

All of the characters in this book should not be used without the author's consent.

INTRODUCTION: FEAR

There are no words to describe the sadness I feel about all of this. A totally innocent person, admired dearly by many people in town, was brutally murdered on campus about a week ago. Word of his death had spread quickly around town, creating a stir of rumors, but no one has a legit explanation for why he was killed.

I'm hit twice as hard by this tragedy because I unfortunately discovered his lifeless body, stiff and pale, hanging from the top of the science building. My mind will forever be embedded with images of his butchered corpse. This is the first time I've lost someone close to me. Now, for the first time in my nineteen years of living, I'm starting to feel the harsh reality of death and the effects that comes along with it.

The people of this small town, known as Glenworth, now fear for their lives because of this horrific slaying. Everyone has begun locking their doors on a regular basis; afraid that the killer may strike again at any moment.

I don't blame them for doing so. This is the third unsolved murder in the past two months. This number doesn't include people who recently went missing without a trace. Many are beginning to speculate a serial killer is to blame. My uncle has warned the townspeople of that possibility.

He has been on Glenworth's police force for almost fifteen years and has risen to the rank of detective.

Fifteen years of police work wasn't enough to prepare him for what he saw on that dreadful day. Only a person of pure evil can commit a crime so cruel. There's no justification for such violence. I would never wish such a death on my worst enemy.

The staff and local artist came together and created a beautiful memorial for him at the nearby park. A wooden podium is decorated with beautiful flowers, cards, and photographs. My guilt swells as I stare at all of the decorative pictures and handcrafted paintings of him.

His smile is so genuine and his eyes are so blameless. Who would kill such an innocent soul? But most importantly, why do I feel so goddamn guilty for what happened?

The sadness is too much to endure, so I force myself to turn and walk away. I refuse to stare at his blameless eyes any longer.

Out of nowhere, I hear another pair of walking feet. I immediately stop walking when I hear the sound. I remain completely still and alert.

A gust of wind hits me. It delivers a chill over my body, causing me to fold my arms automatically. Although I'm wearing a wool-coat, it's still no match for the bitterness of this autumn day. The air is brisk, the ground is cold and wet, and the clouds are dense across the evening sky.

Seconds passes by as I remain on edge. I stand absolutely motionless and attentive, hoping I'm just being paranoid. Crows burst from the tree tops and scatter across the murky sky. My heart jumps slightly as they abruptly scatter into the air and disappear from my sight.

I shake the jitters from my head, relieving my mind from the tension, and continue walking again.

"It's all in my mind," I think to myself.

Just to be on the safe side, I quicken my pace.

"Iva," a voice calls out to me somewhere within the woods.

I stop walking instantly. The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, that I tried to ignore, lashes back at me with a vengeance. The voice sounds like the voice of a woman. This causes fear to blanket me.

I begin to walk again. This time my legs are moving twice as fast. I look over my shoulder to make sure no one is following me.

"Please help," the voice shouts from the woods. "Iva, help me please!"

Suddenly, a disturbing realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I stop walking again. A dose of terror turns my body colder than ever. My heart is beating like a drum against my chest.

"Mom!" I shout into the woods.

How could this be? My mother should be at work right now.

"Help me!" my mother calls out in anguish.

Immediately, I'm ravaged by fear for my mother's life. With wrecked nerves, I hurry inside the woods.

"Mom, where are you?"

"Help me." she cries out.

I begin looking around for her with desperate eyes, but a thin mist makes it difficult for me to see. I squint as hard as I can, trying to see beyond the fog. She could be anywhere.

"Where are you?" I speak at a high volume; my voice echoing through the endless forest.

"Over here," she says with a burdened voice.

I follow her continuous cry for help; ducking under low branches, parting hanging vines, and leaping over large roots protruding from the muddy soil. It doesn't take me long to find her resting against a tree, panting.

"I'm over here," she cries out in agony.

She's wearing a long brown cloak, which is concealing her entire body. That is very strange because she has never owned a cloak or robe. I know my mom like the back of my hand. Long clothing has never been her style.

"Mom, I'm here. Are you okay...?" I stop speaking when I notice something creepy.

My mom isn't six-feet tall.

"Honey, come closer," she cries out to me with her back turned.

I stop dead in my tracks about thirty-feet away from her. I'm now close enough to see her clearly through the fog.

"Come closer," she groans in pain again.

An ugly feeling grows inside of me. My neck gets hit with a cool sensation that makes its way down my spine and lingers there. This is a sensation you can't get from brisk weather; instead, you get this feeling when you realize something very bizarre. There's something about this whole situation that doesn't add up correctly.

My mom has no reason being out here. The wind comes through the forest fiercely. The strong gust of air disturbs everything in sight. The top of the cloak is blown back and now her head is finally uncovered.

That eerie feeling on my spine invades my entire body, consuming me like a raging fire. I see a pale, wrinkly, head covered in thin strands of dark hair. I also see long ears dangling on each side of its head. I'm now gripped by unfathomable horror. I gasp deeply and try to conceal my fear by covering my mouth.

I can barely cover my mouth because my hand is quivering badly. I've never felt so terrified in my entire life. The fear is so powerful it makes my legs weaken. I stumble back a little and nearly fall but I grab the side of a tree to balance myself.

"Iva, I need your help baby. Come closer to me," this thing, who is obviously not my mother, cries out to me.

Another dose of fear hits my bloodstream, causing me to become paralyzed temporarily. In other words, I'm literally scared-stiff right now. What the hell am I looking at, and why does it sound like my mother? My mind is too confused and scared to come up with any reasonable answers.

"You're not my mother," I reply with fear attached to every syllable. "Who are you?"

Suddenly, this thing stops groaning; as if it has been acting the entire time.

"You're a brave girl, Iva Hill," it says to me in a man's voice. "You're brave but very, very, gullible."

His voice sounds very odd. The tone in his voice is weak and low; similar to an elderly man's voice. As he speaks, my muscles tenses up and my breathing increases.

"Why would someone so defenseless like you go running into the woods, all alone? Don't you know a killer is on the loose?"

The thing looks over at me. Its eyes stare deeply into mine. I flinch hard at the first sight of its hideous face.

Its skin is similar to human skin, but its eyes are spaced apart with large bags underneath them. Its nose is large with a mole on its tip. In short, this creature resembles a Bloodhound with human-like features. All of its teeth are pointy and its wide mouth is dripping saliva. I begin to hyperventilate as it starts to smile menacingly.

By its physique one can assume it's a male.

"I can't help but wonder who his next victim could be. Perhaps it's you." he says while maintaining that creepy smile.

Without warning, he swiftly charges toward me with a long dagger in the air. He's coming towards me at an alarming speed, eager to thrust that sharp dagger into my face. He's fast approaching and I'm too scared to move. My breathing ceases and my body tenses up like never before.

He's closing in for the kill and I don't know how to defend myself. Luckily, instinct blinks on like a bulb before he's able to slice me open. I swiftly dodge right and stumble onto the forest floor. Now my hands are covered in cold mud and leaves. The tall creature is now standing where I was with the dagger stuck inside of a tree.

He yanks the blade from the tree and suddenly breaks out laughing.

"I really thought I had you there," the creature tells me while laughing.

He slowly begins to walk toward me with the dagger gripped tightly in his hand.

"Someone help me!" I scream defensively on the cold forest floor.

I lift my hand into the air, gesturing for the creature to keep his distance. I can see murder in his abnormally large eyes.

"Postponing the enviable, aren't we?" he asks me while tossing the dagger from hand to hand.

"Oh my God, oh my God..." I say repeatedly as he gets closer.

My mind is completely distorted. I don't have the slightest clue what to do now. I can try to get up and run but he's way too fast for that. I'll be dead before I'm able to stand to my feet.

A thought hits me. I remember my uncle giving me a special gift. As I recall, I put it in this exact jacket. With any luck, it may still be in my pocket. I swiftly reach into my pocket while he lifts the dagger over his head.

Before he forces the weapon toward me, I pull out a can of mace and squeeze down on the nozzle as hard as I can. The mace glazes his large eyeballs. The creature then leaps back and screeches in pain.

"My eyes...!" the creature shouts in extreme agony.

Using his forearm he attempts to ease the agonizing, burning, pain in his eyes. He rubs his face with the back of his hand and forearm.

"You bitch!"

In a heated rage, he lifts the dagger high into the air and attempts to stab me. He completely misses me by two-feet. The mace has rendered him blind. Shouts erupt from his mouth as he stabs the ground with all of his might multiple times like a lunatic. I roll sideways, away from his fiery wrath.

He's accidentally stabs a root protruding from the ground, breaking the blade. I stand and take off running back to the field. My legs have never moved so fast. My entire body is numb by fear.

"I'll kill you! This is not over!" the creature shouts through the fog from a distance. "I will find you!" his voice echoes throughout the grim forest.

All I can hear is my shoes crunching into the leaves on the forest floor as I continue to run for my life. I know death comes for us all, but I prefer the scenario involving no pain and me being a very old woman sleeping in my bed. I take a quick glance over my shoulder to keep track of the creature's progression. Luckily for me, it's not pursuing me.

I stop running for a moment to look around for a clearing. I can't see the field in any direction because of the dense fog. I must find a way out of these woods before it's too late.

"Help!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I look around for an escape route.

All I can see are bare trees and fog that stretches as far as my eyes will allow me to see.

"You will know pain!" the creature's voice echoes throughout the woods.

I then hear the sound of feet running toward me. Panicked, I begin to sprint in a random direction, hoping to God it's the right way out of here.

My legs are moving as fast as they can, but the large branches on the forest floor makes it difficult to run without stumbling. I try my best to hurdle over them so I can maintain a constant speed. I then notice a glimpse of hope in the distance; the woods are thinning and the field is coming into view.

"Come on, you're almost there," I tell myself subconsciously.

Not long after, I dart out of the woods and onto the field. The road is roughly fifty-yards ahead of me.  
"Someone help me!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I run.

I glance over my shoulder again and see the creature bursting from the woods. My soul jumps from my body when I notice it charging onto the field. It stops, only momentarily, to search for me. His large bloodthirsty eyes discover me fleeing the scene.

When he sees me escaping, this makes him angrier than before. It starts to chase after me with its hands chopping the wind like a track-star. My panicky mind is working overtime for a plan B. I look forward again at the road growing in front of me.

I push myself even harder, trying my best to move my legs faster than before. I ignore my weakening stamina and the urge to catch my breath. I have no other option. If I stop now, I'm going to be ripped to pieces. As I turn to check on the creature's progression, I witness its speed double.

This thing is determined to kill me. I shift my eyes forward and see a small ditch in the grass. I trip and hit the grass hard. The fall forces the air from my lungs. I rotate onto my back and see him speeding towards me. The expression on his face is fulfillment; as if he's been aching to kill me for a long time. It's too late for me to do anything. I don't even have the time to scream for help.

He extends his hand back and prepares to drive his claws into my face. In this very moment, when every bit of hope is lost, a black mass comes leaping across the air. This large black figure collides into the creature. Their collision creates a sound similar to erupting thunder. Suddenly, the park bench to my left explodes as the creature's body goes flying through it.

Its body bounces off the dirt like a rock skipping on the surface of water. The creature is knocked-out by the collision, resting motionless on its stomach.

"Oh my God," my words come out uneasily; mixed together with deep, uncontrollable, breaths.

At my feet, to my left, I spot this huge heap of black fur. It rises off the grass until it's standing on all four paws. Slowly, it rotates its body to face me. I feel my joints tighten harder than before as its yellow eyes penetrate through mines and consumes my soul. These yellow eyes belong to an adult lion.

He takes a couple of steps toward me and lowers his huge face close to mine. Reflex causes me to lean away from his face. He breathes in deeply through his nose. Each breath he takes causes my hair to flow back.

"Are you alright Iva?" the beast asks me in a deep, bold, voice.

For the second time in my life, I'm too appalled to speak. It's just too much madness to take in at one time. I'm staring into the eyes of a talking black lion. He's so close I can feel the warmth from his breath. I open my mouth to speak but my words are trembling as they form on my tongue.

"I've heard of you... You are... You are...," I try to speak and fail horribly.

The massive lion leans closer and finishes my sentence with these words,

"I am Mane."

CHAPTER 1: THREE MONTHS AGO

(The events that led to Iva encountering Mane)

Today is the big day. It's hard to imagine myself living in a different home but I suppose it's overdue. It all started three months ago when my mom received a job offer. This job pays twice as much as the editing gig she once had. She took the offer without thinking twice. The place is a highly-reputable publishing firm somewhere in New York.

It's located near the town she was raised in. When she mentioned the possibility of us moving, I didn't take her word for it until the Realtor arrived to discuss the details. In all honesty, I never cared much about this house. This place always felt more like a prison than an actual home. I spent most of my time sitting in front of my window, watching life around me progress like a statue.

The reason being is because of my unfortunate health conditions. I have SCID, or in other words, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. I'm unable to go in public without the risk of becoming gravely ill. Therefore, I was home schooled all through my childhood. Another major condition is my bone deficiency, which caused my legs to become brittle. However, I have a wheelchair that helps me get around when I need to.

My least favorite out of all of these is my epilepsy. Sometimes I can black-out and have a seizure unexpectedly. The most embarrassing moment was when I was at the carnival, years ago.

"Everything's packed up and ready to go," a familiar voice informs me.

I turn away from the window and look back into my empty room. I spot a beautiful brunette woman walking towards me with a humble smile. I look back out the window and watch Ms. Porter take her Shih Tzu for his usual afternoon walk.

I count down from five in my head and watch Mr. Jenkins cruise down the street in his blue Volkswagen. He's been working overnights since I can remember, and as you can see, I'm pretty much familiar with everyone's daily routines.

"We have to hit the road now before traffic gets bad," she urges.

"This is really happening," I say in disbelief. "We're actually moving."

"And it's about time," she replies as she gently places her hands on my frail shoulders.

I then begin to reminisce about someone who I haven't seen in a long time. A feeling of resentment overcomes me.

"Do you ever think about him?" I ask her.

"Iva, we had this talk before. He made his decision. We're better without him."

If you have to know, the person I'm being indirect about is my father. He left us when I was young for reasons that still remain unknown. My mother never fully recovered from that. I guess you can say the same for me.

"Life goes on," she tells me.

I sigh and shake my head.

"Maybe for you, but we both know the world will never accept me like this. I'm tired of being this face in a window. I want to be somebody."

She walks in front of me and kneels down until she reaches my eye level.

"Iva, you are somebody. Today will be a new beginning for us both. No more staring out of windows."

I nod softly in agreement.

The drive from Virginia to Upstate New York is about ten hours. I keep myself entertained by listening to the radio and counting trees as they zoom by in a blur. We do talk from time to time as we cruise along. It's just enough small-talk to prevent the awkward silences.

Now the remaining day is slipping from us. A florescent pink is beginning to devour the blue horizon.

"We made it," my mom informs me.

We take an exit ramp that welcomes us into the City of Rochester. The downtown area, just like any city, appears typical. You have your stores, your cabs, your buses, and your traffic lights on every block. In no time, we cruise through a neighborhood lined with boxy homes. She makes a final right turn onto Meigs Street and then lowers speed. She carefully observes all of the addresses as we ease down the block.

"This is us," she says while pulling into a vacant driveway.

This house is boxy like the others with a beige exterior and blue window shutters. There's a black car parked in front of the house, which belongs to a police official. My mom beeps the car horn several times. A couple of seconds later, the front door opens. A man is standing in the doorway of the house, smiling.

He's dressed casually in a pair of black slacks and a white shirt with the sleeves partially rolled up on each arm. He hurries onto the porch and down the steps, bringing a vivid smile along with him. My mom rushes out of the van and meets him with an embrace. A moment later, they detach. She takes a moment to study his physical appearance from head to toe.

"Oh my God! I can't believe you cut your hair," my mom's excited voice is penetrating the windows.

He leans his head forward so she can further examine his bronze hair. He then directs his big grin towards me and wraps around the front of the van. He opens the door.

"What's up kiddo?" he asks me. "Need a hand?"

I look deeply into his green eyes and begin to pull moments with him from my memory bank. He has the same green eyes and golden-brown hair as my mother. I know him, but I haven't seen him in a very long time. And then it hits me,

"Uncle Frank?" I mutter shockingly.

"Who else would I be?" he replies...

CHAPTER 2: DETECTIVE LANCASTER

As night falls, the three of us settle into the living area of the house. We're chitchatting about various things while sipping on a freshly brewed cup of tea. The inside of the house is very spacious. I do admire the high ceilings, but I don't favor the décor. Everything looks neat and clean, but the house is furnished with lots of outdated furniture. It was my grandparents' house.

I guess Uncle Frank left it the same way since their death, which was over a decade ago. I barely knew them because they died when I so young. They died from natural causes. My grandmother was the first to pass away.

"So, when do you start the new job?" Uncle Frank asks from a recliner.

"In a couple of days," she replies with a sigh.

"It's good to hear someone is willing to pay you a fair salary. You're a hard worker Julie. You deserve it."

"Thanks," she says and smiles humbly at her brother.

"Mom and dad would be proud of you," he admits.

She nods humbly in agreement with him.

"I know," she replies.

She then releases a long sigh and glances around the room at the pictures on the walls. All of them are old photographs from their childhood years together. Her eyes then shifts towards the fireplace, where a clutter of trophies rest on top of the mantel.

"I can't believe this house is still the same after all these years," my mom says while surveying the room.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Uncle Frank replies.

Suddenly, I see my Uncle's inner conscience snapping alert.

"I forgot to tell you who I ran into the other day," Uncle Frank mentions.

"Who?"

"Matt Thompson."

She gasps out loud, nearly laughing.

"You didn't," she says with disbelief.

"Yup. He was asking about you too," he informs her while laughing.

I feel left out of a joke, so it's only natural for me to ask them about this Matt character.

"Who is this Matt Thomas guy?"

"Just your mom's old crush in high school."

My mom is laughing and blushing uncontrollably. She's trying her best to conceal her red face with her hands. She takes a quick break from laughing to respond.

"First and foremost, it was not a crush. I liked him and that's it," she sets the record straight.

Uncle Frank shakes his head in disagreement as he tries to hold back a laugh.

"You were obsessed with the guy," he gives his side of the story. "You wore a shirt that said 'I love Matt' with hearts all around it."

"That's obsessive?" she says with burning-red cheeks.

"Julie, what planet do you live on?"

"I was not obsessed," she backfires. "Every teenage girl has their little fling."

"You were a stalker," he says with sincerity.

Eventually, my mom stops laughing. She then rests her head back onto the soft couch pillow, gazing at the ceiling in deep thought.

"I forgot all about Matt. I thought he went to New York City for acting. How is he?" she asks while in deep thought.

Uncle Frank takes a sip of his tea and begins to speak, but he is having difficulty putting words together in a sentence.

"He's good. He's a pretty big deal now. The guy is huge," he says in a halfhearted way.

"I guess everything went well for him. That's good."

"Not career wise. He's huge, meaning fat. I barely recognized the guy."

The shock hits my mother so hard that it causes her lower jaw to give out.

"Shut-up," she says to her brother.

"I'm serious. He went to New York and he obviously took one too many bites from the big apple."

Once again, she begins to laugh loudly. I've never seen my mother laugh so hard. Seeing her exhausted and dragging her feet into the house from working long hours at the publishing firm has been branded into my mind. This woman I see now...I haven't seen her in a very long time. I can't help but add in a giggle or two of my own.

"He asked about you," he adds while laughing. "I'm going to call him and see if he wants to pick up where you left off."

"You better not. I will strangle you," she says as her laughter dies down.

Slowly but surely, they stop giggling. Frank looks around the room as his laughter fades, and then he falls into a subtle daydream. I can see his bright eyes dimming. Maybe he's thinking about a sentimental moment that happened in this very room.

"I couldn't sell it Julie. I thought about it but," he pauses to reflect on distant recollections. "It's just too many memories in here. Man oh man...where did those years go?"

My mom smiles at his remark.

"I must say it feels good to be back," she tells him.

"It's good to have you back," Uncle Frank replies.

He turns all of his attention onto me; his bright smile returning.

"Well, Iva, what are your plans for the summer?" he asks.

"I'm not sure," I reply while shrugging my shoulders.

"Do you still write?" he continues.

"Not much anymore. I do read a lot."

"Have you ever thought about picking up classes?"

I shrug my shoulders.

"I didn't really plan on it," I reply weakly.

"Frank, trust me, I've been trying to get her to take courses. She just doesn't want to," my mom joins in.

I sigh and try my best not to appear annoyed by her comment.

"That's not the case," I say with frustration. "It's just...I don't think I would fit in."

"How do you know? Have you ever tried going?" Uncle Frank moves the conversation along.

"Of course not..."

"There's a reason for you being alive today. You are about to be twenty years old. Time waits for nobody. Get out the house and have some fun. Who cares what people think? You shouldn't let that stop you from being happy."

"Frank, come in," a voice calls out from a radio frequency.

"Hold on kiddo," he says while lifting a handheld device to his mouth. "What's up?" he replies into the device.

"We've got a situation out here," the voice responds.

Uncle Frank's eyes roll in his head.

"Can it wait?" he asks the voice.

"I'm afraid not."

Uncle Frank sighs.

"On my way," he responds halfheartedly.

He then stands and grabs his black blazer off the top of the recliner.

"Leaving so soon?" my mom asks.

"Duty calls."

"Be safe."

"Always," he replies. "Call me if you need anything Julie."

He turns to me and winks.

"See you later, kiddo."

"See you later."

In no time, he's out of the house and into the night...

CHAPTER 3: THE NEW CASE

Night matures as Frank drives away from Rochester and into a secluded town that has no buildings. The sky is free of clouds, making the full moon look grand and vivid behind the towering pine trees. He cruises his way down a pitch-black road with his headlights glaring.

He continues to drive down this lonely road until a faint light can be seen, peeking through the pine trees from afar. He slows to a halt at an illuminated area blocked off by two squad cars, an old pickup truck, a couple of sedans, and burning road flares. Frank sees three state-troopers, an old man, and this tall casually dressed fellow talking together.

The tall man, who is dressed in a light-gray suit, approaches and greets Frank as he exits his vehicle.

"What we got Jones?" Frank asks the tall fellow as he steps out of his car.

Jones shrugs his shoulders and shakes his face with a mystified expression.

"It looks like an animal attack, but I'm not sure. It's a bad one. Something is really strange about this Frank," Jones talks as they cut between the squad cars and walk into a lit trail that goes deep within the forest.

Frank follows behind Jones as they carefully walk through the narrow trail. Shortly, they arrive at the scene of the incident where four people, two men and two women, are examining the area for evidence. Frank sees the body of the victim resting awkwardly on the forest floor. This body belongs to a twenty-five year old college graduate named Adrian. She's wearing navy-blue hiking gear and brown, low-top, boots.

Her outfit is shredded and covered in blood, and her eyes are frozen in absolute dread. Her blood is still fresh enough to appear crimson on her clothes. Frank studies the body and calculates the time of death in his head. He estimates that she died around four hours ago. He also begins to take other things into consideration, like the amount of mud on her boots, the twigs protruding out of her clothes, and how her personal belongings are not with her.

This tells him she had to be running for a while before her death. Also, by her frightened eyes, he knows she died terrified.

"We found her just like this," he informs Frank. "Her personal belongings are at a camping area a mile from here."

Frank kneels next to the woman's lifeless body, which is constantly being illuminated by camera flashes. He then takes out a small flashlight from his pocket to observe the area better.

"Any I.D?" he asks.

"Adrian Singleton is her name. We already notified her parents. They said she came up here from Buffalo with her boyfriend."

"Hiking?" Frank asks.

"Yup."

"And her boyfriend's whereabouts?"

"He's missing too," Frank's partner replies. "His family and friends didn't hear from him since he left."

Using a pen, Frank lifts up her ripped shirt while holding the flashlight in the other hand. The light reveals a series of claw marks around a large cavity in her torso.

"Holy-shit," Frank says automatically when he sees the gaping wound.

He covers her wound again and takes a second to gather his thoughts. The sight is so gruesome it manages to stupefy Frank. For someone in his line of work, that doesn't happen very often. As he stares at her frightened eyes, his mind attempts to form a scenario. He can't seem to connect the dots in his head.

"What do you think about this?" Jones interrogates.

"I have never seen anything like this," Frank replies with confusion.

"Tell me about it. What animal would rip someone open like this?" he asks Frank.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Frank responds.

His eyes search around the forest floor for clues. He begins to prowl close to the ground; his eyes are more observant than ever. He scatters some twigs and sees several boot prints. He continues to observe his surroundings while a scenario plays out in his mind.

"She ran for some time and was caught. There was a struggle that didn't last very long," Frank assumes as he continues to hunt for clues.

He then spots something unusual and freezes at the first sight of it. It's a pair of footprints, and they're not that far from the victim's body.

"Someone else was here. The person was barefooted."

As Frank takes some time to ponder, Jones kneels down next to him.

"Maybe it was her boyfriend," Jones replies.

Frank considers that theory, but as he observes it closely, his partner's accusation immediately slips from his mind. He moves closer to the footprints and concentrates the light onto it. The footprint is unlike a human footprint. The footprint is abnormally long with four toes instead of five.

"These aren't human footprints," Frank says. "Have you ever seen a print like that?" Frank asks his partner with a baffled expression.

Jones bathes in his own thoughts for a moment.

"Could it have been a bear?" Jones blurts out the first thing that sounds reasonable to him.

"It doesn't look much like a bear print. Whatever the hell it was, it tracked her down. She held her ground and fought it. It didn't work out in her favor, but there definitely was a bit of a struggle here," Frank tells him with a hint of remorse towards the end of the sentence.

Frank stands to his feet with his partner.

"Jones, you know I never say this, but I have a bad feeling about this," Frank admits as he continues to look at the body.

"Same here," Jones agrees. "I've never seen anything like this."

Suddenly, those peering eyes become busy again. Frank shines the light on the ground and finds another suspicious indentation. He moves closer to observe it. It's another boot print, but the patterns in these boots are unlike the other.

"Hold on one second. There were three people here," Frank realizes.

"You remember the old man who lives on the lake a couple miles down the road? Those are his boots. He's the one who notified authorities. He supposedly saw something. When he came over to help her, she was already dead. You should go talk to him."

Shortly, Jones and Frank exit the forest and walks over to three state-troopers talking to a very upset elderly man in the middle of the road. The old man is wearing brown hunting clothes and rugged-leather boots on his feet. The cops are trying to lower the old man's irritation, but they only seem to be adding fuel to his fire.

"Sir, please calm down for a second," Frank says in a dominating tone.

Frank's demanding tone works to an extent. The old man lowers his voice, but he is still ranting underneath his breath about how the troopers are too stupid to understand anything.

"Officers, may I have a second?" Frank asks.

"Sure," a trooper replies and then steps aside.

The others step back, making space between Frank and the older man.

"Stupid son of a bitch," the old man backfires at one of the troopers.

"Hey! There's no need for that kind of language. Take a breather," Frank orders the old man.

He manages to persuade the old man to calm himself, although his face is still red.

"Start from the beginning please, without yelling," Frank orders the old man.

The old man sighs before starting over.

"I heard some screaming. It was just before sunset. I was across the road," he points behind himself towards the other side of the forest.

"What were you doing out here?"

"I was doing a little hunting. I didn't catch any game so I decided to head home early. And that's when I heard the screaming. My God, she was screaming something fierce too. Then I crossed the road. I had my gun ready because I knew somebody was in trouble. Then that's when I saw her on the ground. She was probably forty-feet away from where I was standing."

The old man forces his emotions back before continuing.

"She was just killed because her body was still shaking from the shock."

Tears gather in the old man's eyes, and this time it takes longer for him to continue the story.

"Only if I was there a minute before," he continues with guilt swelling in his heart.

"Did you see anyone?"

"Yes, I did," he replies timidly. "I saw someone squatting down near her body. He had on a brown hood. I thought it was a man at first glimpse, but I don't know what the hell it was."

"It?" Frank asks uneasily.

"I saw its back. I mean the damn thing even squats down like a man and everything. It was looking down doing something. I couldn't figure it out at first."

"Hold on, what are we talking about here?" Frank digs deeper.

"Sir, I have no idea. It wasn't any man though. I know that for sure. It looked like a man, had a body like one, but its face was deformed. Then it paused and started to sniff the air like a damn animal. It must have caught my scent because it turned and looked me dead in the eyes," the old man pauses to swallow down his fear. "And the fear struck me so deep I couldn't move a muscle. I felt the fear in my soul," he continues with terror returning in his voice. "And I can't describe to you how ugly this thing was. It was grotesque. I would've killed it but," he takes a moment to wipe the sweat off his face with the back of his hand. "If I wasn't scared stiff I would've kill it. Then, in a blink of an eye, it was gone."

"Are you certain you didn't see an animal?" Jones questions his testimony.

"Damn it. Don't give me that shit. They kept asking me the same thing. NO! It wasn't an animal."

"Please, calm down," Frank demands.

The elderly man has built up too much momentum to stop now.

"I'm telling you it was not human. This thing was a demon; a spawn of Satan."

"Enough. I'll have them file a report sir," Frank butts in abruptly. "Go home please and take it easy. The last thing we need is for you going around scaring people with ghost stories. Please escort this man to his truck."

A state-trooper tries to grab his shoulder but the old man snatches his arm away with aggression.

"Let me finish. You know what I caught it doing?" the old man asks.

The trooper comes over and grabs his shoulder again.

"Sir, please step aside," the trooper demands boldly.

"I saw it eating," the old man says in a grim voice.

"Wait officer. What did you say?" Frank asks the elderly man.

"I saw it eating," he says loudly through his teeth.

"Eating what?" Frank asks.

"You saw her body detective. You know what I mean."

Frank is starting to feel a little timid. It's the honesty in the man's eyes that gives him the chills. The fact that the old man is absolutely petrified also plays a pivotal role as well. Frank is used to seeing dead bodies wash up. In the past, he came face to face with demented men. Still, he has not felt goosebumps until now.

The darkness of the night, the faint glow of burning flares illuminating the old man's wide eyes, creates a more disturbing atmosphere.

"Sir, please clarify that," Frank asks uneasily.

"Don't play stupid. You know exactly what I meant by that. I've seen her body and so have you. Whatever he took out of that girl, he was eating it. There are things I've seen, things that I have yet seen, and things I shouldn't see. I will never forget what I saw. And the screams...oh my God..."

"Whatever it is, I will find it. I'll make sure of that. Now go home and get some rest," Frank tells him.

The old man shifts back at Frank, looking him square in the eyes. He slowly shakes his head at Frank's remark.

"You expect me to sleep? That's easier said than done my friend," he tells Frank with frightened eyes. "That's easier said than done."

Frank nods at the trooper, seeking his guidance. The trooper steps forward then escorts the older man away from the area. Immediately, Jones approaches Frank with tension in his eyes.

"Are you really going to let him go? I think we should bring him in for further questioning. You believe that bullshit story he just told?"

Frank shakes his head in disagreement.

"He's telling the truth. Well...his idea anyways. He definitely saw something. What exactly? I guess we're going to find out sooner or later."

Jones blows out air in retaliation against his comment.

"Notify the surrounding counties. Put out a missing persons' report on her boyfriend," Frank demands.

"Your call," Jones replies hastily while walking towards his car.

Frank takes one more look at the old man, who is throwing some of his belongings in the back of his truck. The old man then notices Frank watching him. Frank peers deeply into the old man's disturbed eyes, searching for a flaw. He finds no dishonesty in his graying eyes. The old man opens the door of the truck and gets in.

Frank watches him ignite the engine. The pickup truck cruises down the road until darkness defeats the truck's headlights. Somewhere in Frank's mind, he can't help but ponder, "Maybe this old man is not as crazy as he seems."...

CHAPTER 4: RISE AND SHINE

A dim light shines down from two-feet above his head. The light is so close he can fell the warmth from the old bulb on his head. The hiker emerges from unconsciousness, completely disoriented. The last thing he can remember is leaving his apartment with his girlfriend to go on a ten-mile hike. He can't recall anything else after that.

He has dry blood over his right eye, indicating a plausible reason for his amnesia. Before he was rendered unconscious, he does remember being hit with a severe blow. What he can't remember is why.

In front of him is a wall of darkness. The light above is strong enough to reveal a concrete, damp, floor that transcends into the darkness. He can hear the constant sound of water dripping at a distance. This tells him that he's in a wide space.

The air is moist and musty. He quickly realizes that he is unable to move. He glances down at himself and discovers why he is immobile. He's standing upright, strapped down on a metal table from his torso to his ankles.

"What the hell?" he blurts out.

He tries to free himself again, using all of his might, but the leather straps are far too durable.

"This is my favorite part, when the victim slowly wakes up and realizes that he's in a world of trouble," a voice speaks from the nearby darkness.

"Who said that?" the hiker asks fearfully.

"I'm over here."

The hiker follows the voice to his left and squint his eyes so he can see clearer. He spots a person, wearing a long brown cloak, sitting in a wooden chair with his arms resting on the armrests. His nails are tapping the wood as he waits for the hiker to become fully aware. Most of the man's face is covered in darkness, for the exception of his chin.

"What kind of sick joke is this? Let me go now," the hiker demands.

The mysterious man snickers in the shadows.

"I do like a good joke now and then, but this is no laughing matter."

The hiker attempts to free himself again.

"It's useless. You're not going anywhere."

"I don't know who you are, but people will start looking for me."

"They already started. That doesn't change your current circumstance at all. They will never find you."

"I'm warning you, if you don't let me go then..,"

From the shadows, the hooded man slams a fist on the armrest of the chair.

"Or what, you're going to stare at me to death? Give me a fucking break," the hooded man replies. "You're in no position to make threats around here, boy."

"Listen, if you want money, I can get it for you. Just let me go..."

"I don't care for money," the mysterious man butts in.

"I don't know what I've done, but if I wronged you in anyway, I will make it up to you. Just let me go," the hiker pleads.

"Trust me, this is nothing personal. My destiny, my purpose, is to afflict pain and kill as many people as I can. I love to do this. I live for this. I can't breathe without this. It's... in my nature. I can't help myself. I could've killed you on the spot, but I wanted to make things interesting. I want to feed them hope. I want them to think that you are still alive and well. But eventually I will kill you and get rid of your body somewhere."

The mysterious man claps his hands and laughs with excitement.

"I wonder where I should dump your body," the hooded man ponders. "I can't wait. I'll even place absurd clues at the scene to throw them off. Lancaster won't know what to do next."

The hiker starts to whimper as the hooded man plans his murder right in front of him.

"You sick bastard. You can't just go around killing people. What kind of monster are you?"

The hooded man sighs from the chair.

"I'm...uh...a complicated monster. Most people call me the boogeyman. I hate that name. But..," he says while standing to his feet.

The hooded man begins to approach the frightened hiker as he proceeds with his speech.

"There's one name that really stuck with me. I didn't like it at first, but it's definitely a lot better than the boogeyman."

The hooded man stops in front of him with his face lowered.

"I am...," he lifts his hood back, revealing his grotesque face. "The Hellhound," he says with a smile.

The hiker gasps loudly with wide, petrified, eyes.

"OH MY GOD!" the hiker finally manages to speak. "Someone, help me!" the hiker shouts desperately for help. "Help me please!"

Hellhound closes his eyes and savors this special moment. The terrified pleas of the hiker are like music to his ears.

"That's why I love this job. There's nothing better than the useless sound of someone crying for help. It's beautiful. Actually, that's not true."

Hellhound walks away from his sight into the shadows. A moment later, he reemerges from the shadows, carrying a smile on his face and a chainsaw in his hand.

"There's nothing better than the sound of someone crying for help while getting gutted with a chainsaw," he says to the soon-to-be victim.

He then starts to laugh loudly as he brings the sharp blades to life. The hiker begins to yell at the top of his lungs. Hellhound lifts the chainsaw high in the air, grimacing more than ever.

"That's the spirit!" Hellhound says while laughing his hardest.

Defensively, the hiker continues to scream for help; however, not one soul is able to hear his dying plea...

CHAPTER 5: GLENWORTH UNIVERSITY

My mom introduces me to my new bedroom. It closely resembles my old bedroom back in Virginia. These bookshelves are similar to those I had mounted onto my wall. Stuffed animals are placed on top of my dresser and model-airplanes are suspended above my bed. I notice some minor differences like the room size.

This room is much larger. I push my wheels to move forward and park myself in front of my bedroom window. The view outside is different also.

Back in Virginia, my room was located on the second floor of our house. From there, I had a clear view of the entire neighborhood, but now I can only see the house across the street. We have no trees in our new front yard, which gives me a great view of the moon.

"This was my old room. Do you like how he decorated it?" my mom asks. "We tried to make it look more like home."

"It's nice," I reply while gazing up at the moon.

"I want to take you somewhere tomorrow morning."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," she says with enthusiasm.

"Is Uncle Frank coming?"

"No, it will be just us."

Shortly after, my mother helps me into bed. Before leaving my room, she kisses me on the forehead and wishes me a goodnight. I stare at my model-airplanes hanging over my bed until I fall asleep...

It's now ten o'clock in the morning. I'm driving alongside my mom on the highway. Where to exactly? That's still unknown to me. Twenty minutes later, my mom takes an exit ramp that leads us onto a narrow road shaded by deep woods.

We continue straight for a couple of minutes until we reach a strip of various restaurants and stores. We proceed pass Main Street and loop around a circular intersection in the middle of the town. In the center of this loop, I see a bronze statue of a roaring black lion. The words 'Home of Mane' is engraved underneath the lion. She exits onto University Street and continues straight until a wide field appears on our left.

A brick building with large white pillars can be seen from afar. The entire field is busy with various activities. Some people are tossing Frisbees back and forth, some are bathing under the sun, and others are merely walking about.

"This is it," my mom informs me with a bright smile.

She turns into the school parking lot, drives near the main building, and parks at a handicap spot.

"What are we doing here?" I ask.

"This is your surprise," she says cheerfully. "Yay!"

I stare into her eyes, completely straight-faced. I'm obviously not as enthusiastic as her. Not only do I hate surprises, I hate crowds of people even more.

"Mom, you've could've at least gave me a heads up."

"I did last night. Remember?" she says. "Besides, this is a great school. Your uncle attended this college."

I exaggerate my sigh, so she can clearly hear my frustration towards her.

"Alright," I say tonelessly.

After rolling me out and locking up the van, we begin to make our way towards the main doors. I try my best to ignore all of the eyes around me.

"Are you okay?" she asks me.

She's reading me like a book, as usual.

"It's a lot of people here," I state while nibbling at my bottom lip. "I don't want to be here right now. I want to go home."

"Just be you," she replies in a low voice.

Her advice helps me to an extent.

"I feel nauseous. We should leave."

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" my mom plays a fool.

"I'm serious mom."

She then starts to hum a soft melody.

"Okay, if I throw up, I'm aiming for you," I inform her.

"Oh, stop it," she blows off my smart remark.

We reach a set of constantly opening and closing double doors. A student walking out is kind enough to hold the door open for us.

"Thank you," my mom responds nicely to his thoughtfulness.

"No problem," he replies.

I'm pushed into a busy hallway filled with parents and students.

"Excuse me," my mom calls out to a student that's passing by in a hurry. "Which way is the admissions office?"

"Down this hallway, make a left, first door," he replies without stopping.

We continue down the hallway and turn left, just as directed. We reach a large office crowded with students, parents, and faculty members. There's a hysterical man, exploding with rage, escorting a boy toward us. We stop in the doorway as they march closer. They're both tall, athletic-built males, with vivid blue eyes and short blonde hair.

The man has a sheet of paper in his hand, waving it around in the boy's face. I assume by their close resemblance, this man is the boy's father. The man appears to be ranting about the boy's low test scores.

"This is the last damn time you're failing this class. Understand?" the angry man says this in a high volume in the boy's ear.

His anger is so dominating it makes me feel uncomfortable. The boy is wearing a white Polo shirt, which is being stretched as the man tows him toward us. The man is wearing a black shirt, tucked into a pair of gray slacks, and glossy black dress shoes. My nervousness only increases the closer they get to us. The man is so busy ranting to the boy that he nearly bumps into my mother.

He stops in the doorway and directs his aggression towards my mother.

"You're excused," the man fires at my mother in a nasty tone.

He then looks down at me. My heart rate increases automatically. His rage is burning my eyes, so I swiftly gaze downward to ease the burden. He then shoves the boy out of the office and follows behind him.

"Wow. That was rude," my mom states a moment later.

I can clearly hear her frustration towards the man. It's hard to get my mom irritated and he definitely succeeded without a doubt. We proceed into the office, still feeling a little awestruck at what just happened. We spot an old woman with glasses sitting at a desk covered with various mounds of paper.

"Hello," my mother greets her.

"Welcome," the elderly woman responds.

"We're just checking out the campus. Do you have a list of courses?"

"Yes we do," the elderly woman replies politely.

The woman licks her finger and collects a sheet of paper from each pile.

"It's very busy here," my mom states.

"It's always crowded around this time," the elderly receptionist replies.

For some unknown reason, the receptionist shakes her head and sighs. I can see frustration forming on her aged face.

"And I'm sorry about that whole thing," she apologizes as she hands my mom the papers.

"You're sorry about what?" my mom asks in a confused way.

"That man was Cornelius Blaire and his son Kendrick. They're not the nicest people around here," she says and then sighs louder. "None of them are," she concludes.

"No worries," my mom replies. "So, when do fall courses start?"

"September 4th."

"How long is the application process?"

"Just fill everything out as soon as possible. She should make the deadline."

"Okay. Thank you so much," my mom says gratefully.

"You're welcome."

"Is it fine if we take a small tour around the...?"

"Help yourself," the elderly lady butts in.

We take an hour long tour around the campus. Most of our time is spent looking inside the classrooms. Some rooms are flat, some rooms have monitors, some rooms have black counters and faucets, and some are like miniature stadiums. We also visit the student lounge and library area. I can easily picture myself in the student lounge reading my favorite novels in between classes.

At first I was feeling a little weary about this trip, but now I'm actually excited by the idea of attending college. Soon, our tour is over and we're heading back to our van.

"What do you think?" my mother asks as she pushes me down the concrete walkway.

"It was interesting," I tell her with a sincere smile.

"I knew you would like it."

My mother was right. The trip was rather enjoyable. I haven't had an honest smile in such a long time.

My mom pushes me down the walkway and next to the van. I hear a faint clutter of voices next to me, so I look over at a tree that rests on the lawn.

A group of students are sitting underneath that tree. The group consists of three boys and two girls. One of the girls, who have coffee-colored skin, is sitting furthest to the right. Everything she has on is obscure, even her lipstick. She's wearing a long black dress with fishnet stockings and black high-heeled shoes.

Her hair is trimmed short with blue highlights that compliment her grim choice of fashion. I gaze at her blank face. She catches me looking and smiles brightly. I return the favor and smile back. The other girl is a long-haired brunette.

She looks rough and tough around the edges. She is sitting on the far left, arguing with a boy next to her. Both of their features are identical, except the boy has short, messy, hair. He's wearing a sky-blue shirt, a pair of jeans with the knees cut, and a pair of red Chuck Taylors on his feet.

His lookalike, the brunette girl, is wearing a similar outfit. An Italian boy is sitting beside them. He has dark hair and beautiful baby-blue eyes. His short hair is neatly combed straight back. For some strange reason, I can't help but stare at him. It feels nearly impossible to turn away.

He's wearing a tight white shirt, a pair of denim jeans, and a pair of black sneakers. A modeling agency should hire him as a billboard model. The last boy is centered in between them. He's resting on his elbow and chewing on a red apple. He's wearing a black shirt, baggy jeans, and loose leather boots.

He's undeniably bigger than the other two boys. He's not bigger in height; instead, he's a lot wider due to his muscle size. His barbaric hair is large like his body. He's has a light-skinned complexion. He looks up and catches me staring at him. He stares back at me with this hard look.

His stare is so harsh that it forces me to look away from him. In the corner of my eye, I can still see all of them looking at us. My mom attempts to pull the ramp from the van. The ramp is somehow stuck. She pulls harder but the ramp doesn't move an inch.

My mom takes a break from tugging to examine the ramp.

"I think it's jammed," my mom says with frustration. "This thing is such a pain in my...butt."

I hate awkward moments like this when people just stare directly in your face. I have a strong urge to wander off and hide. I just hope they don't notice my cheeks turning pink. I look out the corner of my eye and see the dark-skinned girl nudging the muscular boy's shoulder.

I hear them having a secretive argument about something unclear. Then he stands slowly, tossing the remaining apple to the side, and approaches us. He approaches my mom but she has no idea he's standing behind her. She's too busy trying to figure out why the ramp isn't working. He clears his throat to gather her attention.

She turns to him and flinches mildly.

"Oh, hello, I didn't see you there," my mom states.

"Done embarrassing yourself?" he asks tonelessly.

I start to consider that sternness on his face is permanent.

"Pardon me?" my mom replies.

"Do you need help or what?" the boy asks.

"Thank you but I can handle it," she says and tugs on the ramp several more times.

My mom finally stops to catch her breath. The bulky boy glances over his shoulder at his snickering friends and shifts back to my mom. She finally surrenders and turns to him, grinning with pressed lips.

"Yes, I do need help."

"Are you sure? I couldn't tell," he replies with sarcasm.

My mom snickers at his remark, but I know he didn't mean any humor by it.

"Yes, I'm sure," she says while catching her breath.

The boy walks over, leans into the van, and studies the ramp's mechanics.

"Be careful," my mom tells him. "I think something is struck in there somewhere...oh, that was easy. Thanks."

The boy pulls out the ramp and places it on the pavement. He then brushes his hands clean.

"Well, thanks a lot for..." my mom attempts to thank him.

"Yup," he replies and quickly walks away.

"...your help," my mom finishes awkwardly.

As he walks back to his friends, they all give him a round-of-applause.  
"That wasn't so hard," the dark-skinned girl tells him.

"Shut-up," he mumbles back as he sits down next to her.

Soon, I'm secured into the van. My mom gets in and releases a deep breath.

"That was fun. Right?" she asks.

I smile honestly.

"Yeah, it was," I reply.

"And you didn't throw-up on me. That's a plus," she says brightly.

I snicker at her comment.

"Lucky you," I reply.

As she brings the engine to life, I look outside my window at the kids underneath the tree. The black girl waves at me with a smile. I smile, somewhat, and wave back as we pull off...

CHAPTER 6: THE BOX

On our way back, I take a closer glimpse at the stores against the main road. The stores consist of restaurants, pastry shops, clothing boutiques, and even hair salons. However, this town has a different style than others. The stores aren't covered in fancy signs and bright colors like those you'd typically see in a city. The store faces are painted in warm, humble, colors.

In addition, the signs hanging over the stores appear to be homemade. I also realize that every store has a picture of that lion posted on their window. One would assume this character serves as some kind of gimmick for the town. As we travel along, I see a wooden sign hanging off a storefront.

It reads "Linda's Antiques" in white cursive letters. The building itself is small and painted a dark green.

"I saw an antique shop back there," I inform her.  
"Wanna check it out?" she asks.

"Yes."

She turns the car around and kills the engine in front of the small establishment.

"It doesn't look like much. I guess it's worth a peek," she tells me.

Two minutes later, we enter the store with the sound of ringing chimes above our heads. The inside smells like a mix between lemon air-freshener, mothballs, and something musty. The shop is just a large dimly lit room with a bathroom behind the counter. An older woman with glasses is reading a magazine at the register.

She looks up, places her magazine on the counter, and smiles hard at us.

"Welcome," the woman says in a friendly tone.

"Hello," my mom replies.

"Do you need help finding anything in particular?"

"No, we're just looking around," my mother replies.

"If you have any questions just ask me," the woman says nicely and continues reading her magazine.

I roll myself towards the dolls resting disorderly on the floor. Most of their eyes are missing and their dresses are horribly ragged. I move along and spot some books stacked high in a cardboard box. I search through them with the hopes of finding some interesting titles.

"Look at this, Iva," my mom grasps my attention behind me.

She has her back turn to me as if she's trying to conceal something. She shifts to me swiftly, revealing these glasses with long coils and eyes attached to them.

"Funny right?" she asks.

"Mom, please stop, I'm laughing so hard it hurts," I reply tonelessly.

Humble as ever, she places the glasses back on the shelf.

"I remember when you used to laugh at all of my jokes," she informs me.

"You're right, but then I turned five," I add while studying a soldier figurine. "If it makes you feel better, I did laugh."

"No you didn't," she replies.

"I totally did. You just had to listen very, very, closely."

Sparking no interest in me, I place the figurine where it belong and continue through the store. I then see an acoustic guitar sitting on the table. Like a child, I can't help but run my fingers across the wires gently, creating a mild tune with every popping string.

"See something you like?" she asks.

"Not really. I guess we can leave," I reply.

"Are you sure? You just got here."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

My mom grabs the handles of my wheelchair and prepares to push me forward.

"Thank you," my mom says to the woman at the counter.

The woman shifts away from her reading material and smiles at us.

"Thank you for stopping by," she says and then switches back to reading again.

While my mom pushes me towards the door, I discover something appealing on a bookshelf. It's a small red box.

"Hold on. What's that?"

My mother follows my finger.

"I don't know," she responds.

"Excuse me," I grasp the lady's attention at the register. "What's that?"

The hippie woman follows my finger to the rectangular box resting on a bookshelf.

"That's, uh..," She utters.

She walks over to the bookshelf, stands on the tips of her toes, and then grabs it. She blows onto the surface of the box, scattering dust particles into the air.

"I found it when I was gardening one day. I can't tell you what it is because I don't know what it is. It could be centuries old, maybe more. You're the first to ask about it. It's been sitting up there since I opened 5 years ago."

"How much is it?" I ask.

The woman shrugs her shoulders and ponders.

"Uh...three bucks," she says.

"May I see it?" I ask with my hands presented.

"Sure."

She hands me the box, which is much heavier than it appears. The dimensions of the box are four inches wide by nine inches long with a height of three inches. I use my hand the brush off some hardened dirt.

"It's warm," I think out loud.

"It's always like that," the woman clarifies.

"What's keeping it warm?" I ask curiously.

"No clue. Pretty strange, isn't it?"

I raise the box next to my ear and proceed to shake it, yet I hear nothing rattling on the inside.

"You want it Iva?" my mom asks.

"Yes," I reply, still studying the box diligently. "I'll take it."

She reaches into her purse, pulls out three dollars, and hands it to the woman.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you. Thank you and stop by some other time."

"Thanks a bunch," my mom finishes.

We make it back home in no time. As soon as I get the chance, I roll myself into my bedroom with the box resting on my lap; eager to restore the box to its original state.

"Lunch will be ready in ten," my mom's voice follows behind me as I enter my room.

"Okay," I reply.

I place the box on my desk for further examination. It takes some muscle work and a damp cloth to bring the box back to life. With it finally cleaned off, I can study it much better. Every inch of the box is engraved in a leaf-like pattern. I flip it around several times, trying to find an opening of some kind. Suddenly, my pointer-finger sinks into the side of the box.

I lift the box closer to my eyes. I press down on the small, dime-sized, area once more. This doesn't seem to do anything at all; however, I do manage to discover a similar area on the opposite side. I nibble the inside of my cheek and begin to contemplate its function.

Suddenly, an idea hits me. I feel around on both sides simultaneously with my pointer-fingers. I press into both sides at the exact same time. Suddenly, the top of the box opens up. I place the box down on the desk in front of me. The top of the box gradually lifts at a 90 degree angle and stops.

I'm shocked at what I discover. A spec of light is hovering inside the box.

"Whoa," I mutter underneath my breath.

With anxious hands, I lift the box off the table to examine the floating orb of light. All of a sudden, the tiny white light burst into a brilliant flash. The blinding light clouds my vision. A second later, the light is fading away. I then see my mom coming into view, looking down at me with worried eyes.

I also see lights and ceiling tiles moving pass me rapidly. Her mouth is moving but her voice is faint, like a television playing in low volume. The white blinding light vanishes. I then realize other people looking down at me.

Then it hits me. Although only seconds went by, I'm now in the hospital...

CHAPTER 7: THE MIRACLE

This brings back old, unwanted, memories. As I sit in bed, waiting for some test results, my mom explains everything to me in detail. First, she found my unconscious body on my bedroom floor, yet I wasn't having a seizure. She then tells me she tried to wake me up several times before she called for help. Then the ambulance came and raced me away to the nearby hospital.

