[b]DAY 11: YOUR GAZE WANDERED OFF INTO THE STARS, I REALIZED HOW FRAGILE WE ARE[/b]

The night was dark, darker than it had been for a while. But under the full moon's guidance we could travel into the unknown. Hand in hand, we didn't let the cold shadows scare us. We could hear something rustling in the bushes, the ominous hooting of an owl and beasts howling for the great Luna. The moon had many children; these beasts, us and numerous others. We weren't afraid of each other, so we were moving through the woods with peaceful hearts. Or, at least as peacefully as we could, we who had lost our home. 

We hadn't always been wanderers, but we were forced to take that role. Our beautiful homeland had got destroyed, for there were people who feared our kind. We liked to live in harmony, we didn't want to harm anyone. We have been blessed with the ability to change our forms, as well as read the moon. But humans saw this as a threat for a reason we don't understand and launched an attacked. We are no fighters so our brothers and sisters got annihilated, but some of us managed to escape. We are trying to search for a place we could call our home, but so far, our journey has been fruitless.

My heart is filled with anxiety. You were not in a condition suitable for this travel. I know we had no choice, but I still feel bad about it. Your sickness had made you weak even before the disaster, but I think you're only getting worse. You try to remain strong and keep your head up, but I can see that you're in pain. You're practically withering away and I hate it that I can't do anything to help you, except by carrying you. Your legs have become weaker and day by day, you need more help moving forward. You could walk on your own when our journey began, but now you can barely take few steps. I can carry you to the ends of the world if needed be, but seeing you so frail just makes my heart ache.

Since it was the night of the full moon, you had requested to walk with me. The silvery moonlight makes you feel better, so I allowed you to do that. It hadn't been long, however, when I noticed that your steps started to falter. You were a bit clumsy, but you tried to keep a strong posture. I let you lean on me for support and for a little while, we could go on like that. Then you started to pant heavily, it seemed like you were at your limits. You didn't complain, but I just had to stop momentarily and let you rest a bit. I made you sit against a tree and I kneeled down before you. I touched your forehead and you felt quite hot. Worried, I just was looking at you, praying that you would get better, so I took a hold of your hand. You were pale, pale like a ghost.

You started coughing violently and spluttered blood everywhere. This was not a good sign. I squeezed your hand tightly; few tears were rolling down my cheek. Then I decided to unbutton your shirt so I could check your condition. I was shocked to see how a dark wound on your chest had spread so much and was so deep in color. It looked like your heart was leaking. I didn't know that the situation was so bad, my hands started to tremble. You coughed even more blood. Your gaze was glazed, you were looking somewhere into the distance in the sky. It seemed like that you had forgot that I was here, with you, praying for a miracle.

It was like your spirit was slowly getting out of your body. You didn't react to my presence at all anymore and your head was hanging. Blood was still streaming out of your mouth, staining your clothes. I begged, screamed, and shook your body, but you were already gone, you had gone beyond my reach. I cried the tears of desperation, but nothing could bring you back to me. I captured you in my embrace and I cried even more and stroke your hair.

Our lives are fragile. You fought so well until this moment, if only we could have stayed home… Cruel is the world. And what am I going to do now that you're gone? Should I continue walking and keep your memory alive? Or should I end it all here?

I didn't know the right answer. I transformed myself into a wolf and started howling at the beloved moon. I lamented the passing of my lover, I wailed because of the unfairness of the world. And somewhere out there, my wolf brothers howled with me.



[b]DAY 12: ALONE YOU DIE, MY FROZEN ANGEL[/b]

The angel was like a blessing to our village. She appeared when we needed help the most. A terrifying monster attacked us, killing some of our family members, neighbors and friends, and the rest got overwhelmed by fear. But she, Arleana, she came and slayed the horrific beast and saved us. Those who we lost on that day can never return in this life time, but I think that they can rest in peace knowing that we were saved and can hold their warm memories in our hearts. Although we mourn the dead, there was something good occurring that day as well, because Arleana decided to stay with us. She became one of the villagers and everyone loved her.

