I sit beneath the ancient oak tree, the only witness to my mother’s passing and my own silent cries.
The sound of the wind whirling through the grass is like a soothing hum, like a lullaby to my soul, calming my nerves and making me feel relaxed.
I looked at the farm, the place that had been my sanctuary and my burden. The weight of my grief felt crushing, like a heavy fog that refused to lift as every corner of the house seemed to whisper memories of my foster mom, leaving me gasping for air, searching for a glimpse of the comfort and love she once provided.
The loss of my foster Mom was a heavy anchor of grief dragging me down, its heavy chain wrapping around my heart, making every breath a struggle, every thought a painful reminder of what I’d lost.
I have been juggling my career and trying to run the entire farm on my own, but lately the farm has gotten in the way of my career, and I do not want to lose my job at the vet. I like my job and I love working with animals, but the farm needed me. It is all I have left of my foster mom. She loved this farm.
Mom would often tell the story of how she discovered me on this farm, a tiny bundle of joy, twenty years ago, her eyes shining with love as she recalled the night she came home, and she could hear a plaintive wail that echoed through the air. It sounded like it came from the forest’s direction.
She got her flashlight from the truck and headed in the direction of the whaling sound. She was hesitant to go in at first because who knew what could be lurking in the dark? What if the thing making the sound was hurt? She swallowed hard, pushing her fears aside as she entered the forest.
She followed the whaling cries deep into the forest, realizing that it was deeper in than she thought. When she was just about to give up and call for help, she came across a little woven basket.
As mom gazed into the basket, she was met with a vision of pure wonder, a tiny, delicate face, framed by hair as white as freshly fallen snow, and eyes that shone like the brightest blue skies on a sunny day.
Monica, my foster mom, did not know who would have left a baby in the forest. Anything could have happened; wolves or bears could have stumbled upon the basket, and it would have been a horrific sight.
Mom took me from the basket and rushed with me to the hospital to make sure that everything was okay. Mom told the hospital where she had found me, and they called social services.
When social services team expressed their inability to accommodate a new arrival, without hesitation, Mom stepped forward, offering a temporary sanctuary for a tiny, vulnerable stranger – me – until the authorities could unravel the mystery of my past and reunite me with my rightful family.
Years passed by and no one could find a trace of my biological parents. Mom applied for permanent guardianship, and she became my foster Mom and legal guardian.
Growing up as a foster child didn't come without difficulties. The cruel taunts of my classmates still echo in my mind, their mocking words piercing my young heart like a thorn, as they ridiculed my snow-white hair and porcelain skin, making me feel like an outcast, a fragile, peculiar thing.
The pain of their teasing still lingers, like a scar that refuses to heal.
I tried to brush off all the mean comments of the kids and push through high school and when I finally left, I found a job at our local Vet.
I always felt drawn to animals, more so than humans. It was like I could understand the way they were feeling.
I worked hard trying to save up money to go to college so that I could one day become a Vet, but after Mom's passing I had to reach into my savings in order to provide for the animals on the farm and pay for utilities.
The Clinic where I worked offered me a position as a Vet after I had completed my training and qualified as a legal vet, but now I don't know anymore.
That dream has become a far-distant memory of a child's dream as I don’t have the funds to complete my studies to become one, and soon I will have to sell the farm because I won’t be able to run and care for the animals on my own.
The past two months after Mom's passing, the darkness of the night would bring a new kind of terror, as whispers crept into my mind like thieves in the shadows, their soft murmurs a constant reminder that I was losing my grip on reality, leaving me questioning my own sanity.
Lately, the more I thought about it, a restlessness stirred within me, a growing sense of discontent that I couldn’t shake, like a wild bird beating its wings against the bars of a gilded cage, yearning to flee the life I knew and soar into the unknown.