They shielded my face with oxygen, although my breathing at the time was stable. When we arrived at the hospital, that's when I became conscious again. I remember waking up, dazed and confused, and getting rushed off into the emergency room. I try to remember what happened before the hospital, but the memories are suppressed.

Eventually, the blue sky becomes bright pink out my window. Still, hours later, my mom remains overly concerned about the whole situation, although I keep telling her that I feel fine.

"I was scared to death," my mom presses on dramatically at my bedside.

"Mom, chill, I've never felt better," I reply honestly for the thousandth time. "You're worrying way too much,"

Usually I have a splitting headache after a seizure, but today I feel abnormally energized and content. Finally, the long wait is over when the doctor enters the room. My mom stands to her feet, timidly, to greet him as he approaches.

"Doctor, please tell me something I want to hear," she says in a pleading tone.

"Good news," he says while flipping through some papers on a clipboard. "I have the results from the EEG test. The electrical signal we recorded in her brain shows she didn't have a seizure,"

My mom's tense body relaxes, as if a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

"Thank goodness," she says in a relieved tone. "But why did she blackout?"

"That's the reason I'm baffled," he replies with confusion.

His eyebrows go narrow as he begins to massage his graying beard.

"You did tell me that she was outside today. It might have been a slight heat stroke."

"But we were barely outside. That doesn't make any sense," she says curiously.

"It doesn't take much to faint sometimes Ms. Lancaster, especially with someone who is known to have many medical conditions,"

He looks over at me with his thin, rectangular, glasses resting on the tip of his nose.

"How do you feel Iva?" he questions me.

"I feel...fine," I respond with a big grin.

When his gray beard stretches from ear to ear, I get an assumption he knows something I don't.

"Thank God it wasn't a seizure," my mom speaks with relief.

"Well, it gets even better. You told me that she suffers from bone deficiency and arthritis, correct?"

"Yes, she does."

"When was her last bone-density scan?" he questions with a bright smile.

"I'm not sure. A year maybe,"

"Well, I have those results too," he notifies us, unwilling to stop smiling. "Her bones are fine," he explains. "Better yet, the blood test shows her immune system is no longer insufficient. In short, she's absolutely healthy,"

I glance over at my mom just in time to see her face fall flat.

"How is this possible?" she asks.

"I'm trying to figure it out myself. This is highly uncommon. I'm interested to see how she stands on her own feet," his bright eyes meet mine. "Iva, try to stand,"

I look over at my mom with uncertainty and back at the doctor again.

"Okay," I reply modestly.

My mom walks over to my side, and I grab her shoulder for additional support. I position myself toward the edge of my bed and gaze down at the shiny floor tiles below. I slide off the bed cautiously and brace my legs. I feel the cold floor at the bottom of my feet; however, I'm standing by myself effortlessly. My eyes fall down at my feet to make sure I'm not going insane.

My mom looks at me with an amazed expression. Both of our jaws give-out. The doctor comes over to me and places a hand on my back.

"How do you feel, Iva?" he asks softly.

My tongue remains frozen in place for a moment. As I finally start to speak, my words stumble over one another.

"I...I...I feel fine. My legs don't hurt anymore."

I begin to bounce on my heel with joyful laughter. I shift back to my mom's glistening eyes.

"I want her to stay the night," the doctor clarifies. "I'll have them run extra test in the morning, just to be on the safe side. And I can also..."

"I don't understand," my mom interferes with tears streaming down her face. "What are you telling me doctor?"

"What I'm trying to say, Miss Lancaster, as far as I know it right now, there is nothing wrong with your daughter."

My mom's watery gaze meets mine. This moment is so incredible that it feels like a dream come true. I realize, as I feel the warmth from her hug, this is really happening. My emotions erupt when I hear her crying in my ear. A second later, tears of my own flow down my face. This is truly a dream come true for me.

I finally know what it feels like to be normal. Most people will never overcome my illnesses. It takes a second opinion to fully convince my mother. They rate the odds of me defeating all these sicknesses, at one time, somewhere between impossible and never happening. I'm one of those few patients they call unbelievable and extraordinarily fortunate.

Dr. Richards sums up everything in a simple term. He says I have an extremely rare case. He calls my case a miracle...

CHAPTER 8: THE MARK

I barely went to sleep last night. I was too high on joy and excitement to rest. My mom stayed at the hospital with me all night long. She said doctors told her, on several occasions, I would die at a very young age. I suppose I proved them all wrong. We talked continuously until the morning sunlight crept upon the hospital. Dr. Richards kept his word and ordered nurses to draw some more of my blood. All of the tests came back with identical results.

On the surface, my mom appears happy about the unforeseen situation, but I can tell she feels insecure about it as well. To help ease her anxiety, I stood up on my own again and ran around the room for reassurance. She ordered me to stop because she was afraid that I may fall and hurt myself.

Now, I'm finally leaving the hospital just pass noon the following day. My mom re-positions the passenger seat into place. This is the first time I will ride in the van without my wheelchair. It feels odd to get up and walk around like a normal person. I'm sure it's going to take some time for reality to soak in.

Shortly, we are rolling into the driveway of our latest home. I'm so happy to be home. I can't take another night on that narrow and stiff hospital bed. As we arrive, a familiar black car stops in front of our house. Uncle Frank gets out of the car and approaches me with wide arms. All of a sudden, I find myself in the tightest hug I've ever received in my life...

In no time, we enter the house and settle into the living room to discuss my recent turnaround. The surprised expression on Uncle Frank's face never went away since he witnessed me walking.

"Unbelievable," he says to me with confusion and shock. "But how...?"

"I'm just as confused as you are," I reply. "I was having a normal day, and then the next minute I fell out and woke up in the hospital. I know it doesn't make any since but it did happen that way."

"Her health improved a lot over the years but this is way too sudden," my mom says with insecurity. "I'm not sure what to make of it. It must be some reasonable explanation for all this."

"When something like this happens, don't ever question it," Uncle Frank attempts to calm her uncertainty with modest words.

"I know that. It's just..." my mom tries to explain.

"Julie, listen, this is Iva's time. Don't look at this as a bad thing," he tells her modestly.

A voice calls out to him from his radio.

"Come in Frank," the voice says.

"Damn it. I can never get a break," he says to himself.

He positions the radio at his mouth.

"It's Lancaster," he replies.

"We need you pronto. And no, it can't wait."

"Copy that," he says into the device and places it back on his hip.

"Sorry Julie. Old habits die hard, I guess."

"No, it's fine. Be safe."

"Always," he says before standing and walking over towards the door.

He grabs the door knob and turns to me.

"See you later kiddo," he says to me and winks his eye.

"See you later," I reply.

He closes the door behind himself as he exits the house. I look at my mom's face. Her expression is unreadable.

"Are you okay?" I ask her.

I see her mind snap back into reality.

"I'm okay. I'm just a little tired that's all," she tells me.

I know she's lying. I'd probably be worried too if I was in her shoes. The fact that my illnesses just vanished for no reason is beyond me. She stands to her feet, delivering a warm kiss directly between my eyes, and then wishes me a goodnight.

"Sleep tight. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight mom."

I watch about 20 minutes of television before going into my room. I'm starting to feel the consequences of being up all night long. I kick off my shoes and fall back onto my bed. While I stare at my model-planes hanging above me, a memory resurfaces in my mind.

The flashback involves me bringing a red box into my room and cleaning it off. I sit up in bed and gaze at my desk. There it is, unmoved, resting on top of the desk where I left it. Another flashback resurfaces. I remember trying to find its opening.

Suddenly, a domino effect takes place within my brain. I remember opening it and finding a strange light floating inside. I also remember the light blinding me. I stand and walk over to the box very slowly; afraid that something spontaneous might happen again. I lift the empty box and examine it once more. I specifically remember it being warm, but now it's cool and lifeless.

Also, the small light has somehow disappeared. I relocate the box within my closet on a high shelf. I give it one last curious thought before shutting the door.

Is it possible that I imagined the whole thing? I turn away from the closet and double-take at my reflection on the closet door. Something strange comes to my attention. There's something on my right arm. I lift the sleeve of my shirt, revealing a scar that I've never seen before.

I ease closer to the mirror. It resembles something close to a branding scar. The shape is like a diamond. Then a light bulb clicks on somewhere in my head. The scar is in the shape of a leaf.

The leaf looks identical to those I saw on the red box. The thoughts about my disappearing illnesses can take a rain-check. I back away from my reflection. After a lingering amount of time looking in the mirror, I go to bed with unanswered questions.

I really need some rest. My mind needs time to recuperate from all of the madness that's been taking place. After today, something tells me this is only the beginning...

CHAPTER 9: COLD CRIME

The last bit of daylight is fading into darkness, but the day is not yet done for Detective Lancaster. He's dying to find out what really happened to that young girl. He's overwhelmingly tired, but he has no time for sleeping. He's too busy trying to piece everything together.

Still, if sleeping was an option, he wouldn't rest without feeling some form of guilt. He never had a case turn cold and never planned to, but there's something that separates this case from all the rest. His instinct tells him there's more to that girl's death than an animal attack.

His only desire at the moment is to unveil the truth. Once again, he comes to an area blocked off by police troopers. This area is off the road near a flowing river and a thin wooded area. Jones has already taken the initiative to examine the next victim of an appalling crime. Jones looks over his shoulder and sees Frank approaching him.

He rises off the ground, brushes his hands clean, and steps away from a body that's completely covered in black plastic. The victim's midsection and legs are tied with braided rope.

"It took you long enough," Jones tells him.

"Damn, another one?" Frank asks, ignoring his partner's smart remark. "We have any I.D?"

"Yup, it's the boyfriend of the girl we found."

This shocks Frank, but only a little. He knows two animal attacks are not likely, especially if the two victims knew one another. This has to be a homicide; just as he suspected. As always, his gut instincts served him correctly.

"Shit," Frank replies automatically.

Frank kneels down and lifts the plastic. Staring back at him with gray eyes and a pale-blue face is a clean-shaved male.

"Someone spotted his body floating upstream about an hour ago. Someone gutted the guy like a fish."

"Jesus Christ," Frank says as he lifts the bag further to find a profound incision in the victim's chest.

Frank exhales deeply at the first sight of the man's wound. He then covers the boy's body again.

"This changes everything," Frank states while standing. "We've got a serial killer out here."

"It gets worse. The autopsy report came in about the girl. Her heart was taken from her body," Jones informs him.

"What?" Frank blurts out.

"Yeah, we had a crew go back with search dogs. They're still looking for more evidence. And it looks like he's been killed the same way."

"What kind of person would kill two people like this? What's the motive?" Frank thinks out loud.

"That's the same question I've been asking myself," Jones replies. "But maybe there is no motive. Maybe the guy is just doing it for sport."

"Whoever is doing it, he has to be stopped before it's too late," Frank replies. "We have to keep a tight lid on this investigation. We can't let the press hear about this."

Frank uses his keen eyes to observe the surrounding area for clues. He sees the rope trailing from the victim's feet and into the body of water. He walks along the riverside, trying to find its end, and then pulls it from the water. He notices the rope's end is mangled and untwisted.

"Look. This was not cut by a knife," Frank states while examining the damaged rope.

He examines the rope and finds something very odd buried in-between the braids. He pulls a white stone from the intertwined follicles and studies it.

"What is that?" Jones questions Frank.

Frank takes a closer look at the small stone fragment and then realizes what it really is.

"It's a tooth," Frank states.

"What?" Jones is instantly doubtful.

Frank reaches over his shoulder and hands him the sharp tooth. Jones lifts it into the air and strains his eyes to observe it thoroughly.

"Sure is," Jones confirms. "But why was it in the rope?"

"Something chewed through it. I've dealt with some weird cases Jones, but this one is a whole new ballgame."...

CHAPTER 10: SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

A tapping on my door wakes me up to a brand new day.

"Come in," I say in a drowsy voice.

My mom walks in, looking graceful as always, and sits on the foot of my bed. Although she's still in her nightgown, she looks absolutely ravishing.

"How did you sleep?" she asks with a warm smile.

"I've never slept better," I reply.

That's an understatement. Without arthritis, I don't have to worry about tossing and turning every so often in order to get comfortable. It's been a long time since I slept so peacefully.

"You have a month until school. We have to get ready."

I groan and turn onto my side, unwilling to depart from my bed.

"But I'm still sleepy," I speak to her while I stretch my muscles.

"I want to be out by eleven. We have to get everything done today. I start my new job tomorrow."

She stands and pulls the blankets off my body.

"I'll be up in a little bit," I reply in a moaning tone.

"You have to get up now, little lady."

"Five more minutes," I plead to her.

"Nope," she says while walking over to the window where the curtains are still closed.

"Mom, you better not open those curtains."

She looks over her shoulder at me and smiles.

"Or what?" she asks boldly.

"Or else," I reply.

She slowly eases her hands up to the curtains, looking over her shoulder at me.

"You've been warned," I say.

She whips the curtains open. The bright morning rays pour into my bedroom, causing me to squint.

"Sorry, I slipped," she says with sad face.

Her smart remark entices me to launch my pillow at her. She catches the pillow in midair with one hand. Now, I have made matters worse. The enemy now has my weapon.

"War it is then. It's on girlfriend," she tells me assertively.

I can't keep a straight face any longer. I break out into an uproar of laughter.

"Okay! Okay! I quit!" I try to surrender.

"No mercy! No prisoners!" she says while charging at me like a crazy person.

I curl into a ball on my bed and use another pillow as a shield. My laughter increases as she begins her onslaught of deadly blows. I retaliate by rolling off the side of my bed, dodging one of her swings, and hitting her on the head. This causes my weapon to burst, sending small white feathers dispersing into the air.

She shocked by my counter-attack.

"You've just signed your death slip," she threatens me while tightening the grip on her pillow.

"I'm pretty sure you meant death warrant," I chuckle after correcting her.

The laughter starts pouring out of her mouth uncontrollably. Then a second later, she gets into character again.

"Whatever you call the damn thing, you're signing it, dead or alive."

She charges at me while shouting like a lunatic. I run defenseless from the room screaming like a little child.

Fifteen minutes and three busted pillows later, I find myself exhausted and resting against my mom on the sofa. I pick the last feather off my shirt and watch it slowly join the others on the floor.

"We haven't had fun like that in a while," she speaks into my ear.

"You're right, we haven't," I reply modestly.

"Well, we really got to get a move on it. School is right around the corner,"

"School..." I think out loud and begin to ponder. "Wow, everything is ..." I finish the sentence with a sigh.

"You don't want to go?" she sounds surprised by my remark.

"What I'm trying to say is...I like it there but...what if everything goes back to the way things were?"

"Don't question it. Remember what your Uncle told me? Just keep moving and don't look back, ever."

"Okay, I won't look back."

She pulls me closer and kisses me on the top of my head. This is more like it. This is certainly one of those moments worth remembering...

CHAPTER 11: COLLEGE

As time progress, I stop wondering about what happened on that day. I'm just grateful that it did happen. For the first time in my life, I feel like a normal girl. I feel like a totally different person on the inside. I wouldn't dare tell my mother about that strange scar I found on my shoulder.

I made a promise that I would never bring it up again. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about it. Eventually, I begin to think more about the topic of college. After reading my acceptance letter to Glenworth University, I can't stop feeling overwhelmed with anticipation.

After weeks of preparing, I'm off to my first day as a Glenworth University student. I feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach as my mom stops in front of the main entrance of the school. This is it!

"Good luck. I'll meet you here at 4:30," she says with a weak voice. "Now get out...before I get emotional."

"See you later mom. I love you," I say as I exit the van.

She rolls down the passenger window.

"Wait," she says with a sobbing voice.

"What mom?"

I turn and see tears coming down her face.

"Don't go wandering off by yourself."

I gradually begin backing away from the van. I just hope she doesn't cause a big scene in front of all these people.

I won't," I reply.

"Hold on," she leaps from the van and approaches me.

"Mom, what..." before I'm able to finish the sentence, she wraps her arms tightly around me.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispers into my ear.

"You could've done this in the van, mom," I whisper back.

"I'm sorry," she lets me go and straightens my shirt. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Seriously, I'll be okay."

"I know honey. But there's one more thing. Stay away from boys," she says while wiping away her tears. "They'll get you pregnant."

I roll my eyes and nearly face-palmed myself in public.

"This is the worst time to talk about the birds and the bees, mom. You're about a good 8 years too late on that. Have a nice day at work," I say while chuckling.

Although it's difficult for her to do, she finally musters the courage to back away and get into the van again. I watch her drive off, holding back her emotions, and emerge into traffic. I breathe out slowly to release some butterflies. I then pull out my class schedule from my pocket. If I'm reading this correctly, my first class is Pre-calculus at 10:15 with Professor Welsh; room 113.

I check the time on my cell-phone. It's only 9:58. I stroll up the walkway to join the college commute. It takes me about ten minutes to find the classroom. An old man with thinning hair greets me at the door as I enter.

This classroom is large with a row of steps leading upward. I find myself a vacant seat. Soon, the other vacant seats become occupied, and then Professor Welsh closes the door behind himself.

"Good morning students. As you all may know, I am Professor Welsh. Today I will be teaching you the basic Algebra formulas."

I waste an entire hour taking notes, notes, and more notes on top of notes. After struggling to learn about algebra, I walk into the hall to review my schedule again. My next class is Psychology A. with Professor Forester; room 145. I have to be there by 11:30, so I check the time on my cell-phone.

My phone notifies me that it's approximately 11:20. That means I'd better hurry if I want to make it to class on time. I begin my search for room 145, which to my surprise, I find very easily. A confident looking man is standing at attention in the center of the room with his chin raised high. He nods at me as a good gesture and I return the kind favor.

Unlike the other classroom, this one is flat and much smaller. Not long after, the remaining students pour into class one by one. The last student to enter is someone I met before when I first visited this school. He helped my mom with our van that day we took a tour around the school. He walks into class with his big hair and big frame. He's wearing a gray long-sleeved shirt, denim jeans, and suede boots.

Professor Forester waits for him to find a seat before he closes the classroom door.

"Greetings fresh faces," he says in an English accent. "I am Professor Forester but I prefer being called Dr. Forester. I didn't spend all those years in school to be called otherwise," he continues boldly. "Let me tell you a little about myself. I was born in England, and when I was 10 years old I moved to America with my father. I graduated from High School at the age of 14. I received my bachelors in Math by 18. I then moved on to study Psychology and obtaining my masters at the age of 26. I finally obtained my Doctorate degree at 31. I believe Math is more psychological than any other subjects. For instance..." he says while walking over to his desk and picking up a multicolored square. "This is a Rubik's cube. I'm sure you've heard of it. An interesting fact is you need a psychological and mathematical approach in order to solve one. It took me a couple of years to master the three sided one. My personal record is about 25 seconds. But this one is four sided. My personal record for this one is 1 minute and 12 seconds. That takes years of practice to solve this without the use of paper. Of course I wouldn't expect any of you to figure it out on the first day, but with my help and a little bit of practice..."

"How many years?" a voice behind me interrupts.

"I'm sorry, how many years for what?" Dr. Forester replies.

I look over my shoulder. The boy with the big hair is speaking.

"How long did it take you solve it?" he asks with his stern expression.

Dr. Forester chuckles with his pride bursting.

"It took roughly four years to get to my current record."

"May I try?" he asks.

Someone in the room snickers lowly. His eyes quickly glance around the classroom for the person who laughed at his question.

"Just guessing will not be enough to solve this. Have you ever tried solving one?" Dr. Forester asks with a cocky smirk.

"Yes, I tried once in a store."

For a second time, someone snickers at him. With his stern eyes, he scopes around for the anonymous giggler before shifting back to Dr. Forester.

"Listen, I'll give you a shot," Dr. Forester says. "If you lose, you are not allowed to interrupt my class again with nonsense. And if you win, which you're not, I'll let you keep the damn thing. Fair deal?"

"Seems like it."

"Come to the front. Let's see what you're made of."

The brawny boy stands and sluggishly walks towards the front of the classroom. Dr. Forester hands him the cube and leans back onto his desk with a cocky smirk on his face. The brawny boy flips it around several times. Through those stern eyes, I can see his brain concentrating. He then begins to twist and turn the cube.

As the seconds passes by, the classroom gets extremely quiet. We all watch on as the colors move around the cube in various orders. As the clock ticks away, that confident grin on Dr. Forester's face melts. A clutter of gasps breaks the silence as the boy stops morphing the cube, revealing its completion.

"Did I do that right?" he asks Dr. Forester with the finished cube presented.

"Um, yeah, I believe so," he replies in awe.

Dr. Forester takes the cube from his hand and studies it for himself. His amazed expression remains fresh.

"I timed him," a random female announces. "That was about 23 seconds."

He walks back to his seat, which is all the way in the back row. A moment later, Dr. Forester finally accepts reality and clears his throat before speaking.

"Wow, thank you for that amazing performance..." Dr. Forester adds but can't conjure his name.

"Call me Daniel. I don't have a doctorate degree like you. It's just Daniel," he tells him.

The class remains quiet for another moment, bathing in awe.

"Well, a deal is a deal. The cube is yours, Daniel."

Daniel gazes around the room once again.

"Actually, I would like to donate it to the rodent who kept snickering at me. I couldn't have done it without you."

One of my male classmates starts to nudge a boy sitting next to him. The boy, who is being nudged, seems to be nervous about something.

"Damn it," the shy boy says lowly to himself before he rises to his feet.

He drags his feet, shamefully, to the front of the classroom to claim his prize. Everyone snickers at him as he returns to his seat...

Eventually, Dr. Forester continues with class. An hour later, we exit the classroom. Once again, I blend into the college commute. I can't stop thinking about Daniel and how he made Dr. Forester devour his own words. The look on Dr. Forester's face was priceless.

I have to admit, Dr. Forester is a bit of a cocky douche-bag. If you ask me, he had it coming. Fortunately for me, my next class doesn't start until 2:30. I find my way to the student lounge to grab a well-deserved lunch. I'm now enjoying a turkey cold-cut while reading a new novel I handpicked from the library.

Eight chapters later, I glance at the time on my cell-phone. It's now 2:16. I pull out my schedule to review my final class for the day. I need to be at Introduction to Literature with Professor Grant at 2:30. I finish reading chapter nine before closing the book.

The commute to class is an easy one. A middle aged man with dark hair is standing in the center of a large classroom. He welcomes me into class with a smile. I then walk up a flight of steps and find a seat in a middle aisle. Then a familiar face joins the class.

It's Daniel, once again. Professor Grant nods at him and him only.

"Hello, Daniel," the Professor greets him by his name.

Daniel nods back slightly. He proceeds up the steps and gazes over at me with his permanent sternness. My eyes cower away from his as he passes my aisle. He walks towards the back of the class and drops into a seat. The other chairs fill in quickly.

As soon as the clock strikes 2:30, Professor Grant closes the door and takes center stage with his hands behind his back. He surveys the entire room and smiles brightly at everyone. He opens his mouth to speak but he's interrupted by the door swinging open. Another familiar face enters the classroom. I remember his father ranting to him in the admissions office about his poor grades.

He's tall and lean with short blonde hair. He's wearing a black collared shirt, khaki pants, and casual black shoes. It may seem like a simple outfit but the quality of his clothes are all pricey named-brands. Even the glistening gold watch on his wrist had to cost a pretty-penny. The boy appears to be upset about something.

I can tell he's angry by his flared nostrils and pressed lips. It takes me a while to pull his name from my memory bank. His name is Kendrick. As Kendrick walks into the room his eyes connects with Professor Grant's.

I read distaste in their eyes. I watch Kendrick climb the steps and find a seat in a row down from me. He tosses his book on his desk, arrogantly, and sits down. Professor Grant removes his eyes off of Kendrick and focuses on the entire class.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," his voice is projecting. "I'm Professor Grant and welcome to my class. I do things a little differently around here. I won't bore you with William Shakespeare simply because...that shit drives me crazy," he says the last sentence in a low voice.

Faint giggles swell throughout the classroom.

"I'm not going to torture you with any of William Shakespeare's overrated stories. I want all of you to learn from my class. I've yet to fail a student and I don't wish to start now. And for those who like sleeping..." he walks over to his desk and picks up a blackboard eraser. "...this is Mr. Wake-me-up. If I catch you sleeping in my class, he's going to pay you a visit between the eyes. And I was a quarterback in high school. So, don't try me."

Everyone giggles again but a little louder than before. He puts down the eraser and centers himself again.

"What I'm going to discuss today is one of my favorite authors, J. L. Lucas. By a show of hands, who in here has read any of his work?"

My hand goes up with half of the class.

"Okay," he says with this impressed look upon his face.

Then he projects his voice again.

"J. L. Lucas has always been my favorite author. Today, we will discuss his most controversial book to date 'From land to sea'. Personally, I think it's his best novel yet. This story is about two rival villages. These two villages are at war with one another. Tell me, who has read this novel?"

My hand is the only hand that shoots into the air.

"You right there," he points to me. "Stand and give the class your name. Don't be bashful."

I feel a hint of shyness as I stand and become the center of everyone's attention.

"Hello, I'm Iva Hill."

I hope I'm not as stiff looking as I feel.

"Ms. Hill, how do the title "From land to sea" relate to the story?"

"Um..." I bite my lip while I wait for my brain to process an answer. "...from life to death. In the story the warriors fought on land but their bodies are thrown into the sea when they die in battle."

"Yes! You're right on the mark. A lot of my students don't have the answer to that question. Good job,"

I sink back into my seat.

"This is one of the most controversial books of its time. What made this book so controversial are the gruesome battles he depicted. The climax is the most memorable, when the leader of the rival village kidnapped an innocent man from the other village. He tortured this man and killed him. He hung him in the highest tree on their enemy's territory. He carved an x on his chest. He wanted to send his enemies a clear message. And the message is..," he gives a slight pause to survey the entire class. "...a war was coming. And it will take place here."

An hour later, the students are gathering their belongings and clearing the room. I make my way through the aisle and begin to walk down, but I freeze so Kendrick wouldn't trample me. I can tell he's been dying to get out of class. Professor Grant stares at him, bitterly, as he rushes out the classroom with rage. I step aside and wait patiently for the other students to leave the room.

One of the last people to leave is Daniel. Before leaving, he approaches Professor Grant and they start having a whispering conversation together.

"What is he doing in here?" Daniel asks lowly.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he won't be back. His father must be furious right now," Professor Grant replies.

Daniel glances over his shoulder at me before he walks out of the door with the remaining few.

"Hello, Miss Hill," his smile returns.

"Hello, I just wanted to say that I loved your lecture on J. L. Lucas."

"Did you really?" he replies.

"He's my favorite author too. You said that your favorite book is From Land to Sea."

"Yes it is."

"Why? It's so depressing, so..," I try to grasp the word in my head.

"Tragic," he finishes my sentence for me.

"Exactly."

He walks over to his desk and leans up against it, contemplating my question.

"Well, isn't life?" he explains. "We live in tragic days. Just go home and turn on the television."

"What about the ending? No one wins the war. The story builds and builds with no big payoff. Why would anyone end a book in a huge cliffhanger without a part two?"

He laughs at my statement.

"You must understand he's a symbolic novelist. That's his representation of war. He's not teasing anyone. Think about it, when a war starts, does it really end? That's why he ends the book in a huge war scene."

With our schedules free for an hour, we settle at some vacant seats and have an in-depth discussion about J. L. Lucas.

"Which one's your favorite?" he asks.

"That's hard to say, but the one I found most interesting has to be... 'The Damsel and the Knight'"

"Wow, that's upsetting," he tells me with disappointment.

"Why? It's a great book."

"First and foremost, instead of approaching it realistically, he goes into this fairy-tale romance."

"We're officially enemies now," I say in a joking way.

There's a slight break as the subject changes.

"So, do you write?" he asks.

"Not in a long time. And you?"

"Not really. People keep telling me I should but I just like the teaching part of literature," he stops to think for a moment. "Well, there's one story I've written, but I never published it."

"What's it about?"

"It's about me and my fiancée. The story is based on our first date together. About half of the book is narrated by me. The plot is me describing every small aspect of her," I witness him slip away into some kind of love daze. "Her crimson hair flows like fire in the wind; her eyes, brighter than the sky on the sunniest day; her smooth skin breaking the limits of perfection, beyond human comprehension..," he snaps out of his daydream. "It's something like that but a lot longer. I know it's corny but you asked," he finishes with a chuckle.

I laugh with him.

"Yeah, it's a bit on the cheesy side, but still it's an interesting concept," I reply.

As a student walks into the class, Professor Grant shifts down at his watch.

"Wow, time is flying," he says while standing up. "Before you leave, I have the story in my desk. You can take it home and read it if you want to."

"I'd love to."

I follow him over to his desk. He sits down, scramble around for a moment, pulls out a stack of stapled papers, and hands them to me.

"I accept constructive criticism," he informs me.

"I definitely will read it. So, what's up with you and that boy? I believe his name is Kendrick. What did he do to you? Did he toilet-paper your car or something?"

He pauses for a second and clears his throat.

"No. Why would you say that?"

"I've seen you give him the evil-eye earlier."

He pauses for a brief moment and let out a chuckle, which seems slightly dishonest.

"I don't have a problem with any of my students. I never have and never will."

He looks down at his desk and clears his throat again. I like Grant because he's an honest guy. The thing about honest people is that you can easily catch them when they're lying to you. It's so foreign to them that they're horrible at it.

"But make sure you read the book," he smiles and sits down at his desk. "And I will see you Wednesday, Miss Hill."

"Wednesday it is. See you then," I then turn around and walk out of the room.

Why lie about a simple question? I totally noticed the hostility between them two, yet he denies all of it. Maybe he doesn't want to come off as unprofessional, which is definitely understandable. The thought slips my mind as I see the van pulling into the school lot.

I jump in and close the door.

"So, how was school?" I can tell she's been dying to ask me that all day.

"It was great," I respond brightly.

The entire ride home, I talk her ears off about my new favorite teacher, Professor Grant...

CHAPTER 12: THE BLAIRE'S STORY

I get myself comfortable on the sofa and begin reviewing my notes from my Pre-Calculus class. Still, after all of the studying, none of it makes any sense to me. All I see is an assortment of numbers, lines, and letters. My mom is in the kitchen cooking dinner. By the hint of garlic in the air, I know it's an Italian dish.

As I continue my review, I hear someone knocking on our front door.

"I got it," my mom says as she marches towards the front.

She glances into the peephole before opening the door.

"Come in, Frankie."

Uncle Frank comes in with his trademark smile. A notion immediately hits me. There's something different about him but I can't point it out. Maybe it's his smile. I can see the effort behind it, and now he's sporting a five o'clock shadow on his face.

"What's up kiddo?"

"Uncle Frank, long time no see," I reply.

"Hungry?" my mom asks him.

"I'm starving," he replies.

Thirty minutes later, we're finishing a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Uncle Frank helps himself to a second serving as the subject changes from my mother's job to Frank's recent disappearance.

"You haven't been returning my phone calls," my mom interrogates. "Is everything fine?"

"I took some time off to clear my head, that's all."

"Is it stress?" she presses on.

Anyone else can easily see that Uncle Frank would rather drop the subject, but my mom just can't help herself. He finishes chewing before speaking.

"It's just work, you know, sometimes it takes a toll on you."

He then focuses his attention onto me.

"What about you? How is school going?" he changes the subject.

"So far so good, I guess. Hey, Uncle Frank, do you know a lot of people in Glenworth?"

He chuckles at my statement.

"I pretty much know everyone there. Why? What's up?"

"Do you know about the Blaire family?"

I'm not an hundred percent sure, but I think his eyes rolled at the mere mention of their name.

"Everyone in town does. Why do you want to know about them?"

"I'm just wondering why no one likes them."

He shrugs his shoulders.

"People have their own opinions of them. But me, personally, I think they're a bunch of assholes. All of them."

'Frankie?" my mom questions his choice of poor language.

"It's true," he defends himself. "Their father has embezzled millions, so has his wife, Rebecca. His kids, Kendrick and Arlene, can't stay out of trouble, and I can't do a damn thing about it."

"Why can't you?' I ask.

"They have tons of money. I don't. Hell, our courts can't afford the lawyers they have."

"That's crazy," I reply.

He closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly.

"I have barely skimmed the surface. I remember when Kendrick was in high school. He decided to beat up on another boy. The boy was skinny as hell. Kendrick was around 180 pounds. And he beat that boy so bad that he had to get plastic surgery to fix his face. I couldn't recognize him after that. The boy and his family felt so humiliated that they left town."

"Oh my goodness," my mom says with awe.

She's so absorbed into the conversation that she can't even eat anymore. I feel the same way she does. I wrapped spaghetti around my fork when he started the story, and now I can't even lift the fork into my mouth.

"He didn't go to jail for that?" I question my uncle.

"Freedom can be purchased. The Blaires knows a lot about that. But here is the crazy part of this story. When I asked Kendrick why he did it, he said he just wanted to. There was absolutely no reason," he says with irritation and frustration. "His family lived there for generations, and they had to leave because another kid doesn't have proper home training. And they called it self-defense. It's infuriating. These people don't have any kind of respect for human life."

He places his fork on the plate with a clatter. Before he continues, he takes his time to recuperate from the last story. I can see the frustration in his face. I can't imagine the frustration he felt during that specific time. I can only imagine how dominating it was.

"And his father, Cornelius, got angry at me when I questioned him about his son's violent behavior. And then he gave me the old "Boys will be boys" speech. I told him to his face that his entire family needs to be evaluated. He got very, very, upset. To make a long story short, I told my partner to take my gun. As God is my witness, I wouldn't be here right now. I would be in jail for murder. I nearly shot the bastard. He threatened to kill me in the police station and got away with it."

"Unbelievable," the shock in my mother's voice is still fresh.

"Believe it. The moral of this story is, if you have money, you can do whatever you want. People are judged by how much tax they pay each year. If you pay Uncle Sam enough, you can buy your way out of anything. Don't ever talk to them Iva. Case closed."

I manage to finish the last bite of my spaghetti but it goes down rough. As we finish eating, an awkward silence overcomes us. I've never seen Uncle Frank so angry. It's disturbing to see someone, who is usually happy, in such a down mood. Not long after he says his goodbyes and leaves the house.

Before I fall asleep, I think about Uncle Frank and the anger he has for the Blaire family. Now I know why no one likes them. Hopefully, I can avoid them in school. The last thing I ever want to do is run into one of them again...

CHAPTER 13: DAY TWO

My first class of the day is Computer Science with Professor Kelly in room 101. The classroom is filled with black monitors and long tables. I'm the first to enter class and greet this short woman with straight dark hair, red lipstick, and round glasses. Five minutes later, the class begins. My next class, Social Studies with Professor Patterson, is immediately after.

It's a long, tiresome, walk across the campus. A short man with a goatee greets me at the door. This class is unimaginable torture. The professor speaks so slow and lifeless that it makes the class seem longer than an hour.

After Social Studies class, I head over to the student lounge to refuel. As I finish a slice of pizza, I can't help but notice two nerdy boys with massive acne arguing in a corner. One of the guys is wearing a black shirt with Mane's face on it.

"Dude, Mane's real. I'm telling you," the guy with the black shirt rants.

"Where's your proof?" the other guy counters.

"I showed you," the one with the Mane shirt replies.

"Let me get this straight...so a random paw print and a picture, that could've easily been photo-shopped, qualify as evidence?" he says sarcastically.

"Wow, this is coming from the guy who believes in Bigfoot."

"Bigfoot is real," he tells him boldly.

"What makes your evidence more substantial?"

"Footsteps are more substantial than paw prints."

The boy with the black shirt just shakes his head with frustration as he gathers his belongings.

"You can easily fake a guy in a gorilla suit, my friend. Try faking a man in a lion suit. Not likely."

They both wander off together. Their useless debating continues out of the student lounge and slowly fades down the hallway.

Shortly after, it's time to find my General Biology class. I have to give out a couple of apologies as I hurry to class. I should've seen this one coming, but I'm too much in a rush to avoid it.

"I'm so sorry. I truly am," I say as I bump into a girl, which causes her notebook to fall onto the floor.

I freeze where I stand, and I think my heart did also. I'm staring into the eyes of a pale blonde girl. Her face is expressionless. Next to her is Kendrick. This girl must be his sister, Arlene.

"Hi, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to run into you," I say with a shaky voice.

Using only her eyes, she scans me from head to toe without unblinking.

"What's your name?" she says in a void voice.

"Iva," I reply timidly.

"Are you going to pick my shit up, Iva?"

My heart drops to my stomach the more she speaks to me. My blood is pumping in my body so hard right now that I'm starting to sweat. I kneel down and retrieve her fallen notebook. Her eyes follow me to the floor and when I rise, but her body remains statue-like.

"Sorry again," I say nervously.

Slowly but surely she takes the notebook from my hands without blinking once. She tucks her notebook under her armpit as she gazes at me with her wide, soulless, eyes. This is torture. I don't know why. I'm very intimidated by her.

It's like I'm shrinking the more she stares at me.

"Iva," she calls my name in a blank tone. "If you touch me like that again, your parents will have to use a fucking shovel to remove your face from the floor. I'm talking about full-on reconstructive surgery on your ass. Got it bitch?"

I nod franticly. She looks over at her brother.

"I didn't hear her, did you?" she asks her brother.

"Nope," Kendrick replies.

"Bitch, acknowledge me when I speak to you," she snaps at me. "Do you understand or not? Or do you want to get fucked up right here? I've been dying to hurt somebody."

"Yes, I understand. It won't happen again," I say while holding my notebook tightly with a sweaty grip.

I look at Kendrick and I realize his face is just as lifeless as hers. Suddenly, he starts to stroll toward me slowly. Automatically, as he gets closer to me, I back away from him until my back hits a wall. I grip my notebook even tighter.

"Don't look at me," he tells me aggressively.

I hear his sister snickering behind him as he orders me to look away. I swallow down hard and shift my eyes at the glossy floor tiles below me. I feel unbelievably defenseless. Kendrick observes left and right down the hallway for anyone who could be watching him harass me. He notices a boy walking down the hallway, looking at us as he passes by.

"What are you looking at?" Kendrick asks the boy fiercely.

The boy quickly turns away and increases his speed down the hallway, and then he disappears around the corner. Kendrick then shifts back to me once more.

"You're new around here. I can tell," he whispers to me. "You better find out who we are. We own this school. We'll take it easy on you now, but next time..." he stops speaking all of a sudden.

Something or someone has caught his attention. For the first time, I see another emotion in their face instead of anger. I see fear in their eyes.

"You may think you own this school, but you don't own me."

I look to my left, and behold, I see Daniel approaching us with his strict stare.

"This is none of your business," Kendrick says nervously.

Just by his presence alone, Kendrick and Arlene has become burdened by fear.

"It is now," he backfires at Kendrick.

Daniel stops at my left hand side. Kendrick has a very lean athletic built, but compared to Daniel he looks very meager. If Kendrick is about 180 pounds, then Daniel must be at least 210 pounds. I shift away from Daniel and back into Kendrick's eyes, and I notice the nervousness building in his face.

"Now, talk to me the way you just talked to her," Daniel orders Kendrick.

Kendrick swallows down hard, unwilling to muster the strength and courage to talk down to Daniel. I don't blame the guy. For some reason, Kendrick glances back at his sister, as if she can somehow assist him.

"Why are you looking at her for?" Daniel asks as soon as Kendrick glances back at her. "You aren't man enough to speak for yourself?"

He's trying hard to gather the courage to show some kind of boldness towards Daniel, but I can see his mind refuting that option. Arlene grabs Kendrick's shirt and pulls on it, luring him away from Daniel's harsh, fearless, leer.

"Come on, let's go," she tells her brother.

She looks back at me one more time before turning and walking down the hall with her brother at her side. Daniel and I wait until they turn the corner before we loosen our stance.

"Are you alright?" he asks me.

"Yeah, thanks," I tell him.

"You walk with your head down. When you do that, you unconsciously give others permission to bully you. Keep your head up. I don't care how bad of a day you're having."

"I will remember that," I reply.

"I hope so," he says then walks away down the hall.

After hearing about how bad the Blaires are, I'm just happy I'm walking away still intact. Luckily for me, Daniel came to scare them away, which he didn't have to do. It's becoming clear that he, just like my Uncle Frank, have a bad history with the Blaires.

As I enter Biology class, I realize it has already started. I'm greeted by onlookers. Hopefully, they don't notice me sweating. The Professor is a man, probably in his forties, with a brown beard and matching hair. There are no desks in this classroom. Black counter-tops and sinks are lined perfectly side by side. I quickly scan the room for a seat. It takes me a second to discover one in the back.

"I see you ditched the wheelchair," a voice says next to me as I sit down.

I turn and quickly realize who it is. It's one of Daniel's friends. It's the boy with the dark hair and baby-blue eyes.

"Oh hi," I acknowledge him with a smile.

I feel my body tense up, but I don't know why. I shift to Professor Nelson as he continues his lecture on cellular growth. I open my book-bag and pull out a fresh notebook and folder.

"Forever Dusk, that's a nice band," the boy next to me says with a smile.

My notebook has my favorite band logo on the cover.

"Yeah, they're my favorite band," I respond, trying to fight back a blushing smile.

"They're my favorite band too. I'm Jason by the way," he says with an appealing smirk.

"I'm Iva."

My heart starts to thump against my chest. I shift back to the Professor but it's impossible to focus on him. Suddenly, I feel a warm sensation travel up my arm. I look down and notice his fingers touching my hand. I stare up into his bright eyes, mesmerized. He seems to be pointing at something with his pen.

"Your folder fell," he whispers to me.

"What...?" I glance over at the floor. "Oh, thanks."

I lean over and grab my folder off the floor. On my way up, I hear him laughing lowly next to me. I hope I'm not turning pink in the face.

"So, are you a rock-n-roller type?" he asks.

"It depends on the mood I'm in. I'm an alternative rock kind of gal. What about you?"

"I love old school rock. Plus, I have my own band. Music is a big part of my life."

"You do? That's awesome," I reply.

"We do it for fun. We don't take it seriously."

"What instrument do you play?" I ask.

"I do the vocals. The guy that helped your mom that day, he plays the guitar."

"Are you referring to the guy with the crazy hair?"

He laughs charmingly at my comment.

"Yes, his name is Daniel. He's pretty bad-ass with the guitar. And his sister, the Goth girl, that's Maria. She does the keyboard. The twins, Eric and Jessica, they rotate on the drums. But we haven't played in years. So, are you new around here or what?" he asks with an untarnished smile.

"Yes."

"Where are you from?" he questions me.

"Virginia."

"Cool, so what brings you upstate?"

"My mom moved up here for a job, so I had no choice but to tag along."

The more we talk, the more my body slowly becomes tense like a rock.

"I hope you like snow," he says with a chuckle.

I chuckle back at him.

"I heard it can get bad, but I don't mind snow," I reply.

His presses his lips tightly together and shakes his head in disagreement.

"You won't be saying that in a couple of months," he whispers to me.

"Is it really that bad?" I ask.

"Yes."

"But look on the bright side, if we get snowed in, at least we won't have to come to school," I inform him.

He chuckles again.

"Nope, you still have to come to school. The school board is heartless here," he finishes.

"What if it's a foot of snow?" I ask.

"I guess you'll be hiking to school in a foot of snow."

"What if it's three feet?"

"Then you'll be hiking to school in three feet of snow."

"Seriously, they can't do that," I reply.

"Get used to it Dorothy you're not in Kansas anymore."

"Virginia."

"It's the same difference."

I try to keep my laughter at a minimum.

"Are you always this difficult?" I ask.

"It's my job," he replies.

"I think you should call out sick."

"I'm all out of sick days," he responds.

"Well, get your hours reduced or something," I shoot back.

"I can't. I'm a workaholic."

"Well, I'm going to call your boss and..."

"Sorry, I'm the CEO of this company."

I pause for a moment, unable to come up with new material.

"I can do this all day, Dorothy. I'm the comeback king. Bring it on."

I stop to think about another comeback, but time has lingered way too long.

"Okay. You win for now, but I have a question."

"I have an answer, maybe," he replies charmingly.

"What's up with this lion phenomenon? I can't go anywhere without seeing it posted."

He takes his time to snicker modestly at my question before answering.

"That started a couple of years back when a hiker took a picture of a black lion. It quickly grew into a money making gimmick for the town. Now, he's like Glenworth's Loch Ness Monster."

"I figured that much," I add.

"To some people, he is not just an urban myth. Some say if you roam deep into the forest, you might just hear him roar. They call him Mane. He protects the forest from a demon. They say this demon was once a wolf. And when the wolf ate a hundred hearts, it turned into something else. It became part demon, part wolf. Some say it has a body of a man, but with a head of a dog. That's how it got its name. They call this demon The Hellhound. He waits in the woods, ready to find his next victim."

"You know what? I overheard my mom talking on the phone with my Uncle. He said two hikers were attacked by something just recently."

"Yeah, I heard that one too. They tried to blame it on an animal, but I know who it was."  
"Who was it?"

"It was the Hellhound. In order for him to stay alive, he must eat a heart every so often or else he gets weak and dies."

The expression on his face is so serious that it's creeping me out.

"Nobody would ever believe that stuff," I say with a snicker.

Although I find it funny, his expression is humorless.

"You don't believe it?" he asks me with a serious expression.

"Sorry, I don't believe in fairy-tales."

He grunts and shakes his head in disagreement.

"Then you better start believing in it. I bet those two people who were murdered didn't believe in him either."

I stop smiling. I take a second to gaze into his eyes. I study them, trying to find a hint of humor. There's nothing there to indicate a joke.

"I hope everyone is paying attention back there."

Professor Nelson says while looking directly at the two of us.

We quickly shift our faces forward. When the Professor realizes he has our undivided attention, he continues on with his lecture.

Before I know it, the classroom is emptying.

"Catch you later," he says in a cool way as he leaves the room.

"See you later," I reply.

I gather my belongings and head towards the door, but Professor Nelson stops me in my tracks.

"Miss, why were you late on the first day?" he says with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I was lost."

"Excuses are not a major in this University," he replies straightforwardly.

"Sorry. I won't make it a habit."

"I certainly hope not. I'll meet you here Thursday, on time."

"Yes sir," I nod to him in agreement and exit the classroom.

I then wait outside for my mom to give me a lift back home. As soon as 4:30 strikes, I see the van coming into the school lot. I hop into the passenger's seat.

"Hey mom, how was work?"

My smile is brighter than ever.

"It went well," she responds. "So, how was school?" she shoots back.

"Fantastic."

"That's good to hear," she tells me.

I try to lower my cheerfulness so she wouldn't notice me smiling so hard. A moment later, the car is still stationary. I turn to my mom, who can't seem to stop staring at me with curiosity.

"What mom?"

My huge smile is impossible to hide.

"I know that look," she presses on.

"What look?" I ask with aggravation.

"That one you have."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"That smile on your face."

"Is it a crime to be happy?" I reply.

"Not this damn happy. You're over-the-top happy."

I wish that my smile will fade already. She's on to me.

"Who is he?" she asks me.

"Mom, stop it," I say while blushing.

"Is he tall or is he short?"

"Mom, back off, please," I plead to her.

"I'll find out. I have good, credible, resources," she tells me.

I roll my eyes and shift my face towards my window.

"Where did you meet him, English class or psychology class...?" she continues to interrogate me, unwilling to give up easily.

I roll my eyes yet again.

"Mom, you're delusional."  
"You met him in biology, didn't you?" she continues her questioning.

"I met him online mom. He's fresh out of prison. Are you happy now?"

I hear her chuckling beside me as we roll back from the parking spot and cruise through the lot.

"So, you want to play hard-ball? This is not over, girlfriend. Not by a long shot," she informs me.

A day that started off scary ended well for me. It's kind of ridiculous how I'm thinking so much about Jason. He somehow turned that horrible incident with the Blaires into a distant memory...

CHAPTER 14: DAY THREE

It's only my second day in Pre-calculus and Professor Welsh gives us a quiz, which I'm highly doubtful about. Afterwards, I take a nice break in the student lounge before heading off to Psychology. As I walk through the halls, I keep an eye out for Jason and a sharper eye out for the Blaire family. I'm trying to avoid them as much as possible.

Soon, I'm transferring to my favorite class. Professor Grant gives me a welcoming smile as I enter the room. One by one, the rest of the students fill in the vacant seats. The last student to enter, Daniel, finds a seat in the back row. Professor Grant shuts the door and walks to the center of the classroom.

"Good afternoon. Welcome to day number two of my class. I have an interesting topic lined up for you guys. Today we will be reviewing..."

The door swings open abruptly, and Kendrick enters with an angry look on his face, again. Professor Grant's eyes follow him into the class, up the steps, and in a seat two rows down from me.

"Thank you for making it on time, Mr. Blaire."

The classroom swells with chuckling. The chuckling stops instantly when Kendrick slams his books on the desk. A girl next to him stares in total shock by his rude behavior. A second later, she gets up and move a couple chairs down from him.

"Kendrick, is there a problem?" Professor Grant asks with a burning stare.

The entire class is now completely quiet.

"If you don't want to be here, then there's the door. This is my class and you will respect me here. Do you understand?"

I can hear Kendrick breathing heavily, although I'm two rows behind him. Suddenly, Kendrick mutters something foul underneath his breath.

"Excuse me?" Professor Grant backfires.

"I said...fuck this class," he replies loud enough for everyone to hear.

The mood in the classroom has changed in a matter of seconds. The faces of my fellow classmates are now frozen in astonishment.

"You are excused Mr. Blaire," Professor Grant tells him with a burning leer.

"You're kicking me out? But I just got here, Professor."

"And now you are leaving. You will be missed." Kendrick snickers at Professor Grant's comeback.

"You're a funny guy Grant. We'll see who gets the

last laugh."

"I will, when I write a letter to the dean."

Kendrick sucks his teeth.

"Go ahead. I own this school."

"Not this classroom. Not while I'm here."

Kendrick begins to laugh as he collects his things. He stands to his feet and makes his way down the steps slowly. A mischievous smile appears on his face as he leaves the classroom. Professor Grant clears his throat and continues.

"If anyone is having personal issues, please keep it at home and don't bring it into my classroom," he stops to trace everyone. "Okay let's proceed. Today we will be reviewing several other genres that author J. L. Lucas has explored. How many of you have done your homework and read his autobiography?"

Suddenly, the door swings open again and hits the wall with a clamorous sound that echoes throughout the room. Again, the entire class freezes as a tall man, dressed in a white collared shirt and black slacks, marches into the classroom. The look on the man's face is something between furious and homicidal.

"How dare you talk to my son that way?" he yells at Professor Grant with fiery hatred.

Professor Grant's face flattens. Then it hits me, this furious man is no other than Cornelius Blaire, Kendrick's father.

"I can easily get you fired tomorrow. I own your ass!" he shouts at Grant.

Professor Grant's face twists with disgust.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Grant asks.

"I heard every damn word. I dare you make a fool out of my son again. I promise you that your ass will be fired tomorrow," Cornelius says with his pointer-finger beaming between Professor Grant's eyes.

Professor Grant swipes Cornelius's hand away from his face.

"Who do you think you are?" Professor Grant backfires aggressively.

Cornelius immediately steps closer to Professor Grant, so close that their noses are almost touching.

"Cornelius, if you put your finger in my face again, I'm going to break it," Professor Grant replies.

The grip on my pen suddenly tightens. My eyes are beginning to sting from me unblinking, yet I can't manage to blink because I'm way too absorbed into their dispute. Nothing seems to be functioning correctly in my body, except for my burning eyes and my pounding heart.

Everyone is completely glued into their seats and not in a good way.

"Come on, William, take a swing," Cornelius whispers in his face.

My heart is starting to pound even harder than before. The tight grip on my pen is starting to get moist with sweat. Cornelius fist is so tight that it turns red. A moment seems like forever as their homicidal gaze remains intertwined. Professor Grant steps away from Cornelius.

He clears his throat, takes a breather, and regains his cool.

"I'm teaching a class right now. This matter can be discussed at a better time," Professor Grant tells him through his teeth.

Cornelius lifts his chin arrogantly and says...

"I've said what I had to say. And I don't make promises I can't keep, William."

Cornelius rotates towards the door but stops midway. He pauses, only briefly, to look at something over my head. He then leaves the room without shutting the door. I'm relieved that he's gone because I was holding my breath the entire time. Now, I'm stable enough to breathe again. I then look over my shoulder.

