The morning sun spilled weakly over the orphanage, brushing the stone walls with pale gold. Dyego adjusted the straps of his worn backpack, glancing at Sophie, who was sitting on the low stone wall, legs dangling. She traced patterns in the dirt with her fingers, humming softly to herself.
"You're going to get dirt on your clothes again," Dyego said with a teasing frown.
Sophie glanced up, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And miss breakfast? Never. You worry too much, Dyego."
They had grown up like this—two orphans clinging to each other in a world that had given them nothing. Sophie was naturally gifted—quick, clever, and strong for her age. Dyego, by contrast, was average, often clumsy, and always a little behind—but stubborn, courageous, and loyal to a fault.
It was a quiet, ordinary morning, the kind of day that made Dyego almost forget the harshness of life outside the orphanage walls. Almost.
A subtle chill drifted across the courtyard, unnatural for the early hour. The birds stopped singing, and the usual bustle of the orphanage seemed muted, as if the building itself was holding its breath. Dyego's hand instinctively tightened around Sophie's.
"Did you feel that?" he whispered.
Sophie frowned. "Feel what?"
Before Dyego could answer, a soft, wet scuffling echoed from the alley beyond the yard. Shadows seemed to twist unnaturally under the sunlight. Dyego's chest tightened. Something was wrong.
And then he saw it: a figure moving with unnatural grace. Pale skin, eyes like molten rubies, fangs glinting, and a predatory stillness that made Dyego's stomach turn. Behind it, more figures emerged from the alleyways—silent, fluid, and hungry.
"They're… monsters," Dyego breathed, though the word felt too small.
Sophie's eyes widened, but her instinct kicked in before fear. She grabbed the nearest broomstick from the courtyard and held it defensively, planting her feet firmly on the ground. "Dyego… get behind me," she said, voice low but unwavering.
Dyego hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded, his own fear mixing with determination. "Together," he said.
The creatures closed in. Their movements were almost liquid, shadows crawling over the orphanage walls, their hunger evident in every predatory flick of their eyes. Dyego's heart pounded as he realized that the peaceful world he had known—the days of playing, learning, and dreaming with Sophie—was over.
The first creature lunged. Sophie swung her broom instinctively, narrowly blocking its fanged mouth. It hissed, retreating just enough to avoid the strike. Dyego stumbled forward, grabbing another broom, trying to do something—anything—to help.
The courtyard erupted into chaos. Screams from the other orphans rang out as shadows engulfed the yard. Dyego felt a surge of panic. He couldn't protect everyone, but he had to protect Sophie. She had always been the one guiding him, protecting him in countless small ways. Now it was his turn.
One of the creatures leapt toward a younger child, fangs gleaming. Without thinking, Sophie shoved Dyego aside and struck with the broom's edge, sending the creature sprawling. Her talent—innate, raw, and terrifying—was evident even in the chaos. Dyego barely had time to process the scene before another shadow lunged at him.
Pain exploded across his arm as sharp teeth grazed him. He stumbled back, fear and adrenaline mixing, but Sophie's hand was on his shoulder, steadying him. "Don't freeze, Dyego. We survive… we survive together."
Together. The word rang in his ears as the shadows pressed closer, their movements silent and deadly. Dyego's fear was sharp, but a spark ignited within him—an instinct, a promise he had made long ago to Sophie: he would never let her fall. Not now. Not ever.
And so, amid the chaos, the screams, and the cold scent of blood beginning to mix with the morning air, they ran—Dyego and Sophie—side by side, the orphanage crumbling around them. Behind them, the shadows of the creatures followed, and a darkness they had never imagined stretched beneath the city.
By the time they reached the edge of the ruined courtyard, Dyego looked at Sophie. Her chest heaved, eyes bright with determination, hands gripping the broom as though it were a sword. "We'll survive this," he said, trying to steady his voice.
Sophie's lips curved into a determined, almost sad smile. "We have to. Together."
The first scream pierced the air behind them, the sound of the world they knew shattering. Dyego swallowed hard, fists clenched, as a cold realization settled into his bones: their lives had just changed forever.