Meadow Falls - Book One

01 (SE)

Copyright © 2014 by maggie10secrets
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the author
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

I pinch the bridge of my nose in concentration as the headlines stares back at me. Mysterious Killings in Meadow Falls. Ugh. Bloody werewolves causing havoc in a small unheard town.

I lay my eyes on my twin brother, Nate who is sitting across me in the living room watching the muted TV. Once he notices me staring at him, he sets a questioning look on his face. I turn the newspaper around so he can read the headlines big and clear.

Should we move there and settle the problem once and for all? I sign to him after setting the paper down on the coffee table in between us. My brother is deaf for about a year now. He lost his hearing last year and it was my entire fault. I was too busy concentrating on the werewolf that I didn't see a car with its engine running near the werewolf and Nate. I shot at the werewolf but the bullet hit the car instead. The car exploded, the werewolf lost its life and Nate lost his hearing. He was held in the hospital for a few months. During those few months, I learnt Sign Language so we can communicate.

Ever since that incident, I mostly use bow and arrows instead of guns. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry, right?

Nate shrugs as if he doesn't care. As a matter of fact, he doesn't care where we're going as long as there are rogues to kill.

I observe him as he starts to fidget unconsciously with his fingers. A trait that he inherit from our mother whenever she's nervous about saying something.

Is there something you want to tell me? I ask after what feels like five minutes had passed and him sweating bullets.

School, he signs. I want to go to school.

I have not seen that coming. We used to go to school until we dropped out last year. This is because I didn't want anyone to tease my twin. It's not like education is that important to us because our job as werewolf hunters is much meaningful. Other than that, we also have our own plans for the future.

Are you sure? You do know that I will kill anyone who messes with you. I look straight into his eyes. He flinches slightly but nods. He knows that I mean it because I have a very short temper. It even happened once.

And we're going to have to stay until we solve this rogue problem, I add.

Then we'll have to leave?

I'm afraid so. We can't have people being suspicious of us just like when we were in Little Creek.

Nate's ecstatic grin does not falter because he is happy enough to go to school. I, on the other hand, have the opposite reaction. I hate school, just like any other normal teenagers on this planet.

That proves my brother is abnormal.

I stand up while sighing heavily in defeat. I'm going to look for a house for rent. Start packing and we'll start the cleaning first thing in the morning. I want to leave a clean apartment behind or else the landlord will have both our heads.

Nate holds up a hand, stopping me from walking towards the stairs.

Remember Uncle Scott? Nate asks while he reaches over for the remote and turns off the TV.

It took me a few seconds to comprehend him. I snort at the memory.

The Infamous Dead Uncle Scott? I sign.

Nate rolls his eyes at my nickname for my deceased uncle. He used to live in Meadow Falls, remember? Before he passed, he handed the keys to his house to me. I still have it. Plus, the house is in the middle of the forest.

I snap my fingers and grin. Oh yeah. You were his favourite nephew of all time.

My twin brother glares at me. Shut up. The keys must be somewhere around here...

Nate used to be Uncle Scott's favourite nephew and I despised him. He used to comment how 'unladylike' I was. I hated him so much that once he passed, I actually danced on his grave. I was eight that time, so don't judge me! Nate saw me dance and laughed like it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. I was lucky my mum didn't see my little stunt or else I would have gotten a good beating for disrespecting the dead.

Look for the keys then. We are leaving in the morning, I instructed.

Nate stands and salutes me as if we're in military camp. Ma'am, yes, Ma'am.

I roll my eyes at my brother's childishness before walking to my room to start packing. I gather all my things and place them on my bed so they can be arranged properly.

Something reflected the ceiling light, making me wince and pick up the object. I tilt it a little to see that it is the last photograph Nate and I took with my parents.

Nate and I became hunters when we were ten. That was also the time we lost our parents to werewolves. My parents' death is a story for another time.

Nate and I trained ourselves and protect each other's backs ever since then. We move from one place to another, depending on the werewolf population and the number of mysterious deaths arises. I favour in using bows and arrows and Nate uses knives and daggers. Over the years of hunting and killing, we are well-known as 'The Deadly Twins'. It was a name made up by werewolves and we were feared. The Deadly Twins is recognized by our dark glasses and our signature weapons.

The only thing werewolves didn't know was my pet eagle, Hazard. Hazard is our secret weapon. He can locate werewolves in the forest and report the number back to us. For example, there are three wandering werewolves in the forest; Hazard would flap his wings three times before leading us toward the werewolves.

Ever since Nate became deaf, I had to be more alert and cautious every time we hunt or move to another town. This upsets Nate because he claims that he has to take care of his sister.

I put down the old photograph with a small smile forming in my face.

Beware, werewolves of Meadow Falls, Melanie is going to have the satisfaction to put an arrow into your peanut-sized brains.

Author's Note

This is my first book and I do hope you guys like it. Just to clear things up, the words in bold is in sign language since Nate is deaf. 

Lindsey Stirling as Melanie Raquella by the side!

Comment.

Vote.

Fan. 

-M.