• Why we are here

    The Beatings that I endured to get here, does that make me weaker? Would that give them the upper hand? I turned quickly away from them making it seem as if I’ve given up. And then as soon as I heard their foot movement’s change I turned my body to face them making it apparent that I was no longer in pain. The dark haired one certainly understood my intentions. He growled at me with a dark scratchy voice and crouched down into a attack stance and the other short blonde stubby looking one repeated his actions understanding what just happened, I too took this position then without hesitation I clasped my teeth to the bare skin on his shoulder. The other man attempted to pry my body off his, but of course it didn’t work; I was much stronger than him, I tore at the guy’s skin shredding his neck like a soft feathered pillow. Under my body he fell hard and fast, all that was left to hear of him was the sound of blood gurgling in his mouth. The taller guy looked at me with horrified eyes. I turned to face him nearly crying,
    “Help me!” He started running almost as soon as I had opened my mouth, and he shouldn’t have done that. Blood surged through my body as I watched him run, my unnatural instinct was to just leave and let him go. But something had pulled me towards him, he had a good start and I told myself I couldn’t find him but then a very soft floral scent passed my hunt, I followed it when I suddenly stopped to notice a faint pounding noise in the distance. He had stopped running, but why? Was he tired? Did he give up? I slowly and agilely moved toward the sound. I could smell his cologne dancing in the wind, the sky was turning grey; it was too bad he was going to die he was quite a handsome young man. The sleeve of his black overcoat was sticking out from behind a large redwood tree. I felt like telling him to run, but that would only make it that much easier to catch him. Maybe I could talk to him first but I don’t know what good that would do. His heart raced, he was crying now. I couldn’t bear to hear it, “Wait!” I yelled to him a few feet from behind the tree. “Don’t run, I don’t want to kill you!” a small whimper came from behind the redwood “I’m truly sorry about your friend, it wasn’t…I” I trailed off deep in thought.
    “He …he was my brother.” He said coldly.
    After some time I was still unable to sooth him with words, I killed his brother. “Why are you here?” was the only other thing I could ask
    “We were passing through” he sounded lost and then very hard still crying he continued. “To get to…his wife and child...” The regret began to sink in when he shifted to look around the large tree and then said “what’s with the long face demon? Not used to killing off families?!” I then immediately grew angry and impatient. He called me a demon, as if I chose this life!
    “What makes you think that what I have done was by choice!?” He almost looked away embarrassed then his face went back to looking at me as if I was his next victim.
    “Then why haven’t you tried to kill me yet?” I didn’t realize why I had not reacted to his pulsing veins, his faint floral essence. And then he began moving forward, one step at a time until he was directly in front of me. He was even more beautiful up close. His eyes were a light forest green with a rough pink outline because of the crying; brown hair that was ear length and slightly messy. He was at least a foot taller and he looked quite muscular from how much he was covered up. His tan colored skin slightly glowed with a touch of sweat from running it was the perfect dream, except for the scowl on his face.
    I finally was able to catch myself but not before he said “what are you looking at?” His anger was painful to listen too, “looking for another meal?” I turned away from him; he thought I was a monster! What was I to say or do that was going to help now? I could feel a raindrop touch my check but it was nearly eighty degrees out. “Hey! I was talking to you” he walked around to face me again. “Are you… are you crying?” I looked up at him just as shocked, I was crying and it wasn’t rain that touched my cheek it was my own tears. I had felt so bad about killing his brother, it wasn’t fair that he had to go through so much and deal with me at the same time. “Hey!” I answered him quickly interrupting “My name is Alina”.
    “Well Alina, why are you crying?” now I think he was just prying but I just couldn’t answer him my lips were numb and my knees felt week, I then collapsed unto the ground in front of him, giving up allowing him the chance to seek revenge, now was his chance. I could hear his heart become calmer and then it settled. “Im so sorry” was all I could pull out of my now tingling lips. His heart stuttered and nearly stopped and then it settled again. “You really didn’t mean to do it did you?” He asked strangely. I looked up at him wondering what he could be thinking. His green eyes stared coldly down to my now blue flushed eyes he then squatted down to my level and spoke. “Alina? You are the strangest person I have ever encountered why is it that you cry? Tell me.” His eyes seemed focused and forgiving now allowing me the chance to explain myself. “I …” my voice was groggy sounding so I cleared my throat. “Im sorry, your brother I never meant too…” The tears streamed down my face as it began to rain he brushed a limp hair from out of my face. His touch was warm and I didn’t understand why he hadn’t killed me yet. “Im so new at this, that I can’t control it very well the hunger and pain. It‘s like there is someone else inside me, apart of me that I cant explain. Every time im around anyone with blood running through there veins, that other side of me takes over.” I was shaking now, I was so afraid. “I never wanted to kill your brother I was only running away when I could smell…you. I tried to suppress the urge to go after you and then I blacked out in mid stride.” He began to look at me now more curiously and he was even more beautiful in the rain than I had thought before. “When I woke up your brother had punched me in the face, you distracted me and then it went black again!?” “Then you killed him, you killed Darren.” He was looking at the dirt now just as sad as I had felt. “Im…” I began but he stopped me putting his fingers over my lips and then placed them on my hands in my lap. “It’s okay, it wasn’t you fault.” I stopped crying looking deeper into the eyes of a man who had forgiven something so unforgivable. “What is your name?” I whispered, “It’s Daniel Walker” “Daniel” I repeated softly “Yes”, he half smiled and then his face returned to the way it was before. “I wish I could take away all of your pain” I cried again “Alina I wish that I could have known you before all of this.” Before I could answer him I felt a strange cringing twisting feeling in my gut. Some what like the time I got distracted around Daniel before I killed his brother.
