The Sides Of Our Story - A Playlist

Dahlia's never been a normal place, and the people weren’t all that typical either. Standards of each person changes. Sure, humans exist; but they’re not the only ones. Vampire, werewolves, shades, demons, stealths, and so much more. Don’t believe me? You should. A lot can happen to someone who doesn’t believe. We can show you. Hang tight as you hear several sides of the same story. Besides, there are multiple sides to every story.

(I'll put the playlist link in the comments XD )

One - David

My father was all I had holding me together. He was my rock. The others called him a hero, but in the end; he was just my dad. Gabriel Shaw. Father. Friend. Leader. The cold stone sits in front of me, mocking me almost. Milo’s hand lands on my shoulder. He shakes me a bit before walking away with his mom. Asher doesn’t speak. He stands there and waits. I hear a sniffle and footsteps approaching me. Amina stands beside me, her hair in a tight bun. She is the only girl that wore a leather jacket, blank tank top, jeans and her black combat boots. She never believed in formal clothes, but Dad wouldn’t have had it any other way.

It never mattered what Amina thought, but for how bad the situation is, she held in the tears until everyone was gone. She’s always been stubborn like that. Asher gently pats the top of the headstone and walks to his car. I turn to Amina and wait. She was close with Dad. When she was a baby, her parents wanted nothing to do with her. For the longest time, Dad thought she’d find her place. She didn’t. Being the smallest of the pack, no one really noticed her. Dad took this as a sign and went through the whole process of adopting her. She didn’t know how to be a kid. She was left alone and missed out on a lot of that childhood experience. That was my job; to show her the way. I’ve bever had anything against Amina. She’s my sister.

I pull her close and rest my chin on the top of her head. She takes a second before she realizes she can cry. When she does, I wrap my arms around her, trying to protect her.. I don’t even know what I am protecting her from. Dad was the only person she trusted. Only he would know what to do now. Since he’s gone, I take the role as alpha and the person she can go to. It doesn’t feel like much has changed. He’s not really gone, right?

Amina looks out the window as we drive home. I watch her mouth as she silently counts the road signs passing us. That’s a way she copes; counting. She’s not wearing her seatbelt. I fight the urge to reach over her and pull it over her, but it gets the best of me. I pull her out of her trance and she watches the buckle click. Turning my attention back to the road, I can see her looking at me.

“Why?” she asks.

“Hm?” I turn on the blinker.

“Why now? He wouldn’t just wait a few more years when I’m gone and not as attached. He couldn’t just wait. If he did, maybe you wouldn’t be alone. You wouldn’t be stuck with me.” She’s talking more than she normally does. I didn’t answer and instead scoffed. We pull into the driveway and I tell her to deal with it in a way that won’t get her killed. She disappears into the woods almost instantly. It doesn’t feel like home without him. Days pass and Amina doesn’t come back. Surprised? No. She’s left for weeks before. I’ve been as strong as I can, but it’s hard to look at myself in the mirror when I replaced him so quickly.

Silence. That’s all I want for once. Everyone in the pack is on me about the events and the security company. I’m 23, not a 7-year-old. I know what’s wrong and right in this business. No one understands that. I’ve made rules for myself.

No friends (the pack is fine)

Don’t sit and listen to what other people think about you

Don’t take shit from others

Three is my favorite. People say I’m moody. I prefer the word competent. I run this company with the rest of the pack and even that’s not enough for me. I want a reason to be happy. I love Amina and everything, but she isn’t what I mean. I want a person of my own. But does it really matter what I want? Maybe I’ll be alone. That’s not terrible. I won’t have anyone holding me back. Amina returned after a month.. I didn’t yell at her because I’ve had myself knee-deep in work since she left. She’s one of the best seekers in the pack. Now that it’s October, everyone is having big events like festivals, weddings, and other shit. I don’t really go out into the field anymore and instead stay back, filling out paperwork. Asher asks me all the time if I want him to stay with me. My answer is the same each time.

It’s late when I get home. Amina is standing in the kitchen, staring out the window with the lights off. I walked over to her and touched her shoulder. Only now can I see her face damp with tears. She wipes her face and fakes a smile, looking at me. I take a second. Her eyes are red from crying. She hates being alone. That’s why Dad’s death hurt her so much. Separation anxiety. It actually is a lot worse than it sounds. I hug her quickly and pull my hoodie off. The only way to make her feel better is ice cream and a movie. Dad told me that when he was leaving for a trip with Milo’s parents. She runs to the freezer and pulls out a tub of ice cream, laughing.

I grab two spoons and motion to the couch. We sat down. She grabs the remote and puts on a show literally made for two-year-olds. I give her a look and she laughs. At least she’s smiling. Amina had a hard time. Maybe not as bad as me, but it has been hard. When she returned from her trip in the woods, she had bruises and cuts all down her back. I wasn’t bringing it up just yet. If she finds a mate, or a boyfriend, or whatever, I just want them to realize how special she is. Sure, she’s a little rough around the edges, but everyone is. Amina truly is something everyone needs around.

By the seventh episode of the series of stupidity, she’s passed out, curled up in the couch's corner. I grab what’s left of the ice cream and toss it into the trash. When that’s done, I load the dishwasher. Amina hasn’t been to her apartment since Dad’s accident. I don’t really know what to do with her. She feels slight as I lift her off the couch. As a kid, Dad used to say she was a cloud because of how light she was.

