TYLERSometime today, Tyler and Ada will be coming into town. Tyler's grandfather emailed me informing me that I will be required to be present when "they convene to discuss the safeguarding the future of the supernatural beings."Yep, that was my life now.Of course, I had to be there. While I had told Tyler a little bit of what Clara told me, unfortunately, the rest remained with me.Now on to other things.You see, with the weight of a bustling bookshop resting on my shoulders, coupled with the madness going on in my life, I stood just outside the entrance, contemplating the swarm of customers that had frequented my bookshop in recent times. With two new, big private schools established nearby, it was now as though each day seemed to bring a new wave of customers seeking solace within the bound pages of imagination that adorned my shelves. It had become painfully clear to me that I could no longer manage this endeavour alone—an extra pair of hands would soon become an imperative ne
ADAI was pretty sure Tyler thought I was angry with him, and if I had been in even a slightly better mood, I would have chuckled at that misconception. It was far from anger that consumed me in that moment; it was a mixture of frustration and concern. After all, what was happening to me was happening to us both. Without a doubt, I knew that this whole situation was likely harder for me, but it didn't mean Tyler, or anyone else for that matter took any joy in it.Let's make this clear—I loved Tyler. That was a truth I saw no sense in hiding anymore. Yes, perhaps it was a little too early to say it outright, but it was undeniably how I felt. Each and every moment we shared felt like a precious gift, bestowed upon us by life itself. It was as though a hand from the heavens had reached out, dispelling the darkness that had lingered in my life, especially in the last few months. With every touch, every glance, and every word exchanged, it was as if that celestial hand had opened a previou
TYLERThe room fell into an uneasy silence as Ethan's words hung in the air. The weight of Clara's revelations, shared with him in utmost confidence, settled over each of us. Grandma was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and concern."I don't even know what to say," Grandma confessed, her furrowed brow and furled hands betraying her inner turmoil. "Even if that were possible, I don't think... that is extreme, I must say."Her words echoed our own thoughts, for the gravity of Clara's information was almost too much to bear. As Ethan continued to recount all Clara told him, it became increasingly evident that Acelia had more powers than we could fathom. Clara had revealed that Acelia's abilities had surpassed all others in the world, leaving her unrivalled and unchallenged.It had long been known that Acelia possessed some secret that granted her unnaturally prolonged existence. This knowledge only deepened our fear and fascination with her, as she
TYLERYou know, when I closed my eyes, I could really see Ada and I working out. I could see us being in a very serious relationship, learning stuff together, taking trips. I could see us being happy.But then, I opened them back, and we were still in our living room, wondering if there was a way we could survive whatever Acelia and Alex had for us."Love you, Mum," Ada said, getting off the phone. "Don't worry, I will call once we are done here."Ada had just gotten off the phone with her parents. Her parents wanted to come over, but given the distance we all thought it was best they didn't. Ada could relay everything said here to them. Besides, we didn't really need them at the moment.So we had all agreed to find Agatha before the other werewolves would get here.Or at least try."What about Clara's way?" Ada asked, sitting up. "Are we just going to toss that aside?"We all took a moment to consider Ada's question, the weight of her query hanging heavily in the air. The truth was,
ETHANWith a 90s song playing on the radio, Darrel navigated the winding roads as we embarked on our journey to find Agatha. With Darrel and Ada taking the seats in the front of the truck, Tyler, Johnny, and I made ourselves comfortable in the back, surrounded by the hum of the engine and the familiar scent of the open road.I hope this Agatha woman wasn't a psycho or something, I thought to myself.The sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the landscape as we ventured further, my mind not failing to think about the whole issue, wondering if this would help at all."Eh," Tyler let out, turning and resting on the headrest, dozing off.Man, how I wish I could sleep it off too. These thoughts, as per usual, weren't in the least calm.Johnny, who sat closest to me, looked into his phone, laughing at a video on the internet.Darrel estimated that it would take us about three to four hours to reach our destination. We were all settled in, hopeful that this trip would be fruitfu