    I fell from my knees to the ground as the pain became almost unbearable. “Run!” I told him he stood there for almost a whole minute, then turned away and said “I never want to see you again Alina” And then it was black.
    My whole body ached, and I couldn’t understand why. Even my eyes ached as I tried to pull them open. When I opened them I noticed the stars in the early morning sky through a large clearing in the trees. I never left the forest; I must have been here all night. I began to sit up when I heard the cracking of my joints each limb felt heavy and unmovable, I had enough strength to pull my body back toward the nearest tree to me. I settled myself and gave myself a full examination checking every part, when someone answered my question I was thinking
    “You’ll be ok, but you’re going to feel weak for awhile.”
    “Daniel!” he laughed a beautiful sigh when he came closer to where I could see I reached out to hug him, he was hesitant but then gently held me back.
    “You said you wouldn’t return?” Obviously trying to avoid breaking anything but I could feel the strength he had in his arms.
    “But what happened how did you find me?!”
    “Well…” he started still smiling “I didn’t really leave.”
    “What!” now being pissed, “I could have killed you!”
    “Ha-ha that I doubt, you see the reason why your still here is because of me.” I wasn’t understanding what he said, I murdered his brother right there in front of him and I was stronger he was unable to pry me off of him? “But how?”
    “Well I caught you off guard. “Before you blacked out I made you assume that I was leaving so it caught you off guard and… your monster. As soon as “it” showed up I attacked from behind that tree there.” I couldn’t stand there any longer so I used all my strength to keep moving, it hurt so bad to move Daniel could see that, and all I wanted to do was run. “I should go” I cried
    “No, your hurt and I don’t think that would be healthy” He took my arm and I collapsed, thankfully right into his warm chest.
    “I just don’t understand what’s happening to me” he pulled away and wrapped his arm around my waist.
    “Come on help me out of this forest.” That’s all he said until we reached the very edges of the forest.
    “I guess this is goodbye.” I looked up at him wondering if he would ever forgive me. “Daniel have we met before?” At first he looked at me with confusion and then that beautiful smiled appeared.
    “You know I think we have, or at least it feels that way.” And it did, there was this deeper feeling of knowing who he was. It wasn’t just some old neighbor familiarity, his eyes were unforgettable. Realizing I’d been staring again I turned away and apologized.
    “Look Alina what you did was wrong…but I know it wasn’t your fault, I forgive you.” I couldn’t control my feelings at this point, I began to cry again.
    “Goodbye” was the last thing he told me and he disappeared out into the world in which he lived. As I stepped back into the darkness I thought long and hard about where I may have seen him, but nothing came up. The rain had finally stopped allowing my clothes some relief, as I made it to the other end of the forest I could see out into the streets of what I called home. Everyone’s fire places were blowing smoke into the bright morning sky. I walked out of the shrubbery and hopped over the gate blocking pedestrians from going into this particular part of the forest. There were many trails that were “safe” enough for people to travel but nothing was ever secure. Many stories say that in the forest lies dark magic and creatures of all evil kinds. Making explorations difficult, all we know of geography is that the world is round and there are only six small towns from east to west anywhere else…I have never heard of anything. Only the bravest in our villages were aloud to leave to the largest city on the map, and that was Tanelin a place for trade goods and high power. And because of the dangers of the forest only men were aloud to travel, and I for one thought it was ridiculous that’s all I have wanted to do since I was small was to travel. I live with my father and adopted friend Janeia, she was even closer to me than my father. Her mother passed away from polio the same year mine did, her father was incapable of looking after her so here we are together as sisters forever and always.