I figured out what he was staring at just before he left the room. He was staring at Daniel. I spot Daniel, in the back row, standing boldly. Then I shift back at Professor Grant, who is frozen in place staring at the open door. The hatred in his eyes is finally cooling down.

I take another look in the back of the class. Daniel lowers slowly into his seat, yet the anger in his face remains fresh. It's hard to tell if he's angry or not because that's his usual expression. The students gaze around at one another with confused looks.

"The Blaires are nut-jobs," a boy whispers to another classmate behind me.

Professor Grant adjusts his suit and sighs. He walks over to the door, closes it, and then positions himself in the middle of the room.

"Sorry about that rude and unnecessary behavior." he says while pausing again to regain more stability.

Seconds passes by as he remains unresponsive.

"With that said, let us continue," he finally proceeds.

The hour of class is so awkward. Cornelius is way gone but the tension he carried into the classroom has me feeling uneasy. Small conversations about their argument are already taking place around me. I can't help but feel highly embarrassed for Professor Grant. His personality has changed dramatically.

I guess the Blaires have an immeasurable talent of bringing out the worst in people. He's not the typical, fun-loving, Professor Grant that I know. Instead, he's a lot quieter and gloomier than usual. Soon, I'm gathering my belongings and making my way towards the door. He sees me coming down the steps but he doesn't smile at me like he usually would.

His face is completely flat. I pause at the doorway and give him a warm smile, hoping he will do the same. He gives me a smile a lot less sincere than mines. I want to say something, something that would make him feel better, but I decide not to. He tries to hide his anger but he has a poor way of hiding it.

I glance back from the hallway and see Daniel approaching him, and then they begin to have another private discussion. I continue down the hallway, hearing students gossiping about the argument among groups.

Before long, I'm heading home. That argument left a huge mark on my mind. I can't seem to shake off the tension they created. Then I get a feeling it's more to Glenworth than most people think. And I'm eager to find out what's really going on...

CHAPTER 15: JASON'S FRIENDS

The proceeding day is beyond annoying. It doesn't matter where I go on campus, students are raving about Cornelius and Professor Grant's argument. It has only been one day and the rumors have spread like a wildfire. I'm tired of hearing people talk about it. My ears need a break from all of the exaggerations. What makes matters worse is some students have turned the rumor into something else entirely.

Some are starting to say that a fist fight took place in class. I have rolled my eyes at least a thousand times so far today. My final class, and most anticipated, is Biology. I'm one of the first to enter class and Jason is one of the last.

"What's up?" he asks as he sits down next to me.

"Nothing special."

Professor Nelson shuts the door and obtains center stage. As Professor Nelson gives his lecture on plant stems, I lower my head away from his eyes.

"Hey, I want to ask you something," I whisper to Jason.

"Something like what?" he replies and brings his ear closer to me.

"Did you hear about yesterday?"

His face drops and I notice his expression switch into anger.

"Who hasn't?" he replies.

"I was there when it happened. They look like they wanted to kill each other," I attempt to shake the image of their bloodthirsty eyes from my head. "But I asked Professor Grant about him and Kendrick. And he said nothing was wrong."

He exhales slowly.

"No one really likes the Blaire family, but we respect them. They invest money into the school, so the faculty kisses their ass. It gets on my nerves. They believe they can treat people like shit and get away with it."

"And what's up with Daniel? Cornelius looked at him the same way. Daniel even stood up like he was ready to fight."

He hesitates to respond. Suddenly, the anger lifts from his face and is replaced with uncertainty.

"Listen Iva, we all have our differences towards people. They're....things in this town...things you shouldn't stick your nose in," he says straightforwardly.

"But, you can tell me anything. I won't say a word to anyone."

"Iva..," he stares into my eyes with seriousness. "Just drop it."

"Okay," I reply.

The whole class we remain silent. Soon, everyone is pouring out of the room and blending into the college commute. As I step into the hallway, Jason gathers my attention by tapping me on my right shoulder.

"Hey, Iva, I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean to sound so harsh," he apologizes honestly.

"It's fine. I just wanted to know why they hate each other so much. That's all."

"I wish I can tell you, it's just...it's a long story."

"Then shorten it."

"Like now?"

"Yes now. Where are you heading?" I ask him.

"Getting in my car and going home," he replies with a snicker.

"Okay, then I will walk with you," I reply.

"Do I have any say in this?" he asks.

"No."

He rolls his eyes and breaks a charming smile. Together, we exit through a pair of double-doors and stroll down the campus walkway while we talk about the Blaires.

"The Blaires likes no one," he explains. "Grant and Cornelius went to school together. It started there."

"Okay, that's understandable. But how does Daniel fit in?"

He doesn't respond. I think he's trying to avoid my question. We approach a group of kids hanging around three vehicles. The first vehicle is a black Charger, the second is a burgundy SUV, and the third is a black SUV. Daniel is sitting in the Charger with the driver's door wide open. The brunette boy and his female lookalike are standing next to the burgundy SUV. The Goth-girl, Daniel's sister, is sitting on the hood of the Charger.

They appear to be having a conversation before I arrive with Jason.

"Hey, guys," Jason greets them.

"What's up, you ready to jet?" the brunette boy asks.

"Yeah, I was just talking to my friend Iva," Jason informs.

"I thought you were handicapped?" the brunette boy says rudely.

The brunette girl punches him in the shoulder and says shut-up.

Her mood changes instantly when she looks at me. Now, she's completely subtle again.

"Sorry about my brother. I'm Jessica and this is Eric," she informs me in a friendly voice.

"Hi, I'm Eric," the brunette boy confirms.

"I'm Maria," the Goth-girl says with a smile.

"So, are you a farmer or something" Eric asks me.

"I think you have me mixed up with someone else," I reply with a dumbfounded tone.

"Didn't you say she lived on a farm?" Eric asks Jason.

"No, I said she moved from the country," Jason shoots back at Eric.

"So, why are you dressed up like a farmer?" Eric continues.

I look down at myself and realize that he must be referring to my denim-overalls.

"I have never lived on a farm, like ever."

Eric clears his throat.

"I don't like her Jason. It's something about those overalls," Eric states.

Jessica rolls her eyes and conceals her face with her palm.

"Can you please stop acting like you're mentally challenged?" Jason asks Eric.

"Don't pay him any attention. He's annoying," Maria states.

A car creeps up slowly and stops near us. It's my Uncle Frank and an older fellow.

"Oh shit its five-o. Someone, hide the weed," Eric announces.

"Excuse me Mr. Dodson, can you please repeat that?" Uncle Frank asks Eric.

"Damn. I'm just fucking with you Lancaster. Don't get trigger happy," Eric responds while giggling.

Uncle Frank shakes the frustration from his head and then shifts his attention onto me.

"Hey, Kiddo," he greets me.

"Uncle Frank, what are you doing here?"

"Uncle?" Eric mumbles underneath his breath.

"What are you guy's up to?" Uncle Frank asks.

"Nothing," we reply.

"Actually, we were doing some under-age drinking..."

"Mr. Dodson, I'm not in the mood today," Uncle Frank snaps back at Eric before he's able to finish his joke.

"Okay, that was the last joke. I'm serious," Eric confesses.

My uncle then looks over at Daniel.

"What's going on Daniel? Are you okay?" Uncle Frank asks him.

"Yup," Daniel replies with his never fading sternness.

"Hey kiddo, can I speak to you?"

As I approach his car, he welcomes me over with a mouth-full of teeth.

"Whose idea was this?" I ask him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he plays stupid.

I have a staring contest with him until he finally gives in.

"Your mom's," he surrenders.

"When she mentioned "Credible resource" I knew it had to be only one person."

"I'm your uncle. It's my job to sniff around from time to time. How is everything?" he interrogates.

"It's fine. Stop spying on me, gosh."

"Just making sure my niece is secure."

He looks over at the group behind me and smiles again.

"I see you made some friends. They're good kids. Hey, guess what? I have a gift for you," he says to me before giving me a small bottle.

"What is this?" I ask him.

"Anytime you're being harassed, spray this in the person's face."

"Uncle Frank, you brought me mace?"

"Listen, the biggest creeps hang around schools. Some guys just don't take no for an answer. Keep it on you at all times. It might just save your life."

"Uncle Frank..."

"What did I say?" he cuts me off before I'm able to finish my sentence.

"Okay, I'll keep it on me. I'm pretty sure I'll never use it."

I then slide the can of mace into my right pocket.

"Anyways, I see you around. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

He then shifts to Eric again.

"And for you...," Uncle Frank says while pointing at Eric.

Eric looks left and right with a confused look on his face. He then points at himself.

"Me?" Eric asks my uncle.

"Yes. Behave yourself."

"Always," Eric replies with a fake smile.

"Have a productive day everyone."

"Bye," we all reply.

He then cruises away, slowly. Eric waves at him as he slowly exits the school parking lot. As soon as his patrol car disappears, Eric stops waving and his smile drops instantly.

"I'm going to tear some shit up," Eric announces. "Behave? That's not even in my vocab."

"Lancaster is your uncle, for real?" Jason asks me.

"Yes," I reply.

"Cool," Jason says.

The others behind him pile into their vehicles. The twins, Eric and Jessica, get into the burgundy SUV, and Maria gets into the Charger with Daniel. They ignite their engines. The engine on the old Charger erupts to life, releasing some heavy gray smoke from its exhaust pipe.

"Coming or not?" Eric shouts at Jason from the burgundy SUV. "You can't come, farm-girl. No geeks are allowed. Plus, your uncle is a cop. You're never going to be cool, ever."

Jason rolls his eyes at Eric's rude comments.

"Alright, I'll catch you later," Jason says to me.

"See you later."

Daniel is the first one to reverse back and leave. Jason brings the black SUV to life and pulls out of the parking space. Meanwhile, in the burgundy SUV, Eric lowers his window on the passenger's side.

"See you later, farm-girl," he says.

Maria and Jessica is right, he is annoying.

"I've never lived on a farm for crying out-loud."

"Liar, liar, overalls on fire."

He then starts laughing at me.

"Who wears overalls anymore? What is this the 1800's? Do yourself a favor and get rid of them. Until next time, farm-girl," he finishes with a solute.

I watch as they all exit the school lot and emerge into traffic...

CHAPTER 16: STRANGE BEHAVIOR

An entire month goes by quickly. A lot has changed since then. The gossip about Cornelius and Professor Grant's argument finally stop, and Kendrick is now in another English class. We conclude our lessons on J. L. Lucas with a quiz, which I'm utmost confident about. At the end of class everyone, except me, drag their feet to turn in their test. I wait until everyone leaves the room before I approach Professor Grant's desk.

I place my test on his desk with a confident smirk.

"I certainly hope you did well," he says in a sarcastic way.

"Hey, guess what? I'm almost done with your story."

"Are you? How do you like it so far?"

"It's very good. You should get it published."

He giggles.

"Finding a decent publisher is a lot of work these days, and most of my time is absorbed by teaching you gremlins," he tells me.

He then looks down at my shoulder. The temperature is fair today, so I decided to wear a short-sleeved shirt.

"Hold one second. What happened to your arm?"

I look at my shoulder and then back at him.

"It's a very long and unusual story."

"Can I take a look at that?"

"Sure, but it's pretty gross," I inform him.

I pull my sleeve back and shift my shoulder towards him. Then something strange happens. He moves his eyes from the mark and into mine, and then it takes me a moment to read his expression. Strangely, for reasons I'm unaware of, utter shock has clouded his face.

"Iva...how did you get that scar?" he asks.

"I don't know. It just appeared one day."

"It just appeared, by itself?"

"Yes. Weird, isn't it?"

He fiddles with his pen for a moment before asking another question. He appears nervous.

"I don't mean to take up too much of your time, but did this involve a box of some kind?" he asks slowly and uneasily. "I know it's an odd question."

"It's funny you say that. Yes, it did."

I'm starting to get a strange vibe. Maybe it's because of his behavior.

"A scarlet box?" he continues to question me.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"This changes everything," he says lowly to himself.

Someone comes into the class and stands at his side. It's my biology teacher, Professor Nelson.

"Hey Bill, here's your stapler back," Professor Nelson says while holding out a stapler.

Professor Nelson looks over at me and transfers back to Professor Grant.

"Bill?" Nelson leans forward and calls for his attention again.

Suddenly, Professor Grant breaks away from his trance.

"No problem James, anytime," he says while taking his stapler with a twitchy hand.

"Thanks," Professor Nelson replies.

He takes a second to observe Professor Grant, then me, before exiting the room.

"What are your plans tomorrow, Iva? I would like to talk more about this, if you don't mind."

"Hold on...what's going on? How did you know about the box?"

He starts to speak but the words are trapped in his throat.

"I don't know where to start," he blurts out. "I think the best thing to do is show you."

"Show me what?"

"Let's just say...I have a friend. And I want you to meet him."

"What friend?" I ask with confusion.

"Iva, it's hard to explain. I think it's best if you just meet him in person because if I tell you, you won't believe me. Can you meet me here at 7, tomorrow morning?"

"Okay, I'll see you at 7," I confirm with uncertainty.

"Please, don't forget," he responds in a begging tone.

"I won't," I reply.

I proceed out the door and down the hallway. Seriously, what was that all about? I slip into a daydream. All I can think about is Professor Grant and the alarm in his eyes. Many thoughts shoot across my mind. Most of those thoughts are questions.

Why was he so shocked when I showed him the scar? And how did he know about the box I found at that antique shop? Even Professor Nelson felt a weird vibe in the room. At least I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Iva!" Someone shouts my name.

I break out of the daydream and realize my mom is waiting for me in the van. I get into the passenger seat and buckle in.

"How was school?" she asks with a bright grin.

"It was good," I smile halfheartedly. "Hey, I have to get dropped off early tomorrow for something."

"Alright."

She gazes at me for a moment and must have noticed a flaw in my smile.

"Are you okay? It looks like something is bothering you."

"No, I'm fine," I answer while looking out the window.

Our drive home is very quiet. My mom keeps asking me if something is wrong, but I continue to answer "No, I'm fine". Before I go to sleep that strange vibe I felt earlier turns into something ugly. And then I have a sense that something terrible is about to happen...

CHAPTER 17: LIFE OR DEATH

(NARRATOR'S PERSPECTIVE)

William Grant is up two hours before his alarm clock is set to go off. He's currently detached from the real world. His mind is being occupied by a sea of thoughts. He's sitting on the foot of his bed with his hands in his lap, filled with apprehension. The faint glimmer of dawn is seeping through the blinds, illuminating part of his bedroom, and leaving the rest in darkness. His fiancée turns in bed and reaches over to his side of the bed, expecting to feel his firm chest in her hand.

Her eyes open when she realizes his warm body is missing. She sits up in bed and sees the light from the window casting a silhouette of his frame. She immediately gets a notion that something is bothering him. She maneuvers close to him and hugs him from behind.

Her embrace resurrects him back into reality and away from his inner-conscience.

"Hey, what are you doing up so early?" she whispers gently into his ear.

"I have to head out. I have a lot of papers to catch up on."

She snickers into his ear.

"Or you could just...stay here," she says in a flirty way. "I'm pretty sure we could think of other things to do."

He breaks into a wide smile.

"I wish I could accept your offer, but I really have to go."

"Is something wrong? You don't seem like yourself since you came home yesterday."

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just worn out," he lies to her.

"Okay. Don't work too hard. I love you."

He shifts to his left, peering into her blue eyes. The faint light coming through the blinds illuminates the crimson in her hair. He stares into her eyes for a lingering amount of time.

"I love you more," he replies.

They kiss each other with deep passion. Her embrace becomes tighter while their lips touch.

Soon after, his fiancée goes back to sleep and he kisses her on the forehead before leaving their townhome. His blue sedan is parked in front of their house. He gets in and fastens his seatbelt before making a call on his cell-phone.

Meanwhile...

Daniel, Eric, Maria, Jason, and Jessica are all in a secluded forest, miles away. Daniel's cell-phone starts ringing in his pocket. He looks at the screen and immediately recognizes the number.

"Hey, did you leave yet?" Daniel answers the phone.

"I'm in the car now." Grant answers from his car. "I'm about to go to the campus and pick up Iva. I should be there soon."

"What did you tell her?" Daniel asks.

"I told her we needed to talk. She doesn't know about anything. I knew she wouldn't believe me if I told her. I'm about to hit the road. I will call you when I'm on my way."

"Okay. We'll see you in a little bit."

They both disconnect from their conversation. Grant pauses in his car. He begins to think about what he discovered the day before. A large dose of anxiety hits him in the pit of his heart, making him feel sick. He looks to his right, staring at the door of his townhome, thinking about the woman inside. He then exhales deeply and ignites the engine.

It's now six o'clock in the morning. The light of day is gaining momentum. The rain from the previous night is rising from the Earth, creating a dense blanket of fog. He cruises down a lonely road, which has a speed limit of fifty miles per hour, yet he's driving at a cautious forty. The road is surrounded by trees.

The soft, blue, morning light cast a silhouette off the arm-like branches. While driving through the lonesome road, he spots a long object resting on the wet ground. At first, he thought nothing of it, yet as he comes closer to the obscure obstruction, a dose of panic slams into his stomach like a ton of bricks. Dozens of long, steel, spikes are lined across the road.

"Shit..." he blurts out while stomping on the breaks in attempt to avoid running into the sharp pieces of steel.

This causes the tires to lose traction and jet-plane across the dark pavement. He then veers right and tries to go around the spikes. That idea doesn't work the way he intended it to. Both front and back tires on the left side explode upon contact. He tries to swerve the car back into alignment with the road but he loses total control of the car. BOOM! The vehicle collides into a tree side. The loud boom echoes into the wilderness.

The front end of the car smashes in. In an instant, the airbag burst from the steering-wheel before his face is able to impact into it. In a blink of an eye, his head slams forward, bouncing forcefully of the airbag and hitting the headrest. Grant's head rebounds off the airbag so fast and forcefully that it causes him to temporarily lose consciousness. The blow from the airbag gives him a fractured nose.

Leaves from the balding tree rain down upon the vehicle as he blacks out. Now his face is resting against the airbag with his arms dangling at his sides. Blood drips on the airbag from his fractured nose. He snaps conscience a moment later. It takes a moment for him to absorb reality. The first thing he does, after regaining full consciousness, is peep at the review mirror. Through the fog, he can see a hooded man walking towards the car. His heart cringes with terror as he spots the mysterious figure lurking toward him.

His survival instincts click on in his mind. He quickly unbuckles himself and reaches over to the glove compartment and opens it. He finds a small metal box inside. He pulls the box out of the glove compartment.

The heat is on now. The mysterious man is only yards away from the car.

Grant holds the box in his arms as he climbs across the passenger's seat and opens the door. It's hard for him to maneuver because his right knee is in pain. His body falls onto the moist ground of the forest. The landing makes his injured leg feel worse. His light-gray slacks are now covered in cold, wet, mud. He then crawls quietly towards a tree while holding the box close to his chest. His hands are becoming frigid because of the cool mud. Quietly, he stands up against the tree with his heart pounding like a drum in his chest.

His right leg can't support all of his weight because of the impact it suffered. With one eye, he peeps around the tree at the mysterious man walking toward the car. It seems that the man is unaware that Grant had escaped the wreckage. Grant then begins to walk away from the area in a fast pace.

Meanwhile...

The mysterious hooded figure, known as Hellhound, starts to whistle as he comes close to the taillight. Step after step, he looms closer to the driver's door of the vehicle.

"Professor William Grant," Hellhound says while digging his claws along the surface of the car.

His sharp nails cause the paint to curl and fall onto the ground.

"I've waited a long, long, time for this."

He thrust his fist into the driver's window, breaking the glass, and pulls the door of its hinges with his incredible strength. He then tosses the car door across the road. He leans into the car and looks inside. The grimace on his face flattens. He realizes that Grant has somehow disappeared. He sees the passenger's door wide open and grunts with anger. BOOM! He slams an angry fist on the roof of the car.

He sniffs the air like a dog. A moment later, he stops sniffing and smiles into the woods.

"So, you want to play!? Let's play," Hellhound shouts into the woods.

Grant is now running with a limp through the dreary woods, trying to gain enough ground from Hellhound. He stops for a moment and uses a tree to balance himself. He takes a moment to catch his breath before kneeling down into the moist soil. He grunts in pain as he is forced to take a knee. He unlocks the metal box and finds what he needs inside; a pistol and a box of spare bullets. He opens the barrel of the gun and begins to fill the empty slots with ammunition.

He stops loading the fifth bullet when he hears a noise. It sounded like crunching leaves. He quickly looks up into the endless fog. The last two bullets go in with difficulty because his hands are quivering uncontrollably.

With a shaky hand, he digs into the box and grabs a handful of additional bullets. He stuffs the spare bullets into his jacket pocket. He closes the gun and stands to his feet. He surveys his surroundings cautiously before moving his legs again. The soreness in his right knee is becoming intense but he tries his best to ignore the increasing pain.

It's a cool morning, yet his body is already beginning to sweat. His lungs are working so hard that they feel heavy in his chest. Once again, he leans up against a random tree to rest his exhausted body. After taking time to regain some well-needed strength, he studies his surroundings. He listens to the wind. He hears nothing but the sound of his own breath and birds chirping from a distance.

He gives himself a boost by pushing off the tree. He takes only three steps before stumbling hard onto the ground. His only defense, his pistol, falls from his hand. He immediately feels a harsh pain in his wounded leg, but this pain is new and more intense then the pain in his knee.

He shouts in agony until he can feel his throat burning. He rotates onto his back and sees Hellhound standing twenty yards away from him. Grant glances down at his right leg and discovers barb-wire wrapped around it with a metal ball. Attached to the barb-wire is a long rope that leads to Hellhound's hands. It's some kind of lasso Hellhound created to catch prey.

"Going somewhere?" Hellhound says to him with fiery eyes.

Hellhound pulls on the rope. The barb-wire around Grant's leg tightens as his back slides across the moist soil. Grant ignores the increasing pain and turns onto his belly. He desperately reaches for the pistol but his reach is short by mere inches. Again, Hellhound tugs on the rope, pulling Grant closer to him. He's drifting further and further away from the pistol. Hellhound reaches his arm forward, grabbing the rope, and uses his strength to pull his prey closer. Grant yelps as the wires rips through his denim jeans, through his skin, and into his calf muscles.

Grant's mind is completely unstable. He can't figure out what to do next. Stress, panic, fear, and adrenaline consume him all at one time. Hellhound pulls on the thin rope again, causing him to slide even closer. The pieces of jagged metal slide deeper into his flesh. Grant screeches in pain as he is pulled.

He spots a glimmer of hope resting on the ground to his left. It's a long branch. He grabs it as Hellhound tugs on the rope again. Using the branch, he reaches for the pistol. He's hoping that the thin finger-like limbs may be able to pull the gun toward him. His first attempt is delivered poorly, completely missing the gun. Hellhound pulls again.

Grant grunts in agony as he reaches for the gun with the branch. He tries to pull the gun toward him. It moves slightly but the grip doesn't hold well enough. Hellhound yanks him further away from the gun. Grant can hear the sound of his pants tearing as Hellhound pulls him closer. The pain in his leg is now extreme.

He has one last chance at reaching for the gun with the branch. He grips the branch firmly and extends it toward the gun one final time before his reach becomes too short. Hellhound pulls again. As he is being pulled, the branch and gun is being pulled along with him. His plan worked. As hellhound yanks the rope, Grant pulls on the branch, bringing the gun in arms reach.

Hellhound pulls again and again, shortening the space between them. Now, Grant is only yards away. Grant can hear Hellhound laughing victoriously as he positions his finger behind the trigger. He's now five feet away from Hellhound. Hellhound pulls one last time.

"It's now or never," Grant thinks to himself subconsciously.

He swiftly rotates on his back and fires at an upward angle twice. The bullets disperse from the gun. The eruption echoes throughout the wilderness, causing crows to scatter from the trees above. To his surprise, Hellhound has disappeared from sight. With amazed yet frightened eyes, Grant points the gun left and right, franticly.

A dead silence sweeps through the forest. He places the gun on the ground and then focuses his attention onto his wounded leg. He shrieks in a pain as he unravels the barb-wire from his leg. Warm blood immediately begins to soak through his jeans as he rips the metal spikes from his flesh. He tosses the rope to the side and stands to his feet, unable to hold any weight on his right leg.

Hellhound's laugh bounces off the trees.

"Close, but no cigar!" his voice echoes throughout the woods.

Grant rotates left, trying to find Hellhound's location. Even turning is difficult for him to do without staggering. He points the gun into the eternal fog, ready to fire at any moment's notice.

"Did you honestly think you were going to kill me that easily?"

Grant swiftly turns right and points the gun into another wall of fog. He can't seem to keep track of Hellhound's movements.

"If you want to kill me, just do it!" Grant shouts into the dreary woods with the gun pointed.

"Can you see me? I can see you," Hellhound says with a chuckle.

Grant hears the sound of feet running. He looks left, then right, and then behind himself. He has no idea what direction to aim the gun. Suddenly, he spots the end of Hellhound's cloak just before he vanishes behind a tree. He fires twice, hitting the tree but not Hellhound. Once again, he hears Hellhound running behind him.

"Come on, you can do better than that. You're making this all too easy," Hellhound says from the dense fog.

Impacted hard by hopelessness and fear, Grant keeps his aim forward. His hand is shaking from adrenaline and fear. The sound of snapping twigs keeps him on edge. He keeps the gun pointed in the direction of the noise. He slowly begins to back away with the gun pointed forward. As he's backing away, he hears the sound of crunching leaves behind him at a very close perimeter.

He knows someone is standing behind him. He can feel their eerie presence. He swiftly turns around with his gun pointed. He fires the last two shots, but Hellhound catches his arm just before his face is able to cross paths with the barrel. The bullets are dispersed into the sky. Hellhound throws his hand at Grant's throat, clasping it tightly. Grant drops the gun as Hellhound applies pressure to his neck, cutting off any air and blood circulation.

Grant tries his absolute best to loosen Hellhound's grip. He throws hard punches at his long arm. Each blow doesn't seem to have any effect on Hellhound's chokehold. His face swells and turns pale as Hellhound lifts him from the ground.

"Stronger men have tried to kill me and failed. You are no different," Hellhound states just before he throws Grant forcefully against a tree.

Grant's head takes most of the impact. His body rebounds of the tree and falls onto the ground face first. Grant tries to get up but he is barely able to rise onto his elbows. Hellhound kicks him in the ribs, forcing him to roll on his back. Hellhound kneels next to him, smiling.

"You don't look so good."

Grant says something underneath his breath but Hellhound is unable to understand his words.

"I'm sorry, what is that?" Hellhound leans his ear closer to his swelled lips.

"Mane is going to kill you," Grant informs him with a weak voice.

Laughter burst from his mouth.

"Mane?" Hellhound takes a moment to chuckle again. "MANE!?" he shouts in Grant's face. "That name does not scare me! I can't wait to face him. And when I finish him off, I'm going to gut him and turn him into a fucking RUG!!!!!" he finishes this sentence with a loud shout.

He then smiles at Grant again with satisfied eyes.

"To bad you won't be alive to see it."

He then punches Grant in his face, rendering him unconscious...

Iva's perspective....

My mom cooked me a big breakfast this morning, but my thoughts won't allow me to eat. For some unknown reason, I feel bothered. As I poke my eggs with my folk, I can feel my mom staring at me.

"Are you feeling well?"

I look up at her and sigh, expressing my frustration toward her constant questioning. This has to be the fifth time she asked me that in an hour.

"Mom, nothing's wrong. Can you stop asking me that?" I tell her in a volume I typically never reach.

"Okay," she replies and continues to eat her breakfast.

The drive to school is another silent one. We arrive so early that most of the parking spots are still available. She pulls up to the main building and parks the van near the curb.

"Okay, see you later," I say while opening the door, but my mom stops me just before I'm able to exit.

"Not so fast."

I position myself back into the passenger seat and shut the door.

"If something was bothering you, would you tell me?"

"Mom, I'm fine."

"I'm not trying to turn this into an argument," she clarifies.

"I just got a lot of school stuff on my mind. That's all."

Again, just like any other time, she's reading me like an opened book. She knows I'm lying through my teeth. I can't hide anything from my mother, no matter how hard I try.

"Okay, I'll see you later," she tells me.

"Have a nice day at work," I reply as I exit the van in a hasty fashion.

I watch the van emerge into traffic before I proceed up the walkway. I whip out my cell-phone and update myself on the current time. In fifteen minutes, I'll be meeting up with Professor Grant, so he can clarify the questions I've been dying to have answered. Suddenly, a girl bumps into my shoulder and startles me.

"Hey," I blurt out automatically.

I look over my shoulder and witness a girl running with her hands clamped against her mouth. I take a breath to lower my startled heart. I proceed up the walkway only to discover another student sprinting my way. His eyes are consumed with extreme panic. I step aside so I wouldn't get trampled by him.

"What is going on?" I whisper to myself.

I continue up the walkway quicker than before. An earsplitting scream rips through the silence of the morning. My fast walking converts into a jog. I see a frantic boy coming around the west wing of the campus. He's talking to someone on his cell-phone.

"We need the police here now, there's been a murder," he cries hysterically into the phone.

My heart-rate skyrockets. Another female student comes from around the corner with her hands pressed tightly against her lips. At last, I finally make it around the corner. A small gathering of students are standing motionless. Their faces are drained of emotion and color. They all appear to be staring at something over my head. I don't want to look, but my curiosity is forcing me to see for myself.

I slowly follow their gaze behind me and upward. I immediately become immobile. A body is harnessed at the top of the school. The body is covered in blood. The blood is in the form of a giant X. This person is no other than my beloved professor, William Grant. A moment later, my joints loosen. I quickly shift my eyes away. I nearly scream but I use my hands to keep my scream locked inside of my mouth.

As I stagger back down the walkway, I feel myself lose balance. I stumble right until I hit the brick wall of the school. I hold my jumping heart as I slide down into the wet grass. The girl, who bumped into me moments before, is charging back up the walkway with two other Professors.

I reach into my pocket and pull out my cell-phone. Warm tears begin to roll down my cheeks as I press the call icon.

"Hello," my mom answers.

"Mom, there's been an incident at school. Come, please," the hysteria in my voice is dominating.

"What's going on?" her concern instantly takes over.

"Mom, just come quick."

"I'm on my way."

A couple of minutes later, I meet my mom back at the main entrance. She hurries out of the van and pauses momentarily to gawk at the anarchy that is building momentum around her.

"Iva, what is going on?"

Sirens grow in the distance until several squad cars rush onto the scene.

"Iva...?"

I remain unresponsive. I place my head against her chest, and then she wraps her arms around me with an unbreakable grip.

On the way home, I tell my mom what I saw. The shock on her face is brutal but it's nothing compared to those distraught faces at the scene.

Two hours later, Uncle Frank and his partner, Detective Jones, comes over to our house for questioning. It's hard for me to answer any of their questions because the flashbacks are constantly reappearing in my head. All I can see in my mind is Professor Grant's lifeless body, and all I can hear are the cries from those who discovered him. It's tearing me apart.

"Iva? Iva?" Uncle Frank gathers my attention.

I snap back into reality another time.

"You are one of the last people to speak to him," Uncle Frank states. "Did you notice anything in his behavior?"

"I did notice him acting strange," I reply in a low tone.

"What was his behavior like?"

"I don't know. It's hard to describe. But Cornelius Blaire had an argument with him a couple of weeks ago."

"They did? Where?" Jones asks urgently.

"In class."

"What were they arguing about?" Uncle Frank presses on.

"Kendrick didn't want to be in his class, so Professor Grant kicked him out."

"Did he threaten Grant?" Uncle Frank interrogates me.

"He said he will get him fired."

"Did he threaten Grant for his life?" Uncle Frank asks.

I think harder and try to remember if any death threats were thrown around between them two.

"No."

"Are you certain?"

"Positive."

Uncle Frank places his pen in the coil of his mini-notepad.

"That's all I need for now," he informs me. "You know...I'm sorry you had to see that."

He comes over to me and kneels down with soothing eyes.

"I knew Grant. He was a great guy. I promise you, I'll find the son of a bitch who did this. I may already know. I love you kiddo, hang in there alright?"

I nod humbly. He stands and nods at his partner, and together they leave the house with modest expressions. I know who Uncle Frank was referring too. I wouldn't be surprised if the Blaires had something to do with his death...

CHAPTER 18: THE VISITOR

Glenworth police department rests on the outskirts of the town. Detective Lancaster and his partner are making their way back to the station.

"I'm telling you Jones, the Blaires has something to do with this," Frank says with total confidence.

"We need the motive Frank. An argument in a classroom won't cut it. We'll need hard evidence to convict."

"We just have to figure something out," Frank replies.

Not long after, they arrive back at the station. Frank pulls his car onto the rocky gravel and kills the engine. They enter the police department, where a female officer is waiting to speak with Frank at the main reception desk.

"Hey Detective, you have a visitor. He's waiting in the interrogation room for you," she informs him.

Jones and Frank both go into a large room with beige walls and one table in its center. A man is sitting in a chair, patiently waiting with his fingers crossed on the table top.

"Hi, Detective," the man says without turning.

Frank and Jones immediately recognize the voice, but Frank has to be certain it's him. He walks around the table to see if the face matches the voice. Indeed, it's Cornelius Blaire. Cornelius looks at his diamond watch and observes the time.

"I've been waiting here for about twenty minutes now. If I have to estimate, you just cost me about ten thousand dollars. My time is very, very, valuable."

"What the hell do you want?" Frank asks distastefully.

"I want what you want, answers. I'll give you one and you give me one. Do we have a deal?"

Jones and Frank eye one another, and then they shift back at Cornelius.

"What answers do you have?" Frank asks.

"The one you've been dying to find out. And it's no, I did not do it. I did not kill Grant. Now, here's my question, how are you going to figure this one out? Whoever did this, you have to admit, it was pretty well thought out," he says with a smirk.

"A man's body was brutally murdered and you find this amusing?"

Cornelius ponders deeply about Frank's question.

"All I'm saying is...I didn't like the bastard anyways."

Jones and Frank refuse to believe their ears. The carelessness in his remark is appalling.

"Listen you sick, sadistic, prick. I know you did it. I will turn you in and make sure you rot," Frank informs him in a harsh tone.

Cornelius looks around the room and back at the two of them.

"But I already turned myself in," he tells Frank with a dumbfounded expression.

Frank explodes into a hateful rage and slams his palms onto the table.

"Damn it. Don't play games with me. I'm talking about life in prison you cocksucker!"

"Oh, prison. You are sadly mistaken. That will never happen," Cornelius replies confidently.

"I will find a connection," Frank reassures him in a firm tone.

"I can't wait to hear your plan," Cornelius says sarcastically.

"In a week I'll have a warrant."

"Okay, and then what? I'll bail myself out and become a free man. Just curious, how will you win the case? What's that stuff called again? Evidence, that's it, you'll need evidence," suddenly, Cornelius mood changes as well. "Are we done here Detective?" he asks angrily. "You have no case. I own this town. I pay more taxes here in a year than you would your entire, pathetic, life. I own this department."

Frank looks at Jones, gesturing for his assistance. Frank doesn't have to say a word to his partner. Jones has known him for so long that he can almost read his mind. At this very moment, he knows Frank has an urgent sense to shoot something.

"Take your gun?" Jones asks Frank.

"Please do," Frank replies.

Jones pull Frank's gun from his side and steps away.

"Are we done?" Cornelius asks again.

Frank forces himself away from the table and backs into the corner, so he won't be tempted to harm Cornelius.

"Get the hell out," Frank orders him.

Cornelius stands up with his chin high in the air, bursting with pure arrogance.

"I appreciate our little chat. Now, get back to work, I'm not paying you to just stand around."

Cornelius chuckles as he exits the room...

CHAPTER 19: THE MEMORIAL

Due to the investigation, Glenworth is closed down until further notice. I spent the entire weekend mourning over the death of my beloved friend and Professor. I wish I could somehow wake up from this nightmare but everyone knows life isn't that simple. I wonder if there was something I could've done to prevent it from happening. As I sit in bed, unable to sleep on this Sunday morning, my mom comes in with a breakfast platter.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," she smiles at me soothingly while placing the food on my desk.

Eating food right now is the least of my concerns. All weekend I barely ate much. Those traumatizing images of his dead body are still fresh in my mind.

"Hungry?" she asks.

"No," I reply modestly.

"Well, you have to eat something. You haven't eaten in two days," she replies and sits on the foot of my bed. "I want to have a quick one on one with you about school."

She stops temporarily to contemplate.

"I know how important school has been to you. I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. If you want to stay at Glenworth, fine. Just make sure you're very careful, okay?"

"Mom, I'll be fine. Don't go around worrying about me."

"Just be mindful. Keep your cell on you at all times, and have a teacher on speed dial..."

"Mom," I butt in. "I can handle it."

She pauses for a moment to breathe. It's only natural for a mom to feel cautious about their children. That's why I never blame her for those motherly instincts.

"I love you so much. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know," I reply understandingly.

She kisses me on the forehead before exiting my room.

School finally reopens that following Thursday. The ride to school is very silent. We pull into the school lot, which is swarming with police.

"Okay, keep your phone on you at all times."

"I will."

"I love you, Iva," she says with a warm smile.

"I love you too, mom."

I hop out and shut the door and then step onto the walkway. The mood here is so depressing. What makes matters worse is the grayness outside. The clouds are so dark today, and I forgot to mention it's also cool and windy.

There's no usual clowning around or side conversations in the hallways. Everything and everyone appears dim. In Computer Science, we mostly sit in silence. The atmosphere is similar in Social Psychology. All of the Professors are just sitting at their desk bathing in silence most of the time.

I then head over to my last class for the day, Biology. The class is short a couple of students, including Jason. Professor Nelson closes the door and pauses before starting the class.

"Good morning," his voice is lower than usual. "I would like to start off on a side-note."

He clears the hoarse from his throat.

"If there's anyone in here, who feels they're having a hard time dealing with recent events, you are excused. I will not hold you accountable for your absence, whatsoever. I'll have a makeup day for anyone who misses class today."

He pauses to scan the room. Suddenly, a girl stands and modestly leaves the classroom. He pauses once more for anyone else who may want to excuse themselves.

"Today we will be reviewing chromosomes," he continues with class.

Before long, class is over and I'm gathering my belongings. Suddenly, my cell-phone vibrates. I pull it from my pocket and discover a text message from my mom that reads...

"CAUGHT UP AT WORK, I WILL BE A LITTLE LATE. STAY SAFE."

I finish gathering the rest of my belongings and join the fleeing crowd, but Professor Nelson calls to me as I pass his desk.

"Iva."

"Yes, Professor Nelson."

"I want to have a word with you about last Friday."

He rises from his seat and approaches me with his head lowered.

"What do you want to discuss?" I ask him.

"When I came in, what were you and Grant talking about?"

"We were just having a casual conversation about...school. Why?"

"It's just I notice him acting a bit strange. Didn't you?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I noticed that myself."

"Do you have any idea why?"

"No," I reply regrettably.

Professor Nelson leans backward against his desk and folds his arms as his mind immerses into a trance.

"I know I can seem nosy sometimes but that's because I want the students and faculty safe."

"I understand," I agree with him.

He looks down at the shiny floor titles and pauses to reflect on the tragedy.

"I can't stop thinking about him," he goes on. "He was a good teacher and a good friend. He didn't deserve that," he finishes the sentence with glistening eyes.

"I know. It's so unreal. I feel bad that I didn't attend the ceremony."

"It was really nice. They have a very beautiful memorial at the park for him," he tells me.

"I've heard. How do you get there? I want to pay my respects. I owe him that much."

"Make a left up the street, can't miss it."

"Thanks Professor, see you on Tuesday."

"You have a nice day, Ms. Hill," he replies as I exit the room.

I make my way out of the building and check the time on my cell-phone. It's now 3:40. I cut through the parking lot and proceed up the sidewalk. All I can think about is Professor Nelson and what he told me in class. He also noticed Professor Grant's peculiar behavior, so that proves that I'm not imagining things. He seemed afraid or worried.  
I see three students coming down the sidewalk. Their eyes are red and watery from continuous grief. I look down at the sidewalk, away from their gloomy expressions. I can't stand looking at anymore sad faces. When they pass by me, I muster the courage to lift my eyes again.

As I continue to walk, the wooded area next to me turns into a green clearing. The park is a wide field with trees surrounding it. Two other students are walking away from a small platform at the opposite end of the field. I recognize them from my English class. They give a friendly nod as they pass by me and I return the favor.

I feel my eyes starting to sting as I get closer to the memorial. I stop a couple of feet away to admire all of the beautiful flowers, pictures, teddy bears, and candles. I stare sorrowfully at one of his many pictures.

I softly shake my head in utter disappointment as I stare at his portrait.

"I'm so sorry Professor Grant," I whisper to him.

I look away momentarily to swallow the burning ball in my throat. After taking time to recuperate, I kneel into the grass and take off my book-bag. I then pull out his story and place it next to some roses.

"I enjoyed it, a lot," I whisper lowly to his picture.

His smile is so genuine and his eyes are so blameless. Who would kill such an innocent soul? But most importantly, why do I feel so goddamn guilty for what happened?

The sadness is too much to endure, so I force myself to turn and walk away. I refuse to stare at his blameless eyes any longer.

Out of nowhere, I hear another pair of walking feet. I immediately stop walking when I hear the sound. I remain completely still and alert.

A gust of wind hits me. It delivers a chill over my body, causing me to fold my arms automatically. Although I'm wearing a wool-coat, it's still no match for the bitterness of this autumn day. The air is brisk, the ground is cold and wet, and the clouds are dense across the evening sky.

Seconds passes by as I remain on edge. I stand absolutely motionless and attentive, hoping I'm just being paranoid. Crows burst from the tree tops and scatter across the murky sky. My heart jumps slightly as they abruptly scatter into the air and disappear from my sight.

I shake the jitters from my head, relieving my mind from the tension, and continue walking again.

"It's all in my mind," I think to myself.

Just to be on the safe side, I quicken my pace.

"Iva," a voice calls out to me somewhere within the woods.

I stop walking instantly. The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, that I tried to ignore, lashes back at me with a vengeance. The voice sounds like the voice of a woman. This causes fear to blanket me.

I begin to walk again. This time my legs are moving twice as fast. I look over my shoulder to make sure no one is following me.

"Please help," the voice shouts from the woods. "Iva, help me please!"

Suddenly, a disturbing realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I stop walking again. A dose of terror turns my body colder than ever. My heart is beating like a drum against my chest.

"Mom!" I shout into the woods.

How could this be? My mother should be at work right now.

"Help me!" my mother calls out in anguish.

Immediately, I'm ravaged by fear for my mother's life. With wrecked nerves, I hurry inside the woods.

"Mom, where are you?"

"Help me." she cries out.

I begin looking around for her with desperate eyes, but a thin mist makes it difficult for me to see. I squint as hard as I can, trying to see beyond the fog. She could be anywhere.

"Where are you?" I speak at a high volume; my voice echoing through the endless forest.

"Over here," she says with a burdened voice.

I follow her continuous cry for help; ducking under low branches, parting hanging vines, and leaping over large roots protruding from the muddy soil. It doesn't take me long to find her resting against a tree, panting.

"I'm over here," she cries out in agony.

She's wearing a long brown cloak, which is concealing her entire body. That is very strange because she has never owned a cloak or robe. I know my mom like the back of my hand. Long clothing has never been her style.

"Mom, I'm here. Are you okay...?" I stop speaking when I notice something creepy.

My mom isn't six-feet tall.

"Honey, come closer," she cries out to me with her back turned.

I stop dead in my tracks about thirty-feet away from her. I'm now close enough to see her clearly through the fog.

"Come closer," she groans in pain again.

An ugly feeling grows inside of me. My neck gets hit with a cool sensation that makes its way down my spine and lingers there. This is a sensation you can't get from brisk weather; instead, you get this feeling when you realize something very bizarre. There's something about this whole situation that doesn't add up correctly.

My mom has no reason being out here. The wind comes through the forest fiercely. The strong gust of air disturbs everything in sight. The top of the cloak is blown back and now her head is finally uncovered.

That eerie feeling on my spine invades my entire body, consuming me like a raging fire. I see a pale, wrinkly, head covered in thin strands of dark hair. I also see long ears dangling on each side of its head. I'm now gripped by unfathomable horror. I gasp deeply and try to conceal my fear by covering my mouth.

I can barely cover my mouth because my hand is quivering badly. I've never felt so terrified in my entire life. The fear is so powerful it makes my legs weaken. I stumble back a little and nearly fall but I grab the side of a tree to balance myself.

"Iva, I need your help baby. Come closer to me," this thing, who is obviously not my mother, cries out to me.

Another dose of fear hits my bloodstream, causing me to become paralyzed temporarily. In other words, I'm literally scared-stiff right now. What the hell am I looking at, and why does it sound like my mother? My mind is too confused and scared to come up with any reasonable answers.

"You're not my mother," I reply with fear attached to every syllable. "Who are you?"

Suddenly, this thing stops groaning; as if it has been acting the entire time.

"You're a brave girl, Iva Hill," it says to me in a man's voice. "You're brave but very, very, gullible."

His voice sounds very odd. The tone in his voice is weak and low; similar to an elderly man's voice. As he speaks, my muscles tenses up and my breathing increases.

"Why would someone so defenseless like you go running into the woods, all alone? Don't you know a killer is on the loose?"

The thing looks over at me. Its eyes stare deeply into mine. I flinch hard at the first sight of its hideous face.

Its skin is similar to human skin, but its eyes are spaced apart with large bags underneath them. Its nose is large with a mole on its tip. In short, this creature resembles a Bloodhound with human-like features. All of its teeth are pointy and its wide mouth is dripping saliva. I begin to hyperventilate as it starts to smile menacingly.

By its physique one can assume it's a male.

"I can't help but wonder who his next victim could be. Perhaps it's you." he says while maintaining that creepy smile.

Without warning, he swiftly charges toward me with a long dagger in the air. He's coming towards me at an alarming speed, eager to thrust that sharp dagger into my face. He's fast approaching and I'm too scared to move. My breathing ceases and my body tenses up like never before.

He's closing in for the kill and I don't know how to defend myself. Luckily, instinct blinks on like a bulb before he's able to slice me open. I swiftly dodge right and stumble onto the forest floor. Now my hands are covered in cold mud and leaves. The tall creature is now standing where I was with the dagger stuck inside of a tree.

He yanks the blade from the tree and suddenly breaks out laughing.

"I really thought I had you there," the creature tells me while laughing.

He slowly begins to walk toward me with the dagger gripped tightly in his hand.

"Someone help me!" I scream defensively on the cold forest floor.

I lift my hand into the air, gesturing for the creature to keep his distance. I can see murder in his abnormally large eyes.

"Postponing the enviable, aren't we?" he asks me while tossing the dagger from hand to hand.

"Oh my God, oh my God..." I say repeatedly as he gets closer.

My mind is completely distorted. I don't have the slightest clue what to do now. I can try to get up and run but he's way too fast for that. I'll be dead before I'm able to stand to my feet.

A thought hits me. I remember my uncle giving me a special gift. As I recall, I put it in this exact jacket. With any luck, it may still be in my pocket. I swiftly reach into my pocket while he lifts the dagger over his head.

Before he forces the weapon toward me, I pull out a can of mace and squeeze down on the nozzle as hard as I can. The mace glazes his large eyeballs. The creature then leaps back and screeches in pain.

"My eyes...!" the creature shouts in extreme agony.

Using his forearm he attempts to ease the agonizing, burning, pain in his eyes. He rubs his face with the back of his hand and forearm.

"You bitch!"

In a heated rage, he lifts the dagger high into the air and attempts to stab me. He completely misses me by two-feet. The mace has rendered him blind. Shouts erupt from his mouth as he stabs the ground with all of his might multiple times like a lunatic. I roll sideways, away from his fiery wrath.

He's accidentally stabs a root protruding from the ground, breaking the blade. I stand and take off running back to the field. My legs have never moved so fast. My entire body is numb by fear.

"I'll kill you! This is not over!" the creature shouts through the fog from a distance. "I will find you!" his voice echoes throughout the grim forest.

All I can hear is my shoes crunching into the leaves on the forest floor as I continue to run for my life. I know death comes for us all, but I prefer the scenario involving no pain and me being a very old woman sleeping in my bed. I take a quick glance over my shoulder to keep track of the creature's progression. Luckily for me, it's not pursuing me.

I stop running for a moment to look around for a clearing. I can't see the field in any direction because of the dense fog. I must find a way out of these woods before it's too late.

"Help!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I look around for an escape route.

All I can see are bare trees and fog that stretches as far as my eyes will allow me to see.

"You will know pain!" the creature's voice echoes throughout the woods.

I then hear the sound of feet running toward me. Panicked, I begin to sprint in a random direction, hoping to God it's the right way out of here.

My legs are moving as fast as they can, but the large branches on the forest floor makes it difficult to run without stumbling. I try my best to hurdle over them so I can maintain a constant speed. I then notice a glimpse of hope in the distance; the woods are thinning and the field is coming into view.

"Come on, you're almost there," I tell myself subconsciously.

Not long after, I dart out of the woods and onto the field. The road is roughly fifty-yards ahead of me.  
"Someone help me!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I run.

I glance over my shoulder again and see the creature bursting from the woods. My soul jumps from my body when I notice it charging onto the field. It stops, only momentarily, to search for me. His large bloodthirsty eyes discover me fleeing the scene.

When he sees me escaping, this makes him angrier than before. It starts to chase after me with its hands chopping the wind like a track-star. My panicky mind is working overtime for a plan B. I look forward again at the road growing in front of me.

I push myself even harder, trying my best to move my legs faster than before. I ignore my weakening stamina and the urge to catch my breath. I have no other option. If I stop now, I'm going to be ripped to pieces. As I turn to check on the creature's progression, I witness its speed double.

This thing is determined to kill me. I shift my eyes forward and see a small ditch in the grass. I trip and hit the grass hard. The fall forces the air from my lungs. I rotate onto my back and see him speeding towards me. The expression on his face is fulfillment; as if he's been aching to kill me for a long time. It's too late for me to do anything. I don't even have the time to scream for help.

He extends his hand back and prepares to drive his claws into my face. In this very moment, when every bit of hope is lost, a black mass comes leaping across the air. This large black figure collides into the creature. Their collision creates a sound similar to erupting thunder. Suddenly, the park bench to my left explodes as the creature's body goes flying through it.

Its body bounces off the dirt like a rock skipping on the surface of water. The creature is knocked-out by the collision, resting motionless on its stomach.

"Oh my God," my words come out uneasily; mixed together with deep, uncontrollable, breaths.

At my feet, to my left, I spot this huge heap of black fur. It rises off the grass until it's standing on all four paws. Slowly, it rotates its body to face me. I feel my joints tighten harder than before as its yellow eyes penetrate through mines and consumes my soul. These yellow eyes belong to an adult lion.

He takes a couple of steps toward me and lowers his huge face close to mine. Reflex causes me to lean away from his face. He breathes in deeply through his nose. Each breath he takes causes my hair to flow back.

"Are you alright Iva?" the beast asks me in a deep, bold, voice.

For the second time in my life, I'm too appalled to speak. It's just too much madness to take in at one time. I'm staring into the eyes of a talking black lion. He's so close I can feel the warmth from his breath. I open my mouth to speak but my words are trembling as they form on my tongue.

"I've heard of you... You are... You are...," I try to speak and fail horribly.

The massive lion leans closer and finishes my sentence with these words,

"I am Mane."

CHAPTER 20: BATTLE OF THE BEASTS

"But who I am is not important. You must leave here now!" Mane says aggressively.

As I sit on the ground, completely awestruck beyond comprehension, I see Hellhound starting to stand again.

"So, you're the one they call Mane?" the creature asks. "I'm glad to finally meet you."

Mane growls and quickly turns to face the creature. I can see the muscles in his back tightening. Hellhound shakes the dizziness from his head to regain his balance.

"Hellhound, you have already lost this fight," Mane responds to him angrily. "Leave while you can."

"Leave?" Hellhound replies. "But I just got here."

Hellhound explodes into a charge. I gulp hard. Mane lets out a ferocious roar before he takes off charging towards Hellhound. The distance between them two quickly closes. As Mane a charge, his front paws rises off the grass.

