CHAPTER 2: THE ESCAPE

“I’m sending you to Valle de La Muerte.”

The moment her father stated those words, Aurelia already knew that he didn’t really want to keep her in this home anymore. Well, she really wants to be freed from this home though.

But if freeing her means sending her to Valle de La Muerte, then that would be a different story to tell.

That is unjust for Aurelia. That will only make the situation worse. 

“Whether you like it or not, I will be sending you to that place!” Agnacio added, threatening his daughter.

However, this time Aurelia has the courage to look him straight in the eyes, without any hint of fear, hence filled with anger.

“You know what, father? I’m willing to leave if you all don’t want me here! You don’t have to bother sending me out because I can leave on my own.”

But her father didn’t seem surprised at her remark. His stern facial expressions stayed the same. She didn’t bother shifting her eyes to Belinda. Aurelia knows Belinda is rejoicing at the moment. She could catch all her father's attention now. 

“No. If you leave tonight, you are not allowed to come back here anymore.” His deep voice echoed the whole living room. 

If this was just a typical day, Aurelia is so sure that she will be trembling in fear. Or rather, she’s now begging him not to send her out because she didn’t have any place to shelter in.

But this day is totally different.

She used to worry about her life without her guardian’s supervision. She used to think she was useless without them. But now, she is a hundred percent sure that she doesn’t give a damn to everything.

She wants to laugh sarcastically but the bitterness has already exploded inside her damn system. Instead of answering her father, she shows her dead serious face to them.

“Let her be, Ignacio. That disrespectful kid needs to learn her lessons.”

She smirks bitterly as anger develops in the depth of her system. She stares at her father as if this would be the last time she would get to see that face. Yes, this would be the last.

 She couldn’t find any emotions but anger. . . and longing. . . not for him but for the old family she used to call “home”.

From this day on, the despair she has been bearing shall end. Thus, she will be welcoming her new journey; alone and fiercely.

“I don’t want to see you anymore.” Her father’s last statement lingered in her ears.

She ran as fast as I could without looking back at them.

Suddenly, she feels her knees are becoming weak, her heartbeats are racing, and her forehead is perspiring nonstop. She thought she was too strong to compose herself. She thought she could pretend that she was strong at least for a few minutes.

 She is on the verge of crying because of exhaustion and pain when she decides to head down to the forest. There is a minimal light in her way. But the tall trees are blocking the natural light from passing through the path. She has no choice but to trust her instinct. 

Before she could continue running, her leg was scratched to the old rusty bobwire. Drops of blood abruptly came out of the fresh wound. She felt the pain it brought. But it was surely nothing compared to the pain they have caused.

She helped herself to get up and started walking slowly, ignoring the wound. 

Lights. She was begging to see the light.

She stops running when she realizes she has reached the center of the forest. She is sure that no one is there. She wiped off the tears that began to pool my eyes. She hates it when her eyes are swollen. She badly hates crying. She doesn’t know if the tears are for the wound or for the internal pain she is feeling in her chest.

She breathes the refreshing air and exhales the anguish that lurked in her lungs. It surely feels heavy.

She lets the air enter her nose as she lets out the air from her body through her mouth. This is how she calms herself down. At least, she has learned how to handle herself well in this kind of situation.

“I have myself. . .” she mumbles internally as she repeats the process for she doesn't know how many times.

She has lost all of them but at least, she has herself. The most important thing is that she didn’t lose herself over those years full of painful memories and aches.

To that house, inside her room, where she used to chain herself every night she shifts so that she won’t harm others. . .

To that town where nobody knows about her real identity because she is different from all of them. . .

To that place which has been her home after her mother’s death. . .

And to her father who let her leave their place in the most painful way. . .

. . . she bids farewell.

She’s now freeing herself because after this day, she promised herself she would be living her best life. That she will be able to show her real identity without having to hide. 

She looks up to the sky and watches how birds flock together and fly back to their own nests. She shifts her eyes to the tall Almaciga trees and watches the leaves sway with the wind.

The day was about to end.

The minimal rays of the sun had finally gone. Now, Aurelia can see nothing but darkness. . . but this time, she’s not afraid.

She sat down on the abandoned lumber so she could rest her wounded leg. 

She chooses to spend her remaining hours there, sitting and reminiscing the days she was with her father and stepmother. But then, she decides not to think about them anymore. There was nothing she could remember but pure anger and pain.

Her eyes are getting heavy so she let them rest. She leans her back on the tree as she tries to take a good nap.

 The cold breeze touchs her skin and it made her awake from sleep. She doesn’t know how long she was asleep.

She stands up carefully and hugs herself as the breeze continues touching her bare skin.

Suddenly, she feels that familiar feeling. . . she was about to shift. 

“Ah!”

Pain. Pain. Excruciating pain. Until she couldn’t help but screech loudly. She could feel the transformation inside her body. . . it will always start internally.

The forest is awakened by her shriek. Aurelia knew her hazel eyes had turned into something unusual. Countless times, she has seen her reflection through the mirror and all she could say is that she is peculiar.

That was the reason why no one would ever understand why she was acting differently from normal beings like humans; she used to be a silent and mysterious type. 

Because in the first place, she’s not normal. 

As the moon blooms in full, she fully morphs into a white-haired werewolf with a pair of maniacal red eyes.