“I’ll bring you home in the morning, okay?” I ask, resting her down on the bed she used to call hers. She nods, pulling her blanket over her side. Just as I’m leaving the room, she says my name.

“Thank you. You’re a good brother. I love you.” Her voice is weak, but loud enough for me to hear.

“I love you too, kid.” A smile makes its way onto my face as I leave the room and shut the door. I breathe out. One day, maybe, I’ll find my way to say those words too. That’s something. Finding a mate. I know it’s complicated. Which is why I’m not too eager to rush into it. Maybe a few years alone will put me in the right mindset for that, but not right now. Amina is more likely to find someone before me, and that’s saying something. It’s not a bad thing, but it kind of is because if she has someone before me, it just means the older brother’s gotta step up his game. Dad's jacket rests on a hanger on my door. It’s the last thing I see before I doze off. He's the last thing I think about. He was a great man and I’m glad he was my father. I’m glad he brought Amina into the Shaw family, too. He was a true man. I’ll miss him. Always. I’m proud to be a Shaw.

Two - Amina

He’s really gone. Dad. Even if he wasn’t my biological father, he was my dad. David is a great brother. No matter how many times I push his buttons, he’s there for me. When I wake up, I’m in my old room. Taking a deep breath, I get out of bed and throw on my boots. Sure, my parents might’ve abandoned me, but my grandparents still love me. A text pops onto my phone screen from fourteen hours ago.

Still coming on the 31st?

Yeah! Sorry it took so long, I fell asleep early!

Charlie is a kind soul. My mom’s dad. I’m planning on visiting them at the end of the month. I haven’t told David yet. He might be supportive or fuming. It’s a hit-or-miss type deal with him. David’s pouring coffee when I get into the kitchen. He nods his head at me. I don’t drink coffee. He grabs his keys and heads outside with me. We get into the truck and begin the thirty-minute drive to my apartment.

David told me multiple times how much he hates my living situation. It’s a great apartment, not so much the neighborhood. Each time I let him know I’m safe. Like normal, he’ll roll his eyes and continue with stating facts about safety. He pulls onto my street and puts the truck in a park across the street from the building. I still locked the door as we sat there in silence.

“I’m going to Slateville around the 30th to visit Charlie, Savannah and Mack. I’ll be gone for a week or two.” I finally say, tapping my shoes together. David nods, unlocking the doors.

“Stay safe, or else.” He grins. I know he tries to hide his smile most of the time, but it’s the fake ones that get me. I love his actual smile and laugh. It’s true and real, unlike a lot of things in his world. I get out of the truck and run to the front doors, punching in the code. When I look back, David’s already gone.

My apartment is cozy. I’ve got a living room, kitchen, two bathrooms and ten million closets. There’s no need for how many there are. I plop onto the couch, throwing my phone and keys onto the table/ I just want to hide away some of these days. When I do, David yells at me. To get away, I’ll go out into the woods for as long as I want. It’s amazing.

Life was the runt. It’s exciting. Always being picked on as a kid toughened me up.

Nowadays, I’m almost as stubborn as David. I remember one time I saw David Not-So-David; I guess. He was with this girl from around town and he seemed totally head-over-heels for her. It bothered me badly. She was messing with him the entire time, but he was so happy. If something like that ever happens to me, which it won’t, I’d just be told that it’s what happens to a dumb runt like me. They wouldn’t be wrong. I’m dumb as hell. People think I give a shit about what they say about me, but whatever they say is true. Every insult, every punch, kick, smack; I deserve it all. I was a shit daughter and I’m an even worse sister. Now imagine that chaos with a partner. I want someone to love, but it’s never going to happen. That’s just life as the runt.

My dad bought most of my furniture. He was excited that I wanted to live on my own for a bit. I am never here, though. I hate how I spend most of my time at David’s house rather than my own. It might be because I hate being alone, but all I want is to be alone right now.

The Shaw pack is one of the most loyal, proud, and recognizable wolf packs in all of Dahlia. David takes great pride in keeping it that way. Now that he’s alpha, maybe he’ll be harder on me than he normally is. For anything, that might be the best. Dad was always super upset whenever I’d skip meals, skip pack meetings, and when I quit all three of my jobs. I never told him why I quit them. Now, it doesn’t really matter.

I pull the blinds and push the windows open. The fresh air makes me smile. Turning off the lights and pulling my hair down just to pull it back up means it’s time to clean. The natural light makes me feel strong. I grab a speaker and place it by the window. The second it turns on, my heart stops. Dad’s song plays. The song we used to scream in his truck together while David tried to hide that he, too, was singing along.

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus

A smile crosses my face as Dad’s tall figure walks across the room, beginning to sing the song. He’s not really there, but for a second, it feels real. The shit imagination can do to you. He laughs, playing an air guitar. I sing along, standing beside the ghostly vision of my dad. Tears escape from my eyes when the chorus begins, and he rocks his head. Laughing, I join in, dancing when I get too dizzy. I hate my head so much.

I sweep, mod, clean the windows, the table, the counters. I clean anything to get my mind off of everything. There has to be something wrong with me. David called me seven times, and each time I ignored him. It breaks my heart, but if I talk to him, then I’ll start thinking about the last two months. There’s a knock on my door. Turning the music down, I walk over and answer the door.

