Your Health Blog

Story Title : "THE RED MOON MISSION" 🩸🌑
Episode 1

The night was unusually quiet. Too quiet.

No sound of crickets, no movement...Just silence.

The kind of silence that made the skin crawl.
A cold wind swept through the thick forest and somewhere deep inside the darkness, someone was crying.

Softly.

Fearfully.

Sixteen years old Simdi stood frozen behind a giant tree, breathing heavily. Her pajamas clung to her skin from sweat.

Her heart pounded violently against her chest.

"How did I even get here?" She mumured.

Moments ago, she had been sleeping peacefully in her room, but now, she was inside a forest...A terrifying forest she had never seen before.

The trees were too tall, the air smelled strange and something about the place felt wrong.. very wrong

Then she saw them.

A group of women standing in a circle.

Their bodies covered in dark flowing wrappers, their hair wild. Their faces strange.

Not fully human.

Dark smoke twisted around them like shadows.

Simdi quickly bent down, her breathing stopped....At the center of the women stood a young girl.

Beautiful, about 15 or 16 years, Fair-skinned with Long dark hair.

Quiet....Still.

The girl looked calm and not afraid.

Too calm.

As though she belonged there.

Simdi narrowed her eyes as she listened..

One of the women suddenly spoke, her voice sounded rough, Like dry leaves scratching together:

“The Red Moon approaches.”

The others nodded slowly.

The woman's eyes glowed faintly red as she continues:

“Your first mission has come.”

The young girl lowered her head respectfully.

“You must not fail,” The woman's voice echoed.

“The celebration is near and the Full Moon Mission must be completed.”

Simdi swallowed hard.

"Mission?"

"What mission?"

She slowly leaned closer, trying to hear.

Branches scratched against her nightwear.

One of the women suddenly paused...slowly turning her head toward Simdi’s direction.

Simdi’s eyes widened.

Her breathing stopped.

The woman sniffed the air..then smiled... A terrifying smile.

“There is a being nearby…” The woman said

Simdi covered her mouth instantly, her body trembled violently.

The young girl standing in the midst of the women slowly turned.

Their eyes almost met.

And for a second, simdi felt cold.

Very cold.

Like death itself had looked at her.

Then a loud scream echoed through the forest.

Simdi gasped and sat up immediately.

Sweat covered her body, her chest rose violently.

The room was dark.

Her fan spun quietly above her, her breath shaky.
“Jesus…”
She touched her chest.

“What kind of dream was that?”

Her bedroom door suddenly opened, her mother peeped inside.

“Simdi? Why are you shouting?”

Simdi looked up, still breathing hard.

“Mummy… I had the strangest dream.”

Her mother walked in.

“Another nightmare?”

Simdi nodded slowly.

“There were these women inside a forest and one strange girl…”

Her mother sighed softly.

“Pray and forget it. Dreams are dreams.”

Simdi nodded.

But somehow…This one felt different.

Too real.

The next morning, students flooded the compound of Royal Crest Secondary School. A huge school in one of the biggest communities in the city.

Students laughed.

Some chased each others, while others revised for tests.

Teachers walked around carrying files.

Inside SS2B, noise was everywhere.

“Guy, you copy chemistry assignment?”

“Abeg leave me!”

“Who is staying for the 3:00 maths extra lesson?”

Everyone was busy doing one or two.

Simdi sat quietly, still thinking about the dream.

Still disturbed.

Suddenly, the classroom door opened.

Their head teacher entered and beside her, was a girl.

Beautiful.

Calm.

Elegant.

Long dark hair and Bright smile.

The class immediately became quiet.

The teacher smiled and said:

“Good morning, class.. how are you all today?.”

Simdi casually looked up and froze...

Her heartbeat stopped.

No....No....No.

It couldn't be.

The same face...The same girl.

The girl from the forest.

The girl from her dream.

The teacher smiled and turned to the new girl..
“Introduce yourself.”

The girl smiled warmly, softly & beautifully.

“Hi everyone…”
“My name is Seraphina.”

The boys immediately straightened.

Some girls whispered.

“She fine o…”

“Omo…”

But Simdi couldn't breathe.

Her fingers trembled.

Her heart pounded.

The classroom suddenly felt alive again, whispers filled the air.

Girls adjusted themselves, staring curiously at the beautiful transfer student standing beside the head teacher.

Her skin glowed softly beneath the classroom light.
And her smile was so calm.