As Hellhound charges, he extends his left arm back, ready to thrust his razor-sharp nails at Mane. They both swipe at the same time, exchanging their might. Hellhound's nails sinks into Mane's side, but barely. This causes Hellhound to devour a strong right-hook to the face. Hellhound tumbles onto the ground, but he quickly gets back onto his feet.

Mane snarls at his opponent.

"Is that all you've got?!" Mane shouts at Hellhound aggressively.

Hellhound grunts in anger and charges again. Mane stands up on his back legs, ready to swipe his claws. Before Hellhound collides into Mane, he lowers like a raging bull. He rams Mane, forcefully. Hellhound may be thin, but he is very fast and strong. He thrust Mane into the grass like a linebacker, only a couple of yards in front of me.

He tackled Mane into the ground so forcefully, that it causes the grass to peel back. The vibration from them crash-landing travels through my bones. They immediately begin to scuffle like two rabid pit bulls, but they're a hundred times more amplified. I quickly rotate onto my back and attempt to crab-crawl away from their fight. I watch as dirt and grass gets thrown into the air.

As I try to scurry away backwards, Hellhound takes his attention off the fight and leaps towards me. He leaps up with his claw in the air. Before he's able to dig into my flesh, Mane swipes his hand away. I witness the creature's long nails barely missing my leg and slamming into the soil.

Hellhound reaches up with his other claw. It darts down at a deadly force. Luckily, Mane comes to my aid and swipes his claw away once again. His long nails smashes into the grass next to my hand. I swiftly curl into a tight ball and cover my face, screaming at the top of my lungs like a defenseless child.

All I hear is deep growling and constant pounding at my ear. Boom...boom...boom...boom...boom. My body cringes with every thunderous boom. All I feel is wind from them swiping at each other. All of a sudden, all of the pounding and grunting stops.

The only thing I hear now is heavy breathing above me. I finally stop screaming and slowly remove my hands from my face. I see Mane standing at my side. His chest is contracting and expanding rapidly. His eyes are locked onto his opponent a few yards away.

Hellhound is flat on the ground with his limbs stretched out. I bolt upright and glance around myself. I discover I'm sitting on a perfect patch of grass that's surrounded by claw marks. Hellhound starts to stand again, but can barely stand because he's so exhausted from fighting.

His body is covered in bloody slashes. He touches his torso, observes the blood on his palm, and shifts his furious eyes towards us. Mane lowers to the ground, his muscles hardening like a rock, and gets himself ready for round two.

"This is far from over," Hellhound informs us. "I will kill her and everyone she cares about."

"You'll have to go through me," Mane replies.

Hellhound grunts in anger and then takes off running into the woods. Mane then turns to me with ferociousness.

"Go now!" he yells.

Without hesitation, I leap to my feet and run back to school nonstop. I run while constantly looking over my shoulder, hoping to God nothing else is chasing me. I spot two police officers talking in the school lot near a patrol vehicle.

"Help me!" I yell at the top of my lungs, desperately trying to grasp their attention.

They swiftly glance over at me. Instantly, their posture switches to defensive mode. They jog to my aid and meet me halfway. At last, I stop running and try to catch my breath.

"Are you okay?" One of the officers asks urgently.

I try to talk and answer his question but my lungs refuse to let me.

One of the policemen escorts me into the main office and hands me a cup of water to drink. I sip on the cup of water as I struggle to explain what happened to me.

"Are you sure it wasn't a bear? We do have a lot of bears out here," the cop asks me.

"I saw what I saw," I say for the thousandth time.

This time my voice is a little louder and irritated than before.

"It was a lion and it was black," I try to explain. "Something else was there. It was tall and skinny. And they were yelling..." I stop when I realize that bringing up the talking part may not be such a good idea.

"Who was yelling?' The cop asks.

I exhale and reply...

"Never mind."

Suddenly, a shorter cop walks into the office.

"We checked the park," the short cop says as he walks in.

He then shakes his head and lets out a whistle.

"Something let loose out there, badly," the short officer says to the taller one.

"Did you see any animals?" the tall cop asks.

"Nope, we didn't find anything but a mess."

The tall officer leans to him, turning away from me, and lowers his voice.

"She said two animals were out there. The first one, she has no idea what it was. The second, she said it was some kind of lion. She said a black lion."

The short cop gazes at me, clears his throat, and approaches.

"Okay, um..," he scratches his head. "...can you please start from the very beginning?"

"Okay," I take a break to calm myself. "I was being chased by some kind of...tall thing. But something else came. I'm pretty sure it was a black lion. It had fur all around its face like one."

"Then what happened?" the short officer asks.

"Then they started fighting."

The two officers look at one another. The taller officer shrugs his shoulders again. The shorter officer shifts back to me. He takes a moment to rub the stress from his eyes before questioning me again.

"Are you telling me you saw Mane?"

I sigh.

"Yes, I believe so."

"Miss, are you on any kind of medication?" the short officer asks.

That question makes my blood boil.

"You think I'm on drugs? Are you freaking kidding me? You saw the park. I'm not making this up. I saw what I saw. What's the purpose of me lying? There is something in those woods. People need to be warned."

"Whatever the hell it was, it's gone now," the shorter cop butts in. "Thank God you're safe."

The short police officer looks back at the taller one and says...

"Go alert the dean. Tell him there's been an animal attack. No students should be allowed in the park until further notice. Better yet, they come to school and they go home, that's it. I'm going to check the park one more time."

The taller cop leaves the office.

"It's getting pretty late. Are you waiting for a ride miss?" the short cop asks me.

"Yeah, my mom is picking me up soon."

"Well, call to make sure she's still coming."

I feel around my jacket and realize my pockets are flat. I close my eyes and sigh deeply.

"Damn, I don't have my phone."

"When did you have it last?"

"The last place I had it was..." I stop for a moment to collect my thoughts. "...Biology class."

"We have a phone here," the elderly receptionist states at the desk.

"I don't know her number by heart."

"You should see if it's still there. Get your phone and come back. I don't want you wandering around too much, okay.

I nod at the officer in agreement.

"You be safe," the short cop says before leaving the room.

I then bury my face into my hands. I take a well-needed break to collect myself before standing and walking into the hallway. As I turn out the door, I almost collide into someone. I look up into a pair of angry blue eyes that belongs to Kendrick Blaire. My heart-rate instantly doubles.

"Sorry," I swallow hard.

He doesn't respond. He just looks at me with anger burning in his eyes. I decide to walk around him and proceed down the hallway quickly. I'm now near the end of the hallway, yet I still feel like I'm being watched. I turn my head to prove myself correct. Kendrick is watching me walk with a scorching look in his eyes. I make a right down the hall, take in a deep breather, and shake the fear from my head.

When I make it to the end of the hallway, I turn left and double my pace. It feels so strange strolling through an empty hallway with dark classrooms. The only sound I hear is my own walking feet. I again start to feel a sense of paranoia. I try to get rid of the paranoia, but it has a strong grip on my mind.

I stop walking when I reach my biology classroom door. My hopes of entering dissolves when I realize no lights are on. Still, I try to turn the knob on the door in attempt to enter. Great, it's locked. I then hear a clicking sound somewhere around the corner.

It seems the noise is heading in my direction. I stand completely still, watching down the lonely corridor, waiting for someone to appear. Instead of a person, I see a brown wolf walking from around the corner. I become frozen as I watch it sit gently on the floor. It's staring right into my eyes. Seconds later, I decide to breathe again.

I put my right foot back and slowly rotate myself. As I turn around, I see something else standing on the opposite end. This time it's a large tiger. I remain motionless for a moment, staring into its terrifying yellow eyes.

"Come with me, Iva," the tiger says in a deep voice.

I swallow down hard. Immediately, my blood begins to rush through my veins.

"No, come with me," the wolf says behind me in a deep tone.

I look at the wolf and back at the tiger, and then at the wolf again. I don't know who to trust. I open my mouth, but the words are glued to my tongue.

"Come to me. I will protect you," the wolf says to me, nearly in a whisper.

"Don't listen to him. He works for Hellhound. He'll kill you," the tiger warns me urgently.

"Liar," the wolf responds back in a hostile tone.

The wolf starts to walk, ever-so-gently, towards me with its back lowered.

"Come with me and everything will be okay," the wolf says in a soft voice.

I have a sense that the wolf is being mischievous. I think it's the low monotone sound of its voice which makes me doubt him.

"Stay away from him Iva," the tiger says loudly.

Then the tiger starts to walk slowly towards me as well.

"I said...come here!" the wolf finishes the sentence in a yell before he sprints towards me.

The tiger snarls deeply and takes off gunning in my direction also. Now, I'm caught in the middle of another deathly duel. This time, I have nowhere to run...

CHAPTER 21: WOLVES

Both animals are charging at me like two freight trains on a collision course.

"Get down!" the tiger shouts as he bounds over my head, nearly touching the ceiling, and diving onto the wolf.

Together they tumble on the floor and begin to snap at each other, viciously. The tiger pushes the wolf, thrusting him towards me. I yelp and lean back to avoid being hit by the wolf's body. His tail brushes my face as he's flung across the narrow corridor. I witness his body hitting a classroom door forcefully. The wood on the door cracks.

The tiger quickly charges at the wolf again, shooting pass me, and then gets the wolf pinned onto the floor. Although the tiger has a slight advantage, the wolf continues snapping his teeth and snarling, trying its best to get the upper-hand. I quickly jump to my feet and dash away from the scuffle. I then make a right down the hallway, where more trouble awaits for me.

Before I'm able to turn the corner, I tense up like a rock again, which causes me to slip and fall as I attempt to stop abruptly. I'm face to face with another wolf, but this one is about two feet away from me. It then lowers to the ground with its ears bending back, showing off its deadly pearly-whites. This one is gray in color with some patches of white near its belly and backside. Now, I'm on the floor, staring into its horrifying yellow eyes.

"Just the person I was looking for," the wolf says to me in a deep, feminine, tone.

Without warning, it snaps at me. I cower behind my arms as I scream defenselessly for help. The beast clamps down on the sleeve of my jacket and proceeds to shake its head, violently. I feel my body jerk left and right like a rag-doll. Then it starts to pull on my sleeve until I find myself sliding across the floor.

As I continue to get dragged, my mind goes into secondary-drive. I use my other hand to reach into my coat pocket and pull out the first thing I manage to grab. The wolf releases my arm and immediately takes a snap at my face. I stab the wolf with the object I retrieved from my coat. The wolf howls in pain when I stab the beast with a ballpoint pen that's now protruding from the side of its head.

The wolf cries like a woman in labor. I stand up once again and run down the hallway as fast as I can. I stop running when I see the wolf and tiger fighting on the opposite end of the hallway.

"What do I do now?" I think subconsciously.

I quickly open a vacant classroom door and slip into the darkness. I then close the door, quietly. I stand beside the door, breathing deeply, watching through the glass window. Suddenly, I hear a woman's voice grunting in anger.

"I was going to take it easy on you bitch," her dark voice echoes from down the hall.

My body is turning numb with fear.

"I can smell your stench."

The voice seems to be drawing nearer.

I begin to scream, but I quickly refrain myself by clamping my sweaty hands against my mouth.

"I'm going to rip your fucking throat out. And after you, I will find your mother," the wolf says in an anger.

I turn my eyes away from the window to collect myself. Not only am I frightened for my own life, but now my mother's life as well. I press my hands tighter against my mouth to calm my sobbing. A moment later, I maintain control over my emotions and lower my hands from my mouth. Quietly, I slip from the shadows, peeking out the door window once more.

I flinch back into the darkness when I notice the wolf walking outside the door.

What do I do? What do I do?

My mind can't seem to decide my next strategy. I scan the dark classroom for something to defend myself with. Then I hear the sound of a door whining open in the hallway. Carefully, I use one eye to look into the dimly lit hallway again. The wolf is pushing through the door across from me.

I watch as the wolf strolls slowly into the darkness. A pinch of safety relieves my pounding heart. A moment later, I begin my next escape plan, which would consist of me opening this door and running down the hall. I slowly reach for the door handle, feeling the adrenaline releasing into my bloodstream; getting my lungs and legs ready for the run. I twist the door handle, softly.

Before I'm able to pull the door open, I hear a flurry of feet. A millisecond later, I see the wolf shooting out of the shadows and coming my way. I gasp and dive onto the floor for cover. The classroom door soars over my head and crash into the front row of desks. I swiftly turn on my back and begin to scurry backwards.

The wolf is standing in the doorway, completely shrouded with rage. I can see blood dripping down from its new wound.

"There you are," the beast says in a low whispering voice.

I gulp and continue to scurry back until I hit the wall. Great, I have nowhere to go.

"You think I would let you get away? You what you did to my face you FUCKING BITCH!" the wolf shouts as it approaches me.

"Stay back!" I yell at the creature.

The wolf breaks into a run towards me. I close my eyes tightly and turn my face against the wall. I can hear its teeth snapping at my ear and the warmth from its mouth against my neck. For some strange reason, I'm not being ripped apart. I open my eyes and witness the wolf drifting away from me. Then I see Mane behind it, pulling the wolf by its tail.

Using his incredible power, Mane yanks the wolf back and flings it against the wall. Sparks erupt from the smashed light-switch, making the lights flicker on and off overhead. The wolf stands on its feet, shaking badly like a wet dog. Mane prowls towards the wolf, but the wolf is steadily backing away like a coward.

Then the tiger comes prowling in, strolling towards the wolf also. The wolf growls at both of them.

"You can't take us both," the tiger tells the wolf.

Mane snaps at the wolf, but it dashes away like a fleeing jack-rabbit. It hurdles over several desks and leaps through a window. Finally, Mane and the tiger lose their intensity. Mane looks over at me with piercing eyes. He then begins to approach me.

"Stay back! Don't come any closer!" I shout to the lion, but it proceeds to walk towards me anyway.

"I said back!" I repeat myself.

Still, he continues walking, ignoring my plea.

"If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead already," Mane informs me.

Suddenly, his black fur begins to fall onto the floor, revealing bare skin. Then I hear its bones cracking and shifting. He continues to walk as the bones in its legs extends. Now, I'm looking at this deformed, humanoid, creature. It rises off the floor and stands on two legs, only to stagger and fall sideways.

He catches his balance by leaning onto a teacher's desk. The desk cracks down the middle by its tremendous weight. All of the papers on the desk slide down and scatter onto the floor. This deformed thing begins to shrink in size and stand on two feet.

Then its body begins to take the form of a muscular man. As he continues to approach me, the limping gradually ceases and his spine straightens. I can't believe my eyes. I just witnessed a lion transforming into a human.

"I'm not the one you should afraid of," a man replies to me, sternly.

I notice that stern face from anywhere. It's Daniel from my English class. Mane was literally in my classroom the entire time. For the second time today, I've witness something so unbelievable that speaking has become impossible...

CHAPTER 22: SHIVA

My body can't move because my brain just went on standby. I take a moment to recharge before spilling out the first words I can stir up...

"What the hell did I just see?" I say in disbelief.

"Listen, there's no time to explain," Daniel says to me sternly.

I feel like fainting, but my body is too stubborn to pass-out.

"We will protect you," he clarifies.

I glance over at the door and notice three other students rushing in. It's Eric, his twin sister Jessica, and the Goth girl, Maria. Daniel glances back at them as they enter.

"You three take her home," he orders them.

He shifts at me again.

"Stay with us and you'll live. If not, you'll die," he tells me straightforwardly.

He bites down on his teeth as if he's in an extreme amount of pain. I watch the veins in his neck swell. His broad shoulders begin to expand, the bones in his body break and shifts under his skin, and black fur grows all over his body. He yells in pain, and then his yell coverts into a roar. He falls forward and lands onto all four paws. Now, Daniel is Mane once again.

"I hope your decision is a wise one," Mane says to me.

He then looks at the tiger and says...

"Courage, come, we'll track them down."

Mane leaps through the window.

"Catch you later," Courage says to me before he runs and jumps out of the window.

The others approach me in a hurry. Maria assists me with a lending hand.

"Take my hand," she says calmly.

I receive her hand hesitantly, and then she pulls me onto my feet.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asks.

I gulp and shake my head slowly, gesturing no.

"That's fine. Let's get you somewhere safe. Follow me."

I throw my hands up into the air, pleading for them to stay back.

"Hold, for one second," I say with a trembling voice. "What the fuck just happened?"

I usually never cuss, but the f-bomb is well-suited for a moment such as this. Eric steps forward with a humbled look on his face.

"Yeah....what you just witnessed was real," he notifies me. "We can transform into animals. I guess the lion's out of the bag."

Jessica and Maria sighs, and their concerned expressions flatten. Simultaneously, they both shift towards Eric with humorless faces. I stare into his eyes with a flat face as well. Eric looks left and right at Jessica and Maria, who are both staring back at him, straight-faced.

"You get it? I used lion instead of cat," he asks them.

"Really?" Jessica asks Eric.

Maria shoves pass Eric and grabs my shoulder. She pulls me out of the classroom. We pick up our speed and jog through the hallway. We start to turn a corner but quickly pause when we hear commotion heading our way.

"I'm telling you I heard a lot of noise," I hear an old woman's voice speak from around the corner.

"What now?' Jessica whispers quietly to us.

I can hear their marching feet getting closer and closer by the second.

"Are you sure it was this way?" a man's voice replies.

"Yes, I'm sure," the old woman says.

Their voices sound really close now.

"In here," Eric whispers while opening a classroom door for us.

We scuttle into the classroom, the four of us, and wait in the shadows. Seconds later, the old receptionists, along with two police officers, hurry pass our door. A moment later, everything settles down. The sound of their marching feet drifts away in the distance.

Eric opens the door, softly, to peek into the hallway. He then rotates to us and whispers...

"The coast is clear."

We scurry from the dark classroom and jog around the corner. Soon, we make our way into the parking lot, where a mob of policemen are racing into the school through another entrance.

"We're on our way," a police officer says into his radio.

Maria guides me to a black SUV.

"Get in," she says while defensively surveying the area, even though the school lot is nearly empty.

I hurry into the passenger seat, Eric rushes into the driver's seat, and Maria and Jessica takes the middle. Eric starts the car and stomps on reverse like an insane person. My body automatically jerks forward. Then he stomps on the gas and speeds out of the lot. Instantaneously, as his foot smashes onto the accelerator, my back hits the leather interior.

Now, we're on a road pushing eighty miles an hour. Still, Eric eyes remain highly cautious.

"Okay, who are you guys, really?"

I gulp and revise my question.

"Scratch that. What are you?" I ask Eric.

"We are the ones in-between. Well, that's what legends call us. We are part human and part animal," he says while checking the rear-view mirror.

"This is...unreal," I blurt out.

"The Blaires are wolves. Wolves are our enemies. Stay away from them," he explains while checking the side-mirror. "That thing in the park was Cornelius. He also calls himself Hellhound. He's the most powerful of their pack. He's more demon than wolf. Humans call his breed of wolf, a werewolf."

"Why are people, I mean...animals trying to kill me?"

"You are extremely important to us. That's why," Jessica explains.

"How?"

"Do you recall finding something, a scarlet box?" Eric asks.

"Yeah, so?"

"So...?" Maria says. "Iva, you just don't realize how important that box is."

"I'm beyond confused. How do I tie into all of this?" I ask uneasily.

"You will know very soon," Eric informs me.

Five minutes later, we hit a road surrounded by a dense forest. We continue straight for another minute or two. The car slides sideways into a long driveway. Eric hits the brakes and the car screeches to a halt next to an old Charger and a burgundy SUV. We all spill from the black SUV. I'm so weak from running that I can barely exit the vehicle without staggering like a drunken person.

My eyes are locked onto a brick mansion in front of me. The mansion is covered in green leaves and vines. I feel a coolness slither down my spine when I see a face looking down at me from a window. This face belongs to a woman. The woman's expression is totally void.

Maria comes to my side and grasps my shoulders, gently.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"It's my house. Don't be afraid," she says calmly to me.

Eric opens the front door. I enter into a huge living room. The walls are painted a brownish-red. The house is decorated with lots of African artifacts and scented with strong spices. Maria lets go of me and walks near a flight of steps.

"Mom!" Maria shouts up the stairs.

"I'm coming!" a woman shouts back.

A moment later, I see this beautiful African woman walking gracefully down the steps. She is wearing traditional African clothes; mostly consisting of red patterns. Her hair, which is twisted in small ropes, hangs pass her shoulders. She spots me and approaches with a blissful grin. She then pulls me into a soft hug. A moment later, she releases, only to stare deeply into my eyes.

"You must be Iva. I'm Kenya, also known as Shiva. May I see the leaf?" she finishes the sentence with pressed hands.

She appears blissful as if she's about to receive something special.

"The leaf...?" I ask confusingly.

Then a light-bulb clicks on. I take off my coat and pull back my shirt sleeve. When Kenya sees the mark, she places her hands onto her chest, closes her eyes, and exhales deeply. She reopens her eyes, revealing a gathering of tears.

"I assume you're wondering why you're here, correct?" she asks me with tearful eyes.

"Yes," I answer while standing uncomfortably still.

She smiles warmly before speaking.

"Nine thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-eight years ago, the great balance was broken. An individual, born through serpent bloodlines, grew very powerful. His name was Romulus. He had the ability to transform into a large lizard. He was the leader of the reptiles. Romulus became greedy and wanted control over everything. The wolves made a pact with the reptiles. Still, with the wolves as their new allies, they were no match for the lions, the birds, or the apes. Together they made a rebellion against King Romulus and the wolves. So, he knew he needed more power. Therefore, Romulus did something terrible. In our beliefs, the most evil thing you could ever do is destroy something pure. And one night, he did just that."

As she tells the story my mind can visualize what took place, as if I'm their now watching it unfold.

"Romulus captured a phoenix. Then Romulus did something unexpected. He devoured the phoenix; hence his nickname, Devourer of gods. He then became something more powerful. He inherited all of the phoenix abilities. He became immortal, he grew wings, he had healing powers, and he could control fire. That night, he became the first and the last of his kind; a dragon. He destroyed anyone who faced him. Yet there was only one thing that stood in his way. That one thing was the apes. Only they had the ability to afflict harm on Romulus. So, one day, there was a great ambush on the apes. All of them were killed except for one. He was the most powerful of the apes; our fearless King Lucius. In the world's darkest hours, a fight took place; King Lucius versus King Romulus. We are told they fought on a mountain top for hours. That night, Romulus fell into that mountain. The fight left King Lucius dying from battle wounds. On his death bed, an owl had a vision of the future. He said Romulus was close to death but did not die, yet he fell into an icy abyss where he now slumbers. The owl described a future of fire and brimstone. In ten thousand years, two years from today, the ice will melt and Romulus will rise to finish what he'd started. While on his death-bed, King Lucius said that he will change the future. On that day, he made a sacrifice for humanity. He took the one thing, which was most precious to him, and hid it away."

She takes a break from talking to step closer to me.

"Do you know what he hid, Iva?"

I gulp.

"No, what was it?"

"It was his soul. He did this so someone, many years later, can become a powerful ape like he was and destroy Romulus once and for all."

She walks even closer to me and places her palms on my face, staring deeply at me with a profound joy.

"Iva, you've found it."...

CHAPTER 23: A NEW LIFE

A hush spills over me as my brain registers the information my ears just received. I delay for a second to let her words sink in. I then slowly take a couple of steps backward.

"This is obviously a mistake," I tell her with alarm in my voice. "I can't do this. I won't," the panic in my voice is amplifying. "Take it out of me, today. I want it out. Do you understand?"

"You need a rare stone to perform such a ritual. Once used, it can't be used again," she informs me.

"Sorry, you have the wrong person," my body is beginning to tremor. "I'm just a girl."

"Not anymore. You're one of us now."

I grasp my chest to stop myself from having a panic-attack.

"This is a mistake. I can't do this..." I can't finish the sentence because my lungs are having a meltdown.

Kenya rushes to me and grips the sides of my arms softly.

"Come and sit before you faint," she informs me.

She escorts me over to the couch and sits by my side.

"I'm not the right person for this," my voice is regaining stability.

"You didn't ask for such a burden," she says as she soothes me with a warm back rub. "But you must face it. And with our help, you will overcome this."

"But what if I fail...what if I die?"

Kenya takes a slight break before answering.

"If you die, Earth will burn."

I bury my face into my palms, but she gently moves my hands away from my face and lifts my chin.

"You have a power inside you that none of us can match. Not even our enemies."

"I can't do this. And how will I ever explain this to my mom?"

A terrifying thought hits me. I bolt upright on the couch and become stiff like a board.

"My mom...What about my mom?" the panic in my voice is returning with a vengeance. "What if they find her? What if she gets hurt?"

"Calm down Iva, breath, breath," she whispers to me.

I take her advice, but it doesn't stop my heart from pounding.

"Athena," she calls urgently to Maria. "Bring me the herbs."

"Okay," Maria replies before rushing out of the living room and running upstairs.

"Listen Iva, you must act quickly. I'm going to give you a jar. Inside are highly potent herbs. It will keep the wolves from tracking her scent home. Do you understand?"

I nod my head. She stands to her feet and pulls me up with her.

"You will go home and get some of your belongings. You will spend the weekend here. I'll call your mom when you get back. Understand?"

I nod obediently. Maria hurries down the steps with a clear jar in her hands. She passes it to Kenya, and then Kenya places the jar against my chest and folds my arms over it.

"Guard this with your life. These are the herbs. Get it home, get your things, and come right back."

I take Kenya's advice way to seriously. I can feel myself squeezing the jar so tightly that my blood circulation is being cut off in my arms. She looks behind me at Maria and gives her a nod.

"Athena, take her," Kenya instructs her.

"Come on," Maria says while escorting me outside.

"Stick together," Kenya yells as we exit through the front door.

"I'm driving," Eric declares.

Jessica tosses a set of keys into the air and Eric catches them. We pile into the SUV in our previous order.

"So, where do you live?" Eric asks.

"I live in Rochester. It's like a twenty minute drive."

"Twenty minutes? I'll get us there in ten."

He reverses out of the driveway in a hasty fashion. Then my back hits the leather hard as the SUV shoots up the road. Soon, we make it out of the deep woods and hit the highway. We fly pass cars as we duck in and out of traffic. We have to be going at least eighty-five miles an hour.

Shortly after, Eric hits the breaks on Meigs street. The vehicle skids loudly and halts in front of my house. I get out carefully while keeping a tight hug on the jar of herbs. Maria comes to me with her hands presented.

"I'll take care of those," she says to me.

I pass the jar to her like a newborn baby. She digs her hand inside of the jar and tosses the herbs onto the lawn. The rest of us march up the steps and onto the porch. I kneel down, lift the doormat, grab the spare key, and unlock the door.

"Okay, get what you need," Eric says while he takes a defensive stance on the porch.

Jessica follows me into my room. I open the closet and snag a couple of everything and place them onto my bed.

"Do you have a suitcase?" Jessica asks.

"Yes, over there in the corner," I respond.

She walks over then grabs the suitcase. She then quickly stuffs the suitcase with my personal belongings and zips it up.

"Is that everything?" Jessica asks.

I give it a brief thought then rush back into the closet for a second helping. I toss some more clothes onto the bed.

"That should be it," I inform her.

"Do you have another suitcase because this one is full?"

I glance around my room and grab a book-bag near the closet door. I quickly stuff my belongings into the bag and seal it.

"Okay, I'm ready," I inform her.

Jessica lifts the suitcase and hurries out. I lock up the front door and speed down the porch steps with the book-bag in my hands. Soon, we're back in our seats. My body slams against the leather seat when Eric hits the gas. In no time, we're on the highway. I tense up as we whip left and right through the busy evening commute.

Just like the ride to Rochester, the ride back is extremely fast. The entire time my back was glued to my seat. The car tires slides to a halt in front of the brick mansion. We empty the vehicle and enter the house. I see Daniel, fully clothed, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, pondering.

I then see Jason on the couch with his hands pressed tighter, also in deep thought. Kenya is pacing back and forth in the living room with a worried look. They all snap alert as we enter.

"How did it go?" Kenya asks urgently.

"Fine," Maria responds.

"Did you track them down?" Eric asks Daniel.

"No, they got away," he answers with regret.

Jason stands up and approaches me with a weak smile.

"Jason...?" I blurt out.

"I am also known as Courage from time to time," he states.

I can't respond. I can only shake my head in disbelief. Kenya walks over to me.

"I called your mother. Everything has been arranged. I told her that you and Maria had made plans to go to the mall and you'll be spending the weekend."

"But how...?" I ask.

"You dropped your cell in the park," Daniel says to me.

Kenya maneuvers her eyes behind me, looking at Jessica and Maria.

"Athena and Raven go upstairs and show Iva to her room. Help her unpack."

"Come on," Maria says while grasping my hand.

Maria and Jessica escort me out of the living room, up the flight of steps, into a hallway with many doors, and into the second room on the left. The room consists of a queen-sized bed, a nightstand, and a lamp. Jessica places my suitcase on the bed and empties its contents. I sink down on the bed as they start to fold my clothes.

"So, what happens next? Do I stay here?"

"Yes, for now," Maria responds.

"It'll be fine Iva. Your mother will be safe," Jessica says.

Maria and Jessica pauses to eye one another. They then continue folding the clothes. I noticed the concern in their eyes as Jessica mentioned my mother. The look of worry in their eyes only makes my concern for my mother grow. They neatly put my belongings into the closet for me.

The room stays silent as they finish folding the remaining shirts and tuck them away. Kenya walks into my room, carrying a humble expression.

"How are you feeling?" she asks with gentle eyes.

"I'm scared. What if something happens...?" I take a pause to swallow. "...can you protect her?"

I wait for Kenya to respond to my question. She's having a difficult time putting her words together.

"Unfortunately, you're our main priority right now. For now, we'll keep her unaware. She can't linger here. The Blaires can easily use her against you."

"There must be another option."

"Don't worry, we're making phone calls. More of us will arrive very soon. They will protect her. But as of right now, we can't. You are our main focus."

I sigh again before speaking.

"Those herbs...will they work?"

"Yes, they naturally grow here. They work wonders at masking scents. I mixed seeds with them. They will mature very quickly."

She looks behind me at Maria and Jessica.

"Come you two. Let's give her time to herself."

Jessica and Maria exit the room together.

"You should give your mother a call. She seems a little concerned about you. Here's your phone back."

I retrieve the phone with a nervous hand.

"I just don't want anything to happen to her. She means a lot to me."

"Iva, nothing will happen to her," she assures me.

I would feel a whole lot better if I didn't notice the worry on her face.

"She seems like a good person," Kenya smiles mildly. "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her. That's why it's best that you stay away from her. The Blaires wouldn't hesitate to use her to lure you in."

I can't respond. My burning throat won't allow me to speak another word. I just nod at her understandingly. She leaves and closes the door behind herself. A second later, I feel my hand vibrating. I look down at my phone and see my mom's picture. I take some time to recover. I press my tears back into my eyes with my fingers as I prepare the phone next to my ear. I press the accept icon and answer the phone.

"Hey mom..." the words come out a bit weak; therefore, I pause to collect my emotions and clear my throat. "...what's up?"

I'm trying to sound as normal as possible.

"Hey, I heard you're hanging out at a friend's house."

"Yes, I'm at Maria's."

"That's strange, you never told me about her," she says suspiciously.

"I brought her up before, you probably forgot about it."

A pause lingers between us two. I know she feels something strange is going on.

"Well, it's good to hear that you made friends. It'll help you get your mind off of things. Hey, there's no school Monday, right?"

"Right," I reply.

"Your Uncle wants to hangout. We should all go out together on your day off."

"Okay, that sounds like a date," I continue with my poor acting skills.

"I won't hold you up any longer. Have fun with your friends. And tell Kenya to call me in the morning. And stay safe."

"I will."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, I love you mom."

"I love you too."

The connection dies, yet the phone remains at my ear. I lower the phone and break back into distress mode. I blow out slowly and bury my face into my hands. For about two hours, I stay in this exact position, bathing in total silence. My brain is going crazy with thoughts.

So many questions have finally been answered, yet all I want now is to forget the truth. I also ponder about my mom and her safety, constantly. I can't help but feel worried about her, especially with these memories of Hellhound's incredible strength and speed. She wouldn't stand a chance against him.

I can see her in my head, over and over like a movie on repeat, calling for help but no one is there to aid her. I fight hard to rebel against these kinds of thoughts. I sigh for the thousandth time. Controlling my breathing helps me keep those bad thoughts at bay.

Shade blankets my window, yet I don't feel a bit tired. I never moved from that position. I'm now sitting in the dark, looking down at the obscure carpet below my feet, thinking about a million things at once.

Way pass midnight, I finally go to sleep, only to wake up an hour later. For obvious reasons, I can't sleep well. The tension I felt during my dreadful encounter with Hellhound never went away.

It's morning now. Someone knocking at my bedroom door disturbs me from my sleep. I sit up in bed and massage my eyes.

"You can come in," I say in a weak voice.

The door swings open and Kenya walks in smiling at me.

"Hello dear, how did you sleep?"

"Okay, I guess," I reply modestly.

"I just wanted to check up on you," she tells me.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"It's a little pass noon. You must be hungry."

"No, I'm fine."

"I know you're having a hard time understanding things. We're having a hard time recovering from recent events as well,"

Her eyes fall down onto the carpet for a moment and then back on me. She must be referring to Professor Grant.

"I'm preparing a nice dinner for us later. You are welcomed to join us if you want to..," she bows her head slightly. "...my Queen."

After inviting me to dinner, she leaves and shuts the door behind herself.

I spend hours staring up at the ceiling and sleeping in small increments. Before long, night comes over the house once again. As I stare up at the white ceiling, I catch a scent of food. I'm too sick to my stomach to eat anything; however, it'll be rude not to go down.

I somehow gather enough motivation to leave my new room. I walk down the hallway with the perfect blend of food and seasonings at my nose. One shy foot after another, I make my way down the steps. I spot all of them setting the table.

Suddenly, they stop what they're doing to gape at me.

"You finally decided to join us," Kenya says with a welcoming smile. "Make yourself at home."

I walk over to the table covered with plates and pots of food. Jason walks over to me and grabs my hand.

"Sit next to me," he says in his smooth voice.

He does a great job making me smile, even in the worst of times. He pulls a chair back for me and I sink into the soft cushion.

"Are you hungry?" Kenya asks.

"Not really. I just want to sit, if you don't mind."

"I completely understand," she replies.

"Thank you for offering," I add.

"You don't have to thank me."

Everyone finds a spot at the table and begin to pass around the food. I sit silently with a clean plate in front of me. Soon, I begin to hear the scrapping of folks and chewing. I look around at everyone. They are all eating and staring back at me.

"So, Iva, can you tell us a little about yourself?" Kenya asks, breaking the awkward silence.

"What is there to tell?"

She shrugs her shoulders.

"Tell us about your life. Anything you wish to share with us."

"Well, I, um..," I look around the table. "...I was sick my whole life," I'm starting to feel extremely awkward, again. "And," I take a slight break to think. "That's about it. That was my life until recently. I haven't accomplished anything with my life."

"Okay," Kenya says in a low voice.

I can see her eyes regretting asking me that question.

"So, um, I guess I'm going spend a lot of time over here, right?" I ask her.

"Yes, it's for your own good."

"What about school?" I ask.

Suddenly, I hear an eating utensil clatter against a plate.

"School...?" Daniel asks with frustration. "The last thing you should be worrying about is school."

"Mane," Kenya speaks to him with a hardened look.

"Grant sacrificed his life for her, and she only cares about school."

"Stop it. She's been through a traumatic experience. Can you not see she's having a hard time?"

Her eyes become so fierce, even Daniel has no choice but to turn away.

"Sorry about my son, Iva. I raised him better."

"I didn't mean it like that..," I try to explain.

"Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong," she interrupts.

"I never knew he died because of me," I say with guilt.

"Yes. Before they killed him, he called Mane and told him about you. The last time we heard from him was when he left his home. But he never showed up," Kenya informs me.

I can hear the grief in her voice.

"So, do you have any other family members? Is there anyone else we should be aware of?" she asks.

"My Uncle Frank."

"Okay. And what about your father, is he still around?"

I freeze all of a sudden. My eyes fall onto my empty plate. I open my mouth to speak, yet the words take forever to come out.

"He left a long time ago, so, um..," somehow I can't continue.

A hush sweeps over the table.

"Well," Kenya says in an uplifting way. "We should all tell Iva a little about ourselves. If we want to survive we need to get along. Let's start with me. I was born in Africa but raised in America. I'm the daughter of a teacher and a doctor. I'm a very spiritual person. The thing I love to do the most is simply enjoy life," she looks to her right at Jessica.

"It's your turn, Raven," she notifies her.

Jessica places her fork down before speaking.

"Hey, I'm Jessica," she says with a cheek full of food.

She's definitely not good with table manners, but it complements her tomboyish demeanor.

"My real name is Raven," Jessica continues. "I like to play the drums and, um, I'm a big movie buff. I love action movies," she takes a pause to think. "Um, I'm very easy to get along with."

Eric snickers next to her.

"Just don't make her mad," he says quietly out the side of his mouth.

"Why did you say that?" she looks at Eric with instant anger.

"Say what?" he plays a fool while maintaining a straight face.

"You know what you said," she counters.

"You two stop this nonsense," Kenya says with seriousness.

Kenya takes a break to shake her head.

"I swear you two should've been named Cain and Able."

"Who would be Cain?" Jessica asks Kenya.

"You would," Eric adds confidently.

"Why am I Cain? You're the annoying one," Jessica fires angrily back at him.

"Because you are always flipping out, that's why," Eric shoots back.

"Both of you are Cain!" Kenya shouts at them, breaks for a sigh, and continues. "Next please," she says while soothing her forehead.

Maria and Jason are snickering, uncontrollably. Daniel just shakes his head and continues eating.

"Hey, I'm Eric. My real name is Aero. I love doing fun stuff, you know, like jumping out of planes. I'm a hardcore adrenaline-junkie."

"Don't forget to mention starting trouble," Kenya says while looking into his eyes fatally.

Eric looks away. She slowly shifts away from Eric and looks at Maria, who is giggling. She eventually stops snickering and joins the conversation.

"I'm Maria. My real name is Athena and," she ponders for a moment. "I like shopping. I like to go out to the movies and eat. Of course, I need to stop by the nail salon, weekly. That's a must. I'm just a simple girly, girl. I just like to wear dark clothing."

Kenya smiles and almost laughs. She nods at Jason and says...

"You're next."

He straightens his posture and smirks.

"I'm Jason. My real name is Courage and," his thought lingers for a moment. "I love cars and baseball, you know, regular guy stuff. That's pretty much it," he says in a smooth voice.

Everyone focuses their attention onto Daniel. He looks around at everyone and puffs out air.

"I'm Daniel. My real name is Mane. And...I don't know."

It's clear he's not in the mood for a conversation. He pauses for a lingering amount of time before sliding his chair back.

"Thanks for dinner mom," he says to Kenya before he walks upstairs.

A couple of seconds after, I hear a door slam close in the distance.

"Don't worry about that," Kenya tells me. "My son can be odd sometimes. Just ignore him. He likes to be alone."

"A lot," Maria adds. "He's a loner."

"All geniuses are," Kenya adds. "He's very intelligent. He locks himself in his room for hours at a time, solving his puzzles. Ironic, isn't it? He can solve anything but himself."

"You haven't eaten all day. You're not hungry at all?" Maria asks me while looking down at my empty plate.

"No, I just can't stomach food right now."

"She's not hungry. Just let her be," Kenya tells Maria.

"Not even for peach-cobbler?" Jessica asks says. "Shiva makes the best deserts."

I smile modestly at the thought of a nice plate of warm peach-cobbler.

"If you want some, it'll be done in five minutes," Kenya informs me.

I consider their offer.

"Okay," I reply.

Soon, Kenya is placing a small plate of peach-cobbler in front of me. I grab the fork and look around at all of the eyes staring back at me, waiting. I lift the silver fork off the plate and adjust it in-between my fingers. You can hear a faint crunching sound as I sever through the crispy layers. I poke into the small portion with my fork and mix it into the peach syrup before putting it inside my mouth.

I smile at everyone as I swallow down.

"So, what do you think?" Kenya asks me.

"This is..." I take a break to gather my thoughts. "...the best peach-cobbler I've ever tasted."

"Thank you. It's always good to hear a compliment now and then."

"I wish my mom could cook hers like this," Eric says as he takes a bite of his.

"That's because your mom's taste more like wood," Maria makes fun of Eric.

"I can't argue about that one," Eric agrees.

"Hell no, I'll choose wood any day over your mom's food bro," Jason adds.

"Hey, remember that time your mom invited us over for dinner and she made that stuff," Maria asks Eric.

"I'm trying to forget," Eric replies.

"What was that stuff anyways?" Jason asks.

"I still don't know," Jessica joins the conversation.

"And we all feed it to the dog," Maria says with a snicker.

"Yeah, it sucks," Eric says with regret. "Poor Fluffy, may he rest in peace."

Our chuckles grow into genuine laughter.

"Seriously, did her cooking really kill your dog?" I ask Eric.

"Yeah, but don't ever mention that to her," Jessica informs me. "She blames it on natural causes. The dog was only a year old for crying-out-loud."

"I'm sorry. That shouldn't be funny, but it is," I admit...

CHAPTER 24: NO LEADS

(Narrator's perspective)

Detective Lancaster's office is a small one with many windows. He's sitting at his aged cherry-wood desk, reading files non-stop. He has been working overtime to find any leads to William Grant's murder. It's the eve of midnight and he's wide awake, looking through Cornelius Blaire's criminal record. He finds a list of different assault, extortion, blackmail, attempted murder, manslaughter, and fraud charges leading back thirty years or so.

As he takes his precious time to read through his files, he can't help but feel hatred toward this man and his family. Suddenly, his partner comes in carrying a folder in his hand.

"Hey, what's up," Frank greets his partner.

Jones slams the folder on top of his desk.

"We finally got the full autopsy report on Grant."

Frank sits up and places Cornelius's criminal file to the side. He opens the folder and gets an eyeful of gruesome pictures. He sees William Grant's deceased body with an incision in the form of an X. He then flips through the images and finds a detailed description of Grant's examination.

"Estimated time of death; morning of September 29th at 7 o'clock am," Frank reads quietly to himself. "Possible cause of death: blunt force trauma. The deceased has suffered from a series of lacerations minutes before his death. The areas are as followed: his right leg, left shoulder, forehead, neck, right jaw, and left hand.

Deceased suffered from a fractured skull and vertebrae by falling on or against an undisclosed structure."

That last sentence he read from the report completely blew his mind.

"Are you serious? Someone threw him so hard against a wall that it fractured his back and skull." Frank asks his partner.

The look on his face is total shock.

"It gets worse. Just keep reading," Jones tells Frank as he pulls a chair towards his desk and takes a seat.

"His neck shows signs of sever strangulation. Swelling under his left eye indicates possible assault before death. Fracture nose; caused by car accident. Victim received a deep incision on torso and abdominal wall after death. Heart of deceased has been completely removed..." Frank immediately stops reading.

He then drops the folder onto his desk and throws his pen on top of it. He then leans back in his reclining desk-chair and sighs his hardest while staring directly at the autopsy report. A thousand thoughts race back and forth in his mind. Frank has never felt so confused in his entire life.

"I'm not saying this to be funny," Frank informs his partner. 'But what the literal fuck is going on?"

"The hell if I know," Jones replies. "What I do know is that these murders are linked. Also, I got those footprints analyzed again. They remain unidentified."

"What do you mean by unidentified?"

"I've went to wildlife experts, boy scouts of America mountain bikers, and even the fucking zoo, and none of them has ever seen footprints like that before."

Frustrated, Frank brushes off a stack of papers onto the floor.

"Damn it!" Frank's frustration erupts from his mouth.

Jones flinches a little by Frank's outburst.

"Frank, we can't fold under pressure. This is what we signed up for."

He takes a moment to calm his frustration.

"I know. It's just this case is fucking with my head man. It's keeping me up at night. I'm starting to get freaked out by this shit, seriously. Something strangled a man and threw him against a wall and fractured his damn skull."

"I hear you. It has to be some plausible reason for this. We'll find out."

Frank looks down at his pen and begins to think about the old man's testimony. He remembers how the old man was stressing the fact that he saw a strange creature in the woods. He remembers the fear and honesty in the man's graying eyes.

"Do you remember that old man?" Frank asks his partner.

"What about him?"

"Do you remember what he said? He said he saw something in those woods. He said it wasn't human."

His partner looks down into his lap and shakes his head.

"Jesus Frank, don't start talking crazy."

'No, I'm not. I've been on this force long enough to notice some odd things about this town. There's something unusual going on here."

"It's just an unusual case, that's all. People kill people. You're not thinking straight. Listen to reason Frank. You're talking crazy right now. I think you should take tomorrow off and get some sleep."

Frank sighs hard and marinate in silence for a moment.

"You're right. I think I'm just tired."

"That's exactly what you need. As I said," Jones states while standing. "There's always a reasonable explanation for everything. Our job is to find that explanation."

"Right," Frank agrees.

'Don't stay up to long."

"I won't."

'I'll call you later," Jones says before leaving his office.

Minutes after his partner leaves, Frank does manage to come back into reality. Although he agrees with what his partner said about every case having a reasonable explanation, he can't stop thinking about the old man's testimony. Frank has never been very superstitious. He doesn't believe in ghouls and goblins.

One thing is certain, he does believe in his gut instincts, and they tell him it's something unusual going on in the town of Glenworth...

CHAPTER 25: THE ACCIDENT

Shortly after eating our peach-cobbler, everyone says "goodnight" before breaking into our separate rooms. Jason winks at me and then says "catch you later" before going into his room. My insomnia still haunts me. All I can think about is my mother and her safety. It takes me about another hour to fall asleep.

My eyes open for the fifth time in the middle of the night. There's a faint noise somewhere outside my bedroom. It's an unfamiliar voice. It's a man's voice and it sounds distant. I walk across the room and peep through the crack of my door. All I can see is a glimmer of light coming from downstairs.

I exit my room and quietly make my way downstairs. All of the kitchen lights are on. I then walk into the living room to find Kenya sitting on the sofa watching television. She looks up at me with a surprised look.

"Hi," I greet her halfheartedly.

She then smiles at me.

"Hello, Iva. You can't sleep?"

"Not much."

"You came down here wishing to find someone else?" she looks at me with a smirk.

I immediately let out a smile.

"You don't need to say a word. I already know your answer," she says.

There's a slight pause between the two of us. I look over at the large flat-screen on the wall.

"What are you watching?"

"A soccer game. Do you watch sports?"

"I'm not into sports, at all," I make sure she hears the words "at all" clearly.

"I watch it occasionally," she continues. "I'm not an athlete, but I've been to a game before. It's very entertaining."

She looks at the television while thinking deeply.

"You have to admire them, the humans. They're so carefree," she says.

"Ignorance is bliss," I say to myself, but the words are loud enough for her to hear.

A gentle whistling coming from the kitchen interrupts our conversation. She grabs the remote and switches off the television.

"The water is ready. You made it just in time," she stands to her feet and breaks a smile. "Keep me company. Have tea with me."

I follow her into the dining room. I sit down at the table as she walks into the kitchen.

"Do you like tea, Iva?"

"Do I? That's all I ever drink."

I hear the sound of closing cabinets, followed by the sound of water being poured into cups. She then walks into the dining room with a tea-cup in each hand. She places one down in front of me and takes a seat across from me.

"Thanks," I say as I take a sip.

We marinate in silence while drinking our tea together.

"If you don't mind me asking, where is their father?" I ask, realizing I shouldn't when I see her face flatten.

She places her cup of tea down and looks at it. Her eyes are now filled with regret.

"Their father died, years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. Don't be sorry. It happened fifteen years ago. My son was seven at the time. They were..." she swallows down the hurt. "...the best of friends. My son always was a bit...different. But his father understood him. When he died, it was like a piece of him died also. That's when he became obsessed at solving things," her eyes start to glisten a little. "A doctor told me he'd noticed such behavior before. He says it's because some people, when something terrible happens to them and they don't have an answer for it, they go to other things to sort out their problems. His, of course, is puzzles."

"How did he die, if you don't mind me asking?"

She removes her eyes from her cup and looks up at me.

"One day they were going fishing. On the way back, the car went off a bridge and into the water. An eighteen wheeler crushed the passenger side of the car. My son was stuck in there. He told me that all he could remember was water everywhere. He noticed that the roof of the car was peeling back. His father saved his life just in time. As he went to the surface, someone helped pull him to safety. It was your Uncle."

"My Uncle saved him?"

"Yes. It was his first day on the job. Strangely, he never liked your Uncle after that. I believed it's because he thinks he should've died there with him."

"Wow, Uncle Frank never told me about that. So, did his father drown?"

"Yes. They found his body underneath the car at the bottom of the lake," her breathing collapses as she explains the ordeal. "I was in the kitchen when I felt this pain in my chest. That's when I knew something terrible had happened."

"Hold on, you felt him dying?"

"Yes. We are a lot different from humans, spiritually. Sometimes, if you love someone unconditionally, you become spiritually bonded to that person. It doesn't matter where you are. If you are bonded to that person, when they are in grave danger, you will find them. It's a very rare occurrence. I was heartbroken when I lost him, but feeling him suffer to death was the worst pain of all."

"I can't imagine going through that."

The thought alone saddens me.

"When my son returned home, it was like staring at a brick-wall. He didn't speak for a very long time after that. Some children at school started to make a sport out of him, so I kept him home for a while. He grew to be very isolated and angry. I spent so much money sending him to several doctors and psychologists. But nothing worked," she pauses to wipe a tear from her eye. "One day, months later, he spoke while we were eating at the table. He said he wanted to be alone. And now that's all he ever wants," she clears the hoarse from her throat. "The person he once was and ever will be, is somewhere in that lake."

She pauses to reminisce on the tragedy. After giving herself a moment, she breaks a modest smile.

"Well, I'm heading back to bed. Have a goodnight."

She goes in the kitchen and places her cup into the sink.

"Try to get some sleep," she tells me. "You have a long day ahead of you."

"What's happening tomorrow?"

She chuckles and says...

"You have a lot of people to meet, silly-girl."

She then walks out of the dining room and up the steps...

CHAPTER 26: OLIVIA

I finish off my tea and head back to bed shortly after talking to Kenya. I wake up to find sunlight beaming through the seams of my blinds. I can hear busy feet scrambling outside my bedroom. I sit up and rub the crust from my eyes, and then I walk over and peek out my bedroom door. I see Maria walking down the steps in a pair of bat pajamas.

Her slippers are bats as well. The wings on her slippers are bouncing with every step she takes. I step into the hallway the same time Jason walks out of his room. His room is directly across from mine.

"Good morning," he says with a handsome smirk.

"Good morning," I reply.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel a little better."

"That's good to hear," he responds.

We walk downstairs into a busy dining room. Everyone is sitting at the table and eating breakfast. Everyone is present at the table except for Daniel. Jason walks into the kitchen and examines inside the refrigerator.

"Good morning," Kenya says to me.

"Good morning," I reply.

"Hungry?" she questions me.

"I'm a little hungry."

That's an understatement. I am starving.

"I'll cook you something," she says helpfully.

She begins to lift up from her chair but I stop her.

"No, it's okay. Cereal is fine."

"You don't have to lift a finger. I'll get it for you," she tells me.

"You know, you guys are not my maids. I can do things on my own."

"But you're our guest," Jessica says politely while pulling back a chair for me.

"Okay, if you insist," I tell Jessica as I sink into the chair.

Jason goes into the kitchen and comes out chomping on an apple with one hand and holding a breakfast bar in the other. He winks at me before he takes a seat next to me.

"What kind of cereal would you like?" Kenya asks from the kitchen.

"I like granola," I reply.

"Do you want any fruit?" she questions.

"Um, do you have any bananas?"

Jessica snorts two seats down from me.

"Hear that guys? She's craving those already," she says while laughing.

Everyone giggles at her joke.

"Ha-ha," Kenya mocks Jessica as she walks in with my breakfast. "You think you're so funny don't you?"

Jessica smiles and replies...

"Maybe."

"I didn't think it was funny," Eric says in a low voice.

Jessica's smile flattens.

"Why do you have to open your dumb lips?" Jessica asks him angrily.

"Don't toot your own horn so much. That's all I'm saying," Eric replies.

Jessica lifts her fist into the air.