“Seven. Seven times I’ve called you. Why are you ignoring me?” David asks, brushing past me and into the apartment. He sees the cleaning materials and smells the clorox and quickly lets out a weak ‘oh’. Maybe he knows about my coping skills. To cope, I count things, clean, eat ice cream, watch baby shows, and I lay on the couch. I’ll turn off my phone and just stare at the ceiling like nothing else matters. Because does anything else matter? David sits on the couch and stretches, leaning back. I sit beside him, waiting with a look. I push him.

“Well?”

“Well, what?” He asks.

“Well, you don’t just show up. You only ever visit if you need something or you want me to do something. So, well?” For the first time in months, I talked back to him. He huffs, rolling his eyes and sighing.

“There’s concern about you.” David shrugs, holding his phone close to his chest. I roll my eyes, standing.

“Oh well. Let them be concerned. Not only would it be the first time, but I’m running. Why worry?” I walk to my bedroom and slam the door. Before jumping onto my bed, I listen to David’s footsteps. He shuffles to the door and gently knocks on the door.

“Amina. You’re my sister. I’m concerned about you. You need to understand that I’m here for you. Younger sister or no. Biological sister or not. I love you. Amina, you need to take care of yourself. Can you just do that for me, please? Dad’s gone. I know it’s hard to believe that, but it’s true. We’ve only got each other. I need you to know that I’m here. David Shaw, your brother... I’m here. If you ever forget, I’ll always be around. Always. Even if you get married and have kids, I’m here. Take care of yourself, kid. Call me or text me whenever.” David’s never talked like this before. His footsteps fade and I hear a door shut.

Sliding down the door, my body falls onto the floor. David’s here for me, but I can’t even see him. Each time I look at him or into his eyes, I see Dad. He has his eyes but looks nothing like him. That hurts just as much as seeing his headstone. In a few years, I want to be someone. I don’t want to be ‘The Runt’ anymore. I want someone to call my own so I can lean on them too. Maybe David will have a break.

Three - Asher

Our alpha was gone and quickly replaced. Gabe was a great guy and also a great dad. His two kids, even if one wasn’t really his, turned out pretty fine. David’s composed, a little aggressive, a great leader so far, maybe too stubborn, and he’s a good friend. He’s dealt with his father’s death a lot better than anyone thought he would. It’s hard to lose someone. A parent is rough, they were pretty close.

Amina is David’s adopted sister. Gabe adopted Amina when she was ten and we all accepted her. She was pretty much already part of the pack, but now she’s a Shaw. She’s smaller than everyone by a longshot. So, everyone refers to her as the runt. Amina’s quiet, stubborn as hell, anxious, and she's become a shadow since Gabe died. David thought she came to my house, but apparently, she went into the woods and didn’t come back. To David, is this normal?

I’ve always been the guy that lightens people’s spirits. I’m funny, loud, a little stupid, and always smiling. That’s what Amina said, anyway. She's good at assessing people. Also, she’s got a good ass snout. Amina’s the best seeker in the pack by far. I’m surprised she is not being studied in a lab. Working at a security company is never boring. There are hot chicks in the building. We’re always on the move, and we get free food when we have work events. David doesn’t go with us on jobs anymore. I ask him if he wants me to stay with him, but he always says no. David’s not the guy to push around; he’s got a short temper.

The last job David went on was a wedding. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t like jobs anymore. I know, like the rest of the pack, he’s alone. No mate, no kids, and as much as it pains me to say it, no dad. He’s 23 and is already the CEO of a security company. During the wedding, they informed us to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. We were told that the groom was going to be leaving and returning a few times, but that was it. David hates couples, I think. We sat in a circle to go over the wedding plans, and that was it. I stayed around either Milo or David just because Amina wasn’t there that night.

A slow dance was almost every hour. That was when you could see it. In David’s eyes, there was nothing but hurt. When we were kids, he was a little more lively and a lot more energetic. David doesn’t want anyone to know, but he likes solitude sometimes. He’s told me before that he doesn’t want to be alone for the rest of his life and he wants to make his dad proud. I can relate.

A dear friend of mine, Milo, is a guy with nothing but endless flair. He’s pretty goofy when you get to know him. When the slow dance finished and everyone began jamming out to Miley, Cyrus, Milo and I sat at a table to eat. Milo is not the guy I’d expect to have kids and get married. Maybe that’s an asshole-type thing for me to say, but he's good alone; with his cat anyway.

I know I'll be alone. No one in the pack can handle me, so I doubt anyone else can, either. If the world throws me at someone or someone at me, I’ll see how it goes. If I mess up a relationship, which I have before, no hard feelings. Messing up a relationship is an easy thing to do. I’ve messed up a few, and I don’t think I’ve changed much since high school. To be someone that's goofy, hurting others is accidental. I’ve never wanted to hurt someone unless they really deserved it. It’s hard to be someone you’re not. I’ve done it a lot.

David stands outside and I’m pretty sure he’s crying. I get up from the tab; e and rush over. He almost instantly knows I’m there and is quiet. He breathed out, leaning against the stone balcony. I gently punch his arm, jokingly laughing.

“Hey, big guy.” My voice sounds raspy since I haven’t talked all day. David sniffles, giving me a look. We stand there as we watch the bride and groom run towards the water. The moonlight shines against the water, making them nothing but a silhouette. They hold each other, swaying to the music. David turns around, leaning his back against the stone. This was back when Gabe was shrill alive, but everyone knew how alone David felt even then.

“We shouldn’t be doing weddings,” he says before walking away. For the rest of the night, David stood by the front doors, watching. He hates seeing relationships. He doesn’t know how they work. It’s actually kinda funny, watching his face scrunch each time he sees people kiss in public. I want to cry when the couple leave for their honey moot. At least some of us can be happy. Being smiley and energetic doesn’t mean being happy, though.

