The Last Hour

Maria’s voice was steady but carried an undeniable urgency as she sat across from Cancer in the dimly lit kitchen. The soft glow of the moonstone necklace resting against Cancer’s chest cast shimmering patterns over the worn wooden table, flickering like ghostly flames in the quiet room. Shadows danced across the walls, mirroring the storm of unease swirling between them.

“You need to leave before midnight,” Maria said, her eyes flicking nervously toward the clock hanging above the doorway. Its ticking seemed unnaturally loud in the stillness, each second dragging out the weight of her words. “Before the new day begins. The moment the clock strikes twelve, everything changes.”

Cancer’s brow furrowed, confusion mixing with a rising tide of anxiety. “Why? What happens at midnight? Why can’t I stay here? This is my home.”

Maria took a slow breath, her hands tightening into fists on the table as if grasping for strength. “Because they’re coming,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper that still carried an edge sharp enough to cut through the silence. “The ones who’ve hunted us for generations. The ones who want the moonstone—your moonstone. They won’t wait for a convenient hour or a perfect moment. If you don’t leave now, if you hesitate even for a second, you’ll never have a chance to protect it… or yourself.”

Cancer’s heart hammered in her chest. She stared at Maria, searching her face for reassurance but finding only cold certainty. The gravity of the warning settled over her like a shroud. The dream, the prophecy, the nightmare she’d woken from — it was all crashing in with terrifying clarity.

Cancer swallowed hard, the weight of the prophecy settling heavier on her shoulders. “But where will I go? What about the village? What about you?”

Maria’s gaze softened but remained firm. “You need to go north. There’s something waiting for you there—something I’ve prepared. A package. It will help you when the time comes.”

Cancer looked down at the necklace, then back at Maria. “I don’t understand… Why me? Why am I the one they’re after?”

Maria sighed deeply. “Because you carry the power of the moon. The dark magic leaking into our world wants to use that power to open the gate to hell. If they get the necklace, everything you’ve seen in your dreams will come true.”

Fear prickled at Cancer’s skin, but beneath it was a spark of determination. “Then I have to go. I have to protect it.”

Maria reached out and took Cancer’s hands in hers. “Go now. Don’t wait for the clock to strike twelve.”

Cancer nodded, standing slowly. She grabbed a small satchel Maria had prepared and slung it over her shoulder. Her heart pounded as she stepped outside into the chilly night air.

The village was quiet, cloaked in shadows under the full moon. She cast a glance back toward the house, a strange sense of finality settling over her. She started walking north, the path winding through dark woods and open fields.

After a few minutes, a sudden, deafening roar shattered the silence.

Cancer froze, her blood turning to ice. She spun around just in time to see a towering pillar of smoke and fire rising where her house once stood. Flames devoured the roof, turning wood and stone to ash in moments.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced herself to look away. She understood now. Maria’s warning, her urgency—it was real. They had come for her, and the danger was closer than she had imagined.

“Maria…” she whispered, hope mingling with dread. “Please be safe.”

With one last glance at the burning ruins of her home, Cancer turned her back on the village and began walking faster, never looking back again.

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