Surreal

Everything is going to be okay

After all was said and done with this vampire, I went home, by myself. I didn't allow Dante to come with me because I needed time to think. I was almost positive he was still following me from a distance though. Once I got home, I snuck in through my window. Climbing to the second floor wasn't hard for me...now I knew why. 

My mother and father were both sitting on my bed. I looked at the clock - it was now almost 5am. They must have been waiting for me all night. Once they saw me they stood up, and glared at me with their arms crossed. "Where were you?" My mother asked sternly. I was a little surprised, yet glad they didn't comment on how I got in through the window. "I-I just needed a breath of fresh air." I lied. My mother walked towards me and smacked me in the face. My hands flew to my face, and I acted like it hurt, but it didn't. My strength had more powers than I knew yet. It was as if my my mothers slap was a tap on the shoulder. It took a lot more for me to feel pain now. "You're lying. You don't 'go for a breath of fresh air' for hours. Your father just had a talk with you right before you went out! Are you on drugs?" She screamed. "No." I responded quietly. "Then what is it that's making you act this way?" She asked. I turned away from her, and said, "I have responsibilities." My mother grabbed my arm and pulled me back to her. "What responsibilities could you possibly have? We've been here for less than a week!" She continues. I don't answer her. She lets go of my arm and walks out of the room. My father looks at me. "I'm very disappointed in you. You're grounded." He says. His words hit me hard. I hated hurting my father more than anything. He soon turned from me as well and left my room without another word. Once he was gone I let out a strong sigh of relief. 

I looked in my mirror and stared at the bruises all over my body, as I watched them, they soon faded. I guess I heal quickly. I could hear my parents yell at each other from their room. Tears filled my eyes. I couldn't take all of this worry and shock I was feeling, then to hear my parents scream about how awful I was, was just the topping on the cake. Monsters were real. There was no doubt about it. Superheros were real, too, and there was only one...me. It was already 5am now, and there wasn't a chance I was going to sleep. I had work to do, and things to learn. I began to pack my old book bag up with clothes and hygiene essentials. I went to my window and through my bag out, then as I got one foot out, the door opened. It was my sister. She leaned against the door frame and a large smirk appeared on her face. "Sneaking out again, are we, sis?" She said. I put my foot back inside and walked over to her. "Hailey, go away." I commanded. She laughed at me. "I'm not gonna tell on you! Well- actually I will, but only if you don't take me with you." She threatened. "What? No, you can't come with me!" I reply. She starts to walk out. "Fine!" I yell. She walks back in. "You can come with me but you will do what I say, when I say it." I tell her. She gets an excited look on her face. I jump out of the window like it's nothing, and I see her leaning out, "How did you do that?!" She yells. "Shhh! Shut up! Jump. I'll catch you." I whisper, loud enough for her to hear. "No way!" She whispers back. "Do you want to come or not?" I ask. I can see her argue with herself, but she finally jumps, and I catch her, then put her down. "Woah, you're really strong!" She laughs. "Come on." I tell her as we run down the street. 

"Where are we going?" She asks. I shrug my shoulders. "I have no idea yet." I tell her. I see some random guy walking down the street. He looked as if he was looking for something. He sees us, and runs over to us. I push my sister behind me. "Who are you?" I ask. "I-I'm trying to find my friend. Please, I need your help. She has red hair, and freckles. She's about our age. You can't miss her." He says. Suddenly, I know who he's talking about. "Emily? Are you looking for Emily?" I ask. As soon as I say that his face brightens up. "Do you know where she is?" He asks, practically jumping up and down. "Are you Alex?" I ask, before I answer his initial question. "Uh, yeah. Who are you?" He asks, now a tad confused. "I'm Ashley, and this is my little sister, Hailey." I tell him. "Can you please take me to Emily. She's been gone for a day or so...it's not like her." He worries. I almost tell him what happened to her, but then I realize the consequences that will come if I tell him. "I don't know where she is." I lie. I take my sisters hand and start walking away from him. He follows close behind. "I know you know where she is. Please, everyone is worried about her." He pleads. Just then another vampire pops out of the bushes next to us. I throw my backpack to the ground, and push my sister and Alex behind me. I run up to the vampire and kick him in the jaw. He throws a punch back at me, right in my face. I fall to the ground. "Ashley!" I hear my sister yell. I look back at her, "Get out of here!" I scream. The vamp kicks me in the face, and my head flies back. I do a flip over his head, and run behind him, to a tree. I break off a branch, and throw it to his chest, and it hits his heart, and poof, dusted. My sister and Alex look at me like I'm a ghost. "Come on!" I yell to them. They immediately get up and start following me, after I grab my backpack. "Ashley, wait what's going on?! I'm scared." Hailey said. "Yeah, what's going on?" Alex adds. "Look, if you guys want to follow me, shut up and do what I say, if not then go home." I snap. They both shut up and follow me. 

As we continue down the road I see a cemetery. I get a weird sense that I should go in there. I trust my instincts. "Alex, watch over my sister. I will be right back. If anything happens, scream for me." I order. He nods his head. 

I creep inside the cemetery, looking every which way, and checking out every sound I hear. I see an old looking mausoleum, and break the door down, opening the way. I walk inside, and see a hole in the ground. I jump in and it reveals a tunnel. I hear a sound, and turn towards it. It's Dante. "What are you doing?" He asks. "What does it look like?" I snap. "They know you're coming." He says. "Who?" I ask. "Persephone and her gang. They're down here." He says. This must be why I was so drawn to this place. "To get rid of a fallen angel you must remove the head, or banish them to hell, but for now. Just kill her." He tells me. I nod my head. "Come with me." I order. 

We both continue down the tunnel, then come to their gathering room. I saw Emily tied up on the ground and ran to her. "Emily! Oh, my God! I'm so, so sorry." I say, while untieing her. She hugs me, then has fear in her eyes. "Ashley, behind you!" She yells. I turn, and a woman with long black hair smacks me in the head with her strong hands. I fall to the ground hard. "I've been waiting for you." She growls. "Persephone, stop!" I hear Dante say. I look up, and she flashes over to him. She begins caressing his cheek. "Dante, my lover. How could you leave me, for this-this traitor?" She asks him. While they catch up, I pick up Emily and throw her over my shoulder, and run out with her, leaving Dante to fend for himself.

When we get out of the cemetery, I put down Emily. She runs to Alex and they hold each other. She looks back at me, and thanks me. I nod my head, and tell them to come with me. My plan when I first packed my backpack with clothes was to run away, but now I realize that I'm needed here. I can't let my family, or my new friends down. I need to protect them. We snuck back into my room, and for the next hour or so, I explained what happened, and who I truly was. It was hard telling people, when I could barely even tell myself, but at least these were 3 less people I had to hide myself from. I worried about Dante the whole time, but I hoped and kind of expected him to be just fine. He was strong, and could take care of himself. 

Before my parents would barge in my room, I sent Alex and Emily home, making plans to see them later that night. I went to my sisters room with her and we sat together on her bed. "Ashley, I'm scared. You could die." She tells me, almost in tears. "I'm scared too. This is just as new to me as it is to you, but I promise that I won't die." I try to reassure her. Her head falls into my lap, and I massage her scalp. "Everything is going to be okay." I tell her, trying to convince myself as well.