The end of the night finished with a bouquet toss. A woman with a light green dress caught the flowers, laughing. My eyes searched the room for the lucky guy that’s gotta marry her. Three guys surround another tall one, patting his back and clapping their hands loudly. Maybe everyone knew they’d end up getting married next. We got a request for their wedding by the fall of that year. David didn’t come.

Milo messes with the radio on our way to his apartment. I love Milo’s house. Mainly because Agro is a cute cat. When we arrive, Milo tells me to stay quiet since there’s a new old lady across the hall. I tell him I can’t promise anything. He laughed. We sit on the couch and watch Agro roll around in the catnip I gave him. Milo isn’t much of a talker unless he has to. His Dad was a DPI and that brought a lot of anxiety into Milo’s life. He knows everything and anything about Department Investigators. We don’t meet them often, though. Mile says they’re boring and annoying.

Around eight am when I leave. The dark sky covers me while the stars blink like Christmas lights. My apartment isn’t a far walk from Milo’s. Walking is something few people do these days. I guess that’s why I like it so much. The different street signs are funny to me when I try to say them aloud to myself. For as long as I can remember, I’ve looked up at David. He’s born to be a leader. To me, he’s like a brother. He’s cared for me, stood up for me, and he’s kept me in check. I feel bad he’s got to deal with me all the time, but he’s told me that sometimes he needs me to keep him on his toes; I can do that without hesitation.

I get home and flop onto the couch almost instantly. The TV turns on and my body sinks into the cushions. The volume is soft enough to where I can hear it. Breathing out, I close my eyes and drift off to sleep. Normally, my dreams aren't very easy to remember. However, the dream I had that night was so easy to recall when I woke up.

I was sitting at David’s desk, and he was showing me papers. There’s something I notice looking at them; he has a ring on his finger. He’s married? The door opens behind me and David packs his things together; me following his actions. Two young women, about our age, walk over to us. One wears a pair of jeans and a lace crop top with matching white leather boots. The other is wearing a hoodie from our security company, black leggings, and black converse.

“You two ready?” The one in the hoodie asks. David walks over and gives her a peck on the lips. They walk out, leaving me alone with the other girl in the room. I can’t see her face very well. Come to think of it, I couldn’t see either of their faces. She takes my arm and leads me out of the room. That moment is when I woke up.

I want that in a few years.

Four - Milo

Fear. Life wouldn’t be life without it. All my life, here has been a great factor. If I am going to die, I won't be scared. I’ll have very few people in my life, but they all care. That’s all that matters. However, I will never have a wife. If I let that happen, maybe I will fear death. I know what being in the department can do to someone. I know. My father was a DPI, and that messed with his head. Sitting in the apartment I bought about a year ago, my cat, Agro, chases around a small glitter ball. He’s so happy, yet he doesn’t realize what’s going on in the world.

I’ve shifted in front of him once. He was pretty okay with it, but wanted nothing to do with me. That’s something I laughed about. Mostly, Agro loves me unless I run the shower, and he’s in the bathroom. He needs a friend, is what Asher constantly tells me. Agro is like me; Maybe he wants someone to have around, but he’s okay.

My maw is a damn good healer. Each time I’d gotten a cut or bruise, she was there. When I turned 18, she was still around even then. Gabe passed and Maw shut down. She didn’t go to work for two weeks. She was what everyone thought David was going to be like. Maw became the one needing to be healed. Gabe was one of the finest leaders we’d ever seen. I was close with David, not so much Gabe. We all looked up at him. The day of the funeral, Maw baked pastries for Gabe and the others. She put one on a plate with a marigold and a candle beside it. She believes in respecting those who have passed. Everyone thought she was baffling; everyone but me.

Did you know vampires don’t turn into bats? They’re bastards, but we have no choice but to respect them. The Shaw Pack is the strongest in the city. A vampire clan, the Solaire clan, is also the strongest vampire clan in Dahlia. So, we have mutual respect for each other. Their leader. William Solaire admired Gabe and paid his respects.

DPIs have investigated the vampires as much as they can, but they have found nothing too terrible about them. My dad would come home late at night, pissed off. He was being replaced by someone. I thought my dad was the best DPI ever, but now I know he wasn't. The Department keeps us, specialized people (as they call us), safe and in-check. They don’t call us mutants or anything, but most human department workers hate us. We have to stay hidden. If someone like us were to fall in love with a human, that’s fine. If we can hide what we are, then we can interact with the humans. David thought it was a good rule that we needed to follow. There’s more than just vampires and werewolves to worry about.

Shades. These are lifeless creatures. We think they’re probably dead people’s spirits trying to get revenge on the people that killed them. Sometimes they’ll just take the life from people for any reason they get. When they take life from someone, it’s called draining. They aren’t common in Dahlia, but they’re around.

Vampires. No, they don’t turn into bats. Many people think they do, but that’s Hollywood bullshit. One thing they got right was the sun. All vampires are sensitive to the sun. They won’t instantly turn into ash, but they’ll get severe burns. Vampires are immortal, unless I ripped their heads off. I’ve run into a few but never really messed with any.

Demons. I actually know little about ’em. I know that there’s a bunch of differences.

Humans. They aren’t like us. However, some of them have gifts of some sort, like being an elemental. You can probably guess what that means.

