She stared repeatedly at the lines Amelia had written with such finality. Her mind, already turbulent, felt as though it was traveling toward some unknown destination. Even after finishing the entire letter, a single question remained in her mind.
Where would Amelia be right now? Would she be with Edon, as she said? Or was she in a world that no one could find, shaped by her own delirious thoughts? How could one believe that such a world exists?
She removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Standing up from her chair, she went to the washbasin, washed her face, and dried it with a tissue. She glanced at her watch—it was past 10:00 PM. She had been sitting there since she received the letter, unaware of how time had slipped away. She hurried to the table and placed Amelia's case file and the letter into her bag. She resolved in her mind that she must see Amelia's husband, Adam—perhaps he could provide answers to at least some of her questions.
She quickly left the cabin. The door lock clicked shut, and in the light from the hallway, the nameplate glowed:
"Dr. Amika Jagannath (Psychiatrist)"
Holding her bag tightly, she walked forward. The atmosphere was filled with an absolute, heavy silence. After all, who would be in the psychiatry department after 10:00 PM? Even the other doctors usually left by 7:00 PM.
As she looked down the long corridor, a small sense of fear crept into her mind. Despite all her skepticism and her belief that such things could never happen,Amelia still stood there like a question mark, like a riddle without an answer. She walked toward her vehicle. Her mind argued that someone was following her as her pace quickened. A small fear began to gnaw at her—it was becoming a great fear.
"If such an ordeal were to happen in my own life, how would I face this situation?" Trying to push the thought of Amelia away and let her mind wander in another direction, she felt as though she were building a shield for herself. At that moment, everything she had seen and known until now came rushing back into her mind.
A form that was half-human and half-wolf... Was it like the creatures created in fantasy stories, or was it a real wolf? How could he change into a human? How could one love such a distorted form? But Amelia had said they were not like beautiful, healthy humans...
She didn't know. When she thought about him, she knew nothing. Her thoughts were tangling, adding weight to her mind. Nevertheless, hearing what Amelia said, who wouldn't long for such a love? "If I got a chance, I would surely accept that proposal..."
she shook her head as if to dismiss her own thoughts. "How foolish," she thought. "Life is practical." She wouldn't let herself be destroyed for a fantasy creature like Amelia had. "I have so many commitments here—Mama, Daddy, brothers... I can't lose their love and surrender myself to some wild entity. Life is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest. I can never sacrifice it for the love of a shadow."
Feeling a sense of relief as her thoughts settled, she gave a small smile to those she knew as she reached the reception desk and handed over her key, telling them the morning assistant could open the cabin.
The cold air was biting."If Daddy finds out, i came late a scolding is certain; likewise, getting into the house without him knowing is also a task. Mia is my only hope. Since Arthur is on a business tour, there is nothing wrong with bothering her." Everything was set; she got into the car. The vehicle moved forward—only the light of the streetlamps visible. The busy roads were now empty. Now she had to traverse the desolate paths. Just thinking about it brought unnecessary anxiety. "If things are like this, why did I set out at this hour? I can't even help that."
As the car sped forward while she was lost in thought, something suddenly leaped in front of the vehicle with extreme speed. When She realize what it was, an immense fear flooded her mind, and she felt her body turn cold.