Prologue 2.

A car sped a country road, the outskirts between Artull and Armull, in the countryside of Lailin. 

A father and two kids. With his children in the back, they talked to each other. Discussed games and played 'guess the song' before they talked about what they were to do when they reached the campsite.

The father often changed his glances between the road at the rearview mirror that had the reflection of both of his children. A smile grew on his lips. "What are you two doing back there?".

"We're playing games, Dad," one of his sons responded.

The other asked, "When will we be there, Daddy?".

"Soon, soon. Only a few more minutes. His eyes moved to his left, there he saw the vast forest. "See all these trees here? We'll be walking through them. Camping.". He paused, his eyes gazing at his children through his rear-view mirror once again. "Are you two excited?".

The younger of his sons nodded his head profusely. "Yes! Yes! Yes!!".

With that, the father looked back at the road, turning a bend before his attention, as always, was caught by the small, swinging picture of his late wife.

'I wish you were still here with us,' he thought to himself. 'I am well, we are well. I am taking care of them just fine. Maybe you see us from up above. We're going camping. I know they'd love it if their mother got to join them alongside their father too.'.

Minutes later, they turned into a parking. They've arrived.

With the 3 of them all getting out and reaching to get their things from the trunk, their father called them over. "Alright, you see that opening into the forest, we'll go there. We don't have much to go. Alright?".

"Yes, daddy!" his younger son responded.

With him looking at his older son, he nodded as a reply to his father's words.

"Alright, let's go then.". With that, he led his two sons into the woods.

They followed a trail that slowly began to fade, however, not long passed before they reached a clearance. "Daddy, are we there yet??".

"Yes, we're here... I think we'll be fine here.".

"Where will we get water, Dad?... And wood for a fire?" his eldest son asked.

"Water... we'll find a stream nearby. But we're surrounded by trees. We'll find wood somewhere," their father responded.

And just that happened. With them all leaving their stuff on the grass, they began their way to get the resources they needed for the night. Wood being the first. The father brought an empty canister with him in case they found a stream nearby.

Minutes later, they come across a sound.

"Do you hear that?" the father asked, looking at his kids.

"What?" his youngest son asked,

"Water..." his father whispered as a small smile grew on his lips. "Let's go! The first one there wins!". With a wave of laughter, they all ran toward the sound of the running water. Through all the trees.

However, it wasn't until a "Daddy!?" that the father's heart dropped to the ground.

"Daniel?... Daniel??" he called out

"Daddy, where are you??".

"I'm here... wait, call out for me. Is Jameson with you too, baby?" The father asked, feeling his palms begin sweating as his heart pounded against his chest.

"Yes, he is.". Daniel paused. "Daddy, I see a man here...".

"Don't approach him!" the father shouted as he moved through a bush. Getting through to the other side, he saw his two boys and a figure standing. It's back facing them.

"Who's that, dad??" Jameson asked as he had Daniel in his arms.

"I don't know..." the father responded, reaching his children. A second later, clearing his throat, he called out, "Hey!... Who are you?".

No response.

Kneeling to his boys, he told them, "Stay here. Daddy is just going to see if the man is okay. Alright?".

"Be careful, Dad..." Jameson responded, furrowing his brows in pure fear.

"Hey..." the father called out again as he approached the standing figure. "Are you alright?...".

Still no response. So the father walked further toward the figure. "Sorry, are you alright?". He placed his hand on the shoulder of the figure, covered by a khaki coat. Cold and wet. As if they'd been in water.

Looking down at the sleeves of the coat, they were draining, drop by drop, from water. Only then, did the figure begin to turn around.

The father looked up, his eyes pointed toward the pale, almost bruised skin of the figure. His eyes widened as he slowly began to walk away. He noticed its eyes were bloodshot as a part of the left side of its lip was missing.

"What the fuck..." he muttered under his breath. What he was looking at, it wasn't a human being like he thought it would be, yet it was some sort of a creature.

However, before he could do anything, a scream came out.

"Daddy!?!".