The opening of Sis Aya's veterinary clinic went smoothly, and Aliya could not have been happier about her sister's success. Many people were curious about the new clinic, and patients began arriving day after day.
Aliya devoted herself even more to caring for animals—far more than she ever cared for people.
Animals never betrayed you.
Humans could.
Her routine changed as well. She rarely returned to their apartment anymore. When several animals were admitted, she stayed overnight in the clinic, watching over them while Aya handled errands, paperwork, and meetings.
When their parents eventually discovered where they were, they tried visiting.
Aya refused to see them.
Their parents responded with threats.
Aliya was afraid—but Aya faced them without hesitation.
Classes ended for the day.
The sky had already begun to darken.
Their pets were alone at the clinic.
Aya had sent a message saying she would come home late—something important had come up.
Aliya headed toward the clinic, grateful it was only a short walk from her school.
But when she arrived, something immediately felt wrong.
The clinic door was slightly open.
Her brows furrowed.
Did Sis forget to lock it?
She walked toward the entrance slowly.
With every step, an invisible weight pressed down on her chest—as if something deep inside her was begging her to turn back.
The hallway beyond the door was dark.
Her instincts screamed at her not to go inside.
No… my pets are in there.
Swallowing her fear, she pushed the door open and stepped in.
A foul smell struck her instantly.
Blood?
Her hands trembled as she searched for the light switch.
Click.
The lights flickered on.
Aliya froze.
Blood covered the floor.
Her entire body began to shake.
The clinic was silent.
Too silent.
She rushed toward the cages where the animals were kept.
Her breath caught in her throat.
The smell of death filled the room.
The animals had been slaughtered.
Their bodies were torn open, organs spilling from broken cages. Blood dripped onto the tiles, pooling beneath them.
Aliya couldn't even scream.
Then she heard it.
A weak whimper.
Blue? Cloud? Where are they?
Her heart pounded wildly.
She turned and saw Blue—lying in a pool of blood.
The dog was still breathing, barely alive. A deep wound tore through his abdomen, his intestines nearly spilling out.
Aliya searched frantically for Cloud.
The cat was nowhere to be seen.
Her body trembled violently as fear, rage, and despair crashed together inside her chest.
Sis Aya… I need to call Sis Aya.
Her hands shook so badly she nearly dropped her phone.
Tears blurred her vision as she searched for her sister's number.
Calm down… calm down…
Footsteps echoed behind her.
Blue growled weakly despite his pain.
Then—
A blade came crashing down.
It struck Blue's skull.
Aliya screamed as the dog's body convulsed once… then went still.
She slowly looked up.
A man stood behind her.
His face was hidden beneath a mask.
In one hand he held several severed animal heads—pets and patients alike—gripping them by their fur.
In the other, he held a long butcher's blade dripping with blood.
Aliya felt dizzy from the smell.
From the horror.
Her phone continued ringing in her trembling hand.
She needed help.
Her clothes were soaked in Blue's blood.
She could only cry.
Aliya ran for the exit.
The killer followed.
Sis… please answer…
She called again.
And again.
No answer.
Desperate, she dialed the police hotline.
A voice answered—
But before she could speak, a hand grabbed her violently.
Her phone slipped from her fingers and clattered across the floor.
Aliya fought back desperately.
She refused to die here.
Not without fighting for the animals who had been slaughtered.
"You're not getting away!" the masked man snarled. "You'll die here!"
He dragged her toward him.
She struggled with everything she had—
Then pain exploded in her side.
The knife had stabbed into her body.
She gasped in agony.
With the last of her strength, Aliya clawed at the man's mask.
And for a brief second—
She saw his skin.
Bite marks.
Scratches.
Cat scratches.
Her eyes widened.
She recognized him.
Her trembling hands grabbed her fallen phone.
She turned on the camera and pointed it toward his face.
If she died…
Someone had to know.
Behind a cabinet, Cloud appeared—his fur standing on end with terror.
Aliya signaled silently.
Don't move.
Don't make a sound.
The blade struck again.
And again.
Her vision blurred.
The phone was thrown aside.
Cloud… hide…
Please hide…
Her body grew heavy.
Blood pooled around her feet.
She knew she was dying.
She knew who killed her.
Sis… Aya…
Her eyes slowly closed.
And the world went silent.
XXX
Aya couldn't answer Aliya's calls.
Her phone had been on silent during a meeting with fellow veterinarians.
When she finally glanced at it, dozens of missed calls filled the screen.
Her heart dropped.
She rushed out of the room without explanation.
Fear clawed at her chest.
She tried calling Aliya back.
The call never connected.
Calm down… maybe she's just busy…
But her hands tightened on the steering wheel as she sped toward the clinic.
She was almost there.
She barely parked before noticing the flashing red and blue lights.
Police cars.
A crowd had gathered outside.
Her stomach twisted violently.
Aya ran.
She pushed through the crowd, ignoring the voices around her.
"What's happening?" she demanded.
"Are you Aya Grace Castro?" a police officer asked.
Disoriented, she nodded.
"Yes… what happened inside?"
Her eyes caught sight of the blood on the floor.
She didn't wait.
She ran inside.
And her world shattered.
Blood.
Everywhere.
Animal fur stuck to the tiles.
The clinic she had built with love was soaked in red.
Her ears rang.
Yet the world around her felt unbearably loud.
Blue lay on the floor—his skull crushed open.
Aya covered her mouth as a sob tore from her throat.
Her other patients were slaughtered.
Hung.
Butchered.
Torn apart.
Her heart broke piece by piece.
Aliya.
Where's Aliya?
Panic surged through her body.
"Ma'am, you can't be here," an officer said.
Aya grabbed his arm.
"My sister! Have you seen my sister? She should be here!"
The officers exchanged uneasy looks.
Aya pushed past them.
Everything was destroyed.
Blood everywhere.
Her muscles trembled uncontrollably.
"We didn't find anyone alive," one officer said carefully. "But near the exit… we found an arm."
"An… arm?" Aya whispered.
Her heart pounded violently.
Then—
A faint rustling sound came from a nearby locker.
The officers opened it.
A cat leapt out.
"Cloud!"
Aya rushed forward.
The cat trembled violently, eyes wide with terror. His fur stood on end.
She knew the signs.
Shock.
Trauma.
Cloud had seen everything.
She held him gently.
"Ma'am," another officer called.
Aya turned.
And saw it.
An arm placed carefully on a sheet.
Time stopped.
Cloud slipped from her arms as she staggered forward.
Her heart screamed.
Aliya's bracelet.
Aliya's school uniform sleeve.
Aliya's small hand.
She collapsed.
"There was no body," the officer said quietly.
Only the arm.
Only scattered blood and remains.
"You will pay!" Aya screamed through tears. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY SISTER!"
"Aliya!"
She clutched the cold arm, sobbing uncontrollably.
The night swallowed her grief.
Everything she loved—her sister, her animals—had been taken away in a storm of blood.
And Aya felt something inside her break.
Something that might never be whole again.