Chapter Four

I'm running.

The ground keeps moving under me but I don't know where to run to or what I running from. I try to look for an escape route, but there is no way out. The shadow is closing in on me but my feet don't stop moving.

"Run, Emma. Run. run!" A voice yelled and I woke with a startled gasp. My chest rose and fell rapidly with the effort. It was dark, too dark for me to see anything and the smell of earth was thick in the air. I could only hear the steady patter of water dropping against the roof and floor of wherever I was. I wasn't home anymore. This wasn't my bedroom at all.

It was then the memories of last night rushed back to me. And the fear that had woken me up came right back. I scrambled to my

feet to get away from the darkness of the room. The sudden motion jostled something inside of me and I felt nauseous. I leaned over and vomited on the ground.

My hand remained on the jagged rocks of the wall for support as I tried to control my heaving stomach. The taste of acid still lingered in my mouth and it took a few minutes to be able to breathe again without feeling like my head would burst open.

My eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and when I registered where they had left me, my stomach churned again.

I couldn't believe they would do this. Or maybe I could. Those three have always picked on me since the day I was declared defective for not being able to shift fully.

I couldn't breathe. I needed to get out. I needed to leave before I suffocated to death.

I forced my legs to move, but it felt like I was moving through molasses or sand. Every step seemed to take more energy than the previous one. But I just kept going. As I walked further, flashbacks of my time in this cave flooded back. The pain. The fear. And the blood.

The screams and torture and terror. I could feel myself beginning to hyperventilate, my hands trembling, my vision getting fuzzy, and tears streaming down my face.

"This isn't real." I muttered, "It's all in your head." I shut my eyes tightly, urging my legs to keep going.

The moment I stepped outside, my lungs were free of that stifling, fetid air. And I gasped for breath, the sun beat down on me, drying my tears and burning the dirt stains into my skin. I stood there for a moment, trying to get my bearings while my mind worked on sorting out reality from hallucination.

I take a deep breath and began walking, my mind directing me. I knew where I had to go. People cast me curious looks, some even stopping to ogle and whisper, but none dared approach me. I catch my reflection through a large window on the side of the building in front of me.

My icy blonde hair was matted and tangled around my head. My skin appeared almost grey, and the colour drained from my face. There were also bruises and scrapes on my arms and neck and red and purple spots across the bridge of my nose and cheeks. I looked like a ghost, like something from a nightmare. The sight made me cringe and I turned quickly from the window.

The stares and murmurings increased the further I walked but I disregarded them, ignoring everyone and everything I passed, until I reached my destination. My gaze remained fixed on the large house before me, my fingers tingled with the need to destroy. I climb up the stairs leading to the entrance, pausing briefly to wipe the sweat off my brow. When I reached the door, I pushed the heavy wooden gate open.

The sound of loud chatter filled the air as soon as I stepped inside, I made a quick estimation of the people inside the house. Six. There were two of them standing in the back and talking in hushed voices. At the centre of the room, sat the other four laughing loudly over something.

I make my presence known by hitting the glass vase that is sitting in the center of the table with the palm of my hand and shattering the glass into tiny pieces, causing the laughter to die abruptly and all eyes to turn in my direction.

I watch as their expression morphs into one of confusion, then surprise, and then anger. Anger, which is exactly what I want. To see them get mad. To see their faces twisted into hateful and cruel scowls. And I want it. More than anything, I want their hate directed at me because it would only fuel the fire inside me.

"Look what the dog dragged in!" Shaun was the first to speak, he always was, clapping as he stood from his position. "You look terrific Emma, where the heck did you sleep?"

A muscle twitches in my jaw at the question and I grit my teeth to hold back the anger welling inside me.

"Probably in her dog pit. I heard that's where mutts in the Capital sleep." A girl I recognise as Amanda piped up causing everyone to burst into laughter.

A delirious smile rose on my lips and I took a step forward, then another and another until I was standing in front of her. She had a demeaning grin on her lips and my eyes flickered towards Judy who looked to be enjoying every bit of this.

"What did you just say?" I asked slowly, the tips of my fingers slowly elongating into claws.

Amanda's eyes glimmered dangerously and she took a step forward so our chests were touching, "I said you're a worthless dog who's more bark than bite." Her voice was laced with malice and Judy laughed mockingly,

"She says that to all dogs with a useless bark." She joined in the jeering and the crowd roared with laughter.

I reacted before thinking, my hand slammed into her chest sending her flying backwards and crashing into the nearest wall. For a moment, everyone stood still with their eyes wide open in shock. Then, chaos erupted. Someone lunged for me but I quickly dodged the attack, instead grabbing him by the hair and slamming his body hard into the ground knocking the wind out of him.

A kick landed square in my side and I stumbled backwards losing my balance.

"You think you can take us!" I turn in the direction of the voice, narrowly missing the clawed hand aimed at my chest, "You're just a useless half-shifter."

An inhume growl rips its way from my chest and I grab him by the neck, raising him off the ground. "I am better than you. Far better than you." My voice didn't sound like my own, it felt like there was liquid fire in my eyes. He struggled helplessly against my grip, his face red from the other effort. He clawed at my hands in a desperate attempt to be free but I only squeezed tighter, my claws digging into his skin and drawing out blood.

'You need to stop giving these people power over you.'

'They won't stop their torture, so please, try to defend yourself.'

George's words ring loudly in my ears and my eyes burn even further. Shaun choked and sputtered for air, trying to pull free of my grasp. His eyes were wide as they stared into mine. I knew what he saw in them: insanity, rage, and determination. He knew what I wanted to do to him.

Something heavy slammed into me causing me to stumble and lose my balance. The world spun wildly around me as I dropped to my knees. Everything went black for a second and when I came back to myself I saw what I had just done. My shaky fist came up to my face and the sight of blood coating my hands sent shockwaves of horror throughout my body. My eyes widened with realization and I raised my head to see how much destruction I'd caused.

Judy was staring back at me with a look of utter shock and disgust plastered on her face. I felt a small amount of satisfaction as she fell to her knees and started screaming. The group of people surrounding us was in complete shock and stared at me with horror filling their eyes and mouths.

Amanda had glued herself to the wall, clutching her arm, there was blood trickling down the side of her face. Kevin had his body shielding her protectively. Shaun, on the other hand, was in a worse state, he was lying unconscious on the floor, his face completely pale, almost lifeless.

There was blood dripping from my fists onto the floor and the metallic smell stung my nostrils.

Everything started to fade in and out. All I could feel was coldness seeping into every part of my body.

"What have you done?" Judy's unsteady voice broke through the eerie silence.

My eyes met hers and the dread I saw in her gaze made me almost nauseous.

What had I done?

"Emma!" She called again and this time, I ignored her, instead rising to my feet. When I looked at her, I used my eyes to convey the words my mouth couldn't speak.

Then I turned and ran.