ADADarrel was scared. Scared as shit, and it was evident even from the way he walked. I could see it with so much clarity, but it wouldn't surprise me if Johnny, Tyler, and Ethan didn't know just why he was scared. Now, I was betting Agatha was as tough as a nail, but let's be real here— it would take way more than that to scare a man like Darrel. So, why was he scared? Why was he hesitant to walk into the compound? Why was he even more hesitant to knock on the door? Well, I felt it was because he knew Agatha was the very last thread of hope we had. If she would cooperate, it would help in getting a lot of this straight. "Come in already," a voice I presumed was Agatha's exclaimed just as Darrel's knuckle hit the door. I hope she's nice, I thought to myself. As we crossed the threshold of Agatha's bungalow, a sense of intrigue enveloped me. I caught myself taking a deep breath, probably out of fear or anxiety. Or both. The ethereal air inside seemed to hit me quite differently,
ETHAN"First and foremost, I must address the fact that embarking on a journey to Ranocayia is quite frankly impossible," Agatha began, her hand firmly grasping the basin of water, its shimmering glow steady. "So many individuals have endeavoured to reach Ranocayia in the past, only to meet with disheartening failure every single time. However, whenever we are discussing Acelia, it is wise to approach the notion of 'impossibility' with caution."Darrel interjected, curiosity evident in his eyes as he leaned in closer to examine the basin. "I presume you have something to show us?"With a snap of her fingers, Agatha transformed the water within the basin, causing it to lose its ethereal essence and resemble ordinary water, with a single crimson spot marring its clarity. "Do you see that little red spot?"Darrel nodded, his gaze fixed on the anomaly within the basin.Agatha pressed on, her tone brimming with intent that she so clearly wanted to get across to us. "That little red spot yo
TYLER***Two Days Later***Over the past few weeks, my daily meditation practice had fallen by the wayside. It was a departure from a somewhat usual routine, as I typically found solace and balance in those moments of calmness. While meditation wasn't a constant in my life, I found it beneficial to tap into that stillness from time to time.Feeling the need for some grounding amidst the chaos that had consumed my thoughts, I made my way to the corner of my room. The floor felt cool beneath me as I lowered myself down, cross-legged, ensuring my posture was perfectly aligned. Taking in the quietude, I closed my eyes, ready to embark on what I often saw as a journey inward.Inhaling slowly, I allowed the air to fill my lungs, expanding my chest before exhaling with equal intention. The rhythm of my breath became a gentle lullaby, coaxing my mind into a state of calmness. Each exhale carried with it the weight of my worries, leaving me feeling centred, if only for this fleeting moment.Ju
ETHAN****Three Weeks Later****Today was the day.It has been months and months of craziness. Ever since Ms Granger sent me to give Tyler that gift, my life has turned upside down. I mean, I have met great people but I wouldn't have minded meeting them under different circumstances.But, at least, it was all going to end now. Pascelina, as crazy as that hag was, had somehow made us believe that it wasn't such a ridiculous idea to go against Acelia. There were thousands and thousands of werewolves who would go against Acelia today. Pascelina had got weapon spelled by a witch that worked with the werewolves. Even more impressive, the witch has tracked Acelia to be deep in a forest a few kilometres from her.If everything went well, Acelia would die tonight, and if we were lucky, we would take down Alex, if he was with her.Now, all we had to do was take our weapons and go after her.Damn. I couldn't imagine actually being free of Acelia and th
ADAI think I've got it now. I think I understood why Mum told me that werewolves found the forest as a home. There was this peace and quiet that I got here, nothing else quite provided. "You know you're quite lucky, don't you?" Tyler said to me, speedily climbing up a tree, sitting comfortably on one of its big branches. Seeing him gesture for me to join, I ran up the tree, my immense speed and agility allowed me to climb really fast. As I drew closer to him, I questioned, "How so?"He pushed my hair behind my ear so it wouldn't cover my face. "Other werewolves go through serious pain when changing, and they have to change once a month unless they can't stay in their human form. But us Green Eyes, we're super lucky, aren't we?"I shook my head, making a funny face at him. "The one time I changed, well, let's just say I didn't feel very lucky. Tyler, it hurt like hell.""That's because
ETHANWhen I regained consciousness, I found myself in a huge water tank, and water was rushing in from two holes. As it stood, it was already up to my knees. "What are you doing?" I yelled out, screaming at the top of my voice. "Let me out. What's this about?"When Mrs Conan spoke, her voice was calm and gentle, her word spoken without haste, as though nothing was wrong. "Ethan, I'm not going to repeat myself, so don't bother wasting your time shouting. No one lives around here and you know it. If you want to get out, well, no one's stopping you."What the heck was wrong with this woman?"Mrs Conan, I can't transport myself out of here. I believe I told you this already. Please let me out."She didn't say anything. Not even a goddamn word.I kept screaming, at least, while I could because the water was already above my waistline. I kept shouting, banging and banging, but she didn't come to help.
