Whispers rippled through the crowd as neighbours gathered around Sera and Delena, their faces illuminated by the eerie glow of the crimson moon overhead. Some craned their necks skyward, eyes wide with disbelief, while others huddled together, their hushed tones weaving a tapestry of fear and uncertainty.
Resi, a woman with fiery red hair pulled back in a tight bun, her piercing green eyes normally filled with warmth, now held a mixture of concern and disapproval, stepped forward. "Sera," she began, her voice laced with a plea, "please, believe me."
Tears welled up in Sera's eyes, the sting of betrayal mingling with the chilling fear that gripped her heart. She had sought solace in Resi, a close friend with a kind heart and a calming presence, hoping to find someone who would share the weight of the impossible truth. But the silence that followed Resi's words spoke volumes.
Seeing Delena's small hand clutching her mother's dress, Resi's expression softened, tinged with a touch of maternal protectiveness. "Don't repeat it, Sera," she urged, her voice firm. "Don't drag your child into this madness. Stop this charade before it's too late."
Sera's gaze darted between Resi's concerned face and the ominous red moon, its unnatural glow seeming to press down on them with an unseen force. "I'm not lying," she insisted, the words raw with desperation.
Resi shook her head, a flicker of sadness passing through her eyes. "You promised me," she reminded, her words laced with a veiled threat.
Tears spilled down Sera's cheeks as she grasped Resi's shoulder, her voice trembling. "Just tell me, for heaven's sake, what do you see?"
Resi let out a sigh of exasperation, her gaze reluctantly lifting towards the heavens. "Stars," she muttered, "and the moon."
A frown creased Sera's brow. "This is not possible," she whispered, a flicker of defiance igniting within her. "Wait. What colour is the moon?"
Resi's eyes darted away, her voice barely a whisper. "Please don't make this harder for me, Sera. I cannot defend you this time. You must stop now, or else…" Her words trailed off, leaving a chilling silence in their wake. Both women knew the harsh reality of the Council's decree, a decision made five years ago that hung over their heads like a dark cloud.
"Take care, Sera," Resi murmured, her voice devoid of the warmth that had always been present.
As the neighbours dispersed, their worried whispers echoing in the night air, Delena tugged at her mother's hand, her voice innocent and confused. "Why don't they believe us?"
The world began to spin around Sera, the ground beneath her feet becoming unstable. The realization, like a brutal blow, shattered the last vestiges of hope she had clung to. Delena's words became a distant echo, lost in the roar of fear that filled her ears. Her vision blurred, the crimson moon transforming into a swirling red haze that threatened to engulf her whole.
Sera felt herself falling, the ground rushing towards her as the world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of fear and disbelief. The red moon, a silent witness to her shattered sanity, hung heavy in the sky, a harbinger of the darkness that awaited.