Elle Jeanette [ EDITING ]

Chapter 2

Yesterday had gone by fast, and the day after that and so on, and ever since that little "incident" with Mariana, things have been going smoothly for me at school. Her cronies have actually been nice to me, the kind of nice that they don't bug me and completely ignore me all the same. Besides that, Alexis has been hanging out with me 24/7. I even hosted a silly little sleepover where Alexis had told ghost stories that made me shudder.

Today was finals, and I had woken up extra early to review. My father was asleep, and I wasn't surprised because he was always like this. Working hard in the afternoon up until late in the evening—if I was him, I'd be pretty tired as well. He's always there for me. And I wish that someday I could return the favor.

Yawning, I try to push away the ebbs of sleepiness as I make myself some coffee. I pour the hot steamy water into my mug and sip the creamy contents of my coffee. I put the mug back down the table and throw my hair into a messy bun.

I begin reviewing.

"Evaluate the algebraic expression : 2 ( 2m + 9n ) if m = -2 and n = -99," the book reads. As I was about to write my answer, the feeling of pins and needles pricking my arms stop me. I clench my fists and let out a quiet groan. Then it became so painful that I almost screamed. An unsettling numb feeling is all I felt afterwards. Then, a sudden crash from upstairs had put an afraid feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't do anything because I couldn't move from my spot. Because of my shuffling, I shifted and fell on to the floor. Footsteps had made its way to the living room, the monster is so close.

The lights flicker above me and suddenly turn off. How great, straight out from a horror movie. I shifted myself until I was positioned under the table and I could see the doorway.

Before I could scream for help, enormous wings greeted me from my vantage point. The wings were connected to a frail body, and I could've sworn its face was Mariana's.

It walks closer, and I could feel my heart hammering in my throat. It comes closer with every step, until another set of footsteps follow after it and the monster dissolves into ash and the soft breeze from the window blows him away.

Just as I was about about to sigh in relief, another figure comes closer. My eyes narrowed but when the lights flickered open, I saw my father standing in the doorway, holding a baseball bat over his head.

"Dad," I seemed to have found my voice again. My father looks sideways until he spots me under the table. He rushes to me and pushes the table away. He tries to stand me up but I yelp in pain. He pauses and frowns down at me with worried eyes.

"Honey," he says, his tone grave. "I can't explain things right now, especially since you're in shock and that monster has somehow done something to you, but you need to leave. It's not safe for you here anymore."

He helps me up and this time, I could walk but I stumble a few times. "Dad, what was that thing?" I croak, my voice groggy as if I just used it after a long period. He sets me on the couch and stands up, folding his arms.

"That was a fury," he says and pauses. "I don't know how he picked up your scent but it did, and now you need to leave." He walks back and forth on his heels, seeming like a confused and aggravated puppy.

He always does that when he's nervous and he doesn't know what to do. His back is always arched as well because of the disappointment life has brought us. I thought he was like that because my so-called mother had left him. I don't understand why she left. I just really don't.

"I'm going to pack your bags." He says and I paste an expression of disbelief on my face.

"This early?" I cry. "Where will we even go? What will we do?" I bombard him with questions.

"First of all, I'm not going, honey, you are," he says and I furrow my brows and let out and exasperated sigh. "Second, you won't be alone, and third, I'll be fine on my own. Fourth, your 'companions' will a accompany you and help you understand what's going on."

Before I could mutter protest, he's already upstairs, packing away.

I just don't understand. 17 years of my life, I've been keeping to myself, with no one to bother me until this happened. What changed? I'm still with my father and I'm still suffering from ADHD. I just stood up to a bully a few days ago and I met a new friend. I don't get it at all.

A few minutes later, my father comes down with a duffel bag in hand, along with his baseball bat. I sit up and crack my knuckles.

"Your ride will be coming in a few minutes." He says, his usual cheerful voice gone, replaced with a sad tone along with his eyes screaming "don't go."

"Dad, I don't want to go." I told him, my voice sounding so small and fragile, one more word that a utter would cause me to break apart. I can't stand being far away from the one person who stood beside me all the way and up until now is ready to sacrifice everything just for my sake. "Can't I just stay here and find a way to kill the monster?"

He drops the bag on the floor gently and tosses the baseball bat on the couch. "Honey, as much as you'd like to do that, we can't. The monsters are far too powerful and dangerous for you to just 'kill' them. You'll have to undergo special training just like those kids that are like you." He says, gently, as if trying to let me understand. Trying to make a simple child understand.

"Like me? Like a freak?" I say, angrily.

"Elle," he says. "You are the most beautiful, loving daughter a father like me could ever wish for. Although not many people see that, is it not important to you that I see you as my little princess about to become a queen?" I have no answer to that.

"I love you no matter what." He says, and envelopes me into a warm hug. I smile a bit.

"I love you too, Dad." I manage to mutter. Then, a honk of a car rings outside. My father pulls away and takes ahold of his baseball bat and my duffel bag. We walk outside hand in hand, until it was time to say goodbye.

I try to blink away my tears as my father pushes me inside the old pick up truck. "Take care of her for me, John." He says to the driver. The driver nods his head.

I bite my lip as tears stream from on my face as the car starts and we zoom away from Dad. Far, far away to somewhere I don't even know.