It's true that she was stunningly beautiful, but that wasn't the only good trait she had. She was benevolent and had a tranquil aura around her. She treated everyone with kindness and she was very helpful. She also had wisdom about various matters such as healing, the mysteries of the sky and how we could live in harmony with nature. I still don't quite understand why a pure being like her decided to stay in our village, but we were very glad that we had her among us. Perhaps she saw gentleness in the hearts of villagers.

Our bliss lasted for a couple of years, but human hearts are easily corrupted. It was all because of a one weak-minded person. He invited a demon into our peaceful little village. Nobody noticed that for a while, which turned up to be fatal. Hiding in the shadows the demon managed to drain lifeforce out of people, resulting in people getting very much fatigued and sick. Not even our beloved Arleana detected the presence of this malicious creature, it had concealed itself so well. Only the one inviting the demon could have told the truth about what was going on, but he remained silent… Until he got too scared of the demon's power after watching his fellow villagers get ill because of it.

The truth was out, finally. People shifted their gazes toward Arleana and practically demanded her to do something about the situation. Perhaps it was a successfully conjured curse by the demon, but the exhausted people didn't do anything themselves, even though they could have at least imprisoned the one who invited the demon in the first place. No, they were commanding the angel. Arleana did as they had wanted and eradicated the wicked being, but she wasn't happy with how selfish the villagers were acting. She was altruistic and had enjoyed helping people who were actually in need of aid, but she saw how self-centered the people had become. Arleana left the village and disappeared into a snowstorm. I could feel a sting in my heart as I watched her receding figure.

That was the last time she was seen alive.

The next day came. It was I who made the gruesome discovery. I was walking outside the village, just checking if the ones living in the outskirts were doing fine after the storm since the blizzard had been quite heavy. Then I spotted her. I wondered why she was out here kneeling in the snow and I called her name. No response. I walked close to her body and realized that she was frozen solid. Her wings were elegantly spread, but her head was hanging down and the slight breeze was waving her red hair. Her hands were on her lap and I noticed that they had turned completely black by a frostbite. There were also disgusting blisters around the frostbitten areas. She looked so fragile in that moment; her skin had turned a little purple and snow was clinging on her thin clothes and wings. Her eyes were shut, it was like she was just praying there. And maybe she was, for some higher power to forgive us. We practically drove her out of the village with our selfishness and now she had lost her life.

I told the sad news to the village. We all mourned our angel. We held a beautiful ceremony in her honor. We were weeping, not only because she had died, but also because our village would never be granted a blessing like her ever again.



[b]DAY 13: YOU HELP THEM – THE DEMONS SCRATCHING AT THE WALLS IN MY HEAD[/b]

They are inside my head and I don't know how to get rid of them. Their shrieks keep me up during nights and whenever my mind drowns into the pool of sorrow, they will scratch the walls in my head. It causes me great headache, and in worst cases, blood will come out of my ears and eyes. People tend to say that everyone has their inner demons and that you have to fight them, but what if the demons are really there, causing you suffering? My demons are real, more real than what I'd like to admit. I like to keep it as my own secret, however, because no one would really believe me and would just say that I'm a madman. I'm on my own in this war.

Well, you can learn how to cope when you're stuck in a difficult or bad situation, you can learn how to survive. I can say that I'm not really a weak-minded person, while I have some issues other than the demons living in my head. Maybe that's why they have made their little nest in my head because I'm not so easy to break. Or at least, that's what I thought. But then I caught the glimpse of you.

The funny thing is that you don't even know that I exist. But you became my obsession, I'm sane enough to admit that. But I couldn't help it, you were so beautiful, so gorgeous, so graceful. Never before I had seen someone like you. I followed you on every social media platform where you were on. I was one of your so-called fans, just one of those who you had captured with your beauty. Of course, I secretly wished you would notice me, but I was content with my role as a watcher. I would obsessively check your profiles; I was hoping that you would have a good day and that other nice things would happen to you. You were always on my mind; my first thought of the morning would be of you and the last thing before falling asleep was also about you. I genuinely wished you all the good things.

