WE STILL EXIST

Chapter Thirteen- Little Brother

NOAH BLAKE

When I was a little girl, I had to learn about the dangers of ungodly creatures roaming the earth. The water near the border from land and ocean held the masters of monsters at night, everyone was locked away.

War was not prominent, but the aftermath was still lurking in the shadows at night. The mutated people in the South were no match to the beasts on the shore. I feel bad for those mutated people, but not as bad for the ones who were slaughtered near the ocean taking a late-night stroll.

Some of those monsters would come out during the day but would be shot down almost instantly. My cousin died that way, he was captured by one of the creatures and turned into them.

He was alive but dead. It was terrible, everyone mourned his death. Twice.

We have it pretty good here in the West Group. Most people live in the North or East part of the old Country. America, is the home of the free and brave.

After World War Three, everyone was in shambles trying to make sense of things. The unknown myths were coming to life and no one knew what to do. Some people chose to ignore it, they are dead now.

My mother always faces stuff like this at work as a healer, she comes home with stories surrounding the depths of the world and the people who challenge it. Sometimes, she doesn't come home, she stays with the people.

On the other hand, my father loves the adventure. He used to tell my brother and me stories of how he and his friends would go out past the borders to see the ocean and lakes at night. There was a time when things were more adaptable, but not since my cousin died over a decade ago.

Late at night, you can hear yelling and banging outside, it isn't people wanting help. It is the monsters that haunt the grounds waiting to take lives for their own. That is how they survive, taking lives to make their own.

That isn't what scares me anymore now that I am older. It is the lack of warning about men. Then men that are supposed to love you and respect you.

It has been four days since Avery attacked me in his room. He has not talked to me since, he hasn't come around or even glanced in my direction in town.

The bruises have faded a bit, my arms are not as bruised as my neck is and the bruising around my neck has been covered up by sweatshirts and makeup. I didn't know that this would happen, he was just so angry.

I've never seen someone with so much anger before, he was aggressive to the point I thought he might kill me with his eyes.

Afraid he might do it again out of vengeance, I have stayed home from school. My brother has been going to my classes to get homework for me, he said that Maddie asked where I was.

I told him to tell her I was sick and needed time to myself. She wants to talk about what happened at school on Monday. The rumors in the bathroom are still ongoing, they have reached some of the younger kids. My brother had some unkind words for those assholes.

My mother knows something is up, there is only so much can do to pretend I am sick with a healer living in the house. My dad is oblivious as always, I am glad he is. There is no reason to worry him about anything.

I'm okay, I just need to talk to Avery about what happened and hopefully work things out. There is something that I must have said or done to make him think I told Coden he hurt me. I don't remember saying anything to him, it was an accident anyway.

The first time, the first time it was an accident. This time it was different, I know that.

I hear voices coming from down the hall. A deep voice echoes through the entryway and finds itself leading to my room. Zach knocks on my bedroom door, I can tell it is him from how he shifts from one for to the other.