"What if I punch a damn hole in your face? Maybe you'll think that's funny."

Eric pauses and then ponders about her threat.

"How would that be funny?" he asks her while shaking his head. "I swear, you're so evil and dumb and stupid and mean."

Jessica's face turns blank. She stares at her brother with a void expression.

"I hate you," she tells him.

"But I hated you first. You're always copying me. You're so annoying."

"You two stop this mess, please," Kenya prompts them with authority behind her voice. "Aero, move away from your sister."

Eric blows out a lung full of air, which causes his lips to flap together. He drags his bowl across the table, relocating to another seat. Kenya sits down and gets comfortable at the table.

"And I thought I only had two children," Kenya says to herself.

Kenya shakes her head as she spreads open the newspaper in front of her face.

"So where's Daniel, I mean Mane," I ask.

She giggles at my comment.

"Working on that car again," she replies. "He'll come in when he's hungry."

An hour later, I'm fully-dressed and ready to go. I walk downstairs and into the living area, where everyone is waiting for me.

"Five down, one to go," Jessica says.

As soon as Jessica finishes the sentence, I hear someone marching downstairs. Daniel walks down the steps and pauses at the bottom.

"Are we going to do this or what?" Daniel asks everyone.

"You tell me. We've been waiting forever," Eric replies.

Everyone stands to their feet and then exit through the front door.

"Mane, no speeding," Kenya says in the doorway. "That's unless you need to. I'm tired of paying for speeding-tickets. Do you hear me?"

Daniel opens the driver's door of the SUV without acknowledging her.

"Mane...?" she shouts to him.

"Yes, I heard you," he says before getting into the car.

Today, Jason and I are in the back row, Maria and Jessica are both in the middle, and Eric and Daniel are in the front. Daniel reverses out of the driveway and drives up the road at the normal speed limit.

"Iva," Jessica calls out to me. "My mom can be over-the-top sometimes. She's also a little short on manners. That's just her character."

"She's like a child on caffeine," Eric adds. "Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, all fucking year long."

"Thank you for the heads up," I reply. "Is there anything good about her? So far her cooking is bad, she has no manners, and she's like a kid on caffeine."

"Yeah, she can see the future," Jessica says.

"Well, sometimes," Eric adds.

"I was not expecting that, but okay."

"I know it's random. But you asked," Jessica replies.

A couple minutes later, the car pulls into a long driveway. We park in front of a white house with red window shutters. The house is shaded by trees.

"We're here already?" I ask Jason.

"Yes. We all live pretty close to one another," he says.

We exit the SUV and approach the red door. Before Daniel is able to knock on the door, it swings open. A very excited woman appears in the doorway, bouncing on her heels. She looks like a fifty-year-old version of Jessica, except her hair is cut short with gray streaks.

"Mom, this is Iva, Iva this is our..." Eric tries a proper greeting and fail.

"Shut-up," she rudely interrupts her son. "Where is she, where is she?!" the woman demands in a loud voice.

She gasps loudly when she spots me. She reaches her arms forward and escorts me into her home. I walk in feeling totally awkward and stiff. She escorts me to an armchair and pushes me down into the cushion. She then takes a seat on the sofa in front of me.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she asks me nicely.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Are you sure?" she asks nicely again.

"Yes, I'm sure," I reply.

I look at my surroundings. The style of the house appears mediocre. The sofa is badge, the walls are painted an eggshell-white, and the floors are hardwood. I do notice they're a little unorganized. They also have unclean dishes lying around here and there.

"Who is it?" a man voice shouts from the second floor.

"Who do you think it is?" Margie abruptly flips into another character, which is fueled with frustration.

All of a sudden, when her eyes shifts back to mines, she's normal again. Even her behavior is similar to Jessica's.

"I'm Margie. My real name is Aerial. It's an honor to finally meet you Iva," she says with an angelic smile.

An older gentlemen, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a gray sweater, comes downstairs to join us. He looks like a fifty-year-old version of Eric, but he's a little overweight. His weight seemed to be caused by age.

"Hello. Welcome to our house," he says warmly.

"Hi," I reply.

He extends his hand to me and I shake it. His demeanor is a lot more humble than Eric's.

"I'm Charles, but you can call me Zephyr. May I help you to anything?"

"I asked already," Margie says to him with a wicked leer.

"Okay, settle down," he replies.

She peers at him as he sits down next to her.

"Don't embarrass me," she whispers to him.

He sighs and looks away from her. She shifts back to me with a fresh smile.

"If you don't mind, can I see the mark?"

"Sure," I say while rolling up my sleeve.

She pulls my arm closer to her eyes.

"It's just like the drawings I'd seen growing up," she says with an observing stare.

Charles scoots closer to me.

"Yeah, it's exactly like the drawings," he says while looking at my mark.

Margie lets my arm go. She then slowly rotates her face towards Charles.

"I just said that. I swear, I'm gonna start locking you in the damn doghouse," she says to him in a whisper.

The frustration in his face is growing. I can tell he wants to say something, yet he refrains by chewing the inside of his cheek instead. Margie turns to me, smiling again. She sighs and then restarts the conversation.

"We're so happy that you're here. I still can't believe my eyes. This is truly a remarkable day for me; for all of our kind. When Shiva told me about you, I never expected you to be a girl. I always imagined a man would find that box," she rests her right cheek against her knuckles while she looks deeply into my eyes. "I'm just curious, where did you find it?"

"An antique shop, a couple of months back," I reply.

Margie gasps.

"Are you serious?" she responds with shocked eyes.

"Yes, I am."

She looks down at the floor and shakes her head in amazement.

"It's mind blowing. Out of all the places..." Charles adds, but he's too much in awe to finish the sentence.

Margie continues to stare at the ground.

"If only my father could be here now to see you," she continues in a deep thought.

Her eyes shift into mines again.

"He, and others before him, wasted their lives searching for that box," she explains. "And here comes a girl, shopping at an antique store, and discovers it. You're truly a miracle sweetheart."

"Shiva also told us about your encounter with Hellhound the other day," Charles says.

"Yeah, I met him...unfortunately."

"Did he hurt you?" Margie asks with concern.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks to Daniel of course...I mean, Mane."

"Those low down dirty scoundrels," she says with slanted eyebrows.

She looks over at Daniel and asks...

"He ran off didn't he?"

"Yes. They all did," he replies regrettably.

"I knew it. They're nothing but a bunch of cowards. They're deceptive too. You always have to be on your toes. They're always planning something, those Blaires. And they'll stop at nothing to get what they want."

Her face becomes twisted at the mere mention of their name, like she just ate something rancid. I don't blame her. She takes a timeout to release some frustration before continuing...

"We're so lucky to have you. I always had a gift at reading people. I know you have a pure heart. But your future is so mysterious to me," she looks into my eyes as she ponders deeply. "I'm not sure if you know, but sometimes I can see things before they happen."

"Yes, I was told that."

"I would like to share something with you. I believe it's very important that you know about it. I had a vision the other day about a girl. I was unable to see her face, but I believe it was you. She was stricken by an immense sadness. And she was all alone in a dark room. And I saw a shadow coming toward her. This shadow was a spiritual darkness."

An eerie vibe slithers up my spine as she tells me her vision.

"Was does it mean?" I ask timidly.

"I don't know yet. But I felt a sense of urgency when I had it. Sometimes my visions can be very unclear about its meaning. But whatever it means, I know it's not good. The future is not yet written in stone. There's still time to change it."

"And if I don't?" I ask with a tinge of fear in my tone.

"Okay, we need to head out," Daniel announces abruptly.

The eerie mood is shattered by his words.

"Already...?" Margie seems heartbroken by Daniel's announcement.

"Yeah mom, we're leaving," Jessica replies.

"Why all of a sudden? Is it something I said?"

"Mom, why are you telling her things like that? She's just been through a lot," Jessica states.

"I didn't mean to scare her."

"Honey, just let it go," Charles adds.

"No, I think it's her future and it's her right to know."

"Guys please don't argue over me. I'm fine," I put my two cents in.

I'm such a liar. I'm nowhere near "fine". Her vision just gave me some major goosebumps. What the hell is a spiritual darkness? Does she mean death?

"I'm sorry if I ruined the visit," Margie presses on.

"It's fine. We have to make another stop before going to Olivia's. We're trying to get back before sunset," Daniel replies.

She looks at me with a deep sadness.

"Okay...well, um, stop by again," she says to me brokenheartedly.

"I will. It was nice to meet you, Aerial."

We both stand to our feet, and then she gives me another hug.

"You take care," she whispers into my ear.

She lets go and we all exit through the front door. Before I get into the SUV, Charles and Margie gives me another wave. I smile at them and wave back. We settle into the vehicle in our previous positions, and then Daniel reverses from their driveway. Eric lets out a loud stress relieving sigh as we depart from his home.

"Sorry about my mom, Iva," he says as we cruise away from their house.

"It's fine. I just wanted to know what she meant."

The entire SUV is now dead silent all of a sudden. Their lack of response is a clear sign that they're hiding some important information from me.

"Iva, drop it," Daniel says straightforwardly.

"But I want to know. I need to know."

"When she has visions like that, it only means one thing. It means death is coming," Jessica clarifies.

For the first time in my life, I was actually hoping to be wrong about something.

"Is death coming for me?"

I get hit by fear when I ask them that question.

"Not always. It could be somebody...you know," Jessica continues.

"It could be any of us," Maria states.

"Can we stop it from coming to pass?"

No one seems to want to answer my question.

"Guys?" I try to get them to clarify my last question.

"Listen up..," Eric butts in. "None of us are getting killed. She has been wrong before. Like she said, the meaning was unclear. Stop assuming the worst."

"Don't worry, Iva," Jason says in a comforting tone next to me. "You're safe with us."

Avoiding my question only makes me even more paranoid. This makes me think about my mom again. If something would happen to her...no Iva, don't start thinking like that again. I rebel against my own thoughts. I breathe out slowly and try to dodge some of the fear. That tactic didn't help much at all.

Our next home takes a little longer to get to. It's a cozy brick home with a red sports-car parked in the driveway. A brunette man and a dark haired woman are standing in the driveway, waiting.

"That's my folks," Jason says.

We get out of the car, one by one.

"Good evening, everyone" the man says as we exit the vehicle.

"Good evening Dr. Connors," everyone replies.

"So, is this her?" the man beams at me.

"Yes. Iva, this is my dad," Jason introduces me.

I shake hands with him.

"I'm David," he informs me. "Don't worry about the doctor part. I hear that enough at the hospital."

"And this is my mom," Jason says.

I shake hands with her as well.

"I'm Sharon. I'm pleased to meet you," she says with a gentle smile.

"Let's go in, shall we," David says.

We walk up the steps and enter into a sophisticated living area. I take a seat on a leather three-seater couch. Sharon and David both sit on the matching loveseat across from me. The house looks a lot bigger from the inside. The brown floors are marble, the fireplace is trimmed in gold, and the kitchen appliances are stainless steel.

There are some pictures of Jason as a young boy, but the picture frames are electronic. The pictures on the walls are slide shows of their family. I've seen homes like this inside magazines at the doctor's office.

"Do you guys want anything to eat?" David asks.

"No thank you," Daniel replies. "We won't stay long. We're taking her to see Olivia."

"And how is she doing?" Sharon asks politely.

"She's fine," Daniel replies.

"You'll love Olivia," Sharon tells me. "She's a really sweet lady."

I feel a lot more comfortable in this house rather than Eric and Jessica's. Maybe it's because they're such welcoming people.

"So, what are your real names?" I ask them, but they stare at me with a confused expression.

"Excuse me...?" Sharon asks.

"Oh, Iva, my parents are not like us, they're human," Jason explains to me.

"But how...?"

"We adopted Jason when he was a baby," David explains. "His mother died at birth and his dad, well, wasn't a dad."

"Don't say it like that, David," Sharon tells to him with disappointment. "His father couldn't cope after the death, so he found someone who wanted a baby. And I couldn't have one, so..."

David chuckles before he speaks again.

"We didn't take the news very well, you know, about his other side. But it didn't matter, we loved him too much to give him back," he gazes at Jason and smiles at him.

David clears his throat and continues talking.

"So, Iva, we heard a lot about you. It must be hard, knowing what's coming. I'm not going to talk your ears off, but just be safe, for us, for everyone. We can only hope that you can take care of our boy. He's too old for mom and pop to tell him to stay home..," he sighs and doesn't continue.

"What my husband is trying to say, Iva, is we know we're facing hard times. Just promise us that you'll keep watch over our son."

I swallow down hard, feeling this enormous weight being placed on my shoulders. I look over at Jason, who is staring back at me, and then I turn to Sharon again.

"I will try," I reply modestly.

"It was good to meet you, and if you ever need a place to rest your head, we are just a call away," David tells me.

"Well, we don't want to keep you guys too long," Sharon says. "Tell Olivia we said hi, okay?"

"Yup," Daniel replies.

"Visit us anytime, Iva," David says before we leave their house and get into the car.

They wave bye to us as we reverse out of the driveway and roll down the road. Five minutes later, Daniel takes an on-ramp. We're now making our way back towards Rochester on the highway. Before long, the trees that surround Glenworth disappear behind us, and the skyline of Rochester ascends in the horizon. He takes the downtown exit and parks in front of a high rise building.

"Is this Olivia's place?" I ask Jason.

"Yup," he replies.

We all empty the SUV. Daniel goes up to the intercom and dials a number. I hear the dial tone ringing and ringing until a woman answers the phone.

"Hello," she greets us.

"It's us Olivia," Daniel says into the intercom.

"Come on up," she responds cheerfully.

I hear a buzz coming from the intercom before Daniel pulls the door open. We walk into the main lobby and wait for the elevator to arrive. The elevator doors slide open and we cram into the small area with a few other residents. We rise to the 6th floor and the elevator doors reopen. I follow behind them as they stop at the last door on the right-hand side.

Daniel knocks three times on the door. I then hear the sound of several bolts turning and locks unlocking. The door swings open. I then see this older woman smiling back at us. Her dark, silky, hair is styled neatly into two large braids. She has a beautiful brown skin tone, a pair of sparkling eyes that matches her dark hair, and large cheeks.

I'm pretty sure she's Native American.

"Come in everyone," she says in a lively way.

I step into her living room with the smell of something sweet at my nose. Everyone scatter around the living area and find a place to sit. Before I'm able to sit, the woman approaches me; her big cheeks are swelling as she smiles radiantly.

"Hello child. I'm Olivia," she says in a subtle voice before she hugs me. "You have a bumpy road ahead of you," she says in my ear while she rocks me from side to side.

She finally releases me to look at my physique.

"Child, you are a skinny one aren't you?" she says with a chuckle as she studies me from head to toe. "But don't worry, I'm a fantastic cook. I'll get some meat on those bones. Just ask them."

"Oh yeah, Olivia can throw down," Jessica confirms.

"Come here. Sit with me," she says while escorting me over to a sofa.

Olivia stays pinned to my side on the couch.

"Did they tell you about me?" she asks.

"Not much. They said that you know a lot about their history."

"I know a lot but not nearly enough," she replies.

I see a light-bulb click on in Olivia's mind. Her eyes suddenly widens with joy.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the cookies," she stands and rushes into the kitchen.

I can hear the oven door squealing open and closing.

"She makes great cookies," Jessica states.

"You're such a freeloader," Eric adds.

"There's no shame in my game," Jessica agrees.

Olivia comes back in the living area with a plate of warm cookies and places them on the coffee table.

"Help yourself," she announces to everyone.

After a series of "Thank you Miss Olivia" they begin eating her home made chocolate-chip cookies. Olivia walks over to a bookshelf and grabs a large brown book, places it on the coffee table, and takes a seat next to me. I stare down at the book to observe it. It's obvious this book is very old. The cover is made from rough leather.

The edge of the book is bruised, and the original black text on the cover is chipping away. I assume that this book has to be hundreds of years old, maybe more.

"What is this?" I ask Olivia.

"As you know, there are the humans, the animals, and those in-between. This is the Book of Quintus. Thousands of years ago, an owl made a scroll filled with our history. His name was Quintus. He was a great philosopher. And this book has all of his teachings. This book is only a copy of his original documents. It's not much, but it's all we have."

She flips open to the first page. This page reveals three wavy, horizontal, lines.

"As you may, or may not know, we all have a distinct mark somewhere on our body. This is the mark of the water-bearers."

She flips the page. On the next page, I see these drawings of men and woman swimming among fish. Under the picture, I spot this unreadable language.

"Were they mermaids?" I ask.

"That's how the myths started. They had a great empire under the oceans. They were the protectors of the waters."

"Are you referring to Atlantis?"

"Exactly. But, they no longer exist. Eventually, they spent more time on land and had children with pure-blooded humans. When that happens, the bloodline weakens. Their children will be human and so forth. The same thing happens when you try to mix our bloodlines together. Our human DNA mixes well but not our animal DNA."

She flips to a new page. This page displays a paw print.

"This is the mark of the felines. They were the protectors of the sierras."

She flips to another page revealing people standing among lions, panthers, and tigers. She flips another time. This page has three wavy lines, but these lines are vertical instead of horizontal.

"These are the birds. They were the protectors of the skies. The owls were different. Sometimes, they had visions or premonitions. Just like how Quintus had that vision of the future. King Lucius best friend, Lazarus, found out about Quintus's vision. Then he told King Lucius about it. But the reptiles found out about the box. Therefore, Lazarus hid it somewhere. It remained lost for nine thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-eight years," she looks up at me with a gesturing smile.

She flips the page again. This new page reveals three diagonal lines, but these lines resemble claw marks.

"This is the mark of the wolves."

My heart drops when she mentions the word "wolves".

"They were supposed to be man's companion; their protector. However, they grew greedy and turned their backs on the humans."

She flips to a page showing graphic drawings of wolves ripping men, woman, and children to pieces.

"They became angry with the humans and turned on them, like a rebellious dog against its master. They believed man should be under them, not the other way around."

She flips again. This new page reveals an eye with a slit down the middle of the eye.

"This is the mark of the reptiles. Some call them reptilians while others call them lizard-men."

My heart cringes with fear once again.

"But they're snakes none the less," she chuckles faintly. "They have been the cause of many problems in the world. They were supposed to be the protectors of the deserts."

"Are a lot of them...?" I pause to gulp. "...still around?"

"Yes. Most of them are the worst kind of people, politicians. And if you think those dogs are sneaky, child, you just wait and see."

She flips the page again. This page has many symbols. Some of them are circular, some are square, and some are abstract.

"Quintus says he met all kinds of people like us, bears, rhinos, and even elephants. These are some of his drawings of their marks."

She then flips again, showing men and woman standing among a variety of animals. She continues to a new page, revealing another sign. This sign resembles a flame.

"These beings were the protectors of the elements. This one is a bird made of fire. This is the mark of the phoenix. They're born human, but when they awake their bodies leaves Earth's realm,"

"Awake...? You mean transform, right?" I ask.

"Yes. That's when our human soul and animal soul finally joins together as one."

"So, when a phoenix awakes they just vanish? Why?"

"Because when they become a phoenix, they're no longer physical beings. So, they transport to the spiritual realm shortly after."

"Are there anymore left?"

"Yes, they come once every generation," she tells me.

"Have you met one?" I ask her eagerly.

"Have I?" she smiles at me. "You're sitting next to one child. Give me your hand."

I lift my hand and she grips it gently.

"What are you doing...?"

"Just wait and see," she cuts me off.

I look at the bruises on the back of my hand from me falling at the park. Suddenly, they fade away. I lift my hand close to my face, observing it with amazed eyes.

"But how..?"

"A phoenix has healing abilities. But my powers only allow me to do so much."

"Extraordinary," I say to the back of my hand.

She just smiles, as if it's not a big deal to her.

"Let's continue," she says.

She flips to another page. This new page shows a leaf identical to mines.

"This is the mark of the apes. They were the protectors of the jungles."

She turns the page another time. For some particular reason, she sighs as she lifts this page. I get the notion that this new page will reveal something I don't want to see. This new page reveals a drawing of a flame. Within the flame, I see a lizard's eye similar to the mark of the reptiles.

"I just hate looking at it," Olivia explains with tension in her voice. "This mark is very, very, unique. It's the sign of total darkness. This mark belongs to only one person. It's the mark of an evil, barbaric, tyrant who lived long ago. And his name is Romulus, The Devourer of gods."

I stare at his symbol, feeling consumed by immense fear.

"Not many people seen this mark in person and lived to tell the tale. Legend tells us that Romulus was almost like Death itself. Where ever he went, death and chaos followed."

She turns the page. The next page reveals a dark figure sitting on a throne of some sort. Over the throne are ominous clouds, and around the throne are many people kneeling to the dark figure.

"The prophecy states, he will come out of his slumber in two years. And you have to be ready; we all do. When he comes back, no one will be safe. And you will be our only hope at stopping him. We are facing very frightening times, child."

"Why am I the only one that can stop him?"

"That remains unclear. Quintus says, just like him, some of us have a unique, spiritual, gift. The wolves can track your scent from miles away, the felines heal very quickly, and the birds have sharp awareness of their surroundings. Due to the phoenix incredible healing powers, Romulus body is constantly regenerating. For some unknown reason the apes could harm him. That was their unique gift. They were also known for their incredible strength,"

"If the apes are so strong, how did Romulus manage to kill them off?" I ask.

"Romulus was a master of war. He used a simple tactic," Olivia explains. "He destroyed their crops and deprived them of food for many days. And at their weakest, they made their attack."

She flips again to a page that is covered with unreadable writing.

"The rest is Quintus stories about his travels and visions."

She finally closes the book and slides it away.

"Most of our kind is gone. A lot of us didn't believe in Quintus stories. So, many of us became consumed in humanity and forgot about our true purpose in life. And as you just learned, we all were created for some kind of purpose."

"Why wouldn't they believe in the story?"

"Just like our human side, we became in denial of things around us. But everything changed when you found that box. This proves that all of the events in this book really happened. And believe it or not, two years from now, Romulus will return to finish what he started."

"I don't understand. Was I destined to find it? I feel that it chose the wrong person."

All emotion dissolves from her face when I ask her that question.

"No. The box was to be offered to a mighty warrior. But it disappeared before that could happen."

"A mighty warrior...?" I say under my breath. "I'm far from that Olivia."

"You're not lying," she chuckles, but then a serious expression forms. "However, there's one thing I can't seem to understand about all this. For thousands and thousands of years, it remained lost. But two years before King Romulus wakes up, someone finally discovers it. Is that a strange coincidence or is that destiny?" she gazes into my eyes and studies my soul. "You might not be the warrior we want, but maybe you're the warrior we need."

My eyes fall down into my lap. She lifts my chin and smiles calmly at me, her big cheeks are blossoming.

"Not all warriors carry swords and spears, child,"...

CHAPTER 27: CLUES

(Narrator's perspective)

Glenworth parking lot is empty for the exception of two vehicles. One is an old Ford truck, belonging to the University's head janitor, and the other is Detective Lancaster's black patrol vehicle. The janitor opens the school door and lets in Detective Lancaster and his partner, Detective Jones.

"Thanks for getting back to us in such a short notice," Frank thanks the old janitor.

"It's fine. It's nothing much to do on a Saturday anyways. But the mess is over here."

Together, the three of them make a left around the corner and down a long hallway. Small pieces of glass crunch underneath their boots as they stroll through the vacant hallway. Frank eyes scan the area. The walls are covered in scratch marks and the decorative posters are ripped to shreds. They follow a trail of sprinkled glass to a classroom with no door.

"I left it like this," the janitor informs them. "I wanted to show you first. It happened on Thursday evening."

They all enter the class. They find glass on the floor, an indentation on the wall, the classroom door resting on top of chairs, and the teacher's desk broken into two.

"Sounded like animals were fighting in here," the janitor explains.

Frank sees black fur on the floor. He walks over and kneels down, grabbing a handful, and studies it.

"What you got there?" Jones asks.

"Animal hair," Frank replies.

"If there's anything else I can do to help, just ask," the old janitor says.

"Is there a surveillance system in the school?" Frank asks.

"Yes," the old janitor replies.

"Has it been reviewed?" Frank interrogates.

"Not yet. We were going to wait for the Head of Security to come in on Monday before we review it. Do you want it?"

"That would help us out a lot. Thanks," Frank replies.

"Okay, I'll grab the tapes," the janitor says before exiting the classroom.

Frank sprinkles the fur onto the floor, brushes his hands clean, and stands. Jones walks over to him.

"What do you think about this?" Jones asks.

"There's definitely something strange going on here. We're getting close Jones, I know it. And that footage may be the break we need,"...

CHAPTER 28: THE PEAK

Before I leave Olivia's place, she gives me another warm hug. She peeps out the doorway, watching us walk down the hall and back towards the elevator. She waves at us from the end of the hallway. We wave back as we step onto the elevator and descend.

"She's cool, right?" Maria asks.

"She sure is," I respond. "I'm mean, how many people can say they met a phoenix?"

The elevator doors open. Together, we walk through the lobby and out of the main entrance

In no time, we're pulling into the driveway of my newest home. When we step foot into the house, Kenya comes down the steps to welcome us back.

"How did everything go?" she asks Daniel.

"Fine," Daniel responds as he tosses the keys onto the coffee table.

Kenya shifts over to me, eager to ask me about my trip.

"Did you meet Olivia?" she asks.

"Yes,"

"Good. Now, do you have a better knowledge of things?"

"Yes. But I'm still learning."

"Well, more answers will come in due time," she assures me with a smirk.

She looks over at the others.

"I'm going to sleep early. Don't try to make too much noise, especially you," she says and then stares directly at Eric.

He rolls his eyes.

"How do I always get blamed for something I didn't even do yet?" Eric whispers to himself.

"Go out for a walk. That would do you all some good," Kenya tells us.

She walks away from us and marches up the stairs. I hear her bedroom door closing in the distance a moment later.

"She's right. It's been a while since we went out together," Jason announces to everyone.

"Where should we go?" Jessica asks.

"Let's go to the peak," Jason says. "I think the newbie should go there with us."

Everyone looks at one another with a hidden smile, all except for Daniel.

"What's the peak?" I ask them.

"It's absolutely nothing," Eric says with a huge smile on his face. "It's just a nice walk in the woods. It's nothing fun, or awesome, or spectacular."

"The woods, isn't that dangerous?" I ask.

"No biggie. The Blaires are far across town," Maria explains. "Plus, my mom grows the herbs back there."

"What do you say, Iva?" Jason asks with a charming smirk. "Are you in?"

I think about it for a second. But how can I say no to a face like that? It's like saying no to a precious little puppy or kitten.

"Okay, why not?" I reply.

Soon, they go upstairs to change into an outfit Jason refers to as "outside clothes". I wait for them to come down as the sunlight begins to dim outside. Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming down the steps. Jason is the first to make an appearance. He's dressed in a pair of gray sweat pants, a dingy white shirt, and an old pair of white tennis shoes.

He is also wearing a book-bag over his shoulders. I stand to my feet and giggle at his appearance.

"What are you wearing?"

He looks down at himself and laughs too.

"Clothes I don't need anymore," he replies with his words mixed with laughter. "Do I look horrible?"

"I wouldn't wear that," I reply. "So, I'm guessing you guys will transform tonight. Am I right?"

"Yup," he replies.

Suddenly, I hear approaching footsteps. Eric and Jessica walks into the living room, pushing each other on the way down like bitter kids. They're also dressed in raggedy outfits with book-bags on their backs.

"Dude, what the hell are you wearing?" Jason asks Eric with broad eyes.

Eric looks down at his tight pink shirt, which shows off his flat abs. He's also wearing a pair of black tights. I can't help but laugh at his ridiculous outfit.

"I didn't have anything else to wear. I have to use Raven's stuff," Eric replies shamefully.

He looks over at his sister who is snorting.

"What are you laughing at stupid? It's your clothes."

Maria comes down the steps next.

"Hey Iva, here..," Maria says while she tosses me a black coat. "...it might get chilly tonight."

"What about you?" I ask her.

"Uh, fur...duh," she replies.

I pull the coat over my head and slip my arms into the sleeves. Luckily for me, it's just my size.

Maria spots Eric and his womanish appearance.

"What are you...?" she starts to speak but revises her statement. "I'm just going to act like I didn't see you with that on."

"I'm wearing clothes," Eric says humorlessly to Maria. "It's not a big deal."

Maria presses her lips together tightly and shakes her face.

"Everyone's here but Mane," Jason states.

"I swear he's worse than a female sometimes," Eric says with his hands on his hips.

Jessica snickers and replies...

"You're the one to talk, Erica."

Everyone laughs at Jessica's joke.

"Why do you have to be such a drag?" Eric asks Jessica.

"Why do you have to dress up like one?" she counters.

"Oh dammnn," Jason and Maria says simultaneously.

We laugh at Eric as he stands there with a blank face.

"Give me some," Jessica says with a raised hand.

Everyone, except for Eric, gives Jessica a high-five.

"I'm sorry bro," Jason says while approaching Eric. "Let me get that for you."

Jason kneels down and pretends to pick up an invisible object off the floor. He then presents the invisible object to Eric.

"What are you doing?" Eric asks.

"Your face fell off back there. I got it for you," Jason replies.

Eric pushes Jason's hands away.

"Ha-ha," Eric says tonelessly.

"Couldn't help myself bro," Jason states while giggling.

"Whatever," Eric says with folded arms.

Suddenly, I hear those infamous footsteps approaching us. Daniel comes downstairs and walks into the living room. His eyes stop on Eric. Daniel rolls his eyes and marches through the kitchen and then proceeds out of the back door.

We follow him off the back porch and into the woods. Daniel walks in the lead, Eric, Jessica, and Maria are in the middle. Jason and I are following behind them.

"So, when will I transform? How does that work?" I ask Jason.

"With us, it happens around puberty. But you'll know when it's time. Before we transform, we have what we call, a spiritual encounter. The animal would visit you in a dream or, sometimes, call out to you. Have you noticed anything like that?"

"No, not at all,"

"No voices or anything?" he presses on.

"Nope, not yet," I reply.

"Well, it won't be long hopefully. My animal spirit called out to me when I was sleeping."

"And after it visits you, what's next?"

Jason breathes out slowly with wide eyes. It's almost like he's thinking about something traumatizing.

"Then you get these muscle pains. That means your body is preparing itself for the awakening. The awakening is another word for transformation."

"Is it painful?"

"It's extremely painful," he says with a twisted face. "I wanted to die when it happened to me."

"Seriously?"

"I'm dead serious," he replies. "Your muscles are expanding. It's like being ripped apart constantly. That's the best way to describe the pain."

I exhale. That's something I'm definitely not looking forward to.

"So, what other abilities do you have?" I change the subject.

"Besides transforming into an animal, we all have a distinct skill. Mane is strong. Athena is super-fast. I'm balanced with both speed and strength. Plus all felines are fast healers. And Raven and Aero can see things in slow-motion. It's a focusing ability. That's the best way to describe their gift."

"Wow, that's cool,"

"Yeah, it is," Jason agrees.

Suddenly, Daniel stops at a small clearing.

"Okay, let's do this," Daniel announces to everyone.

Jason, Daniel, and Maria kicks off their shoes and stuff them inside of their backpack.

"Courage, show yourself," Maria says to Jason.

He breathes in deeply while shaking his hands and wobbling his legs; as if he's warming up for a track run. He stops and looks over at me.

"Iva, you should step back,"

I step back with my eyes locked onto him. He takes in a deep breath and holds it. I witness his body starting to tremble. I see a vein in the middle of his head coming into view. Suddenly, I hear a cracking sound.

I realize that his right forearm has snapped into two places. I gasp loudly but quickly cover my mouth. Then I hear another crack. I see his rib-cage expanding. Then his face starts to shift into a beastly form. Orange and yellow fur grows all over his body.

His ears grow upward. His nose flattens. His eyes become yellow. Everything is happening so rapidly. The sight is both creepy and astonishing at the same time.

He yells out in pain, and then his yell converts into a roar all of a sudden. He falls forward onto the ground. Just like that, Jason is gone, and a large tiger is standing where he once was. He looks over at me and then winks. He removes his attention from me and shifts at Maria, who is right next to him.

"Athena, show yourself," Courage says in a deep voice to Maria.

After a deep inhale, her bones begin to shift like Jason's. Suddenly, her muscles begin to bulge, and then yellow fur covers her body. She falls forward as her clothes burst all over the forest floor. A large cheetah falls gently onto the ground.

"Mane, show yourself," Athena says to Daniel.

I turn to face Daniel. His transformation seems a lot less stressful than the others. He takes in a deep breath and maintains it. I can see his big shoulders expanding. His clothes rip apart and a muscular black lion falls onto the ground with a thump. He shakes off the remaining fabric from his back.

"How did you like that?" Athena asks in a deep, feminine, voice.

I open my mouth but no words are coming out.

"I will never get used to seeing that," I reply in astonishment. "It's breathtaking."

"The surprise is still to come," Courage says to me as we begin to follow behind Mane.

Together, we continue up the trail. Courage and I stay in the back of the group.

"Are Eric and Jessica going to transform too?" I ask Courage.

"Yeah they will, soon enough," he replies.

I look up at the sky as it begins to turn pinkish purple. The trail gradually starts to incline as we hike more and more. I almost trip over a root protruding from the ground but I catch my balance. Suddenly, a large insect flies into my face.

I swat at it wildly.

"Oh my God. What the hell was that? This is crazy. There are bugs out here. OMG! Is it on me? Is it?"

I hold my arms close to my body, feeling completely grossed-out.

"There are no bugs on you. Calm down," Courage replies.

I can tell he's slightly amused by my complaining. Although he's trying to do it secretively, I can still hear him snickering at me.

"I'm glad you find this amusing, jerk,"

"You don't get out much, do you?"

"Not really. I swear if I see a spider, I'm out of here."

"And where would you go?" Courage asks me.

"I don't know, but you'll never hear from me again."

I continue walking with my arms pressed tightly against my body. Suddenly, I hear a noise. Luckily, it was only an owl hooting.

"A SPIDER!" Courage shouts.

I yelp and take off running away like the coward that I am.

"Iva, it was just a joke!"

I stop running and rotate to him. I never knew I could run so fast. In a matter of seconds, I managed to clear fifteen-yards.

"What?" I reply.

"It was a joke," he clarifies while laughing.

"You jerk," I say as I make my way back towards the group.

"What's going on back there?" Eric asks.

"I told her I saw a spider," Courage replies.

Eric and Jessica laughs at me.

"That's awesome," Eric states.

"Stop it before she has a heart attack," Athena says while giggling.

"I'm glad everyone loves to see me suffer," I announce.

Courage maneuvers his big frame closer to me.

"Hop on me," he says.

"Are you for real?"

"It'll be fun."

He halts and I lift my leg over his back. After climbing onto his back he begins to walk again.

"I have to charge you for this ride," he says.

"No way, you owe me for scaring the shit out of me," I reply.

"Okay, you big baby."

Five minutes later, everyone stops at a vast clearing. This clearing is wide with no trees and it comes with a beautiful view of the colorful sunset.

"We're here," Courage says and stops walking.

I slide off his back and gaze at the sun peeking at me from over the trees.

"Whoa, this is absolutely beautiful," I say to him.

Eric and Jessica finally take off their shoes and stuff them into a backpack. Eric walks over to me barefooted with a huge grin. He lifts me off of my feet and holds me like an infant.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Go with him Iva, it'll be fine," Jessica says.

Eric begins walking through the clearing.

"Where are you taking me?"

Eric looks down at me and says...

"You'll see in a second. Trust me, you'll thank me later."

"Okay," I reply weakly.

I look over at the sunset again. I see treetops in the horizon. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks; he's walking me towards a cliff. My brain switches to panic mode instantly.

"Fasten your seat-belt, farm girl," Eric says while laughing.

"Are you crazy...?"

Before I finish the sentence he runs into a sprint and leaps off the cliff with me in his arms. I feel myself falling at an incredible speed. The adrenaline is expanding massively inside my stomach. I let out a scream halfway down, but I can only feel it vibrating in my throat. The fierce wind causes me to become temporarily deaf. Before I impact into the ground, I feel my body lift upward.

I incline higher and higher until I swoosh over the trees. My throat is starting to burn from me screaming at the top of my lungs. We continue to incline higher and higher until we pause in the sky. I have to be hundreds of feet above ground. In this moment, when we reach our peak in the sky, I can finally hear myself screaming like a crazy person. I feel my lungs slam against my back as I shoot towards the ground again.

"OH MY FUCKING...!" I can't muster another word because the wind is so powerful.

The ground is approaching rapidly. I close my eyes tightly while the wind blows hard against my face. Every inch of my body is overdosing on adrenaline as I plummet to the ground at a chaotic speed. I feel my body lift again but only slightly. Now, the wind is no longer blowing hard against my face, yet it's a gentle breeze flowing smoothly through my hair.

Eventually, I stop screaming like a maniac and sluggishly open my eyelids. My tense body settles down. It's as if I'm driving an invisible car in midair. I can see trees pass by me. In front of me I can see the subtle sunlight and all of the glorious colors surrounding it. I realize that Eric's arms are no longer holding me. Instead of hands, these yellowish talons are holding me by my upper body and shoulders.

My legs are hanging in the air. I use my hands to squeeze down on his talons as hard as I can. I've never been on a roller-coaster before, but I have seen people ride them on television several times. This is similar to a roller-coaster with the metal restrainers over your shoulders.

I gaze above me and see these large brown wings gliding in the wind. An eagle looks down into my eyes and says,

"Now this is how you live."

He then shifts forward again. I look below me and see my reflection in a lake. The water is so crisp and clean that I can see a school of fish swimming smoothly through it. He lowers me closer to the water.

The tips of my shoes caress the surface of the water, gently. Then I witness the fish behavior changing. Fish of various size and colors begin to jump from the water while they follow me. The beauty of it all...it's hard to put into literal words. I've never witnessed anything so stunning in my entire life.

I shoot skyward abruptly, and then I feel my body turning. I'm now flying over trees. Land appears below my feet shortly after. He opens his talons and I fall onto my feet. I turn around just in time to watch the giant eagle land onto the thin grass. The wind from his wings makes me stagger backwards and collapse onto the side of a fallen tree. I grab my chest to make sure my heart is still beating.

Athena and Courage approaches me.

"How did you enjoy your first roller-coaster?" Athena asks.

I can't respond. I'm too much in awe to speak a word.

"Did you like it or what?" Courage presses on eagerly.

I open my mouth but the words are not fully developed.

"Please....that...what you did....don't...never again," I reply.

"You didn't like it?" Aero, the giant eagle, asks with his bold voice.

I sigh hard with huge, astonished, eyes.

"No. I mean...yes..," I take a moment to calm my pounding heart. "That was the most fun, life threatening thing, I've ever done."

I take another deep breath and release it extra slowly.

"I think I just...died," I say while laughing.

"Adrenaline, this is Iva; Iva, this is adrenaline," Aero says.

He shifts left and right.

"Where's Raven?" Aero asks Courage and Athena.

A giant black bird swoops down and lands perfectly on the ground.

"How did she like it?" Raven asks.

"Iva and adrenaline has a love, hate, relationship," Aero responds. "It's complicated,"

Aero turns to me.

"Hey, want to see something cool? Check this out,"

Aero burst hard into the air. His wings create a strong gust of wind that almost blows me back. I look up into the air and notice he's already a small spec in the sky. I then see him descending towards the ground, hastily, until he shoots down the cliff.

I wait for him to reappear but it doesn't happen.

"Guys, where is he?" I ask them, but my concern ceases when I see him heading towards the sky again.

This time he's spinning wildly as he climbs towards the atmosphere.

"YEAH!" his voice echoes.

"Iva, please don't pay him any attention," Raven says.

"The more you feed into it, the worse it gets. He has attention issues," Athena states.

"It gets annoying," Courage adds.

He swoops back to us without blowing too much wind everywhere.

"Cool, right?" Aero asks me as he lands.

"How fucking lame," Raven blurts out blankly.

He shifts towards his sister.

"I didn't ask you," he says before brushing her face with his wing and taking off into the horizon.

"You little prick," Raven says as she takes off after him.

"Here they go again," Athena says as she sits on the ground next to me.

"Where's Mane?" I ask.

Athena lifts her chin up and looks left.

"Over there," she responds.

I look over and see Mane sitting by himself, staring at the sunset.

"Don't worry about him," Courage says while flattening onto the dirt. "He'll come over when he's fit and ready."

We watched on as Raven and Aero play tag until the sky becomes inky blue. They finally call a truce when the moon reaches its peak in the night's sky. Tonight's moon seems a lot more vivid than usual. Maybe that's because my view is so clear from here. As Aero and Raven dances around the full moon, I can't help but think about my mom and her safety.

I feel a warm rub against my leg. I look down at Courage, who is looking back at me.

"What's bothering you?" he asks.

I stare back at the moon.

"My mom," I reply, watching Raven and Aero spinning upward together.

"Don't worry about her," he assures me. "I have parents too, remember. I always tell myself that they will be okay."

"How can you? Aren't you scared?"

"You just have to have faith and everything else will fall into place," he explains.

"I understand you completely, Iva," Athena joins in the conversation. "I know a lot about fear. It can drive you crazy. It can ruin your social life, give you strange thoughts," she suddenly pauses and lowers her voice. "It can keep you up at night. It's a disease. Don't let fear get inside your head because when it goes in, it's hard to get out,"

A brief silence falls over the three of us. Athena stands and walks away. She falls down flat on the ground with her face turned away.

"She's fine. Sometimes she gets paranoid, that's all," Courage says in a quiet tone. "She always feels like something bad will happen. It's weird."

I look over to see Mane approaching us sluggishly.

"You finally decided to come over," Courage says to him.

Mane doesn't respond immediately. He flops onto the ground in front of me, scattering dirt into the air.

"It's getting late," Mane says. "I might head back soon."

We all take a break to stare at Aero and Raven dive-bombing in the horizon, then shooting straight up again.

"Hey Mane, Iva is scared about her mom," Courage says softly.

Mane slowly shifts his yellow eyes into mine.

"Don't be afraid. Fear is your enemy. It's the worst enemy you'll ever have," Mane assures me.

"I can't help it. She's my mother," I reply.

"Remember what I told you in the hallway?" Mane asks me.

"Yes."

"The same rules apply. If you show fear, you unconsciously become prey."

"Plus, the Blaires are out-numbered right now," Courage adds. "They should be the ones who are scared. They know they can't stand a chance against us. Your mom will be safe."

We watch as Aero and Raven put on another fantastic display. This time they are flying around in a giant circle. For no particular reason, Mane gets up and walks away from us.

"Where's Mane going?" I ask Courage.

I see Mane walking further from us, slowly.

"That's just Mane being Mane. Sometimes he just gets up in a middle of a conversation and walks away."

Courage then shifts his eyes over to Mane.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Mane gently turns his face towards us and replies...

"To the lake."

He proceeds to walk until he disappears behind some trees.

"Let's go with him," I tell Courage.

"Mane likes to be alone. That's how he is," he replies.

"He's been like that since our father's death," Athena turns her head to explain. "He just sits down there, staring at the water. You can go. I might join you guys later."

I stand and begin to follow Mane's paw-prints. I quickly discover a black shadow moving slowly in the distance.

"Hey, wait up," I shout to him.

He stops and turns around. I then play ketch-up by jogging toward him.

"What do you want?" he asks.

"I was just wondering if you wanted some company, that's all," I reply while trying to catch my breath.

He shifts forward and remains stationary. When he finally continues to walk, he mutters the word "fine" underneath his breath. Together, we begin to stroll across the flat plain.

I want to stir up a conversation, but I can't seem to muster the bravery to speak. Further down, we reach this long steep, rocky, hill. He places a paw on the hilltop but I stop him from proceeding.

"Hey, can I get a lift?"

He shifts his harsh eyes into mines. I step back slightly and quickly rephrase.

"That's if you want to do it."

It takes him a bit of time to respond.

"I guess so," he says halfheartedly.

Due to his size, it takes some time to climb onto his back.

"Hold on tightly. You're no good to us dead," he tells me in a humorless tone.

"Okay," I reply while grasping his hair firmly.

"Are you on?" he asks me.

"Yeah, I think so."

He shifts his face sideways.

"Are you on or not?" he asks harshly.

"Yes, I'm on." I reply.

I lean forward and hold on tighter. He walks onto the hill and proceeds downward, increasing speed automatically. He dodges large rocks by leaping over and around them. The rough bumpy ride is now over. I see a gentle black lagoon that mirrors the moon and the trees surrounding it. This body of water is narrow and it extends pass my eyes limitations.

I get off Mane's back and step onto soft grass.

"Thank you," I tell him as I slide off his back.

He proceeds to walk beside the tranquil stream without responding. I follow behind him, eager to gather his attention. Seconds roll by as we both remain closemouthed. The odd silence grows the more we remain quiet. I clear my throat and turn my face to the top of his bushy head.

"So, um, do you spend a lot of time here?"

He takes his precious time to answer my question.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that."

Our small conversation only satisfies me momentarily. Soon, that aching silence comes back with a vengeance. I hate awkward silences.

"Did your father used to bring you here?" my voice shrinks gradually throughout this sentence.

I feel so stupid asking him that. He instantly freezes and remains stationary for a moment. He then turns his head to me but only slightly.

"Who told you about him?" he asks in a very harsh tone.

"Your mother did," I reply nervously.

He shifts forward and begins to walk again.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought him up."

I decide not to open my mouth and say anything that might annoy him further, but a moment later, I'm not the one breaking the silence.

"I'm come here, sometimes, to get away," he tells me modestly.

I stop as he cuts across me and sits in front of his reflection.

"I used to go fishing here with him," he says to me as he looks into the dimly lit water.

"I've never been fishing before."

He finally lifts his face and look into my eyes.

"Never...?" he asks.

I lower my head in total embarrassment.

"I never did a lot of things," I clarify.

He shifts back into the lake again. Suddenly, a small thin shadow cruises by us.

"What kind of fish was that?" I think out loud.

He gazes into the water.

"It's hard to tell, but by the size of it, I would guess a Silver-side," he informs me.

"Did you bring a lot of them home?"

"It's not all about catching and eating. Sometimes, it's good to just catch them, observe them, and let them go."

"Why fish if you're not going to keep them?"

"Do you really want to listen to me talk about fish?" he asks with his head turned to me slightly.

"I don't mind."

He looks back at the water.

"It's called catching and releasing. The term speaks for itself. My father showed me the value of it. It's very calming. I don't know why,"

I see a larger fish traveling down the stream. Its scales are the color of a dirty-green.

"What's that one?"

"That's a steel-head. They're mostly found further away near Ontario."

I look back into the water to search for more fish.

"I'd love to go fishing one day,"

Mane sluggishly glances up at me and then back into the peaceful water. He stands on all four paws, only to lower down into the thin grass. One steady paw after another, he gently prowls closer to the water. He stops when his nose touches the surface. A moment pass and he remains lifelessly still.

"What are you...?" I begin to ask but it's too late.

He swiftly ducks his face into the water and keeps it submerged for a couple of seconds. He lifts his head with water pouring from his fur. He shakes the access water from his fur, and then he walks over to me like a dog holding a stick. Instead of it being a stick, I realize he's holding this small fish in his mouth. I open my hands and suddenly I feel something wet in my palms.

"That's a silver-side," he informs me.

I shift away from the fish to look at Mane. The fish wiggles and then falls from my hands. It falls into the water and takes off. We watch the small fish swim away from us.

"Sorry," I apologize. "It was slippery."

"That's fine," he replies while looking at the water. "I haven't held one of those in a ..." he pauses momentarily to reflect. "...a very long time,"

I see another obscure fish flowing pass us.

"What's kind of fish is that?" I ask him.

"I think that's a catfish. They keep the lake clean."

I continue to point out random fish swimming about in the lake and ask questions about them. Mane proudly replies to all of my questions, but in his usual stern way. I waste countless hours with him, walking under the moonlight, searching for fish and learning new things about them. I learn that every fish, even the bottom-feeders, have some sort of purpose in the water. One fish actually surprises me as it leaps off a rock and into the water.

I quickly point to it and ask Mane what it is.

"Iva, that's a frog," he says in a duh kind of way.

"Oh, um, okay," I reply, feeling a hint of stupid.

Soon, the sun is making its return, brightening the cotton like clouds a florescent orange. I'm sitting next to Mane on top of a log, observing the lake in silence.

"That's a big one," I point into the water.

"Yeah, but I've caught bigger," he retorts.

I look over at him, who is observing the still water peacefully.

"I understand why you come here. It's really relaxing. You should invite the others next time."

"They don't want to come down here," he shoots back.

"Maybe it's because you're so mean all the time. You're not a very welcoming person."

"This is who I am, if they won't accept me, I don't care," he replies.

"But the person you are isn't very...accepting. All you want to do is hide. Is that how you want to live the rest of your life?"

"I don't need someone to tell me how to run my life. Okay?"

"Okay, I'm sorry."

We both shift back to the lake and admire its calmness, listening to the smooth sound of water pouring from a miniature waterfall. The sweet chirping from birds in the background complements this peaceful getaway.

"Seriously, what's your worst fear?" I ask him.

"I fear nothing," he replies with total confidence.

"You're so full of it."

"Why, because I'm not walking around with my tail tucked in?"

"No. I know you fear something. Everyone fears something."

"I don't," he replies.

I suck my teeth and roll my eyes by his stubbornness.

"You know what, it's my turn," he tells me.

"Your turn for what?" I reply.

"It's my turn to ask a question."

"Okay, go ahead."

I know he's about to ask something really personal because he seems way too hesitant to ask.

"So, what happened to your father?" he asks me.

I sigh at Mane's question.

"He left. He and my mom had problems and he decided to leave. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can hear my mom begging for him to stay. I saw him leave the house and get into a car with one of our old neighbors. I never saw them again. I didn't understand then, but as I got older, I realized he chose another woman over the both of us. I don't understand why he would leave me," I continue with a burning throat. "I loved him so much. I hoped that someday he would come back to us. I had dreams he did, but it never happened."

"Don't feel bad, Iva. He's a cold hearted bastard for leaving you. It appears both of our fathers died while we were young. The only difference is your father is still alive, that's all. He's not worth thinking about."

I smile warmly at his remark.

"You're right."

As I continue to search for new fish to learn about, I notice this bright orange one swimming pass us. It almost resembles a large goldfish. It has two miniature fins that look like wings. I stand up and gape at it.

"Wow, what kind of fish was that?" I ask him.

Mane stands up and watches it cruise through the tranquil water.

"That's strange. It was a koi-fish. That's the first time I've ever seen one of those around here."

"It was so beautiful."

Although it's far gone, we continue to stare down the lake together.

"Well, it's far gone now," I say disappointingly.

I lower back onto the log and continue to stare down the lake. Then I look up at the sky and yawn.

"I can't believe its morning already," I speak up to the clouds.

I look down at Mane, who is still gazing down the stream. He seems to be in defense mode.

"Mane, are you okay?" I follow his gaze but see nothing unusual.

I swallow hard and stand slowly to my feet.

"Wait here," he orders me firmly.

"What's going...?"

Before I'm able to finish he takes off running.

My heart rate starts to incline as I watch him shrink smaller and smaller. I wait, impatiently, for him to return. I look around at my surroundings with fearful eyes.

With Mane at not my side, I feel so helpless right now.

"Don't leave me alone," I say under my breath as I gaze into the darken wilderness.

Below my feet, I spot a rock slightly bigger than my fist. I carefully squat down and pick it up. I look over and notice Mane charging back this way.

"What's happening...?"

I stop speaking and gasp with glee. The rock slips from my hand without me noticing it. He's comes to me with the metallic-orange fish in his mouth.

"You didn't have to do that."

He steps closer to me and I kneel down with my hands cupped. He tilts his head then places the fish gently into my palms.

"Cool."

I gaze at the creature in my hands and gently caress its lustrous metallic scales with my thumbs. For some odd reason, it looks a lot brighter out of the water.

"Whoa," I utter as it wiggles.

I look into Manes eyes, which are no longer harsh.

"Well, you can't keep it out for too long," he notifies me.

"I understand," I say as I marvel at its splendor one last time.

I rise to my feet carefully, walk over to the lake, kneel slowly onto the ground, emerge my hands into the water, and then I finally release my grasp. I stand and watch it glide peacefully down the stream. Mane walks up next to me and watches it vanish from our sight.

"You didn't have to do that," I tell him.

He looks up at me and then back at the stream.

