Elliot sat down right outside the waters edge. The last bit of sunlight disappeared over the horizon. With its absence the four moons appeared in the night sky. Elliot couldn't help but feel at ease. He always enjoyed the night because he could walk around without feeling worried if the sunlight would touch his skin and cause him to glow.

Elliot looked down at his sleeping sister. He held back a laugh as he noticed the drool that ran down her cheek. He stroked his fingers through her hair and Flora snuggled up closer to her brother.

Elliot imagined walking down the city streets under the moonlight with her. Not a single care in the world. No worries of the sun exposing them to the world. Just the two of them enjoying the night with the purse full of gold.

Just two more weeks, Elliot thought to himself. It was easier said than done.

Two weeks have passed since the robbery. Two weeks of paradise next to the sea. But with it came the dwindling supplies. The salted meat they had stored had run out days ago. Their bread and fruits from the forest were almost gone. Elliot couldn't help but feel worried that they would need to return to the city early to resupply.

But has enough time passed? He wondered. No doubt the city guards would be looking for him. But would the city dwellers? Would they give up the chance to live life as a noble after two weeks of no luck? Elliot highly doubted it. At least with a month's worth of time morale would begin to dwindle. The poorer sobs would be forced to return to their regular day to day duties to keep food on the table. The others would have their morale severely drained from not being able to catch him.

Elliot wanted to check the old satchel they used to keep their food in. If it wasn't for the darkness of the night he would've. Instead he glanced at the purse he had tightly knotted around his belt. Even sitting down he could feel the heaviness of the gold. With each touch the coins jingled and Elliot became more and more convinced to return to the city. Just a few supplies to last him another week or two. Then they could return and rent out a room at the tavern for the winter. Once springs arrive they would use what gold they had left on supplies, and retreat south.

Elliot wanted to pat himself on the back and say, the plan is flawless. Once spring comes we're out of here! But the words never left Elliot's lips. He had time to think about it. A long long time to think about his plans. Is there even other human life outside of the city? He had never seen anyone from the outside world visit the city and declare there were other cities out there. A city where they don't hunt people like him and Flora. Even if one existed, would they accept gold as currency? What if they only accepted a certain type of clothing, animals, or even black beans as money.

Elliot glanced at the four moons. Memories of his mother and father popped in his head. They always said the four moons represented the four brothers in their people's religion. Elliot couldn't remember much after that. He felt a knot in his chest. It didn't hurt but it left a hole that cut just as deep as a blade. He missed them. He missed being able to rely on them. They always seemed to have all the answers whenever he had a problem arise. Back when he could call himself a kid.

I'm a man now. I have to be—, Elliot glanced down at his sister who was still sound asleep. I have to be. For her.

In the end all of this was for her. He had promised his parents he would take care of Flora. To never let any harm come her way and that she would live a long life. Then he thought about the scar. He had failed on his first promise. Elliot hugged his sister as tightly as he could. He was not going to fail at the second promise. He couldn't, it would be unacceptable as a big brother. If he did he could not face his parents in the next life. Or his sister.

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Elliot whispered a prayer. He did not believe in the gods of the city. Nor the gods of his parents. But if there was a god out there he hoped it could hear his prayer to keep Flora safe. And to find a safe place to live until the end.

Elliot was shocked when he felt a rumble after his prayer. He expected a white light to appear before him and a voice telling him that it had heard his prayers. Instead when he opened his eyes he saw only darkness. The rumbling was gone. He checked around his belt and saw that the purse was still tied to him.

Am I imagining things? It felt like it came from the purse. Elliot brushed off such nonsense.

He closed his eyes and took the cool breeze from the sea in. To his dismay, the breeze had frozen over and he felt eyes watching him from behind. Elliot calmly lifted Flora's head and laid it on top of his cloak. She fumbled for a moment before falling back asleep. Elliot tried to act natural. He did his best to make it seem like he was always going to turn around.

If there was anything out it was hidden in the darkness. Elliot looked around. There was nothing. He exhaled. He told himself he just imagined it. Probably exhausted after a long day. Then the rumbling came back and Elliot saw the gold in his purse beginning to glow. He had never seen something like it before. Gold wasn't supposed to glow or rumble like it was doing right now. Elliot untied the purse and threw it towards the forest.

As the gold landed on the ground Elliot remembered that they needed the gold. He took a step forward and felt his body freeze. All warmth in the air had disappeared and his body refused to listen to his commands. He was stuck with one foot forward. He wanted to scream but felt like he had no mouth. All he could do was watch as the gold illuminated the beach with its glow. It shimmered as the light faded before growing bright again.

As Elliot felt his heart beat at an alarming rate he noticed it. Like the rumbling and the feeling of being watched Elliot assumed he was imagining it. Then it crept closer. And closer. Before it stepped next to the purse. There was a shadow of a man but with no visible body. It began to walk towards Elliot and he did all he could to try and move but his body was frozen in ice.

His immediate thought was grabbing Flora and running. But as his body remained still all he could do was watch as the shadow crept closer towards him and then as if noticing his sister, towards Flora. He mustered every ounce of strength and mental will but to no avail. It was like large invisible hands had grabbed him and refused to let go. He internally screamed as the shadow inched closer to his sister.

The promise he made to his parents. He could feel him failing on keeping it. Would they blame him if she were to die on his watch? Would they refuse to even look at him and leave him to spend the next life alone and without them or Flora? He felt tears fall from his eyes as he could do nothing but watch as the shadow kneeled next to his sister and wrapped his hands around her throat.

He wanted to close his eyes but was met with the starry sky. His body was covered in sweat. He turned to see Flora sleeping soundly next to him.

It was a dream. A nightmare but still a dream. He thought.

Elliot saw the purse lying next to him. No glow and no shadowy man. All he wanted to do was throw the purse into the sea. He almost got up and did it. But the sight of the satchel lying empty between him and Flora stayed his hand. They needed the money for food and shelter. What he saw was a dream. Nothing more. He repeated those words over and over again in his head.

They needed to return to the city for supplies. That's what Elliot convinced himself as the reason to return to the city. But the dream had made him weary of the forest. Something about it shook him to his core. It wasn't filled with monsters but it sure made him dream of them.

Tomorrow they will return for supplies and nothing more nothing less. Elliot told himself before closing his eyes and drifting back to sleep.