Losing Myself

Not So Lost

He had an amused look on his face as he stood straight, "Well, the other boy was my brother Ezekiel. And yes I know I was. Call it pay back for staring at me last night." He looked down at me, and for the first time I noticed how pale he was. "Last night?" I asked, getting confused. "Yes, last night when you were in here I was following you to make sure you weren't some hunter and you stared at me for the longest time, it seemed." He explain. Everything was clear, well almost that is. "That was you?" He nodded, "You scared me half to death!" I said, glaring at him.

~

Oh but just a little bit my sweet,

I only need a little bit to feed,

My hunger, and oh it's so bittersweet,

Your fear makes my undead heart beat.

~

Artemis, as was introduced, had a smirk of amusement as he watched my facial expressions when I complained about what he had done. "My apologies, darling. I never meant to give you a fright." He bowed slightly, looking at me. "It's alright, I suppose. Anyway, you said that you lived here?" I asked, "Why yes, I do. With my two older brothers Ezekiel, and the eldest Sebastian.". I thought for a moment, getting confused, "But, nobody lives in the forest! It's been restricted for years. And what about your parents?" I hated to bore him with the many questions I had, but I needed some answers. Just as I asked, another boy stepped out, it was the one in all black, "That's where you're wrong. We've lived here for years. It's been restricted because of us." Ezekiel, I guessed remembering his name from earlier, explained. "And our parents, well they passed away quite some time ago." Artemis finished.

I moved to sit on a fallen branch, straightening my dress, "Why haven't I seen you around before, if you've been here for years? And why would the forest be restricted just because of you all?" I looked down trying to process everything. There was an answer burning in the back of my mind. The Lost Boys. It kept repeating, The Lost Boys, The Lost Boys, The Lost Boys. I shook my head, coming back to the conversation as Ezekiel spoke, "Because we," he paused, looking through the opening at something, "We aren't allowed. We aren't allowed back." He said, his eyes never leaving the thing he was looking at, as Artemis went on to answer my other question, I turned to see what Ezekiel was so fond of. He was looking at the oldest house in town, nobody has lived in it since I can remember. I wonder why he kept staring at it. Could they have lived there before the forest? I kept thinking, but listened closely as Artemis said, "It's restricted because the elders do not want the young to do the same as us." That caught my full attention. "But the only reason our parents don't want us here is because of a myth called..." Ezekiel cut me off, "The Lost Boys." I stood up and stepped back a bit, looking at them both, "If you know about them, then.." I trailed off, putting all the questions and answers together. The Lost Boys! The voice screamed, "You're The Lost Boys!" I yelled, earning nods from them both, "two thirds at least."

I began to panic. oh god oh god, oh god. What have you gotten yourself into? I thought they were just myths! "Are you alright, darling?" A voice asked, I didn't recognize it, but it was deeper than the other two. I looked behind me and saw a rather tall man. He had longish brown choppy hair, and was dressed almost like Artemis, only his clothes weren't as tattered. "Yes, actually no..." I looked at all of them, backing up more, "Please don't hurt me.." My breathing became fast. The other boy, most likely Sebastian, or well, Definitely the elder brother, Sebastian stepped closer, "We wouldn't hurt you, we never have hurt anyone, and never will." He said

A million thoughts rushed through my head, "But you're all vampires!" I yelled out, "You all kill people to survive!". At this, Ezekiel burst out laughing, Artemis and Sebastian sighed. "That's some quality entertainment right there!" Ezekiel finished laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked, calming down and just getting mad. "We aren't vampires, my dear. I don't know why you would imply such a bizarre assumption upon just meeting us." Sebastian said. "Everyone knows you all are.. are supposed to be..." I said holding my head, "But we aren't. I mean, we might not exactly be alive, but we aren't vampires." Artemis cleared. "What do you mean, not exactly alive?" I asked. Sebastian leaned against a tree, crossing his arms, "If means we aren't exactly alive. Do you have hearing problems?" Ezekiel asked, tilting his head, "No! I just don't get what you mean by that!" I was getting mad at this point. There was a very playful feeling from Ezekiel, he acted as if he were 12. But looks like he's in his early 20s. "What we mean is, we should be dead by now, that house," Ezekiel pointed at the house from earlier, "used to be ours. But we ran away when our parents wanted to send us off. Something about this place, it is rather strange. It can kill you, or keep you living." Ezekiel stated.

I sat down again, letting everything get cleared in my head, but I still had three questions. "Okay.. so you don't hurt anybody, you're not blood sucking demons, but you're not alive." I cleared, they all nodded. "I have only three more questions left, why were your parents going to send you off, What do you mean by it can kill you or keep you living, and how long have you been here exactly?" I asked.

"They were going to send us away to a prison -like place because we practiced black magic.. We didn't know what it was at the time, but at a young age of 16 and the others 14 and 13, we thought it was a fame. We learned it from a friend's mother, and one night our parents caught us and said they couldn't live with the devil's sons." Sebastian explained, "so the night before we were to be leaving, we ran away. Into the forest, deeper and deeper until we found an abandoned house. And we've been here since then." He finished. I nodded, that one answer was a lot to take in. "We've been here for a little over a century. Although we should be dead, the forest has been keeping us alive. We age slower than normal people. I'm only 19, Ezekiel 20, and Sebastian 23." Artemis said, "The forest has some magic to it, I guess because people would practice the craft in it. Also a family of Pagans lived here centuries ago. Its filled with magic. I guess that's what keeps us from aging." Ezekiel finished. I nodded, taking it all in. "Well that was certainly a brain trip. But I understand now." I stood, "It's been somewhat pleasant meeting you. But I must head back home." They all nodded, saying their farewells. "Could we meet again, darling?" Artemis asked, hope rising around him, "I could, I mean, we could show you some magic.." He said shyly, "I suppose, tomorrow morning perhaps?" Sebastian asked, I nodded, "Sounds great. See you all then." We parted ways, and I went back home.