenny led them back through the winding streets, dread settling deep in his bones.

When they reached Wang’s house, the sight that met them was worse than anything Kenny had imagined.

Wang’s body lay in the middle of the floor, torn apart. Deep claw marks raked across his chest, his face frozen in a silent scream. Blood stained the wooden planks, seeping into the cracks like ink.

Kenny’s stomach churned.

One of the officers knelt beside the body, his face pale. “Looks like an animal attack.”

“No way,” another officer muttered. “What sort of animal could do this much damage”.

"Beats me, almost seems personal, an animal that went way out of its way to attack an old man in his house"

"Perhaps, it's for the food"

"Yeah, probably, the house has been turned upside down"

The room buzzed with murmurs, speculation spreading like wildfire. Kenny felt Orvin’s hand clamp onto his shoulder and steer him away from the crowd. Once they were out of earshot, his uncle turned to him, his eyes sharp.

“Tell me everything.”

Kenny swallowed. “Not here.”

Orvin’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. The police soon dispersed, carrying Wang’s body away. One of the officers pulled Kenny aside before he left.

“We’ll need you to come by later,” he said. “Give a full statement.”

Kenny nodded absently. He wasn’t sure how much he could—or should—tell them. Not until he understood what had really happened.

Because deep down, he knew this wasn’t just an animal attack.

Something far worse was at play.