Chapter-1:  Knock! Knock!

White town located at the foothills of the Grande mountain range, is a quiet yet lively place. The dim yellow light covers the sky, with a hint of snowfall and cold evening winds circulating throughout the valley. Narrow passages of the town enjoying the last rays of sunlight as the sun keeps on getting weaker and weaker. The whole surrounding seems quiet and sad. But, with a soothing scent of joy and hope of enjoying the sunlight again after six months, people of White town gathered at the town square to celebrate the last rays of sunlight together.

People of all ages gathered, there was music, food and love in the air. Different cuisines were served, beer drums were emptied and people danced like there is no tomorrow. Beautiful women were the main attraction for young men. 

Children were playing knight hunt, a traditional game of the country where children use shields and weapons made by them to attack and conquer other knights. There was one kid, whose tactics and fighting style were impressive, which even the actual knights applauded. “I bet you he’ll be strong just like his brother”- A knight commented.

After the dusk ended the mayor appeared on a stage at the centre of town square to declare the end of sunshine , he cleared his throat and said - “hmm..m.. With this we declare the end of the rays of sun and begin the reign of the moon. This is the test of our strength and courage. We need to protect our loved ones from this darkness, winter is here. Sleep well and sleep early, don’t be out if not needed. I hope all of you stay safe and happy…Thank You! ”. Murmurs were heard and everyone started calling out their family members and slowly left the square to their respective homes.

Nights passed, and there was news of people missing. People of the town used tunnels, which were unexposed to the surroundings but limited. Tunnels connected places like the mayor’s office which was also a bar, blacksmith and the local doctor chambers.

But, tunnels were the luxury of the riches. Poor people of the town were not able to get their private tunnels.

Private tunnels were connected to someone’s house to the mayor’s office which then was connected to other facilities. Poor people were forced by the necessities to step outside their house. Once outside there were only minimal chances of survival. 

Sometimes even if they survive and knock on the door the family never responds, they ignore, they think what if he/she is not someone who left, what if it is something else, something dangerous, something who can wipe out everyone in the house if they open the door. And, in most scenarios this is the case. 

People who are strong enough, who have a strong aura of magic are only considered to go outside. The White guards, knights who protect the streets of White town are the only ones who stand between the people and the reign of the moon.

In White town near the river, a small family lives in a small cottage. A 12 year old boy named Elio lives, along with his two young siblings, his mother Isabella who is a tailor but during the reign of the moon her business goes down a lot. Elio’s brother went missing when Elio was 4, during the reign of the moon. He was a White town guard, and Elio’s family was told that he sacrificed himself for White town. Elio’s father, Emiliano was a blacksmith, before he lost his arm in an accident. “It has been 23 nights, and yet the guards never came with a ration or contract for my tailor business.”- Elio’s mother said. “Remember don’t open the door, unless there are two knocks and two whistles following it.” , the children nodded in agreement. 

“Don’t worry mama, when I grow up, I will be the strongest knight, White town will ever experience”-Elio said, Isabella smiled and patted Elio’s head.

*****57 nights later….*****

“I can’t see my children die due to starvation, my child fought for this town, even sacrificed himself…and this is the treatment we get. It’s like only the rich and the fat mayor are the only ones who deserve to live.” - Emiliano said with great anger. Elio came running, he was not the same as he was before, his eyes were bulging out, collar bones and rib cage were clearly visible. His skin was dry, frozen blood all over his dried and chapped lips. His skin colour was also getting pale, and his fingertips were cracked and nails were blue. 

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“Dad!…Lucia is coughing blood, she is not breathing properly dad, do something, I want to see her smile again dad!”. Emiliano and Isablella ran towards the living room where Lucia was lying on a carpet while their younger boy was narrating a story to her, tears dripping from his eyes making the words blurry. 

He was using his elbow to turn the pages as the cracks on his fingertips similar to Elio’s were making it impossible to turn the pages.

Lucia coughing blood with a wet towel on her head, dry and tired eyes, her face became blue which was once flushing with red brightness. 

“Mother, am I going to die? Like Enzo did?”- Lucia asked slowly. “No! Nothing will happen to you, you’ll be just fine don’t worry. “That’s it!...I am going out, I am not losing anyone.”-Elio’s father decided to go out. “Remember, two knocks followed by two whistles, only then you open.” Isabella nodded in agreement.