"I know," his words come out subtlety.

Soon, my little fishing trip with Mane is over. Now, we are hiking back into the dimly lit forest. I hitch another ride on top of Courage's back. Just as before, we're trailing behind everyone.

"So, how did it go?" Courage asks me.

"He took me fishing, well, sort of," I reply to him.

He chuckles mildly.

"At least he didn't bite your head off."

I laugh faintly at his joke.

"For a second there, I thought he was," I reply.

We arrive at the small clearing, where I can see Eric and Jessica fully dressed.

"What took you guys so long?" Eric says to us in a sarcastic way.

"Sorry, we don't have wings, Aero," Athena argues.

Mane picks up his backpack with his teeth and walks deep within the forest, leaving a trail of black hair behind him. Athena picks up a backpack and goes her own separate way into the woods.

"Try not to stare too much," Courage says with a wink before he grabs his backpack and walks off.

The thin fur from his back begins to fall off, revealing his human flesh underneath. He emerges into the shadows. The faint morning light cast his silhouette. I watch as this shadow of a tiger gradually transitions into a human form.

"Stop spying on me!" Jason shouts from the darkness.

I laugh and turn my back towards him. A couple of minutes later, everyone emerges from the shadows, dressed in a new raggedy outfit. Together, we make it back to the house in little time. We enter through the back door with our feet dragging. Everyone marches upstairs, say goodnight to one another, and go into our separate rooms. Jason gives me another wink and says "Catch you later" before going into his room.

I'm tired, dead-tired, yet it's still hard for me to fall asleep. My mind is still a little shocked about everything. But who wouldn't be? It's hard to believe my life has changed so drastically in a couple of days. One day, I'm at college studying English courses, and the next, I'm running from a demonic werewolf.

As soon as I get a taste of normal, life throws me a curve-ball from hell. I can't help but wonder what else life has in-store for me...

CHAPTER 29: IT'S MORE THAN A GAME

I wake up with the sun beaming through my window. I can hear Eric's loud voice shouting about something in the distance. I follow his voice out of my bedroom, down the steps, and into the living room. I see Jason and Eric sitting on the couch watching television.

"What are you two doing?" I ask them.

"Hey, Iva," Jason says with a charming smirk.

"Aren't you guys tired?" I ask with a yawn.

"Not tired enough to miss this game," Eric says.

Eric grips his messy hair as if he wants to rip it out.

"Give me a break. Another foul-ball?" Eric asks the television.

"What are you guys watching?"

I look at the screen and notice they're watching some kind of sports game."

"Baseball," Jason responds with his eyes refusing to turn away from the screen.

I chuckle.

"Do you guys ever go home?"

"No," they reply at the same time.

"Have you ever met my parents?" Eric asks.

I chuckle again.

"Okay, you have a good excuse not to go home. But what about you?"

"Me?" Jason asks.

"Yeah, you," I reply.

He shakes his head and fight over his words.

"Iva, it's a long story," he replies.

"I have time."

He pauses for a second, but before he's able to speak, Eric interrupts.

"His parents are overly protective. If he goes back, he'll never see us again," Eric blurts out.

Jason stares at Eric with a blank expression.

"Thanks for summing that up for me."

Eric smiles brightly and replies...

"You're welcome."

I hear a knocking sound coming from the television, followed by an uproar of cheers from the audience. Eric and Jason both gasp. I watch their eyes widen with excitement as the crowd on TV starts to cheer wildly.

"What a hit!" Eric shouts.

They both rise to their feet with their jaws dangling.

"Come on, come on," Jason says with erupting excitement. "Home run baby!" he says with his arms shooting into the air.

"Wooooooooooo!" Eric shouts joyfully. "That's what I'm talking about."

Eric starts to applaud as he lowers back into the couch. Then, just like that, they're quiet again. The game on TV has them completely vexed.

"Man that was a good hit," Eric states.

"We could've caught that ball from here," Jason adds.

"The guy is a monster. He can't be stopped. Best rookie player ever," Eric gives his opinion.

"What's so interesting about watching sports?"

They both look at me with confusion.

"It's more than just a game. This is baseball," Jason says enthusiastically.

"I just can't get into sports, at all," I respond.

"Everyone has different taste," Jason explains. "What I'd like to do, is different from what you like to do. For instance, what do you like to do?"

I think for a moment and realize I don't really care for anything except for reading. I look at them, looking back at me, waiting patiently for an answer. I stare down at the floor, thinking way too hard about a simple, harmless, question. Then an answer finally comes to my mind. I look up at them with a warm smile and reply...

"I like hanging out with my friends."

They smile back at me.

"I like hanging out with you too," Eric replies.

"Me too," Jason includes subtlety.

Jason looks back at the TV.

"We all should savor these moments together, the good and the bad. Soon, we won't be able to do these things together anymore," Jason says in a low voice.

Eric nods in agreement lowers his face.

"Enjoy it while we can," Eric adds to Jason's statement.

I walk over and sit down between them to break their gloomy moods. I glance left at Eric and then right at Jason. We all give each other a soothing smile.

"Do you understand now?" Jason says in a soft voice. "How it's more than a game to us. We'll always remember these moments, no matter what. Even if our lives are taken, that's one thing our enemies will never take from us."

I let his words marinate in my mind. I have contemplated death so much recently that I forgot about the subtle things in life. I now realize that simply because death is evident, that should never stop you from enjoying life. I look at the television screen and watch the game with them.

"So, who's winning?" I ask, bringing new life into our conversation.

Just like that, their joy comes back. They begin to rant about the game and their favorite rookie player, James Wellington. And you know what? I'm actually enjoying watching baseball with them...

CHAPTER 30: THE BASEBALL

"It's too bad they lost," I say as we walk up the stairs.

"Yeah, well, it was a great game," Eric replies with mild enthusiasm.

"There's always next time," Jason adds.

"I still think Dennis was safe on that play," I speak with frustration.

"They robbed us of that win," Jason utters as we reach the top. "But we had them running scared at the end."

"That's true," Eric agrees.

Eric stops at a door and turns to us.

"I'm calling it. All that flying last night finally got to me."

"Alright, catch you later bro," Jason says as Eric goes into his room and closes the door.

"Hey, want to see something cool?" Jason asks me with his signature smirk.

"Sure," I answer without thinking twice.

We enter a room that is decorated in a well-organized manner. The dresser is neatly covered with various sports trophies, small cars are lining the edge of his computer desk, and the ceiling is swarming with hanging airplanes.

"Wow. You really moved yourself in."

"I pretty much live here, that's why."

I cross the room and lean closely to the small automobiles.

"Cool. So you're a collector too, huh?" I ask him while admiring his car set.

"Yup."

I continue walking and see these green army men on his dresser, each of them are facing forward in a perfect order.

"Wow, you are such a neat freak," I giggle at him.

He smiles painfully at me, rubbing the back of his neck, and replies...

"You can tell, huh? It's a hard thing to deal with sometimes. I can't help it."

I look at him and lower my laughter.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm like that myself, from time to time."

His bright smile resurrects. I look up at the airplanes hanging in midair over his bed. One of them looks awfully similar to one I had as a little girl.

"Oh, I had that airplane, the red one."

He walks beside me, looking up at the small plane.

"Do you still have it?" he asks.

"My mom sold it at a yard sale."

He looks over into my eyes.

"What? You're joking right?"

I turn to him and notice his shocked expression.

"Why, is it worth something?"

"Iva, that's a classic model. They don't make those anymore. You could've sold it for nine hundred bucks in fair condition."

I look back at the plane and shrug my shoulders.

"Oh well, nothing I can do now,"

"I suppose not," he agrees halfheartedly. "Oh yeah, check this out."

Out of the blue, he becomes highly excited. I watch him kneel at his bedside and slide a box from under his bed. He stands and places it on the desk near the vehicles. He opens the box, revealing a small display case containing a baseball. He carefully lifts the case from the box and presents it to me. The ball has an unreadable signature on the front.

"It's signed by the Babe himself," he says with a cheerful smile.

"The Babe?" I ask.

He nearly collapses to the floor but catches his balance.

"You're joking right?" his eyes broaden.

I smile awkwardly and shrug my shoulders.

"I've never heard of him," I reply.

"You never heard of Babe Ruth? He's a legendary baseball player. Please tell me you're kidding."

The shock is growing on his face. I slap my palm against my chest and chuckle.

"Oh, yes, I heard of Babe Ruth before."

"You scared me for a second there," he chuckles at me while placing the display case down on his nightstand.

"I actually managed to intimidate you?"

He smiles at me and steps closer. Now, I'm looking up into his mesmerizing baby-blue eyes.

"Do you like having power over me?" he replies as he brushes my cheek with the back of his hand.

I can't reply. I'm too busy being pulled into a trance by his eyes. We both freeze as we gaze at one another with passion. He moves closer to me but this time it's only his face. And I follow his move, ready to meet him halfway. I can't believe this is about to happen.

Our eyes close as our lips prepare for the long awaited kiss. Suddenly, we hear someone knocking on the door. We snap back into the real world. Jason clears his throat and answers...

"Come in."

Eric walks in and stops when he sees the two of us standing close together. He looks at Jason, then at me, and then at Jason again. He then raises a curious eyebrow.

"What the hell is going on in here?" he asks.

"What do you want?" Jason says with frustration.

Eric slowly backs away, pulling the door with him.

"I didn't see anything." he walks out and closes the door.

Jason shakes the irritation from his head.

"He's so annoying," he whispers to me.

Our eyes cross paths again and freeze for a moment, but then we both break into a chuckle. It feels way too awkward to kiss now.

"Well, catch you later," I say to him.

He giggles.

"Hey, that's my line," he replies.

I walk away from him and wave one last time before exiting the room...

CHAPTER 31: THE STORE

A tapping on my door wakes me up from a deep slumber.

"Oh, um, come in," I say in my drowsy voice.

I turn on my backside and watch Maria coming into my room, fully dressed and beaming. She appears to have something in her hand.

"Good morning," she says cheerfully.

"Hey, what's up?" I respond.

"I charged it for you," she says while holding out my cell-phone.

"Oh, um, thanks," I reply as I take the phone from her hand.

"You have a dozen miss calls on there. It's from your mom."

"Damn, I forgot to call her back,"

"She won't freak-out, will she?"

"I hope not."

"Well, good luck with that," she giggles at me. "I'll see you downstairs."

"Why are you dressed so early?"

"Aero and Rave's aunt and uncle arrived last night. They want to meet you."

"Here?"

"God no. They're at Rave's house."

My eyeballs almost roll from my head.

"Oh, I can't wait to meet more of their...family," I say in a sarcastic manner.

She chuckles at my joke.

"I know. I'm so excited too," she adds to my sarcasm. "I'll see you downstairs, okay?"

"Okay, I'll be down soon."

Maria turns and exits the room. I exhale again before pressing the call button on the phone. I place the phone at my ear and wait for my mom to answer.

"Hey, why haven't you called me?" she greets me with a critical tone.

"Oh, I've been busy. Calm down. Everything is cool."

"I was worried sick. I kept calling and calling but you didn't answer," she replies.

"I'm sorry mom. It won't happen again. I just left my phone at home."

"I don't want to come off as clingy, but I just want to make sure you're safe."

"I understand."

I hear a clatter of dishes in the background.

"What's that noise? What are you doing?"

"I'm about to cook me up some breakfast. So, how's everything over there?"

"Great."

"Having fun yet?" she asks.

"It's been pretty cool, so far,"

"Is Kenya fine about you staying over so much?"

"Yes mom, she's cool about it."

"Well okay, just tell her to call me."

"I will."

"I'm sorry about bugging you. But I'll let you go. Have fun."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie. But before you go...did you hear about some animals running loose around school?"

"Animals...? You're kidding me," I act ignorant.

"Yeah, they were talking about it on the news."

"No, I didn't hear about that."

"It's been a lot of crazy stuff going on. Okay, well, call me later."

"I will."

"Bye," she finishes the conversation.

I hit the end button and fall back onto my pillow. I rest for another ten minutes before making my way into the bathroom for a nice hot shower. Afterwards, I fix my hair into a fluffy ponytail and find an outfit to put on. Now, I'm all dressed and ready to go. I march downstairs to join the gang in the living room. I see someone sitting at the breakfast table, along with a half bitten toast on top of a plate.

The person's face is hidden by the morning newspaper. The newspaper folds and Kenya's bright face is revealed.

"Good morning, Iva," she says with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Too well," I chuckle.

She smiles and hides her face behind the newspaper again.

"Hey, look who finally decides to show," Jason says to me.

I turn to see everyone in the living room, watching some random action flick on TV. I'm not surprised to notice Daniel is missing in action. I'm actually getting used to the fact that he's pretty much a loner.

"Hey guys," I say to everyone.

Everyone greets me in their own way.

"Are you hungry?" Kenya asks behind me in the dining room.

"No thank you, I'm fine."

I hear heavy footsteps making their way downstairs. Kenya folds a corner of the newspaper and watches her son march down the steps. He pauses at the bottom of the steps and stares into Kenya's eyes.

"What's the matter?" she asks him.

"Do we all have to go?" he asks in an aggravated tone.

Kenya's stare instantly becomes harsh.

"Yes. You must stick together at all times, I'm not telling you again."

He sucks his teeth, walks over to the table, grabs the car keys, and marches into the living room.

"I don't blame you," Eric says to Daniel. "I don't want to see them either and they're my own family."

"Yeah, well, I'm here. Let's just get this over with," He replies as he opens the front door.

"Mane..," Kenya calls to him.

He stops walking and rotates to her.

"Yeah?" he replies.

"Stop by the store first and get some seeds. I want to plant some today."

"Okay," he replies before turning away.

"And Mane," she raises her volume.

He begins to walk again but stops when she calls his name.

"Yes?" he replies.

"Stay alert."

She gazes at the rest of us.

"That goes for all of you," she says to us.

"We know," Daniel replies.

We all exit the house and pile into the black SUV. Now, we're making our way out of the deep woods. We drive into an unfamiliar town and park in front of a store that's named 'Rodgers Gardening Supplies'. We then scramble out of the car.

"What's this place?" I ask Jason.

"This is the only place around here that sells naki seeds. It keeps the wolves from tracking us," he replies.

Together, we all enter a small store filled with shovels, gardening gloves, empty plant bowls and vases, and large bags of soil. There's a man standing at the register. He's very old, easily over his sixties, with white hair and a matching goatee. He smiles at us as we approach him.

"Good evening. The usual?"

"Yeah," Daniel replies.

"Okay, I'll be back in one minute."

"I'll be waiting," he tells the old man.

The old man turns and walks into a back room.

"How clever..." a voice says behind us.

We all shift towards the door and immediately switch to defensive mode. It's Cornelius Blaire. He's dressed in a black wool-coat and gloves, standing in the doorway with a mischievous grin. I can feel fear and adrenaline rushing into my bloodstream.

"So, that's how you've been keeping us away?" Cornelius interrogates further. "How interesting..."

He walks into the store alongside two blonde women. The first one, I've never seen before, and the other one is Arlene, Kendrick's sister. I'm assuming that's their mother, Rebecca. Her hair is pinned into a bun. Arlene's hair is combed straight back.

All of them are dressed in dark casual clothing. Jason pushes me back and takes a defensive stance in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel questions fearlessly.

I cower behind Jason's back, peeping at them from around his arm.

"We were in town, enjoying a nice Monday afternoon, when we smelled this foul odor," Cornelius explains with a distasteful look. "And it seems like the trail ends here," he says while scanning all of us.

I feel a strong dose of fear in my heart as his eyes reach mines and stops.

"Hello Iva," he says with a smile.

I hold Jason's arm tightly with a nervous grip. Cornelius finally removes his eyes from mines and shifts back to Daniel.

"So, how long will you try to hide her from us? You think those herbs will keep us away forever?"

"I'm only going to tell you this one time. Leave," Daniel says furiously through his teeth.

"I will. But let me give you a warning. You got lucky the first time. It won't happen like that again. Eventually, you will run into a dead end."

Everyone takes a step towards them. The Blaires boldly maintains their ground. Cornelius raises his chin arrogantly and smiles.

"I will say no more," Cornelius says with this humorous, dark, chuckle. "But know this...I'm a man of my word."

The humor in his face dies. He turns and walks out the door with his wife Rebecca. His daughter, Arlene, is still staring at me. She is gazing at me with her wide, soulless, eyes.

"What are you staring at cunt?" Jessica asks while stepping in front of me.

Arlene's smile slowly fades away.

"I'm looking at a bunch of dead people," Arlene replies.

Jessica steps forward again, but Daniel grabs her shoulder.

"No Rave," he whispers to Jessica. "That's what she wants."

Rebecca, her mother, walks back into the doorway.

"Arlene, darling, let's go. We have better things to take care of. We will handle them later."

"You have a problem with me?" Arlene asks Jessica. "Let's see you do something about it..."

Jessica quickly steps forward. I knew this was coming. Jessica's knuckles collide with Arlene's nose. The strong jab makes her fall back onto the floor. Her mother, Rebecca, gasps and runs to her aid. Arlene quickly stands to her feet with anger exploding through her red face. I then see heavy veins covering her face. She then starts to breath deeper and deeper.

"Come on, bitch, I've waited a long time for this," Jessica says while cracking her knuckles.

Jessica charges forward at Arlene, but Daniel holds her back by her arm. Arlene attempts to charge as well, but Rebecca stops her.

"No Arlene, not now," her mother says while grabbing her daughter's shoulders.

"I'll kill her," Arlene says to Jessica aggressively. "I'll kill her whole family. All of them!"

"We will darling, we will. Let's go," she says while she escorts her daughter out of the store.

Arlene leaves a trail of blood from her bloody nose. Her mother pauses in the doorway, momentarily, to look over her shoulder at us.

"This is far from over," she tells us and leaves the store.

Finally, everyone drops their defensive stance. Jessica snatches her arm away from Daniel and places her anger onto him.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"I'm protecting Iva," he replies with narrow eyebrows.

The old man comes from the back room with a stuffed paper bag in his hand.

"You cleaned me out. We'll order some more later on this week."

The old man freezes when he notices Daniel and Jessica staring fiercely at one another.

"Is everything okay?" the old man asks.

Daniel turns away from Jessica, reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ten dollar bill, passes it to the old man, and snatches the bag off the counter. He quickly turns and walks out. The rest of us follow his lead.

"Sir, don't you want your change?" the old man calls to him but Daniel continues walking.

As Daniel steps onto the sidewalk, I see his back muscles harden. A pink t-shirt is lying on the pavement in front of his boots. I glance over at the SUV and notice the passenger's door is wide open. Clothes are scattered across the sidewalk.

"Whose clothes are those?" Maria asks everyone in an alarming voice.

I swallow nervously and reply...

"I did leave a book-bag in the back seat," I respond with fear in my voice.

Daniel shifts at Maria, and Maria looks back at him with concerned eyes. Daniel picks up my shirt and proceeds toward the SUV. Jason pulls me close to him as he surveys up and down the sidewalk. Daniel cautiously observes the inside of the car before turning to me.

"It's gone. The bag is gone," He states.

"Damn it," Jessica says loudly through her teeth.

I look around and notice their expressions flatten and their eyes become worrisome. Eric shakes his head slowly and adds...

"This is bad Mane, real bad," he says with concern.

"Why do they need my book bag?" I ask Daniel but he doesn't reply.

He turns to us again, trying his best not to show any kind of concern. To me, Daniel is the leader of the pack. Therefore, I understand him for not freaking-out like the rest of us.

"Come on, let's hurry back home," he says while turning away, wrapping around the front of the car, and getting in.

"Come on," Jason whispers to me.

Daniel ignores the speed limit and is now soaring back to the house.

"We should've killed them right then and there," Jessica says while shaking her head and looking out the window.

"And risk her safety?" Daniel asks from the driver's seat.

Jessica puffs loudly from the middle row.

"What were they doing in the car?" I ask with tense words.

"They are trying to get your scent," Daniel tells me.

"It shouldn't matter," Maria says from the middle seat. "They still can't track her scent to her house or ours."

"Then why take her book-bag?" Eric asks confusingly from the passenger seat.

"They must be getting desperate," Maria replies.

I try my best to calm myself down. Jason looks down at my nervous hands and grips them gently. I stare into his soothing eyes and rest my head against his firm chest.

"I wanted to rip that bitch head off so bad," Jessica presses on angrily.

"They're not stupid enough to fight us," Daniel explains. "They wanted us to lose our cool. It's all a mind game. You noticed that Kendrick wasn't with them. Cornelius kept us in the store while Kendrick checked for her scent. Arlene was a distraction. Only an idiot wouldn't see that."

"I swear...this is going to bite us in our ass," Jessica says bitterly.

"Point proven," Daniel replies.

"Guys, drop it. It's over," Jason interferes.

Jessica folds her arms and holds back her anger. Suddenly, a thought hits home, what if they use the scent from my backpack and track down my mother? They'll kill her.

"Can they use the book-bag to track where my mom works?"

"Iva, your mom will be okay. Don't panic," Maria says to me.

"I know but I think she should be warned," I plead to them.

"If we tell your mom what's really going on, she'll most likely call the cops. The Blaires has connections with powerful people. They will find out where we live. That will endanger all of us, including your mom," Daniel explains.

I sit back and keep my mouth shut. I suppose I have no other choice. I know they're sure about those herbs but.....what if they're wrong? Hellhound would rip her to pieces. Am I wrong for being afraid for my mother's life?

"She wouldn't have to worry about that if we had killed them, right then and there," Jessica says with anger.

"I'm done talking," Daniel replies to her.

Soon, we arrive back at the house and stops hard in the driveway. Jessica doesn't hesitate to leap out of the car and rush into the house.

"I can't do this anymore. I'm leaving," she announces to everyone...

CHAPTER 32: RAGE

(Narrator's perspective)

Iva and the others exit the SUV. Meanwhile, Jessica charges into the house, and Kenya watches her rush up the steps with irritation pouring out by the gallons. Maria comes in shortly after, pursuing after Jessica.

"What's going on?" Kenya asks Maria, but Maria continues through the living area and up the stairs.

"Let her leave. I don't care," Daniel says carelessly as he comes into the house.

"Here we go again," Eric says as he makes his way upstairs in attempt to calm his sister.

"I demand someone to tell me what's going on!" Kenya says loudly.

"We ran into the Blaires," Jason notifies her.

"Oh my goodness," Kenya blurts out.

"And instead of fighting, Mane decided to just leave, and then Raven started causing a scene," Jason explains.

Suddenly, stomping approaches the top of the stairs; stomping from a furious person. Jessica comes down the steps and stops halfway and gives Jason a deadly stare. Maria and Eric come down behind Jessica, standing behind her. Eric is holding on the back of her shirt so she can't move any further.

"Really, you're sticking up for him! They were threatening her! If they were in our shoes they wouldn't have thought twice about it!"

"I understand that," Jason defends himself. "But provoking a fight is not helping us at all."

"I was defending her. I swear...you guys have your heads so far up your asses," Jessica replies.

"Rave, you need to calm down, seriously," Maria says to Jessica.

"I'm tired of calming down. He's a coward," Jessica shouts down the stairs at Daniel.

"Stop this!" Kenya shouts at the top of her lungs.

Somehow her voice creates enough order to speak.

"This must stop now," Kenya says to everyone. "What has gotten into you all?"

Everyone eyes wanders away from Kenya as she continues to speak, ashamed at their child-like behavior.

"This is not the time for arguing like a bunch of children," Kenya tells them boldly.

"Hold on," Maria announces. "Where's Iva?"

They all were so busy arguing they didn't even notice that Iva never entered the house. The mood in the house changes as everyone looks around for her...

Chapter 33: THE TRUTH

(Iva's perspective)

Sometimes you must figure out when enough is enough. I'm tired of worrying about my mother. I'm tired of being a prisoner. All I want right now is to see my mother's face one last time. I just want everything to be the way I attended it to be.

Is that too much to ask? I just want a simple, normal, life like everyone else my age.

"Where are you going?" Someone says to me while I speed-walk down the road.

I look to my right and see Daniel driving sluggishly next to me in his black Charger.

"I'm going home," I inform him.

"And then what?" he asks.

"And then...and then I'll figure out the rest when I get there."

The car stops to a rough halt as I continue my way down this long, lonesome, road. I hear the door of the car closing behind me. I know he's going to try and stop me, but my mind is already made up. I'm going back home, where I belong.

"Hey wait," he pulls on my shoulder, turning me around to face him.

"Seriously, you're going to get yourself killed," he warns me with his strict eyes.

"I made my choice. This is my decision. I'm going home to my mom. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for any of this. I just want a safe, normal, life. Please let me go. It's not your choice to make."

He lets go off me with a slight hesitation. I then turn and continue with my walk. My words seemed to stop him from pursuing me because I don't hear his heavy boots strolling behind me anymore.

"If normal is what you're looking for, you will never find it," he says at a high volume. "Is that how you want to live the rest of your life? Going after something that doesn't exist?"

I continue walking and try my best to act as if no one is speaking.

"Can you just listen....please?!"

I try to fight the urge to stop but his plea manages to convince me otherwise. I rotate and give him my undivided attention. Slowly, he approaches me with his trademark scowl.

"Normal is not down this road, Iva. It's not at home or at any school. You will look and look until eventually you become frustrated with yourself."

Through his stern eyes, I see regret forming as he continues to lecture me.

"In the end, you realize there's no such thing. You are strange Iva. And so am I. You will drive yourself crazy trying to figure out why. Then you'll become angry. And then you will begin to take that anger out on others. If you really want to leave, fine. But I'm going to be real, there is no fucking fairytale ending down that road. There is no fucking happily ever after. Your dad is never coming back and this whole situation won't just disappear. Why? That's because fairytales belongs in books."

Daniel stops a foot away from me. I hate it when this happens, when someone tells you the unwanted truth. I begin to sob by his statement because I've been searching my entire life for normality. So many years I've wasted trying to find it.

"But...that's all I ever wanted. Why can't I just live a normal life?" I cry out with tears pouring down my face like a baby. "That's all I wanted."

"That's because it's not real. Do you see? Everyone is strange, but like us, some are just a little stranger than others."

He comes close to me and places his hands on my shoulders.

"You're not normal, nor will you ever be. And that's a marvelous thing. You are extraordinary. Don't ever try to settle for the norm, or else you will sell yourself short. And you're worth way more than that. Understand?"

I nod in agreement as the tears rolls down my cheeks. Then he pulls me into a hug. A hug I really needed from someone...

CHAPTER 34: FACING DEMONS

It's nothing wrong with crying, especially if you had things bottled-up for so long like I did. God knows I needed to get some things off my chest. Dealing with the idea that I will never be normal is difficult, but starting today, I will accept the fact that normal is just an invented word. Afterwards, Daniel and I travel back to the house in his Charger. We don't say another word to each other after our hug.

I learned a lot from him in that short moment. Although he was talking to me, I know he meant himself also. Behind the sternness, behind that stubborn mask, is a person who wants to better himself. But I think he just doesn't know where to start. As we enter into the living room the others are sitting patiently for our return.

The atmosphere in the room is modesty combined with a pinch of dishonor. I guess I would feel the same if I were in their shoes. Their spirits lift slightly as they see me come into the house with Daniel.

"We're happy to see you back," Kenya says meekly. "I'm so sorry about that unnecessary behavior. In fact, Raven, don't you have something to say?" Kenya says and then shifts at Jessica for a response.

I look over at Jessica, who is leaning up against the wall with her arms folded like an elementary kid. She can't even look anyone in the eye. She completely ignore Kenya's proposal. Eric comes over to Jessica and grabs her shoulder, pushing her toward the center of the room.

"Right there, perfect," Eric says to her.

He then places his fingers on his sister's lips and tries to mimic her...

"Guys, I'm sorry..." Eric says in a girly voice while manually trying to move her lips, but she quickly knocks his hand away.

"Stop it, idiot," she says to Eric.

She exhales one last time before apologizing.

"Sorry for my behavior," she says weakly to the room.

I can tell it's hard for her to apologize.

"And to others I offended," she finishes.

"The same here, I guess," Daniel adds modestly.

"I accept your apologizes. But don't think I left because of you guys. I left because of me. It was my decision. I guess everyone has their own demons to face sometimes. I just needed some fresh air, to clear my mind."

"Well, it's good that you stayed. Besides, who else would I pick on?" Jason says.

"Iva's right, maybe you all should take a walk," Kenya announces, but she's mainly looking at Daniel and Jessica. "That's what they want. If we are divided, we are weak. No one is leaving here. Understand?"

Everyone responds silently at her statement with a nod.

"Good. When you all come back I expect the table to be set," Kenya finishes and walks upstairs.

Jason approaches me with a hand presented, breaking my heart all over again.

"Come on, let's go," Jason says to me.

I break a smile and gladly take his hand.

"Where to?" I ask. "No more surprised cliff diving, I hope."

This makes him laugh.

"No cliff diving," he confirms with a snicker.

Together, we walk through the living room, into the kitchen, and out the back door.

"Wait up guys," Eric says behind us.

"Coming too..." Jessica says.

(Narrator's perspective)

As Iva, Jason, Eric, and Jessica leave the house...Maria approaches Daniel in the living room with a smile on her face.

"So, what did you tell her?' she asks her brother.

"I just told her what she needed to hear. It's what we all need to hear sometimes," he replies.

Maria softly nudges him on the shoulder as a good gesture and replies...

"I'm proud of you. Now, come on, let's catch up."

Daniel then slips in a deep thought and his sister notices it when she turns to him in the doorway. The word proud is not tossed around the house too often, especially to him.

"Coming or what...?" she asks.

He clears his throat as reality joins with his conscience.

"If you insist..." Daniel replies carelessly as he follows behind Maria...

CHAPTER 35: THE CONNECTION

The six of us are resting on top of the peak and conversing on the thin grass. Although it's fall, the temperature is fair and the sky is a vivid blue. The topic of choice is pretty much anything we can think of. Daniel keeps to himself most of the time, but at least he's actually hanging out with us. We talk and talk for hours.

Now, evening is creeping upon us, and the sky is showing signs of it by the faint pink discoloration on the clouds. And again, the conversation switches entirely as Eric asks an open question...

"Hey guys, what did you wanted to be after you left college? I wanted to be a stunt double," Eric admits.

"Stunt double? I always pictured you being a crash-dummy," Jason tells Eric.

Eric retaliates by throwing a twig at Jason.

"What about you funny-guy? Let's hear it," Eric asks Jason.

"A musician," he replies.

"Hair stylist," Maria joins the conversation.

"Make-up or tattoo artist," Jessica adds.

"An engineer, I suppose," Daniel says.

"I probably would've been a writer or editor, like my mom," I add.

"I'm sad to say that it doesn't matter anymore," Maria says.

That comment places us in a state of refinement. Now our minds have switched to a bleak mood. The possibility that the world may end soon is terrifying. It's more terrifying knowing that you're the only one that can prevent its destruction. The saying "Having the weight of the world on your shoulders" is more literal to me than anyone else.

"I can't believe I fell for their mind games," Jessica finally comes clean. "Who am I to talk down to you guys? I'm freaking bipolar."

"Don't beat yourself up sis. I'm always desperate for attention," Eric admits.

"Compulsive neat freak," Jason says.

"I get paranoid," Maria says.

"Anger. A lot of other things," Daniel confesses.

"Denial was my biggest problem," I conclude.

"Man, has reality hit you yet," Eric declares. "I mean, this is really happening. War will break out soon."

"Tell me about it. I've never fought in my life," I confess.

"What? Iva, you should've died a long time ago. Your one of the greatest fighters I've ever known," Jessica tells me.

"You think so?" I ask.

"I know so," Jessica states confidently.

"Only if we stay together then we will be unstoppable," Jason adds.

"Exactly..," Maria speaks with confidence. "We're family, and family sticks together no matter what comes our way."

A short pause comes over our discussion. Then out of nowhere, for no apparent reason, Daniel decides to stand and walk off. At first, I thought he was going to do his usual thing and disappear down the hill. He just stands up and walks closer to the cliff only to gape at something. As he stands there, a gust of warm wind sweeps through the peak. A moment later, Maria stands and joins him, then Eric, then Jessica, then Jason, and finally me.

That's when it catches my eye too. It's so glorious and mesmerizing to look at, especially from where we are standing. This gorgeous thing, that has us completely hypnotized, is nothing more but the sunset. Together, we gaze at something that's unreachable, yet so splendid and captivating in beauty. In this moment, I feel connected to them.

Not just by the beauty of the view but by the love we have for one another. We dare not speak and ruin the moment. Sometimes you just have to enjoy things silently. Another breeze comes through, and together we all close our eyes and take in the air; savoring this moment together...

CHAPTER 36: MY MOM'S DATE

While I'm sleeping comfortably in bed, I hear knocks on my bedroom door. I lift my face from my pillow and roll over on my back, groaning.

"Oh my goodness. You guys never let me sleep," I say with a yawn mixed in.

The door opens and Kenya comes in. She extends her hand forward with a phone in it.

"I'm sorry to wake you," she says in a whispering voice. "Your mom wants to talk to you,"

I grab the phone, clear my throat, and put it to my ear.

"Hello,"

"Hi, honey. So, I guess you're catching a ride to school with Maria, right?"

"School..?" I snap alert.

I glance at Kenya and she begins to ponder, but I think of a lie before her.

"Uh, um, yes, I'm catching a ride with Athena, I mean Maria."

"Okay, I'll pick you up at 4:30. Maybe you can tell me all about your awesome sleep-over when we meet up."

"Um, okay," I say with uncertainty.

"Have a nice day at school. I'll see you later. I love you," she says and then kisses me through the phone.

"Love you too, mom."

I press end on the phone and then I let out a long sigh.

"She thinks I'm going to school. What should I do?"

Kenya walks back and forth for a moment with her fingers against her lips.

"Don't go to school until later on. She'll pick you up and take you home. But, you can't stay the night."

"What about tomorrow?"

She paces back and forth again.

"Just tell her you don't want to go to school anymore."

"Then she'll definitely suspect something," I reply.

"Be convincing,"

"Okay, but what about home? I don't want to draw attention to her."

"Just stick to the plan and everything will be okay."

"Okay, just stick to the plan," I agree with her.

"You may get some more rest if you choose too."

She turns and walks out of the room. I collapse backwards onto my pillow and then release a long moan.

The time is now 4:04. We all exit through the front door and pile into the black SUV. I can feel the anxiety swelling within my stomach. We reverse out of the driveway and cruise up the road. I fill my lungs with oxygen and relieve them slowly. Jason reaches over and soothes my hand with his own.

"Don't worry. Everything is going to be just fine," he reassures me in a whisper. "Just think positive."

Ten minutes later, we're almost at school. I look out the window and see the park. It's barricaded by yellow tape and the grass is shredded with claw marks. Suddenly, a flashback of Hellhound resurfaces. I see him running towards me in my head. Then I see him swiping at me with his razor-sharp nails.

I can feel the horror returning all over again, so I swallow down hard and look away to ease the tension. Daniel switches on the turn indicator, which causes my heart to skip a beat. I see a police officer, dressed in a florescent-yellow vest, guiding traffic into the lot.

The school is still crawling with police officers. Thank God for that. The idea of men with guns lowers my heartrate a little. Daniel stops the car near the main entrance.

"We'll keep an eye out for you," Daniel says.

"Not that she'll need it. This place is crawling with cops," Eric says while looking out his window.

Jason rubs my shoulder before he lets me go. I unbuckle myself and duck out of the SUV. I strap my book-bag over my shoulders and step onto the walkway. They drive off and swing into a parking spot not that far from me. Eric gives me a solute from the passenger seat. I grin halfheartedly in response.

I fill my lungs and release them while my body switches to security mode. I look cautiously to my left, then to my right, and then behind me. I study the students strolling up and down the walkway. I'm keeping a good watch for anyone with blonde hair and blue eyes. Somehow, all of the blondes are sticking out like a sore-thumb.

I know it's just my mind playing tricks on me. I begin to bounce on my heels to help ease the jitters. I look at the road. I take out my cell-phone and review the time. My mom should be here soon. A clicking sound disturbs me, so I swiftly turn left to see a brunette girl walking with high-heeled boots.

I'm so nervous that the slightest noise makes me flinch. I breathe deeper in order to calm my frightened heart. Breathing doesn't help at all. I look left and right again. All I can see are these blonde students walking around me.

The brunettes, red heads, and dark haired students have slipped into the background. I then look forward at the cars on the road.

"Mom, hurry up," I say to myself.

I rotate my cell-phone and review the time on the screen. The time is 4:25. I shift over at the SUV; everyone is watching me, attentively. They're only yards away from me, yet they seem a lot further.

Someone bumps into me, softly, and I yelp. I turn to see this boy looking down at his cell-phone, texting. He looks up at me with a flat smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," he apologizes as he continues up the walkway.

My heart is beating super-fast right now. I look at a police officer twenty feet away, who is now defensive. I smile at the officer. His body loosens its defensive stance, and then he shifts back to his fellow officer, continuing a conversation they were having together.

I glance over at the SUV. Everyone is staring at me. Eric, on the other hand, is bouncing off his seat laughing his hardest at me. I roll my eyes and look forward again. At last, I see that familiar blue van rolling into the school lot.

A massive amount of weight falls off my shoulders. She stops in front of me and then rolls down the window, beaming. Somehow, the day just got brighter when she smiles at me from the driver's seat. I must say, it's great to see her beautiful face again. Those bright emerald eyes, her lustrous hair, and her supermodel smile, brings joy to my spirit.

"How was school?" she asks brightly.

"It was great mom," I actually lied while looking her in the eyes.

I grab the door handle.

"Iva?" I hear a familiar voice call out to me from behind.

I roll my eyes and mutter damn underneath my breath before turning around to face him. I rotate my body to see Professor Nelson approaching us with his hands in his pockets. As usual, he has his Sherlock Holmes stare on me.

"Hello, Professor Nelson."

I try my best to act normal.

"Hello, Miss Hill. What happened to class today?"

"Oh, um, class...?" I chuckle, nervously.

Think Iva, think.

"Yes, remember my class," he says with a raised eyebrow. "The one you didn't attend."

"Hello, are you her Professor?" my mom asks from the driver's seat.

My eyes roll once again. He walks towards the car, reaches in, and shakes her hand.

"I'm James Nelson. I'm very pleased to meet you ma'am,"

"I'm Julia. So, what seems to be the problem?" my mom instantly turns into a detective.

He looks down at me, peering through suspicious eyes, then back at my mom.

"I was just wondering why, Iva here, has missed my class today?"

My mom looks at me with suspicious eyes as well.

"Uh, um, I fell asleep in the student lounge. Sorry,"

"Did you have too much fun over the weekend?" he asks curiously.

"No, I just lost track of time."

My mom leans forward in the van so she can see him better.

"I was just wondering. How is she doing so far?"

"She's fair. But her tardiness needs to improve a bit."

"Hold on. Let me pull into a parking spot," she notifies him.

I look over at Eric in the SUV. He shrugs his shoulders with a confused expression, and I shrug back at him with the same level of confusion.

"I haven't seen Jason in class either, Miss Hill," Professor Nelson looks down at me with an observing pair of eyes. "I hope he's not becoming a distraction."

I gaze away from his eyes, not feeling embarrassed or guilty, yet annoyed. He's so nosy. It's going to get him hurt.

"This is a lot better," my mom says as she approaches him. "So, you say she's been tardy?"

"Just twice, the first time was the first day."

My mom looks over at me with a leer of her own. I shrug my shoulders at her and play stupid.

"I lost track of time."

"But I also told her..," Professor Nelson says but I interrupt.

"Excuses are not a major," I finished for him.

"Precisely," Professor Nelson replies.

My mom finally removes her leer off of me and shifts back to Professor Nelson.

"Well, what exactly are her weaknesses?"

He puffs slowly and thinks.

"It's mostly cellular development. That area needs some improvement."

I look around again at the students walking back and forth; still keeping a good, watchful, eye. I glance over at the SUV. Eric shrugs at me again. I shrug back.

"Iva," my mom obtains my attention.

I shift back to her swiftly.

"Huh?" I respond stupefied.

"Did you?" she asks.

"Did I what?"

"Did you study for the exam?"

"Oh, yes, definitely," I play along very well.

Professor Nelson looks at his watch.

"Look at the time, I have to go. But I would love to talk a little more if you don't mind."

My mom tilts her head as she stares deeply into Professor Nelson's eyes. All of a sudden, a bright grin appears across her face.

"I'd love that. When are you available?"

"We'll, I'm off at 5:00. Can we meet up around let's say...5:30?"

"That's sounds great," my mom says while beaming at him.

I try to rub the awkward feeling off my neck as Professor Nelson pulls out his cell-phone.

"What's your number? I'll give you a call as soon as I'm finished here."

My mom gives him her number and he saves it into his phone. I look at the SUV one more time. All of them look frustrated and confused.

"I'll see you at 5:30," Professor Nelson says, grinning through his brown beard.

"5:30 it is," my mom agrees.

Professor Nelson nods at me before walking away.

At last, I jump into the van and close the door.

"He's nice, isn't he?" my mom asks.

I nod softly and reply...

"Yeah, he's cool."

She leans forward and studies my expression.

"I know you hate me asking this, but are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay mom."

We exit the school lot and then blend into the evening commute. I exhale, feeling relieved to be away from the school finally. I glance into my side mirror. I can see the black SUV two cars behind us. I straighten my body and get into character.

"Mom..."

"Hmmm," she responds.

"I was thinking about something."

"Like what?"

"School."

"What about it?"

"It's been hard, going there. I've been having a very difficult time concentrating."

She looks at me with grief in her eyes.

"I know honey. I'm so sorry about your Professor," she says in a comforting tone. "That's a very sad thing."

"I was thinking about what you said. Maybe school is not a good idea right now," I continue.

She gazes at me with an understanding look in her eyes.

"It's your decision. You can always go back when things settle down."

I sigh. The more I talk about Professor Grant, the more I don't need to put on an act.

"I know," I swallow down hard.

"If you want to wait for things to calm down, then I totally understand."

"That's one thing down," I think to myself.

The car is silent the rest of the way back home.

Soon, we turn left on Meigs street and pull into the driveway of my second home. She shuts the engine off and exits the van. I get out and glance over my shoulder as the SUV parks a couple of houses down. We enter the house and then I quickly settle into the living area.

I find the remote stuck in-between the couch cushions and switch on the flat-screen TV. I flip to a channel with a random movie. I act as if I'm watching TV, but I can't focus on it no matter how hard I try. My mom goes into the kitchen, scrambling through some pots and pans.

"What do you want for dinner, honey?" my mom asks from the kitchen.

"Um, it doesn't matter."

"What about some chicken casserole?" she asks.

"That sounds great."

My cell-phone vibrates. I dig it out of my pocket and look at the number. It's Daniel. I jump to my feet quickly.

"Hello..." I answer as I walk into my room.

"What's going on?" Daniel asks.

"Hey, I'll be out there in a second," I say in a secretive voice.

"You're not ready to go?" he asks.

I sigh over the phone.

"No. I'll talk to you about it. I'll be out in a minute."

"Make it quick," he disconnects abruptly afterwards.

I walk back into the living room quietly and maintain my spot on the couch.

"Hey, honey," she calls out to me from the kitchen.

"Yeah."

"Can you take the trash to the curb for me?"

"Yes."

That's what I call perfect timing. I throw on a pair of shoes and rush out of the front door. I look over at the SUV. I put my pointer-finger into the air, jog to the side of the house, and pull the trashcan down to the curb. I glance behind me to make sure my mom doesn't see me walking away from the house. I walk swiftly up the street. Daniel lowers the passenger window as I approach them.

"What's up?" Eric asks from the passenger's seat.

"Professor Nelson is coming over for dinner," I say in a low secretive voice.

"What?" Daniel asks confusingly.

"Shit. They can easily follow him," Eric states.

"What should I do? They already made plans."

Eric looks over at Daniel and he begins to ponder.

"When he comes, we'll keep an eye out for the Blaires," Daniel tells me.

"I don't know about this," Eric says in a low concerned voice.

"You have your cell with you. Keep it on," Daniel says before rolling the window up again.

I walk back down the street and into the house, and then lock the door behind me. I sit down on the couch and begin to pick at my nails. I look down at my cell-phone. It's only 5:10. In twenty minutes, I'm going to find out if Eric's prediction is right or wrong. Automatically, my right heel begins to bounce on the floor.

I try my best to keep my mind sane, but it's impossible. I look down at my cell-phone. You have to be kidding me. The time is 5:16 already. Time flies when you don't want it to.

"What do you want for dessert?" she asks from the kitchen.

"It doesn't matter. Anything is fine," I say as I begin to chew on my fingernails.

I look at my phone for the third time. It just hit 5:22. I spit a nail on the floor before standing and walking to the front window. I separate the curtains and make an opening in the blinds. I peek through the blinds and see the SUV parked right next door. I walk away from the window and collapse onto the couch. I then proceed chewing my nails once more. I check the time again. It is now 5:27.

I then hear a car engine outside of our house. I stand up and head over to the window again. A silver sedan is parked in front of our house. The car engine stops rumbling, and then Professor Nelson gets out of the car. He adjusts his gray suit and brushes back his brown hair before walking towards our house.

"Is that him?" My mom says beside me, which makes me flinch.

"Oh, yes, that's him," I reply tongue-tied.

"Why didn't you open the door silly?"

I walk across the living room and sit on the couch while she lets him in.

"Hello," Professor Nelson says brightly.

"Welcome," she springs back cheerfully.

She closes the door behind him.

"Make yourself comfortable," she tells him.

He comes in with a smile.

"May I get you something to drink?" my mom asks helpfully.

"Water would be nice, thank you."

Professor Nelson keeps his smile on me as he sits down on the recliner.

"No studying?" he asks me with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I, um..."

"She's not sure if she wants to go back," my mom interrupts as she hands him the icy-cold water.

He shifts back to me.

"Why?" he asks disappointingly.

I look away.

"I want to go...but, just not right now."

"She's still recovering from, you know," my mom adds.

Professor Nelson nods his head.

"Well, everyone is still distraught about the recent events," he says while looking down. "But there's always room for an education."

"That's true but...not right now," I reply.

He takes a sip of the water and places it down on the coffee table.

"I totally understand," he says in a low voice.

"Are you hungry? I'm cooking chicken casserole," my mom asks him enthusiastically.

"Thanks a lot Julia, but I had a big lunch today," he replies.

"Okay," my mom replies as she takes a seat. "So, tell us a little about yourself, James. Have you lived here your whole life?"

"Yes, I have. I did moved some years back only to attend Yale. That's where I received my masters."

"That's impressive," my mom compliments him.

Professor Nelson brown beard stretches. I can see his cheeks turning red.

"It was a fun experience," he continues speaking. "But as the old saying goes, there's no place like home."

"The same here..," my mom agrees with him. "I moved to Virginia just to move right back."

"So, who's the athlete?" he asks while staring at something across the room.

My mom follows his gaze over to the fireplace, where several trophies are resting. He looks at me with a smile.

"No way, not me, I'm nowhere near athletic. Leave that to my mom and my uncle."

"I was more of a wiz than athletic," my mom explains. "A lot of those are from my chess tournaments."

Professor Nelson turns his face slightly and gives my mom a smirk.

"You're a chess-player?" he asks with a newly found interest in her.

"Yes. Do you play?"

He chuckles.

"Do I? I went to the nationals and won," he says with a grin.

"Well, I wasn't lucky enough to go to nationals. But I was the best in Rochester."

"The best...?" he backfires. "I never lost a match."

"Sounds like a challenge to me," my mom tells him.

"I accept your challenge," he replies while smiling back at her.

Five minutes later, my mom comes downstairs with her old, dingy, chessboard. They make enough space for two armchairs on each side of the coffee table. Soon, all of the chess pieces are set up correctly. Now, they're minds are locked in a game of wits. I watch on as they concentrate on the board. I look at them, then at the front door, and back at them again.

I'm now down to my last nail. I glance at my mom as she makes her move. Professor Nelson rubs his beard and ponders for a moment. He moves a piece. Now, it's my mom's turn again. She slips into a mental dispute. She can't seem to make up her mind.

"You're move," he says with a cocky smirk.

She ponders for a moment and moves a knight. He rubs his chin. I can see his mind working, diligently. A moment goes by and he can't seem to decide his next strategy.

"You're move," my mom says in a mocking tone.

A smile appears on his face as he moves a pawn forward. My mom face goes blank. She begins to bite the insides of her cheek while she decides on her next attack. She blows hard through her nostrils and then reaches her hand for a knight, but quickly reevaluates, and reaches for a pawn instead. She then moves it forward, hesitantly.

Professor Nelson lets out a small chuckle, moves a piece, capturing her king.

"Checkmate," he says with excitement.

My mom exhales loudly.

"Wow, you are good. I didn't stand a chance," my mom admits.

"I told you, I've never lost a match, and never will."

Someone starts knocking on our front door.

"You're expecting someone?" she asks me.

I shake my head with a stupefied look. My mom gets up and marches towards the door.

"Who is it?"

"Maria," a voice says on the other side of the door.

My mom pulls open the door and let's everyone in.

"Hello Maria...and company," she says brightly.

"Hi," they all greet my mom together.

"Well, come in. It seems like we have a little party going on in here," she says with a giggle.

They all enter and scatter around the living room.

"What's up, guys?" I try to sound surprised to see them.

"We wanted to see if you wanted to hangout?" Maria says with big, gesturing, eyes.

"Oh, okay," I reply like the terrible actress that I am.

Professor Nelson looks over his shoulder.

"How is everyone doing this evening?" he asks.

Everyone mumbles the word fine.

"Come on in everyone..." my mom says. "...take a seat."

Everyone scans around for a vacant spot. Daniel is the only stubborn one who doesn't want to sit down.

"Do you all want something to drink?" my mom asks them politely.

Everyone refuses her offer by muffling the words "No thank you".

"You guys are playing chess?" Maria asks. "Who's winning?"

Professor Nelson looks over at her with a grin.

"I already won."

He shifts his eyes back to my mom.

"Dare to give it another try?" he asks.

My mom throws her hands up and says...

"You won without trying. I don't need to embarrass myself in front of all these people."

He laughs at her.

"I remain undefeated," he says with confidence.

"Daniel plays chess. He's pretty good too," Maria announces.

Professor Nelson looks over his shoulder at Daniel.

"Mr. Cruz, I didn't see you there. Do you want to give it a shot?"

"I only play good people," Daniel replies straightforwardly.

Everyone chuckles, but I can tell he wasn't joking.

"You're looking at a national champion," Professor Nelson counters.

"Okay. One game," he says.

Daniel walks over and positions himself in front of the board.

Ten minutes later, they're locked into a harsh duel. The concentration on their faces is nothing short of brutal.

"You're move," Professor Nelson says.

Daniel debates, debates, and debates some more. He sighs and moves a knight. Professor Nelson's mind slips away into a deep concentration. He moves a piece with a ray of confidence in his eyes. Daniel concentrates hard on the board. Professor Nelson lets out a grin.

"Can you feel it breathing down your neck?" he chuckles at Daniel. "That's the walls closing in on you. You're trapped."

I see it in Daniel's eyes. He is unable to layout his next move. He focuses harder than before and maneuvers a knight with a hint of concern in his eyes. Professor Nelson swiftly makes his final move and says...

"Checkmate."

Everyone looks astonished.

"Wow. Daniel finally lost in chess," Eric says in awe. "He never loses."

Daniel looks up at Professor Nelson and nods to him.

"That was a great game," Daniel informs him.

"You actually had me defeated but you didn't see it. I was actually starting to sweat a bit. You think outside the box too much. I notice that about you. You tend to avoid the obvious. That's why you lost."

"We should play again, some other time," Daniel says.

"I can't turn down a good game of chess," he replies.

Professor Nelson looks at his watch and stands to his feet.

"Julia, it's been a delight, but I need to head out."

"Thank you for stopping by and kicking my ass in chess."

Professor Nelson laughs.

"It was my pleasure," he responds. "I hope everyone has a great night," he says before leaving the house.

"You too," Everyone mumbles as he leaves.

My mom locks the door behind him. Maria clears her throat and gestures secretively towards the door. We all stand up and prepare to leave.

"Hey mom, I'm going to Maria's tonight."

"Oh, um, you're not hungry? Dinner is almost done."

"No, I'll pick up something on the way out."

"Okay. Be safe. Keep your cell-phone on, please."