We are all different, but in the end, we all live in Dahlia. Dahlia is a quiet place. It’s obviously got a bit of crime like every other city, but not much. The worst we could ever have is a shade. One shade can be responsible for hundreds of deaths. I’ve never encountered one; and I don’t really plan on it. Many humans don’t or barely know we exist. The wolf population has been climbing since the department allowed us to interact with others. When a human and someone like me, a werewolf, have children, they’ll be werewolves. The reason for this is simple; the wolf gene dominates over the human genes and leaves only the basic heredity for the kids to inherit. I’m not sure if vampires can have kids.

The thing about living is that it’s so easy to die. Living is the hard part, death is an option, but many people don’t choose it. I want to live long enough to make my maw happy and proud. I’m not saying I’ve always felt like a failure. I just wish that I could make her happy. She hasn’t been happy in so long. Is it my fault?

In a couple of years, I want to make her laugh. It’s all I need; All I want. Holding onto my arm is something she does when she’s feeling sad. When Gabe’s body was lowered into the ground, she cried on my shoulder. That’s one thing I hate most in this world; Seeing my mom cry. If there’s a star that never dies out, that’s my mom. She’s this light that makes everyone happier. If she doesn’t make you smile, that’ll be her aim the rest of the day. The damn woman gets David to smile; that’s saying a lot. Not that it’s hard to get him to smile, but I mean like a genuine smile. Gave used to get him to smile all the time.

David cried by my side before. He might not remember it, but I do. His sister had wandered off for the seventh time that month and he was scared. It's scary that humans always run off but this is different. Something happened. David loves Amina even if she’s not actually his sister. It’s a great thing, but seeing him torn like this, he’s scared; and David doesn’t show his fear often.

Amina had something happen to her that made her freak out. David, Gabe and Amina were in the kitchen, making dinner. Out of nowhere, she screams, falling to the floor. David and Gae try to help her up, but she pushes away from them. She’s bever pushed them away before. David got dropped off at my house while Gabe and a few other adults looked for Amina. After the two backed away from her, she bolted out the door. David and I were only twelve, so she was ten. Maybe she didn’t know what she was doing, but the Shaws didn’t talk about that night or the next few months ever. Amina kept running. No one found her until three months later.

If I’m being honest, I never could have thought that Amina would do this. She often runs off into the woods, but she’d tell David and Gabe. When she did this time, it took a while to get the truth out of her. Amina is a quiet girl. She’s always kept to herself. When they brought her back home, Gabe instantly held a pack meeting. Maw told me to stay home, but I wanted to tag along. She let me.

“Thank you, everyone for everyone, " Gabe began. David stood beside him, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Amina wasn’t there. She was in the recovery center for two weeks; we weren’t told about her injuries. “As all of you know, Amina has returned from the disappearance which lasted three months. I figured I’d start this meeting by informing you all that she is safe and discovering quickly. Anyway, I’ve been receiving many questions and I will answer them. Why did she run away? Amina told us she saw an overload. For those who haven’t heard of a vision overload, I’ll fill you in. When someone like Amina can trace several trails from various locations and from different time periods, there are overloads that can occur. We haven’t had many people suffer from these overloads, but they happen.” Gabe takes a breath that’s visibly hard for him to take.

“Amina could hear the visions she was seeing, causing her to have a mild anxiety attack. To paint a picture, if everyone were to talk in this room for thousands of different subjects, if some began screaming, crying, yelling; you’d feel overwhelmed too. Not only did she hear talking, but she heard tires screeching, gun shots, horns, and animals. She heard so many sounds that all she could do was scream. Amina also has the amazing gift of being able to feel the people around her and reliving the events that occurred in that place. However, she took in all these events at once and became extremely claustrophobic. Therefore, she pushed David and myself away.”

“This is when we back away. Still not being aware of what was happening, she dashed out the door and disappeared into the forest. Yes, Amina often goes into the woods to clear her mind. I figured I’d give her a few hours before going out and looking for her. Call me a terrible parent, but that is one way Amina has learned to cope with her anxiety and I approve of this. About a week had passed by and I looked for her on my own. After no sign of her, I asked other pack members for their help with looking for her. We only have a select few of outstanding seekers in this amazing family we’ve created. However, many of these seekers were out for personal reasons.” Just as Gabe is about to continue, he looks at David. David sits wide-eyed at a table now, looking at the floor. It was hard for David to relive this again. A chair screeches against the floor and someone runs. Ash quickly sits beside David and punches his shoulder, smiling. Gabe smiles and continues.

“Moving on. Why did it take so long to find her? I found Amina on the outskirts of Slateville. This small town is twenty hours away from Dahlia. By foot, this could take weeks. For a ten-year-old, I don’t want to imagine how long it would take. I believe Amina was attempting to reach her relatives that live in Slateville. Even though she had her overload, she had told me that the entire journey she was followed by time. She will work on turning her tracing off. If you’re a seeker, you would know that this is hard to do. Therefore, it took so long to find her. It’s hard to focus on one trail for an extended period. I will not answer some questions they have asked me because of keeping Amina safe. Thank you all to those who have helped with the search and rescue mission that has taken place over the past three months. Thank you.” Gabe walks over to the table where Ash and David are sitting.

Maw let out a sigh, turning to me. She took my arm, and we went home. As I pulled the blankets over myself that night, Maw walked into the room and sat on the end of my bed. I sat beside her and waited for her to give me a speech about running away. But the speech never came. Maw never began speaking. Instead, she gently played with my hair and moved closer to me on the bed. Her hand gently touched my cheek.

