The Valkyries

Chapter 1

For me I think I always knew I was different. It started with the peculiar people I would see, sometimes it would be the weird way they were dressed in cloaks, some had pointed ears, some had horse hooves for feet which was obviously off-putting. It seemed like I could never get a break, you see bizarre things follow me wherever I go.

As a kid that was unwanted and left there was no one to care about the real monsters under my bed. Everyday that I told the matron she would tut and say " You're just trying to scare yourself, child. Now go to bed, I will not hear another word of this nonsense." School wasn't much better with the taunts of Sophia Spinner and her gang just as boorish as her. I was silly Esmeralda Bane who saw "special people". I was labeled the weird kid on my first day, as you can tell nothing changed. I'm still a weird kid, eleven years and counting. I hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary recently but I knew that wouldn't last for long, nothing could stop these "sinful" as the priest had called them entities from following me, believe me I tried.

Today was one of those days I walked into school, as usual I got the expected looks and whispers as I passed through. I know I should be used to them but they still cut like knives through my skin each prick opening old wounds. I got to band ready to play the baritone, I know being a band kid really doesn't help with bullying but it's one of the things I'm best at. I saw something peculiar: a boy seemed to appear out of thin air and I heard a rather loud snap almost at his arrival. He seemed to notice that I had witnessed whatever had taken place, so he walked over immediately. When he got over to me he whispered " our little secret, right" his voice rigid. It was more of a command than a question to be honest, I could do nothing more than nod. He walked over to the woodwind section and sat down, I was fairly sure I had never seen that boy before. Call me cynical but I couldn't trust that boy was good news by any means.

I took a bee line outside not even bothering with school today, where I ran into another man. He was just as much an anomaly as the other man, the abnormality of him was his beard and hair which could be tucked into his trousers if he so wished, he had a nose which seemed to have been broken quite a few times. He chuckled and said " Watch it dear, we wouldn't want our future in witch a state of distress."

I blanched " Sir, I am so very sorry for bumping into you but I cannot say I understand you, there is no way I can be a witch. I am perfectly normal.. Sophia Spinner would make a better witch than I" I rambled.

He once again gave a booming laugh " She's humble as well, you miss are going to be marvelous" I took a step back, what did this man have in store for me. The thing that truly chilled me to the bone was that I wanted this man to be sane and for me to be different, not just different but special. I wanted to be more than the weird kid at school. I wanted to be someone who had their own gang of friends because other than Serenity Rowe, my best friend in the world. I had no one, but do you really need more than one person to save your life?

"Sir, I don't understand what you mean. Are you trying to make a fool of me, or are you on some sort of drug? I am truly at my wits end and cannot handle some more bullshit especially from a wrinkly old man."

The man did not look surprised by anything that came out of my mouth, in fact he looked rather amused. The smirk that resided on his face was quite unsettling, this man had a wry smile that chilled my bones. "Merlin's beard, you do have quite a mouth just like your colleague Miss Rowe, she gave me her own cheek too. "

" Serenity, what have you done with her, where do you get the right to speak to her. If you so much as laid a hand on her I will put rosehip hair in your sheets. " My defenses were flying up quickly at the mention of my best friend.

" You misunderstand me, I simply had a conversation with her" He took a step back almost as if he was worried I would add another crook in his nose from a punch. I certainly wasn't going to let this old pisser pit disorient me.