Emiliano grabbed his coat and went outside to get some help regarding their situation. White town was fully covered in snow, strong cold winds were blowing and could freeze anyone to death. It was very hard to breathe, the cold wind was freezing up Emiliano’s lungs. 

After wandering, and moving towards the mayor’s office, Emiliano was getting tired and weak, as he was already half dead due to the very small amount of food they were having and now direct exposure to the cold was killing him. 

Emiliano spotted someone who was wearing a white robe with the White town logo engraved on the back. Emiliano screamed “Help!..Help!...”, the knight turned and came running towards him. “What are you doing here? Are you out of your mind?”- The knight asked. 

“It’s my daughter, she's dying, please come and help.”- Emiliano requested. Both of them hasted towards Emiliano’s cottage. As they reached the door- Knock! Knock!, Whistles twice.

Isabella opened the door, and took a sigh of relief as she saw Emiliano. “Sir, please come in and see, my daughter, we don’t have time.”- Emiliano said. “Who are you talking to?”- Isabella asked. 

Emiliano turned back, there was no one. “Quick, close the door”- Emiliano screamed. As they were closing the door, a hand came in between stopping the door to be fully closed, a hand with small but sharp nails covered in blood, veins popping and seemed very strong.. 

Emiliano and Isabella used all of their strength. But, the door was not bulging an inch. Suddenly another hand came crushing the half closed door, scratching Emiliano’s left eye. This made Emiliano’s reflex cover his eyes, and in this moment the door was fully opened. The creature behind the door was fully visible.

It was of height as an average human, with long hair, and sharp and long canine teeth. It had deep yellow eyes, a small nose and a very bulked up body like a professional bodybuilder. It had  a sword placed on his waist like a warrior. 

The creature jumped towards Emiliano and buried his sharp nails in his throat, deep dark blood came out from Emiliano’s neck, the creature used his strength and tore away Emiliano’s throat. Emiliano fell on the ground with a hole in his neck, expressionless, one eye opened while other bled, and in a blink of an eye Emiliano was dead.

Isabella didn’t understand what was happening, and screamed, with all the noise Elio and his brother came out. Isabella screamed towards his sons- “Run away, go hide, save yourselves I’ll be oka…”. The creature jumped on Isabella's shoulders, and bit off her head from the torso and threw it away like a piece of fruit.

Isabella’s head, along with the spinal cord attached, rolled near Elio’s feet. Elio’s brother started panicking and crying out for their parents. He can only see his mother’s head rolling like a ball. Elio pulled his brother’s hand and ran towards the living room, closing the door behind, while the creature was busy eating the flesh out of his mother’s body. Fear was in Elio’s eyes and his brother started puking on the ground. “What’s happening brother?” Lucia asked, with a soft voice. “Nothing, you rest, everything will be okay, don't you worry”.

Elio started looking for a hiding place, he saw the attic where he used to play hide and seek with his siblings. 

Suddenly the locked door busted open, as the creature jumped towards the door and kicked it, with Elio’s brother getting crushed by the weight of the door and the creature, and getting his head smashed which popped out his eyes and tongue and all the fluid inside his brains were on the ground now.

The creature jumped and smashed Lucia’s head open with his strong legs, the young girl was so weak that only a few drops of blood spilled out when she took her last weak breath. Within a moment Elio lost his father, saw his mother’s head rolling on the ground, his brother’s and sister’s head smashed. The shameless creature feasted upon the bodies as Elio was hiding in the attic watching his siblings become fodder to the creature.

The creature smelled something, it smelled Elio’s presence. Elio started to think of the ways the creature will kill him. The thoughts of cowardness blurred Elio’s vision, as he wanted to be a White guard, but was not able to save his family, even her little sister.

The creature smiled, as he confirmed the presence of Elio, and started moving towards him. Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped. Elio felt shivers down his spine, even the creature froze where it was, a tense  expression can be seen clearly on the creature's face. 

“Sorry, I should have knocked, but the door was already open, so I let myself in. Is something wrong with you sir? Few people are dead here, are you the reason for it?” - a voice enquired.