Call Me "Ozzie" | ONC24

Friends or Foes, Just How to Know?

"God, whose nature is ever merciful and forgiving, accept our prayer that this servant of yours, bound by the fetters of sin, may be pardoned by your loving kindness.

"Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who once and for all consigned that fallen and apostate tyrant to the flames of hell, who sent your only begotten Son into the world to crush that roaring lion; hasten to our call for help and snatch from ruination and from the clutches of the noonday devil this human being made in your image and likeness. Strike terror, Lord, into the beast now laying waste your vineyard. Fill your servants with courage to fight manfully against that reprobate dragon, lest he despise those who put their trust in you and say with Pharaoh of old: "I know not God, nor will I set Israel free." Let your mighty hand cast him out of your servant, Onyx, so he may no longer hold captive this person whom it pleased you to make in your image, and to redeem through your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever."

Mom splatters me with Holy water, and I blink rapidly as it gets in my eyes and stings. Nothing happens except for the cross in the room sliding off its top nail and hanging upside down.

"Oh, why doesn't it work?" Mom's eye twitches as she looks down at the cross in her hands. "A-am I not doing it right? M-maybe I just n-need the priest here."

Her hands shake as she gets up and I rub the water off of my face.

"Onyx Ivory Aphelion, you're a cancer on this planet." She looks at me.

She looks haunted, scared but most of all disgusted.

"How can I, of all women, have sired such disgusting and pitiful creatures like you and Aquamarine?!" She shrieks. "You should have died while you were in the womb!"

"But I didn't and it's your burden to carry." I shrug it off. "Now, if you're done, I have a long day of working on reading some books and staying out of your way."

Mom looks at me before her eyes widen and she nods.

"Yes, you stay out of my way."

She leaves my room and five minutes later, I hear loud knocks downstairs.

"Onyx! Come down for dinner!"

I want to, but this doesn't feel right. I sniff the air when a loud bang scares me, making me jump and reveal half of what I can turn into. I shake my body lightly to make the wolf tail and ears disappear when I walk over to the door and open it to find people dressed in white. My eyes land on the yellowish crest of the Citrine Academy jewel color on their chests.

"Come with us, Onyx Aphelion. Your dorm is waiting for you on campus."

"On......campus." I repeat.

They pull out some energy cuffs designed for those who are half human and half whatever else and I turn to who looks to be the leader, standing to the far right.

"Where's my brother?"

"Hellhound as well," Is all she says.

I hold out my arms to them as I step back, and they enter my room.

Humans really are easy to play with, I think as I run at them and slide underneath their legs.

"Finally, time to leave you," I run downstairs. "I hope you rot in the Fjords of the Forgotten."

"Onyx!" She catches my wrist. "I'm doing this for your own good!"

"Yeah, me too!" I try to yank my arm free. "I don't want to end up killing you on accident when cravings get high! You cut yourself up on purpose for me to have reason to throw me to the law!"