Moon

10

"Elis."

I groaned, suddenly being yanked away from the warmth of my bed. "What?"

It was Shannon, she was standing in a pair of jeans and sweatshirt with a bag slung over her shoulders. "Mom and Emily aren't home, can you at least bring me to school?"

I looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I know you can drive," she stated. How she knew, I had no idea, but I shrugged and slipped on a shirt, following her downstairs.

"Where's the school?" I asked, slipping into the drivers' seat and starting the ignition. 

Shannon laughed, "Um, you should know. This town isn't big like the city, it's not hard to find things."

I sighed, "That's probably very, very true. But unless you want to get there late, feel free to tell me the directions."

Shannon rolled her eyes, "Turn a left, ta-da, you're there."

"Why couldn't you walk again?" 

"Because the roads are like five miles long each with woods surrounding either sides. But unless you want me to get there half-eaten, feel free to drive me there," Shannon retorted. I couldn't help but chuckle, so this was my sister.

Once I dropped her off, I sped home, grabbed the duffel with the printed out map that led to the park, and took off higher into the mountains where my proof may lie.

Finding the park wasn't hard, the government didn't bother to take down the signs that directed you to the park's entrance way. Unfortunately, barbed wire ran around the land, at least ten feet tall. I parked the car underneath a tree where it was easily hidden from passerbys, and shrugged the duffle onto my shoulders. "This does not look like a park." I breathed. It looked like a wild, dense forest not meant for humans. Walking alongside the fence, I discovered a small, dug out hole underneath into the hard earth. Startled by how recent it was, I crawled through and dragged my duffel along behind me, hoping the person or 'thing' that made it wasn't nearby, slightly scared I ventured slowly into the shrubbery.

At least thirty minutes passed before I stopped underneath a satisfying tree that may give me what I need. Jumping onto the trunk, I began to climb, climbing has never been hard for me. Whenever the kids back at the orphanage were too much, I'd run into the orchard and start scaling the trees and hiding in their comforting green or pink leaves until the mistresses realized someone's missing.

I settled the camera into a little nook next to the branch I was sitting on, and flicked it on. Deciding not to hike back up to the car, I took out the clothes I had packed the night before and stuffed them under my head to create a makeshift pillow. Nestling in, I prepared myself for a nap when I felt something fly by my cheek, and by the touch of it, it wasn't a bird. I opened my eyes to see a pair of icy blue ones staring right back at me. Startled I let out a scream, nearly toppling out of the tree. Taking deep breaths and counting to three, I slowed down my heart beat and looked the woman in the eyes. She seemed familiar..her white blond hair and slim figure. 

"Elis, how nice of it is to see you here," the woman exclaimed. I remembered, the Russian accent did it all for me.

"Juliet?"

Juliet let out a pleasant laugh, "Why, he remembered my name, Jesse."

The man stepped out from below, jeans slung low on his well built body. 

"W-what are you doing here?"

Juliet shrugged and gave me a look, "Same thing as you."

I stared at her, "What?"

"Feeding," she said with a 'duh' tone.

"Um, I was actually planning on going to Cheese N' Burgers actually.."

Juliet gave me a look of horrid. "That greasy dirt? How do you manage to survive, brother?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," my brain was twisting in my skull, unable to wrap around what was happening right now.

Juliet laughed again, "You're funny, brother."

Jesse hopped up onto the branch, how, I had no clue. "We smelt you and decided that we would like to share our find with you."

I swallowed, "I really don't know what you're talking about."

Juliet sighed, "Stop acting like you don't know, brother, I can smell you and you are one of us. Now let us take you to the kill before it gets bad."

Deciding not to tell her I wasn't one of her 'family members' I followed her down the tree and out deeper into the forest. The more I followed, the more dazed I became. A scent of some sort was in the air, and it was causing my mouth to water. I could almost taste it in my mouth, the scent reminded me of copper, almost like blood..but it was so good. I suddenly stopped myself, what was happening? 

"Elis.., are you alright?" Jesse suddenly stopped next to me. 

I blanched, leaning against the tree next to me, my head began to spin. 

Juliet quickly came to my side, "When was the last time you fed?"

"In a millenium," I rasped, but it wasn't me. Red flooded my vision, and once again I found myself blacking out, except to the color red.