ETERNAL NIGHT

. Her head throbbed; a sharp pain radiated from the base of her skull and her limbs felt heavy, as if they were not entirely her own. The antiseptic odor was overwhelming, stinging her nostrils

acking her, its savage jaws sinking into her flesh. She remembered pain, unbearable pain. And J

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er throat. She swallowed, attempting to muster enough strength to sit upright. "You were attacked," the woman elucidated, drawing closer. "You're in the hospital. My name is Dr. Emma Taylor. You've been unconscious for approximately a day." Ava frowned, striving to piece together the fragments of her memory: the pain, the blood, the creature. However, the recollections eluded her grasp, slipping away like grains of sand. "The a

abilize herself. "Take it easy, Ava," Dr. Taylor remarked, her tone gentle yet firm. She placed a hand on Ava's shoulder, guiding her back down onto the pillow. "You've been through quite an ordeal; your body needs time to heal." Ava did not protest, but her thoughts raced. She couldn't concentrate on anything other than the persistent fear th

I don't feel like myself." Dr. Taylor paused, evidently selecting her words with caution. "You're not merely healing at an accelerated rate, Ava. You're healing in a manner that eludes full explanation. Your body is reacting in ways I cannot entirely elucidate. Nevertheless, there is nothing physically amiss. You're strong-stronger than you were prior to the incident." Ava swallowed hard, attempting to recon

d. The doctor offered Ava a reassuring smile prior to rising. "I'll be right back. Stay here and rest. I'll have someone bring you something to eat shortly." Ava nodded, her gaze trailing Dr. Taylor as she exited the room. Alone, she permitted herself to inhale deeply, her body sinking back into the hospital bed. The enigmatic alterations within her body

ed strange, unfamiliar. Her senses were heightened and she couldn't shake the sensation that something was amiss. Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door jolted her. Before she could react, the door swung open and a figure entered. It was a man-tall, with tousled dark hair and piercing blue eyes. His presence was magnetic, almost unsettling, as if he bore an

. "Not yet, however, I know you." His gaze lingered on her briefly before he continued