“You need to promise me something, Milo.” Maw’s voice was soft as she softly smiled.

“Okay. What is it, maw?” Even as a kid at this moment, I wasn’t scared. Maybe I should’ve been.

“You need to promise me you’ll protect those Shaw kids. They’re your friends, right? And they’re part of our family. That’s what we do in this pack, Milo. We protect each other. Amina... She hasn’t found her place yet. David will monitor her, but you need to help him with that, okay? It’s a strange world out there, and we need to stick together.” She kisses the top of my head before leaving the room. I turn the lamp by my bed off and roll onto my side. I am the protector of this pack.

(This one was a lot longer than I intended it to be, sorry!)

Five - Adalyn

I wake and see nothing but sunshine. I wish that was what it was like every day. Only two weeks ago, I started my new job and I’m already regretting it. My supervisor, Makie Greywalt, has been trying to take me out for over a week. I try to tell him it’s unprofessional and I really can’t see myself dating him or going out on a date with him. He’s also a creep. I’ve caught him multiple times snooping around my car when it’s time to head home. Maybe he’s trying to be nice, but it’s creepy. A lot of the guys in the office have told me they’ll keep an eye out for me, but even then, a lot of them get fired for doing that.

My body aches as I get to my feet and head to the bathroom. I hate looking at myself in the morning. I have two thoughts; Well, I’m not all that ugly. Wow, I can’t believe I look like this. There has to be something wrong with me if those are the first things I think about. I throw on my wrinkled button up and blazer. When I get into my car, the radio blasts. Jumping, my hand smacks against the volume knob, turning the radio off. My hand stings as I turn the steering wheel.

Each day. The same thing. I hate it. I want something to change, but I don’t know if I can do that myself. The meteorologist called for rain today. I hope it’s not a thunderstorm because I’ll have to hide in the boiler room again to wait it out. I have a big fear of thunderstorms. Maybe it’s how loud the sounds are, but I feel like I’m going to die each time there’s a roll of thunder. It reminds me of my parents. They used to fight a lot, and it ended up as a normal thing. Sure, they’re fine now; divorced and far away from each other. My dad lives in Dahlia and my mom lives in some other state with her new husband and kids. They were okay parents. I wish I didn’t have to go through thirteen years of their fighting by myself.

Makie greets me at my parking spot, smiling and holding his hand out while I open the door and stand beside him. Trying to walk away, he quickly speeds his pace, walking beside me. He talks about his dog and the people he lives near and how the neighborhood is perfect for a couple and a child. He’s talking about us. I know he is. I give him a look that obviously says I don’t care, but he continues. Ron Glenworth, my cubicle buddy, runs over to us, smiling. He’s saved me. Makie leaves us alone, visibly angry. Ron and I get into our cubicle and begin working. We occasionally chat, but rarely.

That’s how my days are 24/7/365. If there’s a change, thank god. I need a change. Everyone does now and then. We have a security company that works just above us. They’re loud. Recently, they’ve been quiet, and no one has come downstairs to ask for anything. This is the change I’ve looked for, right?

I sit at my desk and stand, flipping through a small notebook and leaving it on my desk with a page that says ‘Be back at fifteen!’. My legs carry me up the stairs and I wait at the door to go onto the fourth floor. Breathing out, I open the door and walk around. I brought my sticky notes with me in case I needed an excuse to be up there. A man in a hoodie and jeans sees me and waves. He walks over to me and holds out his hand. I shake it and smile back.

“You’re from the management company below us, right? I think I’ve seen you before!” He says, laughing. I nod and tuck the hair behind my ear.

“You probably have. I always give you guys staples and sticky notes if you need ’em!” I hand him the wad of sticky notes in my hand. He walks away, but turns and nods his head to me. I follow him. He tells me about the company and how someone died. That’s why it’s been so quiet. I see another man in an office, going through papers and talking to himself. He sees the two of us and calls out to the man I’m standing with.

“Ash! Get your ass back to work. You can’t talk to girls all you want because you’re single and looking for a distraction.” He returns to messing with papers and moving folders. Ash turns to me and rubs his neck, telling me he’s probably right. I nod and head back the way I came. When I get back to my cubicle, all I can think about is the guy going through papers. The look on his face. The way he gave Ash a look when he was talking to him. It all felt so…important. Little did I know that it really wasn’t. Just a boss yelling at an employee. I never went back up there. I couldn’t; Makie fired me. He never told me why, but he kept using different excuses each time. I found a bright side to this; at least I wouldn’t have to be around him anymore.

These past few years have been harder than I thought they would be. I hope that in the next few years I can have an easier life. The second Makie fired me, I applied for three other jobs. Of course, each one was accepted since everyone needs employees for some dier reason. There’s been a low employee count. I’ve heard rumors that people are dying from disease or, something I find funny, vampires. This isn’t Twilight, it’s reality. There’s no shiny pale vampire men running around, falling in love with any Bella’s I know.

Pulling the kettle from the stove, I begin to fill the glass bowl with the boiling water. I sigh, stirring the noodles in. This is the only break I’ve gotten all week. Out of curiosity, I look through the newspaper on the coffee table. A tragic car accident kills 45 year old Gabriel Shaw. It takes me a minute but I nod, realizing he ran the security company on the floor above my old office job. I can’t imagine what it’s like to leave a whole company to your employees. I know I won’t get that far in life.

