Blood Moon: The Dark Academy

Episode Six: The Lost Child

Marina

"Mama, come find me." My little one's voice echoed through our tiny, dimly lit house as I searched playfully.

"Mateo, come out, come out, wherever you are."

He had an uncanny talent for hide-and-seek, but for the past few days, his mischief had taken on a new edge. I tiptoed to the bed, one of his favored hideouts. Kneeling down, I yanked up the bed skirt with a flourish, expecting giggles to spill from behind the dust and cobwebs.

"I found you!" I exclaimed, but the empty space mocked me. Only remnants of neglect lingered beneath.

"Not there," Mateo's voice teased, a note of mischief lacing his tone that felt strangely hollow.

"Hmm." I mused, an unsettling feeling creeping into the back of my mind. "Where else could little Mateo be?"

There were only so many places to hide in our small, one-story shack, and I knew all of his favorite spots well.

"Perhaps," I said, sauntering over to the broom closet. "Could he be in here?"

I pulled the closet open, only to be met by our dusty old mop and bucket.

His laughter rang through the house like a distant bell, mirthful yet chilling.

"Alright, Mateo," I called out, my voice shaking as I raised my hands in mock surrender. "I give up."

"Don't give up so soon, Mommy." His tone shifted, darkening like storm clouds, a hint of something sinister lurking beneath. "I'm waiting for you."

A chill slithered down my spine, my vision darkened, like I was looking through a long black tunnel, instinct urging me to look outside. As I turned to the window, dread filled my chest; Mateo stood at the edge of our yard, just on the brink of the dark forest that loomed behind him, his warm smile glowing against the encroaching twilight. The sun was already threatening to set, its light waning, shadows stretching like fingers across the ground. In just a few hours, that wretched red moon would be hung in the sky.

"Mateo!" I screamed, my heart racing, panic coursing through my veins as he waved, blissfully unaware—or perhaps knowingly—of the danger nearby. His cropped blonde hair danced in the chilling breeze, his laughter lingering with an unsettling echo, almost taunting.

I flung open the front door, terror propelling me forward as I sprinted toward the woods.

"No!" I yelled, desperation fueling my flight as he faded into the suffocating dark of the trees, the sounds of his laughter morphing into something more monstrous with every footfall I took.

Lucas

We were packed into the auditorium like sardines, the musty smell of old wood filling the air. The space wasn't designed to accommodate the full capacity of the school, so many students were crowded against the walls, shifting uncomfortably and stealing glances at the stage. Volcan stood there, a commanding figure, illuminated by the harsh lights above that almost made him look larger than life.

I scanned the room, noting the familiar faces among the throng. Hector and Olivia were jammed to my right, whispering softly. However, my heart ached for Claire, who should have been sitting beside me. Instead, she was still in the hospital, recovering. A heavy pang of guilt settled in my chest—if only I had kept it together during the fight, maybe things would be different.

I let out a deep, contemplative sigh, feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me. Bruce, who had swooped in to rescue both of us, had insisted time and again that none of this was my fault, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was to blame for her absence.