I don't know where I went wrong, but I started to grow bitter. Perhaps it was the demons that had conjured up a brilliant new plan to make me miserable and began to stain your image in my mind. Gradually I started to get more and more jealous and angry, especially after you announced that you got a boyfriend. I hated seeing you so happy and content without me, I ended up in a vicious cycle. While I got upset from your posts, I just couldn't stop myself from following every little bit of your life. You had everything that I didn't; you were famous, beautiful and had a life partner and good self-esteem.

You know, this world is for pretty people, not for ugly losers like me. You can see only pretty people in magazines and on TV, you hardly ever see people who are below average looking. There's no place for hideous people like me. For a while though, I thought that it doesn't matter since I had a sunshine like you in my life. But now, the only thing I can think of is that an ugly piece of shit can never have a chance in this world.

So yeah, congratulations, you really gave the demons a powerful tool. They're going wild, it's like they're scratching a blackboard in my head. The noise in my mind is hellish and it's making me insane. I'm banging my head into the walls; I just want to make the ringing stop. I'm getting bruises, but I'm hardly noticing them. Once again, I'm bleeding from my ears and eyes, but never before it has been so intensive. They are laughing, they are twisting the reality around me, I'm completely helpless. I don't know what to do, why can't they leave me alone? 

In the end I just curl up on the floor. I tried to ignore the noise as well as I could, but I can't make it stop. I'm at the mercy of demons. But they have to stop at some point, right?

Right?



[b]DAY 14: HAVE FUN EXTRACTING ANY LOVE FROM MY HEART[/b]

It had been a dark, moonless night when they met for the first time. Perhaps it was a destiny's will that their paths crossed and that they would embrace the darkness together. He was the prince of the night, known to roam the world during darkest hours, to aid individuals or punish them, it all depended on the amount of sins he saw in the hearts of people. And she was the bright piece of moonlight, the daughter of the great Luna herself, and she would guide lost souls during the night. Together they were a great match, and for a while their love bloomed and their world was perfect.

Whether it was bright or dark, they would dance under the starry sky. They would let their magic do wonders to the nature around them. Sometimes they would even visit human settlements and amaze people with their miraculous powers. Attending certain festivals became one of their favorite things to do and they turned out to be honorable guests for many of them. Their presence made people feel blessed, so for many years the people hoped that they would arrive whenever celebrations were held.

But, changes in life are constant, and sometimes they are for worse.

Eventually the night prince and the daughter of the moon stopped coming. People wondered why; had they angered them somehow? But no, it was because of damaged love.

The daughter of the moon became increasingly interested in the light of day and as a direct result, interested in the prince of sun. She was curious about the different kind of magic that was present during the time when the sun was up in the sky, and who could be a better educator about that than the prince of sun? They began to teach each other about their own worlds and they grew quite fond of each other. Maybe even too fond, at least in the eyes of the prince of the night. Jealousy made its way into his heart as he observed from afar how the love of his life was happily spending time with someone else, having fun. And when he one day saw the daughter of the moon and the prince of the sun dancing together passionately, he decided that enough was enough.

The next night came around and the daughter of the moon sought out the prince of the night, wanting to be with him. She found him, eventually, but when she saw his sulking figure, she realized that something wasn't right. Their eyes met and she could see only anger and hurt in his eyes. The daughter of the moon was wondering why was that and she had a worried expression on her face. Then he did something that completely shocked her.

His left hand started to glow in crimson color. And with great force, he struck it in his chest, and it sunk deep into his ribcage. The daughter of the moon could only watch in disbelief. The prince of the night ripped his own heart out and stared at the organ for a brief moment before he violently threw in to the ground. He didn't need it anymore and thus, he only had an empty hole in his chest. Silently, he began to walk away, not caring about the woman he had loved anymore.