Almost too calm.

The head teacher adjusted her glasses.

“Students, this is your new classmate. Her name is Seraphina.”

She smiled proudly.

“She just transferred from a private academy. I expect everyone to make her feel welcome.”

Immediately.....

Hands shot up.

“Ma, she can sit near me!” one boy shouted. The whole class burst into laughter.

But Simdi?

Simdi wasn’t laughing.

Her hands slowly tightened around her desk. Her throat suddenly felt dry.

"No…

"It cannot be her...Maybe they just look alike."

She swallowed hard.

Trying to calm herself.

After all…

The girl in her dream who stood among those strange women in darkness, doesn't look this innocent.

This girl right here, looked normal, beautiful, soft-spoken and cheerful.

"You’re overthinking, Simdi" she told herself.

The teacher looked around.

“Okay, who has space?”

Almost immediately...
“Me ma!”
“Here ma!"
The classroom suddenly became noisy.

The teacher smiled.
“Hmm…”
Her eyes landed on Simdi.

“Simdi, there’s an empty seat beside you, right?”

Simdi’s heart skipped...Her head slowly lifted.

No.

No no no.

Before she could even protest, the teacher said to the new girl:

“Seraphina, you can sit beside Simdi.”

The class murmured. Some girls looked jealous.

One boy muttered quietly:
“Lucky Simdi.”

Seraphina smiled politely.
“Thank you, ma.”

She picked up her bag and walked calmly toward Simdi. Every step she took made Simdi strangely uncomfortable.

A cold feeling settled in her stomach.

Seraphina reached the seat, then smiled warmly.
“Hi.”
Her voice was soft and friendly.
“I’m Seraphina.”

Simdi forced a smile.
“Simdi.”

“Nice to meet you,” Seraphina said.

Something about the way she said it made Simdi uneasy...Like she meant something deeper.

Before Simdi could think too much, class began.

Teachers loved Seraphina almost instantly.

During English class, she answered difficult questions effortlessly. Even the teacher looked impressed.

“Excellent!” Mrs. Ahmed exclaimed.

“Very intelligent girl.”

During Government class, she corrected a topic politely.

The teacher laughed.
“Ah-ah! You want to collect my job?”

The whole class laughed.

By lunch break, everybody already liked her. Girls surrounded her. Boys offered snacks.

Even senior Ss3 students waved at her.
It was like she had always belonged there.

Only Simdi still felt unsettled... That same strange feeling, like her spirit refused to rest.

At lunch, Seraphina sat beside her, smiling.

“You’re very quiet.”

Simdi shrugged.
“I guess.”

Seraphina tilted her head.
“Do you always avoid people?”

Something about the question made Simdi uncomfortable.

“No…”

“You just seem like you don’t like me.”

Simdi forced a smile.
“It’s not that.”

Seraphina leaned slightly closer.

Her smile never leaving her face.

“Then why do you look afraid of me?”

Simdi froze... A chill ran down her spine.

Before she could answer, The bell rang loudly. Students rushed back inside.

Simdi stood immediately.

“I need to go.”

And walked away hurriedly.

That evening at home, simdi sat quietly in the kitchen while her mother cooked. Her mother looked at her.

“What’s wrong with you today?”

Simdi hesitated, then sighed.

“Mummy…”
“There’s this new girl in school...and I don’t know why…”

She paused, struggling to explain.

“Her spirit irritates mine.”

Her mother stopped stirring and slowly turned.

“What?”

Simdi lowered her voice.

“I know it sounds weird…”
“But every time she comes near me…I just feel uncomfortable.”

Her mother frowned slightly.

“Did she offend you?”

“No.”

“Then maybe you’re judging her too quickly.”

Simdi shook her head.
“No mummy…”

She looked troubled.... Very troubled.

“Something about her feels… wrong.”

That night, as Simdi prepared to sleep, her phone vibrated.

Unknown Number...

She frowned and slowly opened the message.

Her heart nearly stopped.

“Hi.. it's Seraphina. Sweet dreams, Simdi ”

No number saved.....Just that message.

Then another one entered.
“See you tomorrow.”

Simdi sat upright...Cold fear rising inside her.

She never gave Seraphina her number. How did she get it?

Then suddenly, her phone screen glitched.

And for one second…She could swear she saw a moon reflection on the black screen.

Then it disappeared. Or was it her mind playing games with her

**TO BE CONTINUED…**