    It was a real lively morning there were people walking about the streets all dressed for what seemed like a celebration but it was only a Thursday. I glanced at each shop when I passed by I couldn’t understand the commotion. No one was in the bar or the diner so I went to ask Janeia at the café. It was the closest business to home we both got summer jobs there but I was fired and Janeia just ended up getting full time, so now I don’t order anything from there anymore. The store manager was a pervert and when I tried to report him I ended up getting yelled at and fired? The bell rang as I entered there was a couple sitting at a table in the back and I hobbled over to the bar where Janeia was cleaning off some glasses. Immediately she came running around the counter to get me out of view from her customers and as she always did started whining like a mother would ‘what have you been doing you had me so worried’. “Alina!” she dragged me to the kitchen and gawked at my cuts and bruises so I answered with the best lie I could come up with.
    “I was on the top of Richter’s Hill and I fell, well rolled down and hit some rocks on the way.” I hoped that she would buy it but she’s known me too long.
    “Oh my god Alina I think I would know if you were lying, now tell me the truth.” Okay so she did know me as well as I thought, it was too bad I had no other excuses.
    “Okay, im sorry it’s just I knew you wouldn’t approve.” I gave her a quick glance and once around the kitchen and it didn’t look like anyone one else was in here.
    “I was in the forest” she didn’t reply so I looked up to notice the fear in her eyes “Look I didn’t mean to be in there all morning I just couldn’t sleep last night so I went for a walk and I heard something so I hopped the fence.” She pushed by me and I followed her hearing the disappointment in her stomping feet.
    “Janeia, Janeia come on I’m sorry” She was pouring a tall glass with some kind of scotch. After she took a long drink she looked at me.
    “Alina who hurt you?” now she was really good at guessing and sometimes I wondered if she could be Psychic but she never said anything.
    “What makes you think it was a ‘who?’” She glared at me now with her arms across her flat chest. “Okay so I met a man while I was there and…”
    “Wait! A man did this to you?”
    “Well no, not exactly…”
    “Okay then who’s the guy?” she asked me because she was always interested in my sex life.
    “Why would I be meeting some guy in the forest Janeia?”
    “Well how am I supposed to know, you know some people like that kind of stuff around here.” Now glaring at her she gave me the cue to continue.
    “I didn’t know him at first, I was running because I got scared and I bumped into him and something in the forest knocked me unconscious and he helped me.” I hoped that even if she knew I was lying a little maybe she would just drop it so I didn’t have to talk about it anymore. I wanted to know what was going on here, so I asked.
    “Well all I heard was that some travelers came home this morning with something special, and I was going to check it out after work but Zane hasn’t come in for shift.”
    Zane was Janeia’s love interest and she literally drooled down the front of her shirt the first day she met him, they’ve been friends since. He was always flirting with her and I have been waiting for one of them to just ask the other out. The café bell rang just as I was dumping out the scotch Janeia had poured.
    “Hey! Im so sorry im late I was checking out the cool stuff Marcus and Bryant brought back.” Janeia was untying her smock when Zane came around to help her.
    “Hello Alina, nice morning isn’t it…holy…what happened to you?”
    “Yeah, yeah stop gawking and get to cleaning, me and Janeia here got to go check it out ourselves.”
    “Okay then.” Janeia and he were staring at each other at this point and the only way to break the trance was to pull her out myself.
    “Come on lover girl”
    “Alina” she said laughing nervously “See you later”
    “I have to ask are you two…you know” At first she didn’t understand what I was saying and then it clicked.
    “Lina! Why would you ask that?”
    “Well hello you guys look at each other so hard I think you guys could see each others underwear with your X-ray vision.” We both giggled and continued walking out to the Cresol’s Marcus and Bryant’s place. There was a small group of older folk from what I could see surrounding the brothers and whatever they brought back. When we got up to the crowd there was a shriek coming from Janeia’s mouth and I couldn’t understand why all I was seeing was another bear that they would normally bring back from there hunting trips. But this time it wasn’t an ordinary bear, its eyes were as black as night and its claws extended so far out that you didn’t know where they end. It was covered in blood and it was groaning. Before I could ask Janeia if she was alright she ran off behind me, but I couldn’t look away just yet I was so intrigued. And then a marvelous flash of light bursted from the bears chest and enveloped it, I could no longer see my hands in front of me it was so bright. And the second the light dimmed I pushed my way further into the crowd. I was now standing nearly a foot from the bear that was now a naked man bloody and wounded, horror filled his eyes. “Get away from her” I heard someone yell but when I stopped staring I realized my hands were nearly touching him. He was breathing hard and just before I touched his skin “I---I” he ran straight into the wood, yet I stood there frozen and aghast. Apparently Janeia and Zane had come back because they were pulling me back away from the scene.
    “Are you alright?” Zane asked