It felt like I was destined for something else, like I didn't belong here anymore. Whenever I would get that feeling I would just push it aside and ignore it. I had a life here and I had the farm, what else did I need, and where else would I go? The more I pushed the feeling aside, the more I would hear the voice in my head. It will always say the same thing over and over again, telling me that it is coming for me and that it will be here soon. Fear would creep up on me, making it difficult for me to sleep at night.“ Meara…” I jolted, glancing around, but there was no one. The fields were empty, the only sound the rustling of wheat and distant calls of birds. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “ I’m going mad.” I muttered to myself.The voice was clearer now, a gentle, melodic sound that tugged at something deep within me. I stood up, my heart pounding in my chest. “ who’s there?” I called out, but only silence answered me. The whispers continued, drawing m
Without warning, I went to sit down on an old tree stump covered with moss. The moss covered over the stump looked like a soft sheep’s wool blanket spread across a neatly made bed, making it ever so tempting to lie down on. The fox noticed that I was not following her anymore, making her stop dead in her tracks, retracing her steps back to me. “ Come Meara, we must keep moving.” She said, but I was too tired to even move. “ It is not far anymore. You just have to hold out a little while longer. The waterfall is just on the other side of those tall trees.” “ I understand that you want to continue walking, but I am just too tired to go any farther.” “ I understand that you are tired, but just think, when we reach our destination you would be that much closer to finding a nice comfortable bed to sleep in.” Hearing the fox say that, bought me a new found energy that I did not know I could conjure after walking almost the entire night. “ That’s the spirit!” S
Being tired and drained from the long nights walk, I did not notice approaching a huge stone wall with a big wooden door. Without realizing, I find myself gaping at the sight. It looked like it had been here for ages as it was covered with moss and vines. Merilla stood in front of the door as if waiting for someone to open it. I was just about to reach for the door when it opened, revealing two guards dressed in full armor, looking like something out of an old medieval book or movie. Without any questions, they let us in. Merilla simply nod her head and walked past them like they knew her for ages. The two guards closed the door once we entered and stood guard in front of the door again. Peering my gaze away from the guards, I now realize the magnificent place we are at. It was like we traveled back in time centuries ago when there was no cars and phones. Some people have wooden wagons for transporting items through the small farmers-market, and others carry items by ha
Sitting down, a wave of exhaustion sweeps over me like a heavy rainfall. My eyelids grow heavy, and despite my best efforts to stay awake, I find myself dozing off on the bench.( Kaden )The past few months, I could feel the darkness surfacing from inside me, clawing its way out, eager to consume what little good I still had left. The council members had warned me to find a mate before the darkness completely overtook my body, but their words felt like a distant echo in a void of despair. They believed that finding a true mate would save me, prevent me from turning, but I was skeptical, filled with doubt and frustration. Finding a mate was one of the rarest and most elusive quests, and I had searched tirelessly for the last thirty years, my hope dwindling with each passing day. The council’s relentless nagging over the past few years had only added to my burden. They had paraded countless suitors before me, hoping one of them might be my destined mate, but my heart remained unmov
When I went outside, I saw someone lying on a bench by the fountain. I didn’t know who it was, but I noticed they had very long hair that was as white as snow. It was hanging down from the bench, blowing gently in the breeze. It looked like a white sheer curtain waving in the wind. It looked so soft and silky, almost making me want to reach out and touch it. I felt drawn to the person on the bench, so I quietly walked closer. With each step, my heart beat faster and faster. Then, I saw her face, and my heart almost stopped. It started racing like crazy. It was like I was under a spell. It was her, my mate! She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Her skin is as smooth as porcelain, and her lips are full and inviting. All I wanted to do was kiss her. Before I knew it, I was kneeling beside her, gazing at her lips. Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed her. She’s got me under a spell. The moment our lips touched, my desire to search for her disappeared. It’s lik
From what it looked like, the dungeon cells are completely empty. There wasn’t another living soul in here besides me. The guard opened one of the cell doors, which was made of thick wood with a small window and metal rods into the wood. He shoves me in with such force, causing me to fall to the ground and scuff my knee. I yelp in pain, but he does not seem to be bothered as he closes the door behind me, locking me in. “ No, wait! Please come back. There has been a huge mistake!” I call out after him, but he gives me the cold shoulder as he disappears down the hall and out of site. Seeing the guard leave me all alone in this cold, dark place made me feel so alone. Without helping it, I fell to the ground and burst into tears. Where was Merilla? Why wasn’t she there to help me? All these thoughts went through my head as I sit there and cried. I should never have left home and followed some fox into the forest in the first place. Now I am stuck in a strange place, an
" You can go now," he motioned for me to come out of the cell. Without any hesitation, I turned towards the door, eager to leave this terrible place. As I approached the door, a strong hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back forcefully, causing me to collide with a broad, muscular chest. Looking up, I realized I was staring into the eyes of the Jerk. I noticed tiny specks of red in his caramel brown eyes, momentarily distracting me. The warmth of his body was inviting and overpowering. I felt like I could get lost in his strong arms wrapped around me. I shook my head to snap out of it and tried to push him away, but he was too strong. He leaned down close to my ear, and I froze, unsure of what he was about to say. " I'm not letting you go so soon," he whispered, his warm breath making me gasp for air. Chills ran down my spine as he breathed on my neck. It was a strange feeling, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. No man had ever been this close to me before. In one
He flung the door wide open, revealing an interior covered in white marble with touches of gold on the furniture and fabrics beautifully draped over the bed. It was hard to get a full view while hanging upside down. The man walked over and threw me onto the bed, then turned to lock the door, shoving the key into his trouser pocket. Any hope I had of escaping vanished with that key. How could I retrieve it from his back pocket when he was built like an ox? As if things couldn’t get any worse, he turned around and stared straight into my eyes, his gaze darkening in an inexplicable way. With every step he took closer, I felt my soul leaving my body piece by piece. It was the most terrifying feeling ever. There was a look in his eyes, a mixture of pain and anger, that I couldn't quite place. I scurried backward until my back was pressed against the wall. He leaned down on the bed and crawled toward me. I closed my eyes in fear, feeling his hot breath on my face, and knew he w