"Okay."

"Alright, have fun.

We begin to walk out but Jason stops to look at Daniel, who is still in the armchair staring at the chessboard. Daniel seems to be contemplating his loss.

"Daniel?" Jason calls to him.

He breaks away from his inner thoughts and looks up at Jason.

"Yeah, I'm coming," Daniel responds.

He stands up and then walks through the front door along with us.

"See you later, mom," I say as I step off the porch and onto the pathway.

"See you later, sweetie," she replies from the porch.

I stop in my tracks and walk back to my mom, and hug her firmly. I hug her as if it's the last hug I'll ever get from her. She wraps her arms around me and whispers...

"You're not embarrassed to hug your mother in front of your friends?"

I giggle and reply...

"No. I'm proud to."

I stop chuckling and swallow down my emotions.

"I love you, Iva," her angelic voice whispers softly into my ear.

"I love you more," I reply.

We break apart. I swiftly walk off the porch steps and down the walkway. I secretively wipe a tear from my eye as I approach the SUV.

"And don't forget to buckle up," she says.

"I won't," I reply without turning.

We pile into the SUV. I stare outside the window as my mom waves at us. Then we cruise away down the street...

CHAPTER 37: THE MESSAGE

We park in their driveway without leaving tire marks on the pavement. One by one, we abandon the SUV. As we walk towards the house, the front door swings open. Kenya steps aside as we enter the living room together.

"What took you all so long?" she asks in an alarmed tone.

"A human came around her house, a teacher from school," Daniel answers.

"Was he followed?" she asks with distress.

"No, we didn't see anyone," Daniel responds.

"Are you certain?"

Daniel becomes frustrated by her questioning.

"Yes. I'm sure."

Kenya holds her forehead and proceeds to shake her headache away.

"The last thing I want right now is more innocent people killed," she stops and looks at the floor, contemplating. "You all should've lured him away somehow."

Daniel rubs the back of his head and looks away.

"Listen, mom, he was not followed. No one is gonna get hurt."

She looks up at me with worry in her eyes, and I can feel the concern transferring over to me. Then she shifts her eyes at the rest of them.

"We don't want the humans involved. They can attract needless attention or get killed. I don't want any more blood on my hands."

She then tries her best to bury that worried expression.

"Did you manage to convince her about school?" she asks me.

"Yes, I did."

"Okay, that's good," she replies bleakly.

She rotates and walks into the dining room.

"Well, I'm happy that's settled," she says with a hint of uncertainty. "You all go wash your hands and help me prepare the table."

Everyone quietly empty the living room and walks upstairs. I, on the other hand, slip into a slight trance. The worry in Kenya's eyes has me thinking about my mom again. When I feel a warm hand touching my shoulder, I blink back into reality. I look up and see Jason looking down at me with his precious blue eyes.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he says soothingly.

I nod to him softly.

"Come on," he proceeds with a smile. "I'm starving. What about you?"

I let out a smile before walking with him upstairs. I actually managed to eat a full meal today, although I'm still a bit nervous about my mom. I begin to consider Jason's advice. What if I don't need to worry? I disobey my negative thoughts, yet somehow I keep getting this bad vibe in the pit of my stomach.

After dinner, Jason walks me upstairs. He can read me like an opened book, or maybe I'm just that obvious. He looks deeply into my eyes and says...

"Keep your mind off her. She'll be fine. I promise."

His charming smirk and warm embrace did good damage to my paranoia. We break off into our separate rooms, but before we depart ways he winks at me and then says "Catch you later". Luckily my body didn't fight much to fall asleep...

Surprisingly, I wake up while the sun is out. I didn't toss or turn all night long. Somehow, I feel totally refreshed. It's a brand new day. I don't need to worry about yesterday anymore. I wake up with a feeling that my mom will be just fine. I yawn and rub my eyes before sitting up in bed. I hear busy feet and commotion outside my room, so I walk over to peep into the hallway to see what's going on.

"Hey, what's up guys?" I say to Jessica and Maria, who are about to make their way downstairs.

They turn to me with a smile.

"Oh my God, what's up with your hair?" Jessica says with a huge grimace.

Maria sees my hair too and giggles at it. I look up to see my curls hanging in my face.

"It's not funny. I have frizz problems, sometimes."

Suddenly, Eric and Jason comes out of the room across from me, arguing about which baseball team is better. Their eyes lands onto my hair and then their conversation ceases almost immediately. Eric's jaw drops and Jason smiles brightly.

"Holy shit," Eric says to me, well not to me, but to my hair.

I puff out air and shut the door close.

"Dude what the hell was that?" Eric's voice echoes into my room.

I cover my face in embarrassment.

"Dude, seriously, what the hell was that on Iva's head?" Eric asks again.

I begin to giggle to myself.

"I have no idea," Jason replies.

"She looks like one of those troll-dolls," Eric makes fun of me.

Everyone burst into laughter in the hallway. I walk over to my bed and flops face first onto a pillow. I moan in attempt to get this embarrassing feeling off my back. My self-esteem level has just hit rock-bottom.

Eventually, I lift my face and decide to start the day. I pick out a nice blue shirt, a pair of denim jeans, and a fresh towel from the linen closet. I try to remain unseen as I sprint across the hallway to the bathroom. I didn't waste much time doing my hair. I figured a nice, fluffy, ponytail would do just fine.

I walk back into my room and check my appearance in the door mirror. The mirror allows me to see my entire reflection from head to toe. I'm happy with the final results. I give my reflection a smile before opening the door. I'm starting to believe that Jason is some kind of mind reader. We both exit our rooms simultaneously. We instantly laugh at one another.

"The stalker strikes again," he tells me.

"Yeah, I know, I have to file a restraining order against you."

He laughs at my counter insult.

"Good comeback," he compliments me.

He then looks up at my bushy ponytail and says...

"I see you tamed the beast, or whatever it was."

I giggle mildly.

"I tried to."

He looks down into my eyes with a super-charming smirk.

"I still think you're cute, even on your worst hair days."

I tuck my lips in and feel my cheeks beginning to burn.

"Thanks," I reply.

We walk downstairs and into the dining room, where everyone is eating at the table. I'm totally surprised to see Daniel sitting down at the table today.

"Are you hungry, Iva?" Kenya asks.

"Yes," I reply."

"Come, have breakfast with us."

I sit down at the table and Jason sits next to me.

Kenya places a plate of scrambled eggs and two blueberry pancakes in front of me. She gives Jason his plate afterwards.

"You made it down today," I say to Daniel with amazement.

"Surprising isn't it?" Kenya asks.

Daniel shakes his head and continues eating without saying one word.

"Iva," Kenya calls to me while she reads the morning paper. "Margie's relatives are dying to meet you. You should make yourself acquainted with them today,"

"Oh, yeah. Aero and Rave's aunt and uncle, right?"

"Yes. That's if you want to go."

"I don't mind."

Maria nudges me on the shoulder.

"A ponytail, is that it?" Maria interrogates.

"Yeah, I just gave up on it. It's the humidity that does it."

Maria looks into my eyes, then at my hair, and into my eyes again.

"What?" I ask in a curious tone.

"Hey Rave," Maria calls to Jessica, yet she's still looking at my hair.

"Yeah," Jessica answers.

"I think we should do something about this problem."

She looks over at Jessica and gestures to my hair. Jessica lips shifts sideways as she gazes at my hair. I can see her mind contemplating something mischievous.

"What are you two thinking about?" I ask curiously.

They look at me and back at each other.

"It's worth a shot," Jessica says to Maria with a twisted face.

After some peer pressure, we meet in Maria's room after breakfast. I can't believe I'm actually letting them do this, but at the same time, it's a little exciting to finally get some girl time. As I sit down in a chair, Jessica and Maria get some equipment prepped.

"Okay guys, nothing to crazy," I tell them nervously.

"Okay," Jessica says as she places a makeup kit on the dresser next to me.

"Have you ever had your hair done?" Maria asks.

"Not really," I reply.

Out the corner of my eye, I can see Jessica putting several small jars on top of the dresser. I turn to her with my jaw dangling.

"What's all that?" I ask them in a high volume.

Maria shifts my face away from the dresser.

"Leave that to us," Maria says with her chin in the air. "Stay right there. Don't move a muscle."

She turns and walks towards the door. When she opens the door, Eric falls flat onto the floor. Jason swiftly plays a fool, turning away and walking down the hall.

"What are you doing?" Maria asks the back of Eric's head.

Eric pushes himself onto his knees and places his ear onto the door and knocks gently on it.

"It seems like this door has no termites either," he whispers to himself.

"Termites? What the fuck are you talking about? Get out!" Jessica yells at her brother.

Eric shoots up and walks down the hallway. Maria sighs and shakes her head.

"Be right back," she informs me.

She leaves the room for a minute and comes back with a box in her hands. She takes something out the box and plugs it into the wall.

"What's that?" I ask with a pinch of worry.

"Oh, it's a flatiron," Maria responds.

"You're going to burn my hair?"

"Yeah," she says in a duh kind of way.

"I don't want to be bald."

Maria and Jessica's eyes instantly meet. They then explode with laughter.

"It doesn't burn your hair off, crazy," Jessica says with a giggle.

"It straightens it," Maria adds. "Girl, you really have to get out more."

"Oh, okay. That makes a lot more sense."

It's been almost an hour. It's taking forever for Maria to comb through my hair. I can't help but cringe as she struggles to untangle my hair by each firm stroke. Afterwards, she massages some kind of liquid onto my scalp; a leave-in conditioner of some sort. Jessica is busy powdering my face and putting eyeliner on me. Then Maria puts her flatiron to the test. She slowly straightens a bunch of my hair at a time. Another thirty minutes later, I'm growing impatient.

"Are you two almost done?" I ask.

"Yup," Jessica says cheerfully.

Suddenly, someone knocks on the door softly.

"Who is it?" Maria asks.

"Hey, we're just wondering what you guys are doing? Eric asks.

"Go away!" Jessica yells angrily.

A hush comes over the room, but then I hear this low conversation taking place outside the door. Eric starts snickering about something before he clears his throat.

"Hey, I need a comb," Eric whispers through the door.

"For what?" Jessica backfires with aggravation.

"For my hair dumbass," Eric responds.

"When did you start combing your hair?" Jessica fires back.

Eric gets tongue-tied for a second.

"It's not for me, it's for Courage."

"Bullshit, he has combs," she fires back.

"Then it's for me," Eric replies. "And I really need it badly because...I just do."

Maria groans and picks up a comb from the dresser. She unlocks the door and then grabs the handle...

"Wait..." Jessica says very low.

Maria freezes and looks over at her.

"Slide it under the door," Jessica tells her in a whisper.

Maria locks the door again. She then kneels down and slides the comb under the door.

"Shit," Eric whispers lowly.

I can hear Jason snickering outside the door. Eric clears his throat again.

"Uh, thanks a lot," Eric says. "But I'm going to need some, uh, hair-gel. I need the biggest, non-flat, bottle you have."

I burst out into laughter.

"Aero, quit it, seriously," Jessica says with frustration.

"Come on guys, we just want to see," Jason says.

"We'll be down in five minutes," Maria informs them.

"We don't negotiate with terrorists," Jason replies. "We demand to speak to the hostage."

"Yeah, we need to know that she's okay," Eric adds.

"I'm okay guys," I reply.

"Iva, is that you? Thank God you're safe," Jason says in a relieved tone.

"Now, can you stop eavesdropping and go away?" Jessica asks.

"Oh, Okay," Eric says in a childish tone. "Just hurry up."

I then hear their feet marching away from the door.  
"Finally," Maria says to herself.

"Keep your mouth still for me," Jessica says as she applies the red lipstick. "Okay, now rub them."

I roll my lips around in a circular motion to get the crimson color on evenly.

"Wow, you look amazing," Jessica says with a bright grin.

I feel the jitters bouncing inside my stomach.

"Bring me the mirror," I reach forward with fluttering hands.

Jessica grabs the mirror off the dresser.

"Not yet. I'm not done," Maria says.

I drop my hands and poke my bottom lip out like a little child.

"Don't worry, I'm almost done," Maria assures me.

Seconds later, Maria puts the flatiron down on the dresser and switches it off. They both walk backwards and observe my appearance with amazed expressions.

"How do I look?" I ask with my excitement overflowing.

But they're way too deep in a daydream to respond. I scan the dresser and find the mirror. I gasp loudly when I see my reflection.

"Oh my God," I utter as I gawk at my reflection.

I look in the mirror to see this supermodel beaming back at me. Her hair is straight and curled at its tips. Jessica did a perfect job at getting rid of my annoying blemishes. I just refuse to believe it. It's impossible for me to look this beautiful, right?

"You like it?" Maria asks anxiously with her hands pressed together.

"Yes, I love it," I reply honestly with my throat beginning to burn. "I mean, I can't believe it....I'm...I'm finally beautiful," I finish while swallowing down my emotions.

"You can cry. But not now," Jessica tells me. "I don't want your mascara to run."

"Okay," I reply.

"We have to go show my mom," Maria demands.

I stand to my feet. Jessica opens the door for me as I walk out into the hallway. I proceed down the hallway with the jitters spinning wildly inside me. I walk slowly downstairs and into the living room, feeling like a princess going to a ball. I see Kenya, Jason, and Eric waiting on the sofa. They stop breathing when they see me coming.

"Who is this?" Kenya says, nearly having a heart-attack.

She runs to me with her hands pinned against her chest.

"Who is this beautiful girl in front of me?" she asks in utter amazement.

She pulls me into a tight hug and leans back with a huge smile, studying me.

"This is how a queen ought to look," she tells me with amazement.

I try my best not to smile too much. Kenya steps back so Eric and Jason can see me better. Their faces are priceless.

"You look awesome," Eric says with a side grin.

"Thanks, Aero,"

Jason stands to his feet and approaches me.

"You look beautiful," he smiles honestly.

Somehow, I manage to smile even harder. And here comes Goliath, marching like a tortoise down the steps. Everyone steps aside so Daniel can see my new appearance. He turns and spots me standing in the center of the living room. His stern look disappears and is replaced by an unreadable expression. Maria clears her throat loudly for a response from him. His eyebrows go narrow again.

"What's the big deal?" he says while grabbing the keys of the dining table.

"Seriously, how does she look?" Maria demands a better response from her brother.

He nods his head.

"Great job," he responds boringly.

Even though that compliment is halfhearted, it still means a lot coming from Daniel. He makes his way through the crowd and exits through the door.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted," Jessica says as she walks out the door.

"He's always ruining the moment," Maria says as she marches out the door behind Jessica.

Eric follows. Jason lifts his elbow into the air, which I grab without thinking twice. We exit the house and cram into the SUV, one by one.

"Be safe!" Kenya shouts as we reverse out the driveway and cruise up the road.

"Iva, just a heads up," Eric calls out from the front passenger's seat. "Be warned. Our aunt has a mole on her face. She hates it when people stare at it."

I giggle.

"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind."

Suddenly, my cell-phone alert goes off. I dig into my jacket and pull out my phone. I discover a text message from my mom that reads...

"HELP ME"

I gasp and catch my heart before it burst from my chest. I place my other hand on Jason's shoulder firmly.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

I look into his eyes with a frighten gaze. It takes a moment for the words to come out of my mouth.

"My mom..." I stop talking to breathe.

Maria turns her head towards me.

"What's wrong?" she asks urgently.

"They have my mom. She sent me a text," I can feel the panic inside me building momentum.

Everyone snaps alert. Jessica turns to me with shock in her eyes and asks...

"Are you serious? How do you know?"

"What did the text say?" Daniel asks in an urgent voice from the driver's seat.

I gulp again, this time it goes down with difficulty.

"It said help me," I reply.

"Shit, you have to be kidding me," Eric says.

Daniel slams his hand against the steering wheel and yells...

"Damn it."

The car skids to a rough stop. He turns the car around then zooms down the road at full-speed. My worst fear has become a reality. My mom's life is at stake. I find her number in my phone and press call.

I wait for the dial tone. It's ringing and ringing nonstop.

"She's not answering," I speak in a panicky voice.

"Keep trying," Daniel orders me.

Suddenly, I hear her voice.

"Mom..," I stop talking, realizing it's her voicemail greeting.

"Is that her?" Jason asks.

"No, it's her voicemail."

I press call another time. Again, it rings constantly until her voicemail answers. My heart feels like it's going to explode right now. I press call again with my quivering thumb, hoping she will answer this time.

"Fuck. It's going straight to voicemail," I cry out loud.

"The house phone, try that," Jason says.

I stop and think for a moment.

"We only have cell-phones,"

"Call mom," Maria tells Daniel.

"I'm about to," he responds.

I continue to dial her number, but once again it goes straight to voicemail.

"Fuck," I mutter.

I can feel tears slide down my cheeks as I give it another useless try. Jason pulls me close and holds me.

"It's going to be alright Iva," he whispers into my ear.

"Mom..," Daniel says into his phone. "They've got Julia. Yes.....we're heading over there now," he says and disconnects.

The engine goes wild as we zoom through traffic. We fly pass cars on the highway like a rabbit to a mob of turtles. My heart is beating rapidly the entire way to Rochester. The car slides sideways, burning rubber, as we turn onto Meigs street. Daniel race down the street and lowers the car speed.

"What?" Eric blurts out with confusion.

I look out the window and see my mom pulling the trashcan from the curb in her pajamas. She turns and shows off her pearly-whites. I exhale deeply and wipe the tears from my face. Daniel rolls down the windows with a baffled look.

"Hey guys," My mom says in her normal, not threaten for her life, kind of tone.

"Uh, um, Iva just had to stop by a get something," Daniel says to her.

He shifts his face to me.

"Oh, yeah, right," I say as I unbuckle myself and get out of the car.

My mom jaw drops and her eyes broaden when she sees me.

"What happened to your hair?" she asks shockingly.

I try my best to appear normal and not emotionally distressed.

"I got it done," I reply.

"Who did it?"

"That was me and Jessica," Maria responds.

My mom grins and nods her head with an impressed look upon her face.

"I love it. It fits you well."

"I'm glad you like it," I force a smile across my face.

Together, we stroll up the walkway and onto the porch steps.

"Hey, guess what? Your uncle wants to meet up for dinner. He's going to flip when he sees you," she says as we walk into the house.

"Oh, really, that's awesome," that line came out somewhat convincing.

"He wants to hangout tonight."

"Not tonight, um, I'm busy," I say as I rush into my room and look around for something to grab.

I pick up something random off my bed and start to walk out of the room, but my mom folds her arms and leans inside the doorway; blocking me from leaving.

"You came all the way back home for a shirt?" she looks at me suspiciously.

"Um," I look down at the shirt I grabbed and then back at her. "Yeah."

"You're acting strange. It's bugging me out."

I blow out loudly. My frustration is totally showing its true colors towards her.

"Mom, I'm cool. Please, don't start."

"Have you been crying? Your mascara is a little runny."

I clear my throat as my brain comes up with a decent lie.

"No, um, it's just been irritating me. That's all."

She grins halfheartedly.

"Okay. Well, Frank will be over this evening. I think some family time would be nice."

"No mom, I told you already, not today," that line came out a little rude so I revise. "I mean, just not today okay?" I finish in a milder tone.

She throws her hands up. I guess my irritation caused her to surrender.

"Okay, okay," she says.

She turns away from me, but I stop her from proceeding into the hallway.

"Mom" I call to her. "I was just wondering, where's your phone? I tried calling you earlier and I couldn't reach you."

"I don't know. I was destroying the house looking for it. I must have dropped it somewhere, maybe in the parking lot yesterday. I just don't know where my mind is sometimes," she continues, thinking hard about where it could be.

"Well, mom, I have to run."

I walk over and give her a tight hug again.

"I love you, mom," I say while holding a lump in my throat.

My mom gently pushes me away from her. She stares deeply into my eyes, which are stinging badly right now.

"Iva, I'm not a psychic, but you've never been that hard to read. What is going on, really?"

"Mom, it's complicated. One day, when the time is right, I'll tell you everything. It's nothing to worry about."

That's the biggest lie I ever told her.

"I'll be fine. Call me later," I say as I walk pass her.

She sighs and follows me into the living room. Before I leave the front door, I turn to her.

"And mom, do me a favor, lock the front door okay?"

"Oookay..." she replies with uncertainty.

"Love you, see you later."

I walk out the house and hurry into the SUV, taking my spot next to Jason.

"What's going on?" Daniel says, eyeing me in the rear-view mirror.

"She thinks she dropped her phone in the school parking lot."

"Those bastards are toying with us," Eric states.

Daniel breathes out slowly as he starts the car.

"Well, we're not playing any of their games," he says as we glide down the street.

"Thank God she's safe," Maria says in a relieved voice from the middle row.

"Yeah," I agree with her.

My heartrate finally starts to slow down. Daniel puts his cell-phone to his ear as he drives with one hand on the steering wheel.

"Mom......yeah she's fine....I don't know.........she might have dropped it at the school lot..........alright we'll be there soon," he hangs up.

We head back to Glenworth, going the normal speeds limit.

"But why would they do that?" Maria thinks out loud. "Why would they make a false message? It doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know," Daniel says.

"Those bastards," Jessica says angrily. "I have a bad feeling. Why would they do something like that for no reason?"

"They're planning something. I just know it," Eric says.

"Well, whatever they're planning, we have to be ready," Daniel adds. "It's going to be okay, Iva," he assures me through the rear-view mirror.

Jason puts his arm around me. I look into his eyes and smile. I then shift my eyes out of the window to watch the thick clutter of trees fly by in a blur. Then I see something strange. Something large is moving with us.

I gasp. It's three of them, one is brown with a white patch on its eye, the other white, and the last one is gray. They are dashing through the woods. I quickly turn to Jason, his eyes meets mine. He sees the horror in my face. I look forward and yell...

"Wolves!"

But it's too late for a warning. I shift my face out the window again. These massive wolves leap out of the woods at full-speed. Simultaneously, they ram the car on the side with a massive blow.

My body jerks left and right like a rag-doll as the world spins around me. My neck jerks violently and slams against the glass window. Now everything is completely black...

CHAPTER 38: THE DEAD END

(Narrator's perspective)

The combined impact of all three wolves made the SUV flip several times. Now, it's upside down and resting against a tree on the opposite side of the road. The metal on the right passenger side is smashed, the glass from the windows are scattered among the road, and the front of the car is steaming.

Inside the car, Daniel shakes his large hair and sprinkle glass particles everywhere. He has a gash over his right eyebrow that is starting to drip onto the ceiling. He gazes over at Eric, who seems to be highly disoriented. Eric then looks at Daniel. That's when reality kicks in for the both of them.

"Everyone get on your feet," Daniel orders them urgently.

He struggles for a moment, trying to unbuckle his seat-belt. Suddenly, he sees tires stop loudly near the SUV. The steam from the engine makes it difficult to see outside, but he does manage to see boots walking towards them in a hurry. Everyone else is moaning and recovering.

Their minds are desperately trying to understand what just happened. Daniel yanks his seat-belt, breaking the clip, and then falls down head first. Daniel uses his arm strength to push the car door. The metal whines as he pushes with all of his might. He stops for a second, reaches his arm back, and thrust it forward. The door breaks off its hinges and flies back.

He crawls out and jumps to his feet, breathing heavily. He spots an old truck leaving the scene in a hurry. He wipes the blood from his eyebrow and surveys his surroundings. Suddenly, Maria gets out and stands to her feet.

"You okay?" he asks her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she says while studying the area cautiously.

Eric leaps up with furious eyes and a tight fist.

"Where are they?!" Eric shouts through his bloody mouth while searching every angle.

Daniel concentrates his eyes into the woods but they are nowhere to be found.

"They're gone," Daniel informs them.

"Those fucking cowards!" Eric shouts angrily.

Jessica emerges from the wreck. Her face is twisted with aggression. Daniel looks over his shoulder at them.

"Where's Courage?" Daniel asks.

He sees Jason walking around the SUV. There's no anger or no hatred in his eyes. His face is consumed in a void expression.

"Get Iva out, now," he orders Jason while looking forward again into the deep woods.

He hears them scrambling around the car but it quickly stops. He looks behind himself at Jason, who hasn't moved a muscle. Maria and Jessica are looking at Daniel with tears swelling in their eyes. Eric is kneeling down, looking inside a shattered window for Iva. He stands and faces Daniel with a watery gaze.

Daniel then looks over at Jason again. Tears are starting to pour down Jason's face.

"Where is Iva?" he asks Jason.

Jason starts to cry without responding.

"Where is Iva!?" he asks again.

He runs over to the SUV to check for himself. Daniel's body hardens in a kneeling position when he finds an empty seat where Iva should be. He stands slowly to his feet, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Boom! He hits the car, leaving an indentation on the door. He paces left and right, appearing highly distressed. He freezes with his hands on his waist, looking at the ground.

"This shit is not happening right now," Eric cries out.

"Mane, what do we do now?" Maria says in a low trembling voice.

He looks at her with uncertain eyes. He then shifts his harsh eyes to Eric.

"Aero, fly me home now," he orders him.

"That's like 6 miles. I can't carry you that far bro," Eric says in a trembling voice.

"Then go get the Charger, now," he orders Eric.

Eric doesn't hesitate. He swiftly squats down and leaps into the air. Now, he's a giant eagle flying across the sky. He vanishes from their sight. Jessica follows behind him, bursting into a giant raven.

Daniel looks back at Jason and Maria who are holding each other, crying.

"I can't believe this shit," Jason says to Maria.

Daniel pulls out his cell-phone and press call. He waits for Kenya to pick up.

"Mom.....they got her. They got Iva. The Blaires got her."

Kenya screams loudly through the phone. Daniel has to lift the phone from his ear until her screaming stops.

"Mom......listen, Aero and Raven are coming for the car.......mom, listen to me. I'll get her back..........I swear to God, I'll get her back."

He hangs up the phone and puts his fist tightly against his lips. He starts to shake from the hatred boiling inside of him. Then he feels something that he's not used to feeling. He always brags about his fearlessness. It's no denying that he's scared. His staggers back and leans against the wrecked SUV, trembling with fear.

Meanwhile, Margie and Charles are at home waiting for Iva to arrive with the others. Her sister and brother-in-law are with them in their living room. They seem to be discussing something before the telephone start ringing. Margie stands and grabs the cordless phone off the table and answers...

"Dodson residence......Shiva, we've been waiting. Is everything okay? No? What's going on?....................................."

As Kenya delivers the terrifying news, Margie slowly turns to her husband. Her eyes broaden with terror. Charles can clearly see something is horribly wrong, especially when he see tears forming in his wife's eyes.

"Oh my God," she says automatically.

"What's wrong, honey?" Charles asks his wife.

She doesn't reply to him.

"I'll call you back, Shiva," she says into the phone.

She slowly sinks down into an armchair. Her eyes are burdened. Her sister and brother-in-law see the terror in her eyes and automatically feel nervous.

"Honey, what did she say?" Charles asks again.

"Get the car ready," she replies to her husband.

"Why?"

"Because all hell is about to break loose,"...

CHAPTER 39: THE FOOTAGE

Frank is sitting at his desk in the police department, going over the clues they've gathered. Jones enters his office in a hurry. Whatever it is, Jones seems very anxious to inform Frank about it.

"Frank, you gotta see this," he tells him urgently.

A minute later, Frank goes into a dark room. The TV is running, but whatever is playing seems to be on pause. The paused video is black and white. The shot is a slanted angle of the University's hallway.

"Check this out," Jones says while grabbing the remote.

He fast-forwards through the video. Speedy images of students pass in and out of sight. Eventually, the multitudes disappear and only one person remains. It's a young woman.

"Doesn't she look familiar?" Jones asks Frank.

"Iva?" Frank thinks out loud.

"Bingo," Jones replies. "But watch this," he says while hitting the play button.

Frank watches his timid niece, with no sound, glancing at both ends of the hallway. He can tell she's scared by the way her body is rocking back and forth. He continues to watch as she ducks to the ground. Then he sees two animals, one tiger and one wolf, jumping in midair and start to attack one another.

"Hold on one damn second....what the hell?" Frank blurts out shockingly.

He watches as the tiger thrust the wolf into a classroom door.

"Jesus Christ!" Frank blurts out.

"You think that's something, watch this," Jones says.

He fast-forwards through the video and presses play again. They both watch a black lion with three kids, enter a classroom. A moment later, a tiger goes into the classroom behind them.

"Iva ran into the classroom. A wolf knocked the damn door of its hinges," Jones informs.

They continue to watch the footage until they see her with three young adults, two girls and one boy, leaving the class.

"And there she goes," Jones says as he pauses the video footage.

He captures the image of Iva getting away with Maria, Eric, and Jessica.

"Hold on, zoom in," Frank says.

Jones presses a button which focuses closer on the group. A light clicks on in Frank's mind.

"I know those kids. I know all of them."

"I guess we have a lot of questions to ask," Jones verifies.

"A hell of a lot," Frank confirms. "Who else knows about this?"

"Just us."

"Keep this between me and you, until we know what we're dealing with here."

"Alright, what's our first stop?" He asks Frank.

"First stop is bringing my niece in for questioning."

Frank turns and leaves the office in a hurry. Jones follows his lead...

CHAPTER 40: MASTERMIND

My mind gradually emerges from unconsciousness. Everything around me is extremely blurry. I'm in a dark place. There's this small spotlight shining down on me and I can't seem to move. All I can hear is dripping water at a close distance.

What happened? Where the hell am I?

I feel this constant thumping on the right side of my head, behind my eye. At last, my vision is perfectly clear. I see these old rusty pipes on the ceiling. It appears that I'm in a warehouse of some kind, or maybe a basement. A hooded man is standing in front of me with his back turned.

He's is cleaning something long and shiny on a wooden table. There's something on the wall over the table. It's too dark to make out. I strain my eyes to see what it is. The wall is decorated in razor-sharp knifes, surgical tools, and other various weapons. I begin to wobble, trying to free myself from this bondage, yet I remain unable to move.

I feel my heart pounding forcefully against my rib-cage. I pause and look down at myself. I'm sitting in a wooden chair, tied down with braided rope. My forearms are strapped down on the armrest. At last, the mystery man rotates to me.

"Oh, you're awake," he says and lets out a creepy chuckle.

I freeze when I realize who is talking to me.

"Professor Nelson?" I blurt out confusingly.

He grins widely with a sinister smile and replies...

"I do prefer the name Hellhound."

I immediately begin to scream at the top of my lungs.

"Help me! Someone help!"

He approaches me carrying a tight fist, which he throws at my face. First, I see a quick flash in my left eye before my head severely jerks right. Somehow, there's two Professor Nelsons standing in front of me. I have to wobble my head in order to rid myself of the spinning feeling.

The merry-go-round gradually stops. My small headache has turned into a migraine. A moment later, I re-position my head center again. There's a bad stinging sensation in my ear from the blow he delivered. Also, I can hear this buzzing sound in that ear. I stare back into his eyes as my vision adjusts.

He raises his other fist. I shut my eyes tightly and brace my neck for the impact. My head whips violently, and now I must start from scratch. It takes a little longer to regain focus. This time I can taste blood on my tongue.

"No need to shout, Ms. Hill. No one can hear you in this warehouse. I'll let you scream all you want, when the time is right,"

"Why are you doing this?" I ask with my mind still spinning.

He breathes out heavily and leans back onto the desk.

"That should be self-explanatory by now. This is a war and you're the enemy. Plus, I just love killing people."

He lets out a chuckle and picks up a pair of leather gloves from a table. He slips his hand into one glove.

"You know, when I killed Professor Grant, I thought I had you all to myself," he pulls the bottom of the glove to make sure it's on well. "But that fucking boy found out. Remember that day in class, when I asked you about Professor Grant's behavior?" he asks while slipping on the other glove. "I thought to myself, this girl is serious, she's absolutely clueless. Of course, I found out about your mark that same day Grant did. When I convinced you to go to that park, I followed you. But Mane had to fuck up everything."

He pulls the other glove firmly, making sure it's on nice and tight, and intertwine his fingers.

"I know he's been keeping track of our family. But he always looks outside the box. Sometimes the truth is right there in front of you. It's funny how a simple thing like changing your last name can throw someone off. I would like to thank my brother, Cornelius, for playing along so well. He did a fantastic job. He made his big brother very proud."

He lets out another chuckle then turns away towards the desk.

"But he told me he'd warned you. He said that you would run into a dead-end and you have."

He laughs again but this time his voice sounds demonic. He then begins to look through his huge collection of weapons, deciding which one to use on me.

"Oh, and when I sent you the text, I knew you would fall for it. So, I had them total the car for me. And I swooped by to give you a ride to my fun-house. Oh, look what I have here."

He turns to me with a camcorder pointed.

"Say hello. We're going to make a movie, starring you. We're going to call it 'The gruesome death of Iva Hill'."

He places the camera on the desk and positions it until it faces me.

"There that's perfect," he says satisfied.

"Please, don't do this," I burst into pleading tears abruptly. "Please, please, please," I can't seem to stop crying as I plead for my life.

"Don't waste your breath," He says as he folds his arms and leans against the desk again.

"I've heard these pleas before. I find them rather pitiful than sad."

He then rubs his chin and squints at me, as if he just realized something. He points at me and smiles.

"You remind me of my first victim. I knew a girl. She was this beautiful brunette who lived next door to me. Her name was Grace. I was twelve at the time. I liked her a lot. One day, I asked her on a date and she said no."

His smile falls flat during this part of the story, yet his eyelids expand.

"I didn't take the rejection very well," he begins to speak in a creepy, lifeless, way. "So one day, after school, she took a short cut through the woods. I followed her."

He begins to approach me extra slowly, trying his best to act out the scenario.

"I knew that it was the time to act, so I did,"

He puts a fist up into the air, near his face.

"I picked up a rock the size of my fist and I crept up behind her, quietly,"

He extends his fist back. I feel my heartrate picking up as he silently tip-toe closer to me.

"And I got close to her. So close, I can smell her apple scented perfume. Then I called her name and she turned. I watch her beautiful smile twist into terror. And then..."

He swiftly throws his fist at me.

"Boom!" he stops his fist near my face.

My body flinches hard. He laughs in a gloomy, dark, voice again and stands straight.

"I hit the bitch hard. She was a stubborn one who didn't want to die. I hate stubborn victims."

He shakes his head while sucking his teeth.

"They're like a..," he moves his neck around. "...annoying tag on a shirt."

He walks back to the table and leans against it again.

"She pleaded and begged. And I thought to myself, I just busted this bitch head open, and she is still begging?"

He pauses to shake his head again.

"It's a shame, you know. If she wasn't so damn stubborn, she would've at least had an open casket," he says and then explodes into a sinister laugh. "She was screaming at the top of her lungs. I then pounded her face in with that rock. Needless to say, she wasn't pretty anymore. That's when I realized that I loved killing."

The disturbing part of this story isn't the story itself; instead, it's the fact that he's telling the story with so much ecstasy.

"Well enough talk, time to go to work," he says to me while turning toward the table of weapons.

He starts to mumble a melody to himself as he looks through his tools. My heartrate skyrockets. I begin to sob again when I see him turning around. He has something in his hand. It's a small piece of metal. He slips the piece of metal over his glove.

"I think we'll start today with some warm-ups. I would just flat-out kill you but you sprayed me with pepper-spray. Now, this is personal. Now, I'm going to torture you slowly and painfully. Your mother will not recognize you after I'm done."

He walks over to me with a hellish look in his eyes.

"You took that first punch like a champ. Let's see how you hold up to......brass knuckles."

"Please, I..."

Before I finish I feel my head jerk left, extremely hard.

All I heard was the sound of metal colliding into flesh. My ears are now ringing loudly and there's a terrible pain on my face; like a thousand bees are stinging me all at once. I try to center my head but my neck is too numb. Everything starts to blackout again. Professor Nelson helps me regain consciousness by tapping hard on my face. Suddenly, two Professor Nelsons become one again.

"Hey, hey, I'm not done with you yet."

He helps me maintain my consciousness.

"Are you missing any teeth?"

He shifts my limped head center again and digs his fingers into my mouth.

"Nope, no missing teeth, damn, that's too bad."

I then feel this warmth flowing down from my nose.

"Broken nose, that's one point for me," he talks like a game-show host. "By the way, you can thank Jessica for that one. Someone has to pay for my niece's broken nose."

He walks back over to his equipment and tosses the brass-knuckles on the table.

"I love games," he says as he searches through his large selection of weapons.

"Actually, it's quite an obsession. Life itself is a game of chess. One person makes a decision and there is an outcome. Mane understands that now, and I beat him in the board game and in real life. Now, you have to pay for his loss."

He picks up a hammer and holds it in the air, studying it. Fear hits me hard again.

"Nah," he puts it back down on the table.

He picks up a long blade and studies it. A thought lingers in his mind, but then he places it back on the table.

"I know," he says in a twisted, humorous, way.

He holds up an aluminum baseball-bat.

"I want to play a little game. I haven't played it in a while. There's a door outside this one. If you find it, you win," he pauses to think about what he'd said. "But you won't win," he assures me. "And if you lose...well, you get the idea."

He waves the bat across his face.

"I call this game 'I smash in Iva's skull with my baseball-bat'. I'm going to love this."

He lowers the bat at his side and grabs a long knife off the table. He walks over to me and I begin to panic like a madman. He points the blade between my eyes. The razor-sharp tip is sparkling in the light.

"Don't make any sudden moves, or else I'll cut your fucking throat."

My body tenses up like a statue. I look out the corner of my eye as he walks behind me. I can feel my nerves tingling at the tip of my fingers. The ropes loosen off my body. He pulls the ropes off of me and throws them to the side, but then he puts his knife close to my face again.

"No sudden moves or I'll shove this blade through your face."

I watch him as he cuts through the braided ropes easily like a knife to butter. Finally, my left hand is free. He then he frees my right, shortly after. He quickly grabs my shirt with the tip of the blade pointing between my eyes. I go cross-eyed looking at it.

"No sudden moves," he warns me again.

He grips the back of my hair tightly and escorts me to a rusted door. He pulls the door open, and then he pushes me into this white hallway. I look up and see these construction lights hanging from rusted pipes. I look down at my shoes and notice some maroon paint underneath them.

I quickly realize that I'm standing on the giant word START.

"Beautiful isn't it? I created this maze myself," he tells me. "I guess this is where I wish you good luck."

Instinct kicks in. I push his hand away and kick him as hard as I can. The kick lands in-between his legs. I notice the bat falling from his hand, so I quickly pick it up off the floor and take a swing. The bat collides into his arm. This causes his knife to fall down. I swing again, but he leans back and dodges my swing.

I swing again but he catches the bat with one hand and slaps me, forcefully, across the face. I fall back onto the cold floor. He smiles brightly at me and slaps the baseball-bat onto his palm.

"It looks like we have a fighter. That's more like it. I'll still give you a ten second head-start," he says to me, excitedly.

In a last desperate attempt to survive, I begin to cry.

"Please, don't do this," I burst into a crying plea.

"Nine..," he continues. "...eight, seven...,"

My mind switches to secondary-drive. I quickly stand and dart down the hallway, running as fast as I can. I make it to the end and see another long corridor on my left. I run in that direction. There's another right at the end, so I quickly dash in that direction without thinking twice. As I run, I hear Professor Nelson yell, "Let the games begin".

I feel another dose of fear and adrenaline shoot through my veins. I make it to the end of the hall and turn right without hesitating. As I'm running, I see him leap from around a corner in the distance with a blood-thirsty look on his face.

"Boo!" he yells down the hall at me.

I look left and see another long hallway, so I take off running again. I make it to the end of the long hallway and find another right. I take a second to use the wall to catch my balance and my breath. A second later, I begin running again. At the end of this corridor, I catch myself in a debate.

It's a three way intersection.

"It's time for sudden-death!" his voice echoes from every direction.

My mind says left so I go left. I can feel myself getting lightheaded and my breathing is starting to become uncontrollable, yet I keep my legs in constant motion. I make it to the end. Then I realize it's a fucking dead-end. I collapse against the wall and begin to sob.

"Don't quit," I keep telling myself in my head but my body is beginning to rebel.

I begin to think about my friends. And that makes me weep, badly. I can't die, not like this. Come on Iva, come on.

I inhale deeply and burst into a sprint, making my way down the opposite end. I push myself to the edge of my limits and exceed them. I can see the wall coming up. It's getting closer and closer. At last, I reach it. Oh no...It's another corner. I'm trapped.

I begin to sob. I feel all over the wall for some kind of door or opening, but it's completely flat. I can't die like this. I push myself off the wall to start running again. But I have already lost the game. The bat is coming toward my face so fast that I can't even think about dodging it. I can't gasp, scream, duck, or even blink. All I see is Professor Nelson swinging the bat.

They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die. Not really, it's a lot slower and more enjoyable. I guess that helps you savor those special moments you had with your loved ones.

Most of my flashback consists of the recent events that happened to me. For instance, my pillow fight with my mom is my first flashback, cliff-diving with Aero is the second, watching Jason and Eric cheering on their favorite player is the third, going fishing with Mane is the forth, hanging out with my uncle is the fifth, and even letting Jessica and Maria give me a makeover is the last one.

I've learned more over the past couple of days than I learned my entire life. But the most important lesson I've learned is living your life to the fullest, no matter if death is coming today or tomorrow. Because in the end, death will come either way, so why not live to the fullest? So many years I was dying on the inside. Constantly, I was trying to be like everyone around me, instead of just being myself.

Like a friend once told me, "There is no such thing as normal", so I looked beyond average. I was no longer waiting to die. I was finally living my life. Most people are living but they're not alive. Who really wants to live like that? A life that's already dead is not worth anything. However, I'm proud to say I took a bold stand and lived a life worth dying for. I just wish I had more time to enjoy my new life, or at least bid my loved ones farewell. But as a friend once told me, there are no fairytales at the end of any road. Why? That's because fairytales belongs in books."

Suddenly death sweeps away my memories of the good and the bad. Now I'm submerged into a lifeless oblivion, far away from any worries; gone forever...

(Narrator's perspective)

Nelson's flawless hit causes Iva's jaw to shatter and her skull to crack. Now, there's blood splattered on the wall from the blow. As Iva's body lye limped on the floor, a trail of blood from her head starts to run towards Nelson's boots. He walks close to her and pokes her quivering body with the bat.

"I win," he says while keeping that twisted smile.

He looks down at the trail of blood oozing towards him.

"Look what you did...you made a mess of the place," he laughs uncontrollably for a lingering moment.

When the laugh dies away, he lifts the bat again. This time he lifts it over his head, preparing to deliver the final blow to her skull.

"Thanks for the fun, Miss Hill, but I have to go get some more contestants."

Suddenly, before he's able to smash her head in, a powerful push collides into his back that sends him crashing through the wall...

CHAPTER 41: ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE

Professor Nelson's body is lying belly-flat on the floor with his palms toward the ceiling. His eyelids are halfway closed, his face is resting sideways, and his mouth is opened at an awkward angle. Most of his back is covered in a white dust. Large portions of drywall are surrounding his motionless body.

Dust from the drywall is lingering in the air. A moment goes by as he remains out-cold. His eyes open and his mind begin the updating process. As he pushes himself onto his knees, he feels this weightlessness in his head. He begins to shake out the dizziness.

He hears a noise in the background. It sounds like a cluster of panicky voices coming from his right, so he quickly glances over at a wall with a giant hole. Sparks from a damaged electrical wire erupt from the crumbled wall. Inside are a group of four, highly disturbed, individuals. It's Jason, Eric, Maria, and Daniel.

"Oh God, please!" Jason cries out in anguish at Iva. "No...no...no."

"Oh fuck, she's losing a lot of fucking blood," Eric erupts with tears.

"She's fucking convulsing," Maria cries out. "We gotta get her out of here."

Jason lifts her head carefully off the floor, Eric and Daniel has her midsection, and Maria takes her legs. Her skull is dripping blood and her body is still trembling.

"Get Iva out of here," Daniel orders them with fury in his eyes.

"What about you...?" Jason asks.

"I said go!" Daniel shouts at them.

Together, the three of them carry her body away. Daniel looks at Iva's blood on his hand. He then closes his hand slowly, creating a knuckle-bulging fist.

"It's too late. She's good as dead," Professor Nelson says as he pushes himself off the floor. "You hear me!"

Daniel slowly rotates his body to face his opponent.

"Acknowledge me when I'm speaking to you, boy."

"You and I both know...I didn't come here to talk," Daniel says while walking toward him.

"Then what are you waiting for? Come on!"

Daniel lifts his leather boot and steps through the opening in the wall. His walk quickly converts into a jog, then his jog converts into a run, and his run becomes a full-throttle dash. Nelson folds his fingers into a tight ball as well. Daniel extends his fist all the way back, and Professor Nelson does the same.

Both of their punches lands directly in their faces. The sound of their knuckles impacting skin bounces off the walls. Immediately after the first blow, they return with another, then another, then another, until they find themselves in a swinging bout. Each punch creates a nasty slapping sound. They swing and swing like two brawlers in a street fight, or two boxers going head to head in the final ten seconds.

Blood begins to stain their knuckles, yet they show no signs of surrendering. Daniel catches him with a flawless right, which lands at the bottom of his jaw bone. Professor Nelson's body stumbles sideways and his face smashes into the wall. He quickly lifts his head from the skull print, but it's too late for a counter attack. Daniel immediately takes advantages of his dizzy opponent.

Professor Nelson quickly cowers behind his forearms trying to protect his face. Daniel throws a bunch of hard jabs. His hard punches cause blood to splatter from Nelson's mouth. As a last resort, he throws his dizzy body at Daniel and tries a manual take down. But he quickly finds out that he's no match for Daniel's strength.

He grabs Professor Nelson by his shirt, puts his other hand behind his neck, and then Professor Nelson's feet go skyward. He gets body slammed onto the floor, hard. Daniel gets on top of him and pins down his body. Professor Nelson tries his best to throw a couple of blows but they land mildly. Daniel grabs his wailing arms and pins them against his chest. Daniel raises his forearm and slams it onto Professor Nelson's face. His head bounces of the floor, forcefully.

Daniel delivers another forearm into his face and then he does it again, then again, then again, until his face is smeared with blood. Professor Nelson smiles at him, which reveals a mouthful of missing teeth.

"I cracked that bitch head open real good, didn't I?" he says with bloody spit spraying out of his mouth.

His words only fuels Daniel's killer rage. He throws a monstrous forearm into his face again. As a result, you can hear a bone in Professor Nelson's nose snap. Daniel grabs him by his neck and proceeds to squeeze with all his might.

"Shut-up, you sadistic, sick, bastard," Daniel replies through his bloody teeth.

A small stream of blood flows from Professor Nelson's nose and drips on the floor. As Daniel continues to choke him, a thick vein starts to bulge from Professor Nelson's forehead. But then he manages to gain control over one of his arms. He quickly grips Daniel's shirt and pulls his body into a hard head-butt. His forehead hits Daniel right between the eyes, which causes him to stumble backwards.

Professor Nelson pulls his left leg back and kicks Daniel's chest with his steel-toe boot. The kick forces the air from his lungs. Daniel's heavy frame falls backward on the floor. Daniel bites hard on his teeth and groans in pain. Professor Nelson sits up on the floor, holding his neck, and gets into a kneeling position. He spits a mouth full of blood and teeth onto the floor. Daniel rises on his knees as well.

He collects some blood in his mouth and spits it on the floor too. They eye one another and instantly their expressions switch to kill mode again. They watch each other rise up off the floor. Their breathing grow heavier and heavier as they stand. They begin to breathe loudly through their teeth as they curl their fingers into a fist again.

All of a sudden, they burst into a yelling sprint. They both leap into the air, flying at each other head on. Fabric explodes everywhere as two animals collide together with a thunderous impact. They slam onto the floor; unsettling the dust. They scuffle monstrously, snapping their teeth and swinging their sharp claws.

As they scuffle, intensely, the floors and walls are being covered in claw prints. Then they both break apart. Mane is low to the ground with his back muscles bulging, ready to pounce at any moment. Hellhound, who is covered in bloody claw marks, is standing with his claws in the air.

They start to circle each other in a slow pace, and just like that, they're back at it again. Hellhound charges first and Mane swiftly stands onto his back paws. They latch onto one another. Mane somehow manages to sink his teeth into Hellhound's upper shoulder and Hellhound is digging his claws into Mane's back. They begin to snarl even deeper.

Hellhound steps forward, pushing Mane backwards. Mane returns with a push of his own and sends Hellhound hitting the wall. Mane starts to shake his head violently. Hellhound shouts in pain. Mane leans his weight harder, which makes Hellhound's backside rub against the wall. A trail of blood smears on the white paint as Hellhound's body gets pushed along the surface.

Hellhound stumbles and falls onto his backside. Mane is still holding a tight grip on his shoulder. He begins to shake his head again, making Hellhound squeal loudly in pain. He swings his long arms, digging his claws into Manes back. Mane flinches and jumps back. Hellhound swiftly stands to his feet and breaks into a run. He leaps through the giant hole in the wall and looks down at the floor. He sees a trail of blood leading down the hall.

He looks behind himself and see Mane charging. He breaks into a sprint, tracing the dots of red on the floor. After a couple lefts and rights, he sees a large pair of metal doors. The door has big red letters that spells out the word FINISH. He rams through the door and lands onto rocky gravel. The light of day burns his eyes.

He watches as a black Charger and a red SUV zooms off down the road, flicking gravel. He snarls through his cracked teeth and starts to pursue them. Mane leaps out of the warehouse and sees Hellhound fleeing the scene, so he too beings a pursuit of his own...

CHAPTER 42: LOOKING FOR IVA

Frank speeds down the street and stops in front of his childhood home. He sees his sister's van parked in the driveway.

"I'll be right back," he informs his partner.

The words hurry out of his mouth as he speeds out of the car and up the porch steps.

His partner waits patiently in the front passenger's seat. Frank knocks fast and loud on the front door. Julia comes and opens the door.

"Frankie hi..." she can't finish her sentence due to Frank barging his way into the house.

He has no time for manners. His intentions are to find Iva and bring her in for questioning.

"Is Iva home?" he asks Julia with rushed words.

"No, she's at her friends. Why, what's going on?"

She is beginning to become worried by Frank's hasty behavior.

"I'll tell you about it later," Frank explains.

"Is she in some kind of trouble?"

Frank ignores Julia's question and rushes through the living room. He opens Iva's bedroom door and discovers that she's missing. When he realizes her room is lifeless, he hurries back into the living room again.

"How long has she been gone?" he asks his sister.

"Since yesterday."

"Where did she go?" he questions her hastily.

"She's at Maria's house."

"That's all I need to know," Frank says while heading towards the front door in a hurry.

Frank's behavior has made Julia fear stricken. She chases him down and pulls his shoulder. He does a complete turn.

"I demand you tell me what's going on," Julia says with authority.

"I don't know yet Julie, but I'm about to find out."

He then speeds out the house and back into his car. She watches as he skids backward and shoots off down the street like a bolt of lightning.

"What's the plan?' Jones asks Frank in the car.

"We will go find her friends and then we find her."

"Did you ask for their number? Maybe she has it."

"No, if they're up to something, we don't want them to know where coming."

"Alright, let's do it," Jones says while placing a siren on top of the car.

The sirens blare as they make their way toward the expressway...

CHAPTER 43: HIGHWAY TO HELL

Maria is behind the wheel of the Charger, Jason is in the backseat embracing Iva's body, and Eric is in the burgundy SUV behind them. Shortly, they arrive onto an on-ramp. Eric's cell-phone starts ringing in his pocket. He leans over and digs into his pocket to retrieve it. He takes a quick glance at the screen to see who is calling him. It's his sister.

"Hello," he answers with one hand on the steering-wheel and the other holding the phone to his ear.

"Aero, did you find her?" Jessica asks in another vehicle.

Their mother is behind the wheel of the car and their father is in the front passenger seat. The two of them immediately begin to listen closer to the conversation Jessica is having with Eric.

"Yes, we found her," Eric replies into the phone.

"Is she okay?" Jessica asks impatiently.

"No, she's dying," Eric says with a burning throat. "She's barely hanging on right now."

"Oh shit," Jessica blurts out.

Concern immediately shrouds Jessica. Margie notices her daughter's worried expression in the rear-view mirror.

"What did he say?" Margie asks Jessica in a frightened tone of voice.

"He said she's dying," Jessica says with watery eyes.

"Oh, Christ," Charles blurts out.

