Reina opened her eyes, and everything went dark. Rubbing her eyes to adjust, she could make out faint details, though her nose gave her a better idea. The smell of Pine hung thick in the air. 

“What is this place?” She asked herself.

A soft light glowed a few meters ahead of her. Squinting, she made out a shape of a lean, hooded figure. He stood motionless, holding up a lantern. 

Chills ran down her spine. 

“Come,” said the stranger “Your future needs mending" 

The dark feeling that paralyzed her withered away. There was something odd about his voice. The familiar tone unnerved her, soothing and calm like a siren.

She felt a draw towards him. She snapped out of the trance and took a step back. 

“I wouldn't do that,” He stated darkly, advancing quickly towards her.

She swerved to run the opposite direction

She felt a sharp pain searing her right ankle and rushing up her spine. Stars raced underneath her eyelids as she squeezed them shut. She grit her teeth.

Before she could scream, she felt a hand covering her mouth “Sh… you don't want it to sense us” The calm tone slowed down the beating of her heart.

He stretched his free hand down to her ankle and murmured something under his breath. He slowly lifted his hands “There, take that as a token that I mean no harm”

He could read minds, she thought. She wanted to ask questions, but none in her mind formed a cohesive sentence. All she could make out is “What is after us?”

She heard a low growl, then her voice echoing back through the groaning trees “What is after us?”

He flashed a nervous and shy smile “Nothing to worry about. Just follow me little while more" He motioned to the trail ahead, the lantern light glittering on the rocks.

She wanted to hesitate again, but the warning he gave, ominous. The groaning of the trees behind her, ominous. Then again, if he meant any harm, why would he bother healing her ankle? Maybe he was the one causing the troubles. Counter, there was something familiar to him- she could sense no malevolence. After all, he lead the way. She sighed. She took a step towards the trail.

“There we are, that's better.” He pulled up his hoodie. 

“Dad?” she recognized his face, but it was something she seen in a photograph, when he was about her age.

“Impossible!”

He covered his mouth with his pointer finger “Shhh.” 

[hr]

“We’re almost there” He stated. 

Reina didn't respond. Her confusion mixed with the feeling that the something “it" was following them. She didn't bother to look back. Neither did her father give permission to. She didn't want to find out what happened if she did.

“Sorry, I told you a half-truth earlier,” He said “It's nothing to worry about, as long as you don't feed it.” 

“What?” She finally mustered in a whisper. “Why would I feed it?”

“It's blind, it cannot see us." He glanced back, a nick of anxiety pierced his stalwart face “You're feeding it though”

A howl disrupted the quiet of the forest.

“Dad, you're scaring me, where are we?” Reina shuddered.

“You'll see, just remember, don't continue feeding it,” He set down the lantern at a monolith jutting rock. It was metallic, giving off a dull glow on one face of the skinny, towering stone. On the other, a sharp, crystal clear image of the lantern.

“Close your eyes,” He instructed “This is a Blind Stone" 

She recalled the family legend. She placed her hand on the stone and slowly closed her eyes. 

“That's my girl,”

An image of her standing at the stone appeared, two reflections, clear as day appeared before her. One older, uncertainty hanging in her smile. One younger, regret thick on her face. 

She reached into her mind, scattering the dissonant thoughts occupying it. She replaced those thoughts with happy memories and dreams, drawing from the younger reflection. The older reflection howled in agony as the form shifted. Reina didn't even flinch. She knew what would happen if she did- her father warned her. Don't feed it.

The older molded into a happier, gray version of herself, content, somewhat mischievous looking in her smile. She stepped into the mirror and heard her father's words “well done, your future is mended”

...then she stepped away from the mirror and marveled at the sunrise just outside her bedroom window.