Episode 5

Siena

As dusk settles, after finishing tidying up the cabin, I light an oil lamp I found around here. The faint, flickering light illuminates the space, casting dancing shadows on the aged wooden walls. Fatigue weighs heavily on my shoulders, but I maintain a firm posture for Jasmine.

"Sie, I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?" Jasmine asks, rubbing her eyes, revealing that besides hunger, sleep is approaching.

"We have cookies. I'll get some for you," I say, heading towards my backpack.

Opening the backpack, I see a small bag of slightly crushed cookies. I swallow hard, thinking about how we will survive here without enough food.

"Here you go, little one," I say, handing it to her.

She takes the bag and starts eating. Then, she stops and looks at me.

"Sie, you're not eating. Don't you want any? I can share with you."

I kiss her head and whisper, "I'm not hungry, Jasmine. Eat without worrying, okay?"

She nods, and as I watch her eat, I think about everything we've been through, all the rejection we suffered at the orphanage. Sometimes I wonder why we were born into this world. Pain, rejection, abandonment – it was all she and I have ever known. Tears well up in my eyes as I think about it.

"Why are you crying, Sie? Is it because of the cookie?" she asks, looking at me with her innocent eyes.

I manage a small smile at her innocence in contrast to the wickedness of the world.

"Don't worry, Jasmine. It's not because of the cookie. But everything will be alright, now finish eating."

She nods and finishes eating. We are sitting on an old rug in the cabin. She gets up and sits on my lap, and I welcome her into my arms.

"Sie, you're like the fairies in the stories you used to read to me at the orphanage," she says, touching my face with her small fingers.

Wiping away the traces of tears from my face, I give a small smile at her words.

"I'm far from being a fairy, little one. Fairies are magical, enchanted. I'm just… me."

Jasmine rests her head on my chest, and her body relaxes in my arms. I feel the weight of her trust in me, and it gives me strength to carry on.

"But you're magical to me, Sie. You always protect me," she murmurs, already half asleep.

I stroke her golden curls, feeling the softness of the strands in my fingers. The world out there may be cruel, but here, in this cabin, I will create a refuge for the two of us. Even without knowing what the future holds, I am determined to do everything I can to keep her safe.

With Jasmine asleep in my arms, I look at the oil lamp that sways gently. The fear of the unknown still haunts me, but I can't afford to give in to despair. I have to be strong for both of us. Even if tomorrow brings new challenges, we will face them together.

As the night progresses, I hear a slight movement outside the cabin. My senses are on high alert, but the memory of Derek calms me down a bit. He protected us, and as much as I distrust his motives, I want to believe that he will keep us safe.

I rest my head against the wooden wall, trying to find some solace in the idea that maybe, just maybe, we've found a place to call home.

"Goodnight, little one," I whisper to Jasmine, and close my eyes, hoping that sleep will take me away, even if only for a few hours.

But that werewolf… Derek… His name still echoes in my thoughts, mixed with the promise of protection and the hope of a new beginning.

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