In the next few years, I want to be able to have some time to relax, not having to work every hour of my life. My dad always told me that if I wanted to do anything good with my life, I’d have to die first. He always made it seem like my life was a waste of time. Maybe he’s right, but I want to prove him wrong.

Six - Sam

The log cabin in the woods is perfect. It’s simple, away from the others, and it is like the house I’ve always wanted. I have little, but it’s home. Decor has never been my strong suit. Not only am I a vampire, but I’m also part of the biggest vampire clan in all of Dahlia. I like to keep a low profile no matter what, but it’s hard to do that when you are someone like me. The job I got is simple; patrolling. We have territory that cuts through an old amusement park. Humans like exploring abandoned buildings and other places.

Vincent is a vampire that I find to be a little of a friend. He’s like a brother to me. I don’t make friends easily or even at all. I like to be alone. Being alone is something I get because I’m never interacting with people. If I'm being honest, I like it this way. If we walk into the sun, we burn slowly and will eventually die. It’s not instant, but sometimes I wish it was. Being turned was never something I wanted. William told me it was okay if I wanted to be alone, but I’m still part of the clan.

The house is big enough for me, but if I'm always alone, there’s never anything happening. Family. When there’s family, they're love and an unbreakable bond. This cabin is one I've always wanted; In the woods, away from people. As much as it’s amazing, no one visits unless I’m in trouble or something. That’s rare, though. I grew up on a farm when I was a kid. Call me stereotypical, but country music is amazing. Around my eighteenth or nineteenth birthday, I moved out on my own, my parents a faint memory. I don’t remember nothin’ about them. Maybe it’s something stupid to say, but that doesn’t bother me.

Around my 25th birthday, I became a bit of a wild guy. Having one-night stands, getting drunk, going off on drives whenever, and blowing everyone off. There was one girl, Alexis. She’s my maker, but can go F right off. She turned me against my will. She has zero hold over me. We were a fling and now we’re strangers. That’s all I want; her to leave me alone.

William is a leader, but he can only do so much. He brought me into the clan and, for anything, was glad when I said I’d stay in Dahlia. He told me about times when he was the first clan leader. The people he turned were all he had. Then he took people in and soon enough accepted me. I’ve got nothing against thee but, he can’t do anything for me to help when all this crap is in my head. He’s a good guy.

Love. Nothing I want. I don’t trust easy; I can thank Alexis for that. If a relationship is something that can happen, it scares me actually. Falling in love with someone means letting down your guard. I’ve built walls that ain’t coming down for no one. Sure, I’ve turned someone, but somehow ended up with two newborns to deal with. The blood lust so far is terrible. Gotta watch them closely, so I have no time for love. Now, it may happen, but I ain’t praying for it. I can wait for whatever the world throws at me, but two newborns need all my attention right now. In a year or two, my eyes can rest on something…or someone.

In a few years, I got no clue what I want. Maybe I’ll die. The world is always changing, but it’s not something that bothers me. Change is a damn blessing; sometimes. As I lay in my bed, the ceiling mocks me. Sure, I sleep, but not enough. It hurts to sleep and fail. That’s why I don't know what I want. Or maybe I do and just don’t want to admit it.

Seven - Jordan

I thought I’d die because of this ride. I almost did. The Might Surge! It was a new ride, so everyone wants to go. A bunch of my friends wanted to go to Wonder World, and I would not be the only one to say no. The high-point of the night; The Surge. No one else wanted to go, so they dared me to. And I got into line, terrified. I hate roller coasters. The heights, screaming, creaking; everything. As I stand in line, a guy my age smiles in my direction and asks if I’m excited.

“That’s funny. My friends aren’t exactly the hyping up type.” I laugh, looking at him and fiddling with my hands.

“Oh, so those are your friends. Waving and laughing?” He smirks. Ashamed, I bow my head, sighing. “If it makes you feel any better, my friends aren’t here either. Not only am I a third wheel, but I’ve broken up the happy couple a few times since I don't want to sit alone on certain rides. But they’re my best friends.” I like his voice. It’s soft and welcoming. That’s when we talk more. His name…I don’t remember his name. It was a great name.

He sits with me and takes my hand. This was something that thrilled me. He understood my fear and will comfort me. Of course, he made it clear he loves the coasters and the thrill. He made me smile a lot. Maybe there was some sort of issue with the ride or maybe we were just unlucky; but the Surge fell that day.

Surge crashing was the main reason Wonder World went out of business and left abandoned. I could've died when it happened, put out of my misery, but why stop there? In the ruins, my body lies beneath heavy pieces of metal. My chest hurt like hell. That’s obvious to me now why it did. A letter was lodged in my stomach. I only remember the screams from the people running away.

I woke up in the hospital; the monitor beeping. No one else was in the room. A woman in a scrub walks into the room and smiles toward me. I cough and she sits on the bed up more. She takes my temperature and checks the IV in my arm. She is humming as she makes her way around the room. A doctor walks in, placing a gentle kiss on the nurse's cheek. When the nurse walks out, the doctor leans against the small sink and breathes out.

“Well,” he begins. “You’ll make it out of there. However, the damage by the many poles and planks, and the other metals that were surgically removed, successfully, might add, forcing us to remove your uterus and a few bones. So, as it is unfortunate to say, you cannot give birth to children.” He slightly bows his head. I didn’t really want kids. Being alone, there’s no reason to have them.

“Okay. Can I go home?” I ask. He softly laughs and walks over.

