The Three Kings

Chapter 3

"Sometimes, I think the curse is gone.
Days, or even months, pass in peace.
But then, without warning,
It stirs and surges through me
Like a reoccurrence of malaria,
And my mind is fevered—
Infected with your sickness.
My sweat smells of old terrors.
My body is a frightened animal.
The cruel voice in my head,
Striking hammer blows is yours.
You reach from the past and bruise me."
~John Green

——————
Hanna
——————

My feet moved silently as they paced the length of the kitchen. Pacing was something I had been doing a lot lately. I typically wasn't a pacer, it annoyed me to no end when I saw someone pace, but when my stress levels were high and a panic attack was near, pacing helped calm my nerves. The physical exsertion allowed my body to release all its nervous energy. It was a healthier way to release all my anxiety and panic.

But, as my anxiety kept rising because of the upcoming dinner, even the pacing was no longer helping.

Blood trickled down my middle finger. I could taste it. That metallicy taste that over time I have gotten used to. I took my finger away from my mouth and stopped pacing. I watched as a little drop of blood developed then spilled down my finger. I watched it go down, forgetting how oddly satisfying it was to see the blood, to feel the slight pain, to- I cut myself away from those harmful thoughts. I didn't need to fall down that rabbit hole again. Shaking my head, I grabbed a towel from the counter and wiped the blood away from my finger. I headed to the bathroom for a band-aid.

As I was in the midst of bandaging my self-inflicted wound, a loud slam made me jump. My finger slipped and the band-aid has been ruined.

"shit." I cursed. I don't know whether I was cursing at my ruined band-aid or the fact that the front door slammed opened.

Ignoring my bloody finger, I shut the bathroom lights off and closed the door till there was just a crack for me to see out of. I could sense that someone other than Alpha John, Luna Caroline, and Jordan were in the house. Thing is, I couldn't sense who or what it was. I glanced around the bathroom, looking for anything to be used as a weapon, but the most I could find was a toilet brush and plunger. Those would do me no good against someone of the supernatural species.

I stuck my head out of the bathroom door and looked down the hallway. Not seeing anyone, I slipped out and walked quietly to the kitchen. Thankfully the kitchen light was off so the intruder didn't know that anyone was on the bottom floor. Alpha John, Luna Caroline, and Jordan were all upstairs doing their own things. So, using my Goddess gifted nocturnal eyes, I made my way towards where all the knifes were kept and armed myself with my sharpest knife.

Holding it in front of me, I tip toed to the entrance to the kitchen. I could hear the intruder walking around the front room then making their way to the hallway that led into the kitchen. I hid behind a wall. I placed myself in a fighting stance. One I learned from the pack trainer. When I first arrived, Alpha John wanted me immediately to learn self defense, so that's what I did.

A floor board creaked.

The footsteps were getting closer. I couldn't help the internal panic and fear I was feeling. the only thought in my head was: is it him? That one thought made my fear spike as I heard the intruder get closer with each step.

Ten steps away.

Seven steps away.

Four steps away.

One step away.

I lunged out with a battle cry and stabbed the knife in an forward motion.

Letting out a girlish scream--that did not come from me-- a loud thud could be heard. I let out a scream of my own because I didn't have any idea on what was happening. With the knife still in my hand, I whirled around and ran through the kitchen towards the light switch. Turning it on, I let my eyes adjust then turned back to the intruder.