"Rave, listen," Eric continues his conversation in the SUV. "Meet us at Olivia's. We may still have a chance."

"I know. I'm showing them how to get there," Jessica replies.

Suddenly, something crashes down on top of the SUV. Eric eyes widen with shock by the loud thud.

"Hold on," Eric says with a cautious voice as he looks upward at the roof.

"What's going on? Aero?" Jessica speaks into the phone, not knowing that Eric has switched his attention to something else.

The SUV lifts again. Then he sees Hellhound landing on top of the Charger in front of him. He's jumping from car to car.

"Damn it," Eric utters as he watches Hellhound leap onto the roof of the Charger.

"Aero, what's going on?" Jessica says loudly through the phone.

"Rave, I'll see you in a couple," Eric replies and tosses the phone sideways onto the passenger seat.

Meanwhile, as Maria is driving, she looks up at the ceiling. The roof of the car is now slightly lowered.

"It's him," Jason warns Maria from the backseat.

The top of the car receives another blow and then another. The blows are much smaller and concentrated. Hellhound is on his knees punching the roof of the car. Jason watches on as the middle of the roof bents inward.

"Shit. Hold on!" Maria warns urgently.

She swerves the car left and right in attempt to sling Hellhound off the roof. He falls belly-flat on top of the car, latching onto each side so he doesn't fall off. A moment later, she retains control over the vehicle.

"Is he still up there?" she asks Jason in a worried voice.

They continue to listen closely.

"I don't know," Jason replies.

Out of nowhere, a hand comes through the roof. The hand is carrying five sharp nails. Jason leans away as much as he can to avoid the long nails.

"Get the knife. Get the knife," Jason shouts to Maria.

Maria is now concentrating hard to multitask. She's using one hand to drive and another to open the glove compartment. After a couple of failed attempts, she finally manages to open it. Inside the compartment, she finds what she needs. It's a small bladed knife. The only problem is her arms are way too short to grab it.

She has to take a moment to give the road her undivided attention as she swerves around a family van. Suddenly, Hellhounds claws penetrate through Jason's shirt. Jason uses his left arm to support Iva's head and the other to push Hellhound's nails away.

"Hurry Athena," Jason cries out to Maria in the backseat of the car.

The pressure is on now and Maria can definitely feel it breathing down her neck. She attempts to reach for the knife a second time. Hellhound is now forcing his long nails into Jason's skin.

"Almost there," Maria says through her teeth as she stretches her hand as far as she possibly can.

Hellhound's nails are now breaking the barrier of his skin and seeping into his tense muscle fibers.

"I can't hold it much longer," Jason shouts to Maria, using all of his strength to push back Hellhound's arm.

Maria takes both of her hands off the wheel and grabs the blade, quickly retracts her body, and swerves back into the lane.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Jason shouts in horrible pain.

Maria reaches back and thrust the blade into Hellhound's forearm. Hellhound shouts in pain. He snatches his hand back and leaps off onto an eighteen wheeler next to them. He stands on top of the large truck and examines his new wound. Blood begins to leak from the cut. This only makes him angrier than before.

Meanwhile, back in the Charger...

"Courage, are you okay?" Maria asks in a timid voice.

"I'm okay, I'm good. It's just a flesh wound," Jason says while catching his breath.

They both look around again for any sight of Hellhound.

"Is he gone?" Maria says with cautious eyes.

They both look around at the cars passing by.

"I think so," Jason concludes.

They both take a moment to maintain a steady heartbeat.

"How she's doing back there?" Maria asks.

Jason examines Iva's bleeding.

"She's still bleeding a lot," he informs Maria with tears.

Maria relieves some stress by taking a couple of deep breaths.

"Well at least we lost him," she adds, still sounding a bit fearful.

As they pass the eighteen-wheeler beside them, Maria sees Eric in the far left lane, waving for their attention. He's saying something but she can't read his lips. Maria rolls down the driver's window to hear him clearly.

"What?' Maria yells out the window at Eric.

"I said, watch out for the pipes," Eric shouts back at her through the strong wind current.

"What pipes?" Maria shouts back.

"Oh shit," Jason says behind Maria as he spots what Eric is gesturing to.

Maria turns her head to the road again. As a black truck moves into another lane in front of them, she sees the thing Eric is warning her about. Hellhound is standing on a cargo truck about fifty yards away. This truck is transporting dozens of gigantic steel cylinders. Each of them are weighing over 500lbs. Hellhound is using all the strength he can muster to pull the last chain keeping them intact.

"You have to be fucking kidding me," Maria says with panic.

The last chain holding them breaks apart. One by one, the colossal pieces of iron rolls off the truck and then smash onto the busy highway. Hellhound leaps onto another vehicle just in time to watch his deathly orchestra take place before his very own eyes. The impact of the iron hitting the concrete ignites sparks. The first cylinder finds its first victim, a red sedan. The driver wasn't wearing a seatbelt. His body explodes through the windshield and smacks the ground and tumbles like a rag-doll. The sedan's entire front-end crumbles like aluminum foil, and the car itself somersaults into the air.

"Shit!" Eric shouts as the car lands directly in front of him, flipping over and over again.

Eric dodges it with the SUV just in time. Maria also veers left to dodge one of the colossal pieces of metal. Cars of various colors and sizes start to tumble onto the highway. Metal bounces off of metal. Glass and debris is raining everywhere.

Hellhound sees his opportune moment to attack. He jumps from one car to another and then lands on top of the Charger again.

"Not again," Jason says with worry.

Hellhound reaches over the side of the car and opens the driver's door in attempt to grab Maria. Then the driver's door is impacted by a metal cylinder, which breaks the door of its hinges. Now, Maria is driving without a driver's door. This gives Hellhound the advantage he needs. Hellhound leans over and tries to grab her from the driver's side. Hellhound quickly retracts his arms and notices, yet again, he's been stabbed by some type of blade. Now, his pissed levels has hit an all-time high.

He then uses both of his hands to dig into the roof of the car. Using his incredible strength, he peels back the roof like a can of tuna. Maria is startled to see Hellhound looking down at her through the roof of the car. She can read his eyes like a book. His intentions are to kill. He reaches a hand down and rips her seatbelt off her shoulder.

"Stab him," Jason shouts to her.

The knife is next to her in the passenger seat. Maria eyes it. She reaches for it without hesitation and grabs it, ready to slice and dice. She then dodges a flipping car in front of her, nearly veering off onto the grass, and straightens the car again. As she focuses on the road, her weapon slips from her grasp and lands onto the floor of the vehicle.

"Shit, I dropped the knife!" she blurts out.

Hellhound grunts while he pulls the roof back even more.

"Stab me will ya?" he says to Maria as he reaches in and grabs the back of her neck. "Say bye-bye, bitch," Hellhound tells her.

Hellhound does something completely unexpected. With all of his power, he lifts Maria from the driver's seat; launching her across the air into traffic. She is thrown on top of a sedan, but her body rebounds off and then lands onto the tail-end of a truck. She's holding onto the back for dear life.

Now, the Charger is drifting off into a potential disaster with no person to steer it away...

CHAPTER 44: THE INCREDIBLE EAGLE

Hellhound jumps off the Charger and onto the top of a bus. He watches on as the Charger drift into another lane with no driver to direct its course away from destruction.

"Ha! Ha!" he shouts to the car in a victorious tone.

"ATHENA!" Jason shouts, defenselessly, from the back passenger seat.

Eric saw everything three lanes over in the SUV.

"Oh shit!" Eric says loudly.

He opens the driver's door, takes in one last deep breath and says to himself...

"It's all or nothing."

He slams on the breaks hard and swiftly rotates the steering-wheel at a 180 degree angle. This causes the tires to burn massively on the highway. Most importantly, the momentum of a vehicle going 65 miles per hour and stopping suddenly creates a cannonball-effect. As Eric is catapulting out of the SUV, he explodes into a giant eagle, dispersing clothes into the air.

His unique animal senses allow him see things at a slower rate, like a movie playing in slow motion. Now, it's as if time has slowed down to a minimum. He banks hard right through the air as the SUV flips behind him. He flaps his wings to pick up some well-needed speed. Although time is very slow, it's running out for the Charger. It's about forty feet in front him, drifting off into another lane.

The test of time is not the only obstacle he must overcome in this situation. His first obstacle is a silver sedan. He flaps his wings another time to help him gain enough speed to soar around the front of the vehicle. As Aero goes by, both the driver's and passenger's face progressively form an astonished expression. Slowly, their appalled eyes follow him as he continues his obstacle course.

Immediately after flying pass the silver sedan, he spots a metal cylinder bouncing off the ground.

It's heading his way. The blow would shatter every bone in his body, causing him to die from eternal bleeding as an end result. With the help of his uncanny reflex, he rolls in midair and dodges the metal by mere inches.

A blue compact car takes the blow instead. Gradually, the front folds in like a can, and all of the windows of the vehicle shatter. Aero is able to see every particle of glass dispersing into the air. A glimmer of light burst from the bottom of the car as the cylinder forces its way through the internal gears. This small light grows, sluggishly, into an explosion; causing Aero's white feathers to reflect orange. Nuts and bolts scatter among the air as Aero continues his mission.

He sees another cylinder flying at him at a deadly speed. But there's a problem, this time it's unavoidable. Instinct once again takes over Aero. He then flaps his wings hard to increase speed. His timing couldn't be more perfect.

He then straightens his body as much as he can. This technique sends him going straight through the steel cylinder's opening and out the other end flawlessly. Now, the Charger is closing in; only a few more yards to go. Unfortunately for him, he's not yet done. There's one last obstacle. It's a cylinder, much bigger than the others, heading in the path of the Charger.

He begins to transform back into human form slowly but surely. Feathers burst into the air. Time is beginning to speed up again, gradually, as the feathers comes flying off of Aero.

Time finally reaches its normal speed again. Eric's body lands across the driver's and passenger's seat of the Charger. Using reflex, he quickly sits up and positions himself as the driver. In front of him he sees the large cylinder flying at him at a high speed. He quickly switches gears, swerves the car out of the middle lane and into the right. The harsh turn of the steering-wheel causes the left tires to lift from the ground; nearly tumbling off the road.

The large cylinder misses the Charger by mere inches. An eighteen-wheeler takes the entire blow. The result of the cylinder's massive blow is nothing short of catastrophic. The power of the hit makes the front tires explode off the truck. The aftermath of the cylinder forcing the thirty-ton truck to stop abruptly causes a shift in its momentum.

The large truck flips. Then it crashes onto its back, sprinkling glass and flinging metal across the highway. Eric switches gears once again, and jerks the steering-wheel to his left as hard as he can. The car falls back onto its left tires. Eric then gains full control of the vehicle.

Hellhound is still standing on a bus two lanes over. He witnessed the entire rescue play out with his very own eyes. The look on his face is complete and total bewilderment. He says the first thing that comes to his confused mind.

"Impossible," he utters this with a stupefied look.

Although it seemed like forever, Eric saving the Charger only took about 3 seconds to do.

"Holy, fucking, shit!" Eric says while he regains control of the car. "I can't believe that worked."

In this exact moment, Frank is speeding on the highway with the sirens blaring. But they're heading towards Glenworth while the others are heading towards Rochester. They cross paths and Frank witness the Charger speeding by them over the highway dividers.

"I'll be damned," Frank says. "That looks like Daniel's car."

"Take this exit," Jones point out.

"I'm on it," Frank says while whipping the car onto an exit ramp.

As Frank takes the highway exit, Eric is trying to calm his adrenaline-rush in the Charger.

"You okay," Eric asks Jason in the back.

"Dude, what just happened?" Jason says awestruck and totally confused.

"Reflex," Eric replies.

Yet again, Hellhound jumps onto the Charger.

"He just won't quit," Eric says.

Maria is still holding on the tail-end of the truck as it slows down and pulls over to the side of the road. When it stops, Maria drops off the truck. The driver of the truck gets out and rushes towards the back with concern.

"Oh my God! Are you alright?"

The man jumps back as a cheetah leaps pass him; gunning down the highway. Athena crushes the fifty-five miles per hour speed limit. She pushes herself, breaking a speed close to eighty-five miles per hour. While she zooms through traffic, Hellhound begins his next assault on the Charger. This time he punches the back window, cracking it.

He hits it again, sprinkling glass on Jason and Iva.

"Oh shit bro, we're done!" Jason shouts and holds Iva's body closer for protection.

Eric looks into the side-mirror and sees this cheetah quickly approaching.

"No we're not," Eric replies with confidence.

Jason glances over his shoulder and sees Hellhound's angry eyes looking back at him.

"End of the line," Hellhound says while reaching in to grab him.

"Leave them alone!" a voice calls out through the wind.

Hellhound looks over his shoulder and sees Athena sprinting his way. She leaps up and pounces on his back, clinging onto his shoulder with her sharp teeth. He squeals in pain and falls off the Charger with Athena latched on. Together, they both tumble forcefully across the thick grass off the road. The Earth eventually stops spinning around them. Now both of them are motionless on the ground.

Athena stands up sluggishly and positions herself to fight. Hellhound stands, shakes the dizzy sensation away, and start swiping his claws. Athena dodges his series of swipes.

"Stay still," he shouts angrily while swiping faster and faster with no luck striking her.

She's way too fast for Hellhound. She's so fast, that he completely loses her. This only adds fuel to his fire. It's as if she just vanished while he was attempting to swipe at her. He swiftly turns around to look for her; instead, he finds the inside of her mouth.

She latches onto his nose. He desperately starts swinging her around, trying to make her loosen the grip. He uses his long nails to dig into her rib-cage. The pain forces her to let go. He then tosses her through the air, causing her body to collide into the side of a tree.

"You little bitch," Hellhound says as he approaches her.

He kicks her so hard that it forces her onto her backside. He stomps his large foot onto her chest. This forces the air from her lungs.

"A shame, you was one of my favorite students," he says while applying pressure.

The pressure is instantly unbearable to Athena. In desperation, she uses her claws to dig into his calf muscles. But this only gives him more motivation to add weight. More air is constantly being forced out. Hopefully, Athena has not taken her last breath...

CHAPTER 45: MORE TROUBLE

Hellhound leans his weight onto Athena's chest, applying even more pressure. Her clawing on Hellhound's leg gradually ceases due to the lack of oxygen in her lungs. Hellhound watches on with gratified eyes while air slips away from her body.

"It'll be over soon," Hellhound whispers to her.

She depletes the last bit of air. This causes her head to fall back and her paws to limp over. Blackness overclouds Athena's vision. Once again, Hellhound's victorious moment is taken away as a black spot in the distance is seen out of the corner of his eye. This black spot is Mane.

He races toward them with vicious eyes. Hellhound expresses his dissatisfaction by mumbling something underneath his breath, angrily. He then switches from Mane to Athena again.

"Lucky you," he tells Athena before he flees down the highway.

Air pours into Athena lungs after the pressure from Hellhound's foot is removed. She breathes rapidly to catch up on the air she'd lost during her ordeal. Her breaths are so unstable that it causes her to cough. Mane comes to her aid.

"Athena!"

"Worry about Iva. I'll be fine," she says weakly between each heavy breath.

Mane snarls and takes off again, pursuing Hellhound with more determination. Meanwhile, Eric finally eases of the gas when he sees the Rochester exit ramp coming into view. The car skids into a giant arch, and now he is driving thirty miles per hour in the downtown area. He skids to a rough halt when a yellow light switches red at an intersection. He looks over his shoulder at Iva.

"Is she still breathing?" Eric asks urgently.

"Yeah, but she's losing a lot of blood," Jason cries out to him. "It won't stop coming out."

Eric sees the blood dripping from her head, which is creating a small puddle on the floor.

"Fuck!" Eric blurts out. "This shit is not happening right now," he shouts and releases his anger by slamming his palms against the steering-wheel.

As soon as the light switches green, Eric speeds off like a maniac. Shortly, the Charger slides to a halt in front of a high-rise apartment building. Eric and Jason leaps out of the car in a hurry. The trunk of the car opens and Eric runs his bare body to the trunk and quickly throws on a pair of gray sweat pants.

Margie, who is highly hysterical, opens the entrance door and holds it. Jessica runs out the building and confronts them with intense concern in her eyes.

"Is she alive?" she cries out to them.

"Barely," Eric says.

Eric and Jason open the car door and gently lift her body.

"Are you fucking serious..." Jessica cries out at the first sight of Iva's current state. 'What did they do to her?" she says with tears pouring down her face.

"Come on Rave, this is not the time for breaking down, help me with her body," Jason orders her as they head towards the door.

In a timely, yet careful manner, they race to the building with her body. Jason is still supporting her head, Jessica has her midsection, and Eric has her legs. Margie grabs her chest, nearly fainting, when she sees Iva's bleeding head and swollen face. A young couple walking down the sidewalk is laughing together. They become statues, with shocked expressions, when they notice Iva's body.

"Oh my God..." the woman says in awe.

The others hurry inside the building to see Charles, who is also completely distraught, reserving an elevator for them.

"Over here!" he shouts to them while he keeps the elevator doors from closing.

While this is happening, Frank and his partner discovers the mass destruction Hellhound caused. The highway is covered in debris and pieces of twisted metal. They're both amazed at the amount of devastation.

"What the hell happened here?" Jones says as they drive slowly through the rubble.

Frank picks up the radio and places it at his mouth.

"Dispatch. There's a huge car pileup on 590. Alert Rochester P.D. Send all units."

"We will notify them," a woman's voice says through the static.

Shortly, Frank takes the off-ramp toward the City of Rochester. They cruise gently through the downtown area, looking for any signs of potential danger. They cease the sirens as their black patrol car prowls through the city streets. Frank spots a group of people standing on a corner, talking very loudly. He halts at the corner next to the small gathering of gossipers.

"I'm telling you it was a lion. I saw it," the man says in a panic-stricken tone of voice. "The damn thing ran right pass me a moment ago."

"Sir..," Frank gathers the distraught man's attention.

The man turns to Frank with panic still fresh in his eyes.

"You said you saw a lion?" Frank asks.

"Yes, it ran pass me," the panicked pedestrian informs Frank.

"Which way?' Jones asks urgently.

"East Ave. near the corner of chestnut," the man says while pointing up the street.

"Alright, thanks," Frank says as he slams his foot on the accelerator.

As Frank speeds up the street, the others carefully walk sideways into the elevator with Iva's body. Charles presses a button repeatedly until the doors slide close. There's no mellow music playing in the background to soothe their ears from this dreaded noise. The only thing they hear, over sorrowful weeping, is Iva's body trying to gasp for air. Then her body goes into a horrible tremor.

Margie flinches and turns away quickly. She covers her eyes, unwilling to watch her struggle to stay alive. Charles embraces his wife firmly in attempt to calm her unsteady emotions. The elevator reaches the fourth floor and stops.

"Shit," Charles says lowly.

He positions himself in front of the elevator. The doors slide open and an elderly woman breaks a gentle smile.

"Going up dear?" she asks Charles.

"No, I'm sorry," Charles responds as he presses the close button rapidly.

"Oh, okay," the elderly woman replies.

Slowly her smile dissolves and a curious expression takes its place. She tilts her head sideways and stretches her neck, trying to glance around Charles. Just before the doors close, you can see shock forming on her face. Although it seemed like an eternity, the elevator finally reaches its long awaited destination. The elevator doors slide open and they all exit in a hurry.

Kenya, Olivia, and Jason's parents are standing down the hall. They walk towards one another as fast as they can.

"Hurry, we don't have time to waste," Olivia pleads.

Before both groups are able to meet, an exit door between them explodes of its hinges. Everyone gasps when they realize who they're face to face with. It's an irritated, tired, bruised, bloody, and beaten Hellhound. He swiftly shifts his eyes to Iva's body. He bends his knees in preparation to leap forward and finish what he started.

Before he's able to attack, Mane leaps through the same doorway, colliding into Hellhound and breaking through a tenant's door.

Together they tumble into someone's living room and slam against a leather-sectional. The owner of the sofa, an older woman, can only scream in the hallway as they continue their scuffle. Their ongoing fight leads to the television set being knocked over, pictures on the walls falling to the floor, and even crashing through the dining-room table.

Their bodies detach for a moment. They both take time to catch their breaths. Hellhound looks exhausted and Mane looks even worse.

"Looking tired boy," Hellhound says between breaths.

"Tired? I just started," Mane replies weakly.

Mane charges at Hellhound and forces him backwards. Now, they are both heading toward the kitchen window.

Meanwhile, as this is going on, Frank and Jones find the Charger parked in front of the apartment building.

"Okay, we've got the car," Frank says.

"It looks empty," Jones replies.

"They're around here somewhere."

As soon as Frank completes this sentence, he hears the shattering of glass at a close distance. Then, out of the blue, Mane crashes onto the hood of their patrol car.

"HOLY SHIT!" Jones shouts at the top of his lungs.

They both quickly jump from their vehicle and whip out their guns. They discover a black lion lying motionless on the hood of their patrol car. They shift over to the Charger and see a hooded man stretched-out on top of the roof.

"You're alright?" Frank asks Jones with his heart pounding against his chest.

"I'm good," Jones says between his unsteady breaths.

Frank looks around himself and notice pedestrians gawking in awe at what just happened.

"Everybody, get in doors, it's not safe," Frank yells to them urgently.

Frank points his gun at Mane and walks closer to him, one steady step at a time. He pokes Mane's side with his gun twice and quickly jumps back, scared that the lion may attack.

"Go check on that guy," Frank tells Jones.

Jones walks over to the body with his gun. He lowers his gun with his right hand and uses his left to tap the side of man's torso. Jones is unaware that this man is not a man at all.

"Sir, are you okay?" Jones asks.

Jones cautiously maneuvers around the car and nudges on him again.

"Sir, can you hear me?" Jones asks.

Hellhound regains consciousness and looks Jones in his eyes.

"What the...?" Jones says in a frightened tone.

Hellhound cuts him off by swiping his gun from his hand. The gun slides onto the concrete sidewalk. Then Hellhound swiftly grabs Jones by his neck and pulls him close. Frank sees his partner in distress and immediately focuses his attention onto Hellhound.

"Jones!" Frank shouts out in distress.

Panicked, Frank points his gun at the creature. As he chokes Detective Jones, he gets off the car and stands to his feet. The pedestrians around the area gasp at the first sight of Hellhound's bizarre appearance.

"Drop him!" Frank warns.

"Or what, Lancaster, you'll shoot me?" Hellhound asks while lifting Jones off his feet with one arm.

He applies pressure on Jones's neck. Frank mind is so awestruck, that he has no idea how to handle the situation. If he fires, he might hit his partner, but if he doesn't, his partner will be strangled to death. It's a hard decision to make.

"Time is ticking, Detective," Hellhound says while holding his partner's body in front of him.

"Shot em," Jones uses his might to force the words from his mouth.

Frank is scared to death right now. He's not scared for himself but for his dear friend. The indecisiveness is driving him mad.

"Say goodnight," Hellhound says while squeezing Jones's neck so hard that it snaps.

"NO!" Frank shouts.

Hellhound thrust Jones's body at Frank like a rag-doll. Frank is hit hard. He falls on the ground, dropping his gun in the process. Using his training skills, Frank rolls on the ground, grabbing the gun, and fires three shots at Hellhound. But it's too late. He has already made it around the corner.

Frank doesn't give up that easily. He jumps to his feet, sprinting with the gun at his side, rotates around the corner, and unleashes rapid shots until the clip becomes depleted. One bullet grazes Hellhound's arm. But sadly, it's not enough to stop him from fleeing. Frank watches him continue down the street, climb a construction fence, and disappear behind a bulldozer.  
He hurries back to his partner's body and falls onto his knees, supporting his broken neck.

"Damn it! Don't you die on me," Frank tells him.

Frank uses one arm to support Jones's head and the other to unfasten his radio from his hip.

"Dispatch, officer down. Call the RPD and tell them an officer is down at East Avenue and Chestnut. Suspect is on the run. He's not armed," he says into his radio.

"It doesn't matter," a weak voice says next to Frank.

Slowly but surely, Mane rises off the car and leaps off with a bad limp.

"He's still very dangerous, detective."

Frank is mesmerized by Mane.

"Stand back," he warns Mane.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Frank."

"How do you know my name?" he asks Mane with wide, frightened, eyes.

Mane continues to approach him. That's when Frank's survival instincts kicks in. He quickly exchanges his radio for his partner's gun and points it at Mane, ready to fire.

"It's me. It's me Daniel," Mane tells him.

"Cruz?" Frank asks confusingly.

"Remember that day when you saved me. You said you would do anything to bring my father back. We don't have that power Frank. We can't change the past. But we can act now and change the future. Another life is at stake, Iva's life. One bullet won't stop him. He must be killed. He won't stop until she's dead."

He can see Frank's hostile eyes dissolving away.

"We can save her Frank. You just have to tell me where Hellhound went. This ends today."

Frank lowers his gun with a look of total confusion.

"Daniel, what the hell is going on?"

"There's no time to explain. Where did Hellhound go? You must tell me now."

"Around the corner, I think he's hiding out at that abandoned building."

"Call it in. Tell them there's a dead body found there. If I don't kill him, I will die trying," Mane says and then sprints around the corner.

Frank reaches for his radio and picks it up.

"Tell the RPD to meet up at the construction site on Chestnut. Tell them to expect casualties..."

CHAPTER 46: ONLY ONE WILL STAND

Mane sprints down the sidewalk, turning a woman into a frightened statue. He staggers through traffic at an intersection, leaping high on top of a metro-bus, jumping off onto the sidewalk, and hurdling over the fence. He drops onto rocky soil, nearly falling over due to his weak legs. He lowers to the ground and starts to creep, slowly.

He prowls around a bulldozer with his eyes on high alert. He sees a building made of black windows. The building is partly demolished, and it may have been desolate for years. He spots a limping Hellhound entering through a broken window on the first floor of the building. Therefore, he darts towards the building and leaps inside.

Hellhound is gone. He instantly switches to prowler mode again. He creeps, slowly, with his eyes scanning every direction. The inside is a wide area filled with dust and some unused office furniture. The ceilings are supported by these giant concrete columns that are mounted into its foundation. Mane continues to scan the large area as he prowls low to the ground. He looks left, then right, yet sees no sign of his enemy.

"Come out, coward!" he yells as he traces the area with his eyes.

"Come find me," Hellhound's voice echoes throughout the room.

Mane quickly looks left, then right, and forward again.

"Show yourself," Mane says while examining his surroundings.

As Hellhound hides behind a concrete support beam, he sees a sludge-hammer resting on the floor in front of him. Quietly, he kneels down and lifts up the hammer, so Mane won't hear the metal scraping against the floor tiles. Hellhound's sinister laugh bounces off the tinted windows.

"I hope you're ready for death, boy," Hellhound responds.

Mane hears a sound of clinging metal in his left ear. He sinks low to the ground and prowls in that direction. Mane is ready to kill. You can see the determination in his yellow eyes.

"You won't see the dark of night, Hellhound. I promise you that," Mane tells him with confidence.

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

Mane continues to creep. He looks around for Hellhound, diligently. He listens closely to the silence of the building. He can only hear the loose plastic on the windows, flapping hard against the wind. Hellhound's dark laugh echoes throughout the building another time.

"How ironic..." his evil laugh is increasing. "Look at

the floor..."

He's laughing so hard that he can't even finish the sentence. Mane looks down at the dirty black and white floor tiles. Although it's hard to see because of the dust, the floor is decorated in a checkered pattern.

"I promised you a second round in chess, didn't I?" Hellhound snickers. "I remain undefeated."

Mane looks forward again and growls out the side of his mouth. Hellhound's laugh dies away and now it's completely quiet again. Seconds roll by and Mane waits to pounce on him. He continues to examine his surroundings, watching and waiting patiently for the opportune moment. If only he would show himself.

He hears the sound of crunching glass behind him, as if someone is trying to sneak up from behind. Mane realizes that the predator has now become the prey. He growls and swiftly shifts his body, but a massive blow strikes him on his side. His body flies sideways and slides across the dusty floor tiles. He quickly jumps to his feet but a sharp pain pierces his right paw and shoulder.

He looks down and notices his arm is unable to move. He grunts in pain and leans his weight onto his left paw. He holds his injured paw off the floor, close to his body. Hellhound chuckles lowly at him. Mane realizes that Hellhound is dragging a sludge-hammer across the floor. The hammer is so heavy that the metal is literally scrapping into the floor tiles.

"That was just a test swing. Now, it's your move," Hellhound says in a whispering voice.

Mane scans the area. His eyes quickly surveys left, right, and then behind himself. He slowly starts to limp backward. Each step he takes is difficult due to his injury. Hellhound starts to walk towards him, dragging the hammer on the floor as he advances.

"Do you feel it breathing down your neck? That's the walls closing in."

He raises the hammer high into the air. Mane pushes himself backward just in time to watch the hammer shatter the floor in front of him. He keeps moving back, more and more.

"Your move," Hellhound says lowly.

He inhales deeply, building up his momentum, and uses his good paw to push himself backward to gain speed. Mane knows that he won't survive another blow from that hammer, especially if it's a headshot. He must act quickly or he will die here. He looks into Hellhound's eyes as he maneuvers closer to a corner.

"I'm waiting, boy."

Hellhound approaches him and swings the sludge hammer across the air. Mane ducks in the nick of time. A large portion of a concrete beam explodes off by the powerful impact. Again, Mane pushes himself backward as fast as he can. He looks behind himself and sees a series of wires hanging from the ceiling.

"Your move," Hellhound says to him.

At last, Mane is stuck in a corner with no place to run.

"Your move Mane! COME ON!!" he yells as he march closer and closer.

Mane remains bold. Hellhound stops right in front of him with hatred burning in his eyes, yet Mane continues to hold his ground.

"It looks like I win, again," Hellhound says with a chuckle.

He raises the hammer high into the air, over his head, yet Mane remains motionless. This time Hellhound swings downward with all of his might. He can't seem to bring the hammer down. Hellhound looks up and sees the sludge-hammer tangled in a series of electrical cords. He swiftly shifts back at Mane.

Mane positions his back legs and dart straight up. He reaches his good paw back and swings at full-power. The paw hits Hellhound across the face with a deadly force. Now, Hellhound's eyes are facing backwards. The sound of his neck breaking bounces off the thick, dark, windows. Mane stands wobbly on his feet as Hellhound lets go of the hammer and falls down to the floor.

Mane lands gently on his paw. He takes a moment to catch his breath before saying the words...

"Checkmate."

Mane sluggishly turns around and limps away from Hellhound's lifeless body...

CHAPTER 47: LAST HOPE

Jason supports Iva's broken neck while holding a cloth against her head to maintain the bleeding. Jessica is carrying her midsection and Eric has her legs. Jason carefully backs into Olivia's apartment. Margie, Olivia, Kenya, David, Sharon, and Charles are following behind them. Everyone is filled with overwhelming fear for Iva's life.

"Hurry, bring her to me," Olivia orders them urgently.

Kenya grabs the couch pillows and tosses them to the floor and Olivia sinks into the cushions.

"Bring her here," Olivia orders again, reaching her nervous hands into the air.

They carry Iva's body into the living area and lower her, ever so gently, across Olivia's lap. Olivia is holding Iva's upper body close like a newborn. The back of her head is resting on her forearm and her face is resting against Olivia's chest. Iva's arm is dangling lifelessly at her side.

"Let's see what we're dealing with here," David urges Olivia.

Olivia uses her free hand to reach over and gently lift the cloth from the side of her head. With an anxious hand, Olivia uses the red cloth to carefully part the dampen hair. She quickly turns away and shuts her eyes tightly when see notices blood oozing from an open wound.

You can hear everyone's breath leave their lungs when she unveils the deep wound.

"Jesus Christ," David says in an aching voice. "She's been hit hard by some kind of....blunt object. Her skull is literally split open. I don't have the tools or men to treat her here."

"Oh shit," Eric says while turning away and gripping his hair tightly.

"This can't be happening right now," Jason cries out.

She lowers the cloth over the wound and David backs away, shamefully. Olivia breathes out deeply through her nose. The others are standing over Olivia, watching her comfort Iva with their sore eyes and burning throats.

"Give her space," Kenya cries from behind.

Everyone sluggishly backs away, yet still watching diligently. Suddenly, her body goes into another violent tremor. Olivia holds Iva closer to her and reaches over to maintain control of her wailing arm.

"Come on, baby girl," Olivia cries into her ear. "Don't give up on me yet."

She keeps her grip locked until her body stops trembling.

"Come on, child," she speaks in a low voice into Iva's ear.

Iva's body jumps hard again and Olivia tightens her hold. She waits for the episode to finish before loosening her seize. She looks deeply into Iva's partially opened eyes, witnessing her life breaking away. Olivia begins to rock gently back and forth on the couch to comfort her.

"Come back to us child," she says while sobbing.

She looks at the others with this profound concern.

"She has gone too far. It won't work," she cries out with a broken heart.

Kenya collapses back into an armchair, unable to stand anymore. Iva's body jumps again and Olivia pulls her close to help calm the spasm. A moment later, the episode ceases. She looks down at Iva again with tears pouring down her big cheeks, and leans her mouth close to Iva's bleeding ear.

"Iva, if you are in there somewhere..." she takes a moment to swallow. "...this is your family. We are all here for you. You must come back to us. You can't leave us yet, child."

Everyone in the room begins to sob and cry as they watch their friend die. Her body wails again and Olivia holds her down. Then the seizure stops shortly after.

"Why isn't it working?" Jessica cries out loud.

Olivia leans back and brushes her wet hair.

"Come back," she pleads to Iva in tears.

Once again, her body goes into a hard uncontrollable seizure. Olivia tries her best to hold her down but her body is too wild.

"Someone help me," Olivia cries out for help. "Her mind is slipping. It won't work this way."

Jason comes over and kneels down to help control her trembling body. He closes his eyes, not willing to see her in such pain. She breaks into another episode, but this one is weaker than the previous ones. Her wailing body starts to calm and her breathing follows.

"I can't feel her spirit," Olivia cries out.

"See's lost too much blood, we're losing her," David explains. "Sharon..." he calls out to his wife.

"Adrenaline shot?" she asks him.

"Yeah, hurry," he urges her.

Sharon digs into her purse with a shaky hand and pulls out a black box. Inside are various needles and jars. She fills a syringe as fast as she can and hands it to her husband. David hurries over and applies the dose to Iva's shoulder. He then backs away.

"Iva," Olivia calls to her again, still there's nothing but void over her eyes.

Her breathing comes to a stop and her feet stops kicking. A long quiet pause comes over the entire room.

"Child..." Olivia calls to her.

She looks down into Iva's hallow, lifeless, stare. Jason is still holding her body down firmly. Olivia places a gentle hand upon Jason's shoulder and he gazes up at her.

"Let go, Courage. She's gone child. She's gone," Olivia whispers to him.

Jason looks into Iva's face with profound confusion and sadness. A moment later, he begins to hyperventilate.

"But this...she can't be..." he mutters and can't complete his sentence.

Olivia looks up at everyone with a deep sorrow.

"She's gone," she tells them all.

They can't respond, only stare in disbelief. Olivia puts her hand onto Iva's forehead and slides her palm down her face; closing her eyelids.

"It..." Olivia takes a pause to stop her words from trembling. "It was too late."

"This is my fault," Jason cries out. "She was with me."

Jessica comes to Jason, collapsing on the floor, and comforts him with a hug. Eric comes behind his sister and places a hand on her shoulder to soothe her. Maria walks behind Eric. Together, they all mourn deeply for their friend. Eric is crying the hardest out of all of them.

"This is my fault, this is my fault..." Jason chants lowly to himself.

Olivia looks down into Iva's bruised face and shakes her head.

""This is not our fault. They did this," she replies.

She removes the strands of hair from Iva's face and brushes them back. She then looks over at Kenya.

"Shiva, we have to call it in," Olivia tells Kenya.

Kenya slowly rises to her feet and nods to Olivia weakly. She walks across the living room and picks up the cordless phone. Everyone remains frozen as they hear the dial tone. Kenya presses three numbers and puts the phone to her ear.

"Someone, bring me a blanket to cover her body," Olivia whispers. "You two...help me lift her up,"

Jason supports her neck and Eric slides his hands under her legs. Together, they lift her body into the air. Olivia stands to her feet, supporting Iva's back, and gazing at her one last time.

"I believed that this was more than just a coincidence. But I no longer do," Olivia says while shifting her gaze at Jason and Eric. "But sometimes people are not destined for things. Sometimes, things just happen..."

Suddenly, Olivia's face goes blank. Seconds roll by as she remains a statue.

"Oh my God..." Jessica mutters underneath her breath, pointing at the floor.

Margie grabs Charles shoulder, seeking his attention. Before Kenya speaks to the operator, she drops the phone onto the carpet. You can hear the operator saying hello repeatedly through the phone. Eric, although he's still crying, begins to smile. The blood on the floor rises and returns to Iva's skull and the red bruises on her face fade away.

Iva takes in a huge breath. Olivia then becomes very weak. Her hands drop dead at her sides and her eyes roll backward. Her body falls sideways, but Charles catches her before she falls onto the floor. Jason rubs his hands through Iva's hair, realizing it's completely dry. He places his ear against her chest and listens to her heartbeat.

"She brought her back," he says lowly.

He looks over his shoulder at everyone, who is staring back at him; bug-eyed and breathless.

"She brought her back," Jason tells them in a higher volume.

They begin to cry again but not with sorrow, yet with tears of joy...

CHAPTER 48: SLEEPING BEAUTY

The elevator doors slide open and Julia rushes out into a bright hallway. She glances left and sees a pair of double-doors at the end of the hall. She glances right and sees a female receptionist sitting at a desk. The concern in Julia's eyes is nothing short of severe. She approaches the receptionist in a speedy pace.

"Hello, I'm here to see my daughter," Julia rushes the words out of her mouth.

"Name please?" the young woman says while preparing her fingers on the keyboard.

"Iva Hill."

"Okay, give me one second to look her up."

The woman types the name into the hospitals database. Julia fingers dances nervously on the counter top as she waits, impatiently, for the receptionist to look up the information.

"She's in room 223 ma'am," the receptionist informs her.

"Which way is that?"

"It's straight through these doors here..." she says while pointing to a pair of swinging doors on her left. "...then you want to go up the hallway, and it's towards the end, on your right."

"Thank you," Julia says as she rushes through the hallway.

She pushes through the pair of doors and enters into a depressing waiting area. The first person she sees is Jason, who is sitting in an armchair. He's looking down at the floor with his fingers crossed. Then she sees Maria sitting next to him, covered in bruises, staring back at her. Jessica and Eric are sitting across from them with a pair of vacant expressions. Eric and Jessica shift at the door and notice her walking in.

Daniel is standing up with his back against the wall. Unlike the others, his eyes seem more livid than gloomy. He has quite a bit of facial bruises as well as swelling on his bottom lip, and his right arm is harnessed in a sling. Julia sees a young doctor talking to Kenya and Olivia. Their conversation ceases as they see her approaching.

"I came here as soon as I got your message. What happened?" Julia asks Kenya, anxiously.

"Are you Iva's mother?" the doctor asks.

"Yes, I am," she confirms.

He reaches his hand forward and she shakes it with a nervous, sweaty, grip.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Butler."

"Julia," she responds.

"It's nice to meet you, Julia."

His smile falls flat.

"I was just discussing with Kenya and Olivia about her current condition. It seems that she has suffered a server concussion. The x-rays show no significant brain damage. But she is still unconscious at the moment. Her brain function is at a basic level."

Julia grabs her heart, nearly collapsing onto the floor.

"She's in a coma?" Julia asks.

"I'm afraid so," he responds.

She shifts her concern to Kenya and asks...

"What happened?"

"They were in a car accident," Kenya explains.

"The car flipped several times."

Julia looks back at Dr. Butler.

"Can I see her?"

"Of course you can," he replies. "Follow me."

Julia marches with Dr. Butler down the hallway.

"How long will she stay in the coma?" Julia asks with worry.

"I can't say. Her MRI scan didn't show anything permanent. But she has a heart of a horse. Most of our car accident patients suffer from blood loss, broken bones, or worse."

He turns right in a room at the far end. Julia enters and sees her daughter lying on the bed in a deep slumber. Stinging tears instantly gather under her eyelids.

"Her breathing appears normal," Dr. Butler continues. "The injury is on the right side of her head."

Julia walks over to Iva and sits down in an armchair next to her bed. She gently brushes back her hair. She then closes her eyes and tries to reduce the stinging. She takes a quick timeout to meditate and ingest her emotions.

She sniffs a couple of times, trying to relieve her sinus pressure.

"Do you think she'll regain consciousness anytime soon?" Julia asks in an uneasy tone.

Dr. Butler takes a slight recess before answering.

"I'm sorry Julia, but these things can't be estimated. Only time will tell. Comas are unpredictable."

Julia stares in Iva's peaceful face then grabs her hand firmly, kisses it, and gazes back into her closed eyes.

"Iva honey, I'm here. It's mom talking."

She pauses and shifts over at the doctor.

"She probably can't hear me, can she?"

"I'm afraid not. To her, everything is void right now. I'm sorry."

She stands and kisses her forehead.

"I love you," she whispers into her ear.

Meanwhile, everyone else is having a secretive discussion in the waiting area.

"They came out of nowhere," Daniel says shamefully with his eyes downward.

"I knew it was a trap," Eric adds in a low voice from a chair.

Eric leans back into the chair and looks up at the ceiling tiles.

"You all did the right thing going to her mother's house to help," Olivia says next to them. "None of you knew this would happen. It's not your fault."

"I just should've known it was Nelson. He told me that I was avoiding the obvious. The bastard was mocking me," Daniel tries to shake the disgrace from his head.

Another person comes into the waiting room. It's Detective Lancaster. The entire waiting room watches him walk in slowly. He looks utterly distressed and tiresome. Humble than ever, he approaches Kenya.

"Good evening, Detective," Kenya says modestly.

"I'm trying to have one. I'm trying," he replies in a low tone.

"Your partner, is he okay?" Kenya asks him with great concern.

Frank places his hands on hips and looks at the floor tiles. He exhales, trying to keep his emotions bottled in.

"He didn't make it," he says with a shaky voice.

"I'm sorry."

He marinates in silence in order to collect his emotions.

"Listen..." he continues in a low voice, nearly whispering. "People are starting to ask questions about what happened. You all are saying the car crashed on the highway but they found it five miles away. And worst of all, I lost my partner. And I don't even know what to tell his family."

"Tell them the truth," Kenya informs.

"Which is?"

"A war is imminent. You're now a part of it. Tell them to prepare."

"A war against what? I'm just a small-town cop," he says.

"You can help. This here is just a glimpse of what's to come. Soon, their allies will hear about this and they will come for us."

"Their allies?"

"Yes, the reptilians," Kenya informs him. "They are a race of intelligent beings. Most of them are in powerful positions."

"Jesus. And Julie, does she know about all of this?"

"Not yet. We will wait for the right time to tell her," Kenya answers. "You should go see her. She needs some comfort right now."

Frank begins to walk down the hallway but Daniel walks up behind him.

"Hey Frank," Daniel says sternly, trying to grasp his attention.

Frank turns and watches him approach. Daniel lowers his voice as he speaks...

"Hey, I never thanked you."

"For what?"

"That day when you saved my life. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about things and I wouldn't be here today if..."

"Hey buddy, you don't have to think me for anything. I would do it all over again if I had to. I met your father, he was a good man. If he was here, he would be proud to see you stand up for what's right. Actually, I should be thanking you for saving my niece."

"I guess we're even," Daniel says, almost smiling but not quite.

"I guess so. See you around," Frank finishes.

He then nods at Daniel modestly and Daniel returns the favor. Frank continues into Iva's room. He sees Julia, looking over Iva's body, and the doctor giving her lessons on brain recovery. Julia eyes brighten when she sees her brother in the doorway.

"Frankie," she calls out to him as they meet each other with a gentle hug.

They break apart moments later.

"I'll leave you guys alone. I'll be back in the morning to check up on her."

"Thank you doctor," Julia says as he exits the room.

"How's she doing?" Frank asks.

"She's in a coma."

Frank pauses momentarily for reality to settle in.

"She's a tough gal, she'll be fine. Everything will be okay, Julie. Don't worry," he reassures her.

"I was so scared. I thought she was in danger. You never told me what was going on."

"Oh, that was nothing. I just needed to speak to her about something. That's all," he lies while looking her in the eyes.

Meanwhile, back in the waiting room, Kenya is speaking to the depressed.

"I'm proud of all of you," Kenya says to the humble few. "This is why we must stick together. We've turned their plans against them."

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for all this," Eric says.

"None of us are," Maria adds.

"Then make yourselves ready," Olivia tells them.

This only makes their grim expressions worse. Jason is the only one who has a hint of motivation.

"She's right," Jason confirms. "If we stick together, nothing can stop us. We have each other. We just need to give it our all, even if it cost us our lives. I have no problem dying for either of you. A storm is coming. But we're family. And family can handle any weather."

Jason's slim speech lifts a little bit of the tension that shrouded the room.

"I would die for you guys," Jessica adds with a very humble smile.

"I would too," Maria says.

"Me too," Eric says.

"I'm in til death," Daniel adds.

Julia comes walking down the hallway with Frank. She brings along a bleak smile as she make herself present to everyone.

"I just want to thank everyone for your support," she projects her voice. "You all are my daughter's first and only friends," she pauses to unblock her sinuses. "She has been searching, her whole entire life, for a place that she could fit in. And she found it. These past few days have been her best. I have tried, for so long, to make her feel like a person. But you all have done something I could never do. I am forever grateful for that. Thank you all."

Kenya comes to her with moist eyes and a warm smile.

"Your daughter is more important to us than we are to her. For just bringing Iva into this world has placed us into your debt forever,"

Kenya then gives Julia a nice long hug...

CHAPTER 49: DANIEL IS SOLVED

It's now midnight and everyone is still loitering in the waiting area. Jessica, Eric, Olivia, and Maria have fallen asleep in their chairs. Jason is still awake sitting forward with his fingers crossed looking at the floor below. Daniel is by himself, standing in the hallway, looking into Iva's room at Frank and Julia sleeping in armchairs.

Daniel shifts his eyes down the hall and sees his mother approaching with a half grin. He shifts his eyes forward again and continues to monitor the room like a guard-dog. She stops at his side and look into the room at the three of them resting, peacefully.

"How's your arm doing?" she asks him.

"It'll heal," he replies but keeps his eyes into the room.

"Your fight with Hellhound will stir a lot of problems. The humans will start suspecting things when they find Nelson's body," she says.

"So, let them," he responds carelessly.

A slight pause comes between them two as they gaze into the dimly lit room.

"I want to talk to you about something," Kenya tells him.

Daniel sighs and keeps his eyes on guard.

"This peculiar question has been on my mind all day. A question only you can answer. Hellhound out-smarted you in every way. Then Iva was taken from us, and placed in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Yet, you knew where she was. How did you find her?"

His tense eyes fall subtle all of a sudden, but he doesn't answers her question.

"What do you mean?" he asks humbly.

"When all hope seemed lost, somehow you were the only person who knew where she was. Even when Hellhound had her all alone in that field, you knew she was in danger."

Suddenly, Daniel breathes turn heavy, and he swallows down the lump expanding in his throat. He turns his face away and tries his best to collect his emotions.

"I..," he starts to speak but realizes his voice is trembling so he stops to break. "...I just..," he swallows again trying his best to fight his emotions. "...I didn't ask for this," he says to her softly.

Kenya smiles at him with joy.

"Oh son, nobody does," Kenya replies.

She walks around him in order to face him. Yet again, he tries to lower his face from hers. She uses her hand to adjust his eyes back into hers.

"Am I cursed?" Daniel asks in a low voice.

"Do you love her?"

He moves away from her and shifts his eyes toward the floor. He doesn't respond immediately.

"I always thought I was fearless. I was wrong. That day, when she was taken away, I was terrified. I was terrified of losing her. That's when I knew that I loved her," he says with watery eyes.

Kenya steps close to him.

"Son, after you have solved all of life's greatest puzzles, there will always be one left to solve..," she places her other hand over Daniel's heart. "...and that's yourself," she says with a soft grin. "I can only hope you find that missing piece in your heart."

Kenya glances behind herself, into the room at Iva, then back at Daniel.

"Or maybe...you finally have," she finishes.

She then turns and walks away...

CHAPTER 50: TRAFFIC

Julia is sleeping on the armchair next to Iva's hospital bed. The sunlight pouring in from the large, wide, window instantly becomes unbearable to her eyes, so she squints to ease the irritation from the morning rays. She sees two figures in front of the window. These figures are Olivia and Kenya. Both of them are turned away from Julia, gazing outside the window, and talking in a low tone.

Julia scans the room for a moment and spots another armchair, which is vacant at the moment.

"Did my brother leave?" she asks them at the window.

They rotate together, both showing a pleasant grin.

"He went to get some breakfast," Kenya informs her.

They shift towards the window again. Julia can hear a car horn beeping somewhere outside at afar.

"What's going on out there?" Julia asks with a yawn mixed with her words.

Olivia turns to Julia, beaming brightly.

"See for yourself," Olivia says softly.

Julia stands to her feet and slowly approaches the window. She steps in-between them and stare outside at a shocking view. Her breathing takes an abrupt pause when she notices a line of traffic backing up an entire block. The row of vehicles seems to be heading towards the hospital. For some unknown reason, a crowd of people are marching towards their window.

"What's going on? Is there an evacuation?" Julia asks confusingly and tensely.

Olivia looks at Julia and laughs.

"No child," she says between chuckling. "They're visitors."

"There's someone important in this hospital," Kenya adds with a warm smile.

The moisture in Kenya's eyes is beginning to gather.

"Really..." Julia asks. "...who's here?"

Julia pauses and looks into Kenya's watery eyes.

"Your daughter..." Kenya replies. "...they are here to see your daughter, Julia. Some of them have come a far way to see her."

In the waiting area, Eric hears the beeping of horns as well, so he gets up and takes a look out the window. He cowers behind his forearm for a moment until his weak eyes adjust to the light.

"Guys, you gotta see this," Eric announces.

Slowly, everyone drag their feet to the window. They all lose their breath when they catch the view outside.

"Is that...are they?" Maria says.

"They heard our call," Eric adds.

"I'd never thought it would be so many," Jessica adds as well.

Jason starts to laugh a joyful laugh as if he's receiving a special gift on Christmas.

Back in Iva's room, Julia gasps for a second time and covers her wide mouth with her fingers. See watches on as people begin to exit their cars, one by one, and approach the hospital; staring up at their window. A large gathering of people is forming underneath their window. Olivia and Kenya sees Margie, Charles, Sharon, and David leading them all.

They stop underneath the window. Margie smiles at them. Olivia and Kenya smile back at her. The crowd grows drastically by every passing second. These people are from several ethnic backgrounds with several different occupations, yet they're all here to support their leader. Margie looks over into Charles bright eyes and nods to him.

Charles lifts his pants leg, kneels onto the ground, and then bows his head. Margie lowers to the ground and bows her head also; Sharon and David follow behind them. One by one, starting from the front to the back, the giant mob of people sinks to the ground and bows their heads.

"Kenya..." Julia calls to her with a tear coming down. "...what is going on?"

Olivia grabs Julia's shoulders softly and says...

"Child, we need to have a talk."

"I'll listen to what they have to say Julie," Frank appears in the doorway with the others behind him.

"We are here for you. All of us," Frank finishes with a smile.

"Come child," Olivia says as they all escort her from the room and down the hall.

Iva is now lonesome in her room. Everything she is, her conscious, her personality, and her soul, remains submerged inside a dark oblivion. Even in the absence of reality, her mind captures a noise. Unlike the loud car horns, this sound is different because it can't be heard by ear. This sound is a deep voice that calls to her while she slumbers.

"Iva," her animal spirit calls her name in a powerful tone.

When her mind detects this voice, the barriers separating her from reality finally shatter. Her lungs expand wide and her back rises up slightly, as if she's taking a breath for the first time. Her chest contracts and her body settles back onto the bed. Not long after, something miraculous is taking place. Iva completes her journey back into the real world. And in this moment, her eyes reopen...

'Untamed: Awakening' is the second book to this series. The second book will be available for download on amazon starting December 15th, 2016. This first book is absolutely free at untamedthenovel.webs.com. Please share this book with everyone you know. With your help, this book will become a motion picture one day.

Email me at untamedthenovel@gmail.com

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