Shazi and the Demons of the First Order (Book 1)

Jolene

Waking up at three a.m because your dad is a cop and he has to go to work doesn't do you any good when you realize you have an exam that very same day. If my dad knew that, then he must've been joking around with me, because there is no way that I would be able to pass a police test if I had only gotten two hours of sleep. Groaning, I got up from my bed and shuffled my way over to the bathroom. After doing my business, I washed my hands and took a long look in the mirror. 

My black curly hair fell like waves over my caramel coloured face, a trait that I had inherited from my dad. It also didn't help that my little brother Jaime makes fun of my skin and compares it to something that we all do when we go to the bathroom. 

He can be the worst sometimes, but he's only three, so it's not his fault that he doesn't know any better. 

Stepping out of the bathroom, I looked up and saw my mom standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

"Everything alright, hon?" she asked, and blinked at me sweetly.

I managed to smile back at her and made my way over to my room. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got woken up because of Dad's dramatic exit to work, that's all."

"Honey, you have your test today, don't forget." my mom reminded me.

I'm already closing the door when I reply back to her: "Yeah. I know."

I walked over to my bed and sat down on the edge, curling some hair between my fingers. My mom knocked on my door five times, paused, then one or two more times. Her usual.

"Jolenifer? I know today will be a big day, but I promise that you will do great. I just know it." she said.

I rubbed my hand over my arm to supply the comfort that she would've done for me if she was in the room right now.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll try and go back to bed now."

I heard a sigh from the other side of the door, some shuffled steps, and then silence. I fell back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. Today was supposed to be the day that I become the first junior officer ever to join the police force. I know there must've been someone else before me, but it just felt nice to imagine myself to be the first female junior officer to join the team. 

Who knew what they would ask me to do? Scale a building wall to get to a window? Climb a tree to save a cat? Kick down a door? Shoot a gun? 

They all sounded fun to me. But the more I thought about it, the more scared I became. 

What would happen if I failed this one task that they give me? What if I fail and they all laugh at me and say I'm not capable of being a police officer? Is it because I'm a girl? Or because I look different from the rest of them? 

Right now, all I can hope to do is go back to sleep and just wait until the time when I would have to prove myself worthy of the badge. After all, a police officer's one job in three is to protect the innocent, save lives, and serve justice. Turning over onto my side, my mind scrambled for sleep while my thoughts muddled the idea. 

If I'm innocent, why didn't they protect me when my dad asked his colleagues to save me from the fire? It was only by some freak miracle that I escaped. 

And it wasn't because I ran. Something saved me that night. 

Something that wasn't human. 

Something that couldn't get scorched by flames and burn in fire.