ETHANThe day started well.And that made me feel really good because yesterday wasn't the best of days. Mrs Conan, being of the opinion that I might have to save all of us if Acelia proves to be too strong for us. Now, this didn't only make me so nervous because I didn't want to have that on my shoulders. Traveller or whatnot, I just wanted all this behind me.The good part was that she told me that there was no need to tell anyone about it so they wouldn't depend on me if things don't go well."Good morning," I muttered, joining Mum and Brent in the living room as they watched one of our favourite shows. "I see you both are watching it without me.""You know you sleep deeper than some bears," Mum quipped, her gaze still on the screen. "There is never any point to try waking you up."Brent drew closer to me, he and Mum exchanging glances before he spoke. "Uh… Ethan, I would like to take you somewhere next week.
ADA I had changed. I knew it and, if I was being honest, I didn't care. Right now, I was standing at the train station waiting for my parents to arrive. I just knew that they would have long faces when I saw them. You see, yesterday I told them about Pascelina’s decision. And like every person with a healthy cerebrum, they were utterly shaken and scared. Also, they thought Pascelina was ‘a stupid, conceited bitch.' Dad's words, not mine, though I couldn't agree more. Regardless of what they felt, for reasons I could never comprehend, the majority of werewolves worldwide were supportive of Pascelina's decision, even to the point that nearly every bloody werewolf in the world was going to join her. She told us to give her some weeks so she could track down every werewolf— or at least try— and make them support her ludicrous decision. The support she has gotten so far from the werewolf community made me begin to wonder if most of these werewolves had the brain of a dog because they
ETHANAfter the long exhausting monologue Pascelina gave— apart from the chanting dunces she brought with her— no one was happy. And we were quite exhausted. And quite broken. Don't get it wrong— we didn't have a plan. I mean, we did, but it was a bloody crazy one, but at least, it wasn't stupid and suicidal. Now, despite it being all my life has been about for months now, I couldn't say I was an expert in the supernatural business. Hell, I didn't even understand my own powers, but even I knew it was unimaginably stupid to fight someone who had conquered death.“This is just a mess,” Ada let out, frowning. “This old woman really believes we will take down Acelia by crowding her.”“She did talk about some weapons some witch would make for them,” I said, shrugging. “Who knows? Perhaps it might all work out.”Ada exhaled noisily before she spoke. “True, but I highly doubt it would be because of some fancy weapon they get from any witch. I mean, if this could be done, why hasn't she bee
TYLERIt is very hard to see someone take a bold but stupid step. It's even worse when such decisions affect you too.I knew people like Pascelina; tough as a nail but have minds that are so narrow they fail to see anything other than what they think is right.As of now, she was talking about how we would fight Acelia. How we would show them what we are made of.My goodness. This woman was leading us to our bloody deaths and they were all cheering for her as though she was some bloody hero."As some of you may already know, we have a witch of our own," Pascelina shouted out, her frail voice echoing in the forest. "This witch will help us create weapons that will aid us in winning this battle. But don't get it twisted, we are the ones doing the fighting. The gun doesn't win the battle; men do that." She took a pause, looking around her, pride brimming in her whole being. "The werewolf is the embodiment of utter impeccability. From the way we change, to our abilities, to our strengths—
ADA"When they said some people were coming to speak to us, I wasn't thinking fifty bloody werewolves," Ethan whispered to me, looking at the werewolves that had come to speak with us."Sixty-three, to be precise," I replied, leaning onto Ethan's arm for support.It was beyond comprehension why they insisted on gathering us in the middle of the woods. Absolutely bonkers, if you ask me."We have convened in this untamed wilderness for a reason," declared an old woman, her voice booming across the clearing. "Now that we are all present, it is time to commence this meeting."Apart from the old woman, who appeared to be the oldest werewolf, there were about eight other elderly ones; the rest were younger adults, mostly men, all appearing to be under the age of thirty-five.Darrel joined the woman in the middle of the circle we had now formed. "This woman here," he said, pointing to Clara, "and this young man," he let out, now pointing to me, "are the only ones amongst us who aren't werewo
ADABefore noon tomorrow, we would know what our fates will be. Of course, none of us have hopes high because we knew one thing quite well— the other werewolves will want to take matters into their own hands. Besides, how successful have we been? How close were we in finding a solution to the threat against our existence?But deep down in each and every one of us, we were aware that our way was the most effective in putting an end to whatever Acelia has planned for us. The predicament we faced was how to convey this to the others."Ada, did you reach out to Ethan?" Mrs. Conan enquired. "It's important that he arrives early because Clara seems to have more trust in him than in the rest of us.""Yes, I did," I assured her, settling into the brown rocking chair on the porch. "Please, don't concern yourself about it. He will definitely be there on time. He knows just how important this is."Tyler sat in silence just before me and I noticed he was quite at unease. "Tyler, spit it out," Mr