“We still have some tests to do to ensure you can go home. You also don’t have anyone at home to take care of you. So we’ll help the recovery process and allow you to go home as soon as we can.” His voice is comforting, and he sighs again. Without a second more, he hands me a paper. Someone paid for the hospital bills. I don’t know him but I thank him daily. Today I’d still be paying off that debt.

It took four months to walk again. The doctor, I learned his name was Terrance Vasqe, stood by my side every step of the way. His finance. Abigail Forès, went through something similar to my case. She got into a terrible car wreck where she had to have her uterus removed as well. They plan on adopting a kid, but she knows how I felt. Deep down, it hurt me. I had to learn how to write again. Abigail would tell me stories as I wrote. Terrance played music while we trained on my legs.

After a whole year, I get home. I had a lot of stuff to pay off and a house to clean, but Abigail and Terrance were there for me. The two helped me pay my rent and helped with cleaning the apartment. They were good people. I don’t talk to them anymore since they have a daughter. Exploring the ruins of Wonder World is a new hobby I’ve picked up since losing those friends.

Packing my bag and throwing on a hoodie, his voice rings into my ears. The man from that night. He went missing. People saw him getting onto the ride, but no one saw him after. I don’t remember his face. Maybe that’s the worst part. In a few years, I want to open a small business. A therapy business. Those who need to talk but don’t want to go to professionals. That’s all I want. As I get out of the car and step into the ruins of Wonder World, I’m stopped.

Eight - Vincent

There’s this time when I didn't want to meet people. Sam joined the clan, and I was a bit more open to talking. Alexis, my maker’s other progeny, turned Sam, and it was in the worst way. I never really hated Alexis, but I never liked her either. We’re both progeny of William Solaire, so that’s how we have any reason to talk.

Sam and I are always talking about anything. He was a pretty good healer before his turning. Now, he’s still good, but his power and ability have decreased. He is still very pissed off about that. We chill out around his house, but we aren’t always together. Sometimes I leave him be, and sometimes he leaves me be. He's like my brother; I am grateful for him daily. When William turned me, I hated him. I didn’t want to be what I became. I became a bloodthirsty leach. But I’ve evolved. I’m not much of a feeder anymore. William offered a bunch of people that would let me feed on them during my bloodlust, but I rejected them all. Even now I hate myself for having to drink people’s blood. Will helps the best he can.

Sitting still isn’t something I’m good at. So, I’m always around. The night I was patrolling Wonder World, our clan's den, I sensed something. A human started exploring the ruins. A lot of humans do this nowadays. This human smelled divine. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I made my way over and saw a girl with soft brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes. Her hair looked almost black, but when she stepped into the gentle moonlight, I could see the color. Wonder World really is wonderful. She looks terrified as I stare into her eyes. Would I trance her? No, because I’m not a monster. Let’s see where this goes. Shall we?

Nine- Esther

My dad always told me that if I couldn’t make him proud, I wasn’t his daughter. So, even as a little kid, I tried so damn hard to make him proud of me. Nothing made him happy, though. In order to get the smallest bit of his attention, I graduated highschool three years earlier than anyone my age should have and I went to college to become a Department Private Investigator or a DPI.

This didn’t impress him much, but he didn't even tell me he was upset with me for becoming a DPI, either. For anything, he seemed a little pleased. I ranked highest in all my classes just to get his attention and still it wasn’t enough. I don’t make friends easily, so I rant to myself about my dad and that all stays in my head most of the time. For a year, I've been working on any cases I can to earn a higher reputation. One of my most recent cases deals with Shades. Shades are creatures no one understands; we can't. A Shade’s only goal is to drain the life from any living person. We know little about them because if we get too close to one, we could be drained. That’s another thing; trust. You can't trust anyone.

As a kid, my dad told me I wasn’t shit to him. His exact words. He said if I wanted to gain his trust, gain his acceptance, I needed to prove myself to him. He won’t even let me call him dad; I must refer to him as sir. If I were to take a knife and cut it through his chest, nothing would fall out. No heart, no insides, no blood. Today, sitting in my room in the smallest apartment on the street, I have too many voices in my head. My father’s voice, my strange voice, everyone’s voices.

Sometimes I cloak just to feel the magic. Sure, the stripes on my body tell me I have magic, but I want to feel it. Looking at myself in the mirror, I cloak repeatedly; on, off, on, off, on, off. It’s like a trance. There’s a knock at the door, disturbing me. When I get to the door, my stomach drops. Father stands in the doorway. Quickly, I step to the side and let him in. He scoffs and sits in a chair at the head of the table. I don’t sit at the other end.

“You’re still living here in this trashy apartment, I see.” His voice rings throughout the room. This wasn’t a time for me to respond. “Makes sense why they haven’t given you a job since last month.” This was a moment before I could respond.

“They have had no cases since, sir.” I avoid eye contact, staring at my entangled fingers.

“That gives you no excuse to live in this shit hole. You should know this by now, child. The reason you have this job is to make money. Where does the money go?” his voice grows louder, making me shake.

“I’m-”

“Buying clothes? Random crap you don’t need? You truly are a waste.” He stands, slamming the chair against the table. Without another word, he leaves. Standing, I lock the door and return to the bathroom, where I continue the cloaking idiocy I got myself into. In a few years, I want to just be me. Not my father’s shadow, just me. I never knew my mother, but she was a kind soul. She is in my dreams when I have them and tells me I can do whatever I put my mind to. I can at least have that to get me through.