House of Howling

Chapter 1

It was 2016 as a 18 year old girl I was wearing a black tank top, jean shorts, navy blue flip-flops and my long jet black hair was down like always because I love that it stops halfway down my back, I was walking down the street alone in the place I call home, Hope Hills, NC.
All of a sudden my best friend Liz jumped in front of me basically wearing the same thing as me, "Oh my gosh!! Liz, what are you doing?!" I screamed at her for scaring me.

"Look, look Alice (ya I am Alice), look at my wrist," I look down at her wrist and I see the Chinese symbol for courage, "I got chosen to live, love, and learn at the House of Howling. Can you believe it. Oh my gosh!" She screams in my ear (I am surprised that I am not deaf by now), "Alice look down at your wrist." I looked down and I saw it, I saw the Chinese symbol for wisdom on my wrist.

"Oh my gosh! I have been chosen! We have been chosen!!!" We jump around in a circle, squealing, of course. When we stopped all of a sudden and we fainted.

We woke up in a dorm room, on beds - on both sides of the room - under the comfiest blankets I have ever felt and to match the blankets really comfy pillows that our head rests on. Still looking up at the cream colored ceiling I spoke, "Hey Liz, where do you think we are?"

"I have no clue Alice, where are we?"

As we sat up a voice came from the doorway, it was the sweetest voice I have ever heard in my short but brief life with my parents. "You are in the House of-"

"Howling!!" Liz and I cut her off and scream that at the same time. She steps into the room as scramble out of our beds and turn towards the doorway, she is wearing the same thing as I am but a baby blue t-shirt with music notes on it and her hair is pitch black and is up in a french braid that goes down to her shoulders with a purple headband to pullback her curly q's.

"Sorry if I startled you but, my name is Silver. I am one of the howlers that live here."

"Wait what now!?" Liz and I both say startled.

"We are what you people call werewolves, just the individuals who live in houses like this one are called howlers. Before you say why I will tell you. Howlers are more calm, meaning we are civilized werewolves who live and learn how to hunt, live, and love the way they are. Werewolves on the other hand are runaways or they are born in the wild, they do not want anything to do with our house or the other houses out there."

"Wait there are houses out there?" Said Liz, with a very curious face. I on the other hand knew what Silver was talking about because after my brother left I started reading up on the history of the werewolf's and the house, only to find out that there were 24 other houses just like House of Howling within the US alone.

"Yes Liz, but Alice already read up on the matter. For your sake Liz I will explain." (How does she know our names!?) "In every other state there is a house, similar to this one, so overall are 24 more houses in this country alone, except each house has a different name. Good got it," -she took a pause waiting for us to respond-"Are you okay?" She continued because we just stood there, both lost yet curious.

All of a sudden I started to hyperventilate because on my 11th birthday big my brother left home, he never called, nor wrote, we haven't heard from him ever since. I have no clue why I remember that, I guess it is a good as a time as ever to ask silver,  "I am fine but, Silver do ya know my brother."

"Oh I forgot you can also get your class schedule in the main office," she said ignoring my question.

"Do you know my brother?" I asked again."Here you go Liz," - handing Liz her schedule- "Here is your schedule Alice." -She hands me my schedule completley ignoring my question

"Silver... do you know my brother!?" I asked screaming.

"Clam down Alice, calm down. Yes, I know Mark, I know him really well..."

"Alice Marie Raphael, Its nice to see you again." Says a male voice cutting off Silver, very unfamiliar yet a very welcoming voice. A man peers into the doorway, a man that looks about 25 years old steps into the lift of out room from the dim light of the hallway. He has broad shoulders, short dark brown hair, blue eyes, his figure like his voice is very unfamiliar, but very welcoming. He is wearing a teal shirt, tan shorts, and flip-flops.

So I do what I thought was the best thing to do... not, he was my older brother, i just knew it. on instinct I jumped into his arms with no hesitation and squeeze him until he pats my back because I am hugging too tight so that I am accidentally cutting off his air. But, when I let go we are both appear to be crying, so we go back into another hug; a hug that we both needed because he heft me with out saying anything, because I needed to see my brother again.