I woke up.
But I wasn't in my room.
The air smelled different.
Colder.
Older.
My eyes snapped open.
And my breath caught.
I was standing.
Dressed in white.
"No…" I whispered.
The dress flowed down around me, elegant and unfamiliar. Not something I would ever choose. Not something I remembered putting on.
Panic surged through me.
"Rachel? Olivia? Noah?!"
No answer.
The space around me slowly shifted into focus.
A hall.
But not a normal one.
Dark walls. Endless shadows. Candles flickering with unnatural stillness.
And at the far end—
An altar.
"No…" I repeated.
"You're awake."
I spun around.
Derick stood behind me.
Still smiling.
But now—
There was no pretending.
His eyes weren't right.
Too dark. Too deep.
"You're not him," I said, my voice shaking.
He tilted his head.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes!" I snapped. "Where are my friends?!"
"They're safe," he replied calmly. "For now."
My fists clenched.
"What do you want from me?"
He stepped closer.
Slow. Controlled.
"You already know," he said.
I shook my head. "No, I don't."
"Yes," he said softly. "You do."
The whisper returned.
Louder now. Clearer.
"Emily…"
My chest tightened.
"The forest," I whispered.
Derick smiled.
"Exactly."
The candles flickered violently.
"This isn't a wedding," I said.
"No," he agreed.
"It's a binding."
The word hit like a blow.
"A choice," he continued. "One you were always going to make."
"I'm not choosing anything!" I snapped.
Derick stopped in front of me.
Close now. Too close.
"You already did," he said quietly.
And suddenly—
Memories flickered.
The diary. The name. The pull. The whisper. Every step—had led here.
I staggered back. "No… this isn't real."
Derick's expression softened slightly. Almost pitying.
"It's real enough," he said.
The shadows shifted. Figures began to form around the hall. Watching. Waiting.
My breath came faster.
"Stop this!" I cried.
"You can still walk away," Derick said.
My heart pounded.
"Then let me go."
He smiled.
"I didn't say it would be easy."
The altar glowed faintly.
The pull surged—stronger than ever. Drawing me forward.
One step.
Then another.
"No," I whispered.
My body trembled. Not controlled. But tempted.
"You feel it," Derick said. "Where you belong."
"I don't belong here!" I shouted.
And with everything I had—I stepped back.
The room reacted.
The shadows twisted.
The candles flared.
Derick's expression darkened.
"Careful," he warned.
My chest burned.
"Or what?" I challenged.
Silence.
Then—
The whisper changed.
No longer soft.
Now—demanding.
"Emily."
My head snapped toward the sound.
Not the altar. Not Derick.
Behind me.
A door.
Barely visible.
But real.
My heart leapt.
"That's not part of this," Derick said sharply.
I didn't hesitate.
I ran.
"Emily, stop!" he shouted.
But I didn't.
The door grew clearer with every step.
The whisper changed again—guiding.
"Come."
I reached the door—grabbed the handle—and pulled.
The world shattered.
Cold air slammed into me.
Darkness swallowed everything.
And then—I was outside.
I stumbled forward—my feet hitting uneven ground. Leaves. Dirt. Roots.
My breath came in sharp gasps.
Slowly—I looked up.
And my heart stopped.
The forest.
Real.
Endless.
Silent.
Waiting.
The trees towered above me, their branches twisting like they had in my visions.
"I… made it," I whispered.
Behind me—the door was gone.
The house—gone.
Everything—gone.
Only the forest remained.
A faint whisper echoed through the trees. Not distant anymore. All around me.
"Emily…"
I turned slowly.
And for the first time—I understood.
This wasn't escape.
This was arrival.
The forest hadn't been trying to take me.
It had been waiting—for me to choose it.