She fell on her knees before the ripped heart. Carefully she picked it up and looked at it, tears in her eyes. This heart would always belong to her, no matter what. So, she raised it close to her face and ate it. As she swallowed the heart, she could feel the pain the prince had carried in it. Their love bloomed inside her and she began to cough flower petals along with blood. She could feel the flowers budding inside her lungs, flourishing around her own heart. One flower even burst through one of her eyes, making her cry bloody tears.

The daughter of the moon watched silently how the prince of the night walked out of her life. She didn't attempt to go after him, for she felt his feelings. She had never meant to hurt him like this, but it was too late for apologies. Regardless, she would always cherish his heart. Their bliss hadn't lasted as long as she had dreamed, but there was nothing she could do anymore.

She formed a soundless goodbye with her lips as her beloved one walked away from her life forever.



[b]DAY 15: IS IT WORTH TO CUT THROUGH, THE STATE THAT I'M IN, WHEN OUR ALMIGHTY MOTHER CONSTANTLY WINS[/b]

My world is dark and broken and so is this house. It's like a black and white film, everything is so monochromatic. Grey cold walls surround every room and the lights barely illuminate this house, they only offer pale light. The windows are dull and hardly let sunlight come in and they distort the reality by making the outside world so grey as well. This place feels like a prison and in a way, I truly am held in captivity in here. But where could I go? I have no friends who could help me. There is no one in the outside world who cares about me.

This is not my home. Home is not a place where you're constantly feeling afraid. It's all because of a person who's supposed to be my mother. I fear and hate her. I have my little brother with me and he's my everything in this world, but sometimes it's just so hard to protect him. Mother loves to mock us and act in ways that are just pure abuse, and the only way to really survive from all of this is just to stay away from her sight as much as I can and accompany her words. It's just best to let her win and not fight against her, that way there's a chance that she will let me be. But her constant mockery is so exhausting and I don't know how long I can take this. I'll try my best, however, for the sake of my innocent little brother.

Today she was gone for a long time. It was raining outside and the sound of drops pounding against the window was sort of relaxing. But I was nervous, because I was anxiously waiting for mother to return. I always felt better when she wasn't home, but the dreadful moments when you were aware that she could come back at any minute was wrecking my nerves. I was watching TV and just like everything else in my sad little world, the screen was black and white as well. I wasn't paying much attention to it; my thoughts were wandering somewhere else. My little brother was in his room sleeping.

Then I heard the horrifying sound of our front door opening. Suddenly I felt so vulnerable and I curled up in my seat. But I heard no sounds other than her footsteps. It was odd that she was so silent, and a peeked at the hallway. I just saw her heading to the stairs and climbing them up. Well, that was strange. I turned the TV off and tiptoed to my room. I could hear her crying, and I felt a little bad. Sure, she was horrible human being, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for her, even though I didn't even know why she was upset. And I didn't want to ask.

Quite often I struggle with bad thoughts. Is it really worth to go on living like this under the influence of a tyrant? I think I'm still hanging on to this life because of my brother. I have hopes and dreams, but the smothering presence of mother is strangling them, they seem to be too far away to be reached. Day by day I feel weaker, withered, desperate and lonely. Sometimes I think I should just take the jump into the unknown and leave for good, but I'm not really brave enough to do such thing. Besides, I have nowhere to go.

A couple of days later, something unexpected happened.

I was in my room reading when I heard a loud noise. I had not heard such a sound ever before, but I still knew what it was: a gun. I could feel shivers going down my spine and I froze for a moment. I waited, didn't know what exactly, but I waited. I didn't hear anything after that. I left my book and sneaked around to mother's room. The door was slightly ajar, so I pushed it to open it more.

She was laying in her bed. She had a nasty, deep hole in her head that was bleeding. There was a gun on the floor, it probably got dropped from her hand. I walked closer to her body; I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

She was gone. It had happened without a warning. I didn't know what had made her to do this to herself, but it seems that she had a heart as well, filled with misery.

Tears began to form in my eyes. And I smiled widely.

She would not hurt my brother or me ever again.