MyStreet: When Angels Fall (OC Character Added)

Empowering a Demon

A couple days later, Aphmau, Lucinda, and I are preparing to leave the hotel to go shopping for some much-needed supplies. We're all rationing more lately, and it's half-starving Garroth and I, who aren't used to having werewolf appetites. Right now, Lucinda and I are waiting in the main room for Aphmau.

"You got the list?" Aphmau asks, coming up behind me and Lucinda.

"Got it!" I say, waving the piece of paper.

"Good." Aphmau laughs. "I wasn't able to grab these last time I went out, so hopefully with extra hands we can nab more."

"Yes, please. I'm starving." I moan, clutching my stomach. Lucinda and Aphmau laugh.

"You can count on us, Aphmau." Lucinda promises.

"Well, you can count on my stomach, anyway." I tease.

Aphmau smiles, but her eyes are serious. "Just... try to avoid eye contact with people." she advises. "I find a lot of people stare at me, and it makes me really nervous. And Vi, make sure you keep your ears and tail down."

"Don't worry about it. They're only coming up if I want them to." I promise. "I won't do anything that will call attention to me."

"Good." Aphmau says, laughing nervously. "Let's go!" She opens the door and leads Lucinda and I down the stairs and out the door. GF are everywhere now, probably because of Agent R's arrival, along with dozens of civilians all waiting angrily in lines to get things like soap, food, or clothing even. We join the end of the line just in time to see a broadcast end, the billboards going back to circling through the Lycan family's WANTED posters again. I don't really care about anything Starlight has to say to their guests, so I just fall in line with Aphmau and Lucinda.

"Oh, man!" Aph says, looking up ahead the long line. "Stores just opened, and people are already in line for supplies!"

"That's why we're here!" Lucinda says happily. "Right?"

"Oh! Right. Sorry." Aphmau says, embarrassed. "Brain fart there."

Lucinda and I laugh. "All right then." I say, business-mode popping out. "I'll go this store, you go that one, Lucy, and Aph, you go that one?"

"Got it!" Aph says, then turns to walks towards the store I pointed her at. Lucinda waves and leaves. I wait my turn in line, and when it FINALLY clears enough for me to get inside, I head through the doors and look around. Clothes store, awesome! Dad was complaining about his outfit. I head to the back where they sell food (even smaller stores sell food now because of the shortage) and grab some tomatoes and apples, nabbing some clothes as well before heading to the register and checking out with no problems. On my way out, my eyes snag on colorful masks.

"What are these for?" I ask the lady running the register.

"Oh, those are for some party coming up." She tells me. "To try and placate the guests. Ha! Like that'll help. You want one?"

Even though I'm dying to grab a yellow one that I know will match a dress I bought for Aaron and Aphmau's wedding, I shake my head. "No, thanks. Bye!"

"Bye, hon!" She waves and I leave the store. I walk past all the grumbling people and down the street, nodding and smiling to the GF that pass me by. None smile back, but some nod politely. It's a good way to deflect suspicion, as the GF are trained to protect and serve civilians, and as long as I act like those they are trying to help, I'm fine.

"Excuse me, miss?" I hear. I turn, expecting someone I know or maybe a civilian, as the GF never talk to us. But a Guardian Forces soldier is facing me.

My heart stops and my ears pop up just a bit, but I catch them before they really get out.

"I believe you dropped this." He holds out a can of something. Okay, so I dropped something. My heart slows just a tad, and I know I should reach out, take it, and move on with my day, but I'm too freaked out, and I can feel my ears threatening to break out the longer I wait, so I turn on heel and run for my life.

"Miss?" He calls. "Miss!" I don't stop, using one hand to keep my ears down as best I can and the other to hold the slowly tipping bag of groceries. Every turn I make, he follows me, and I find I'm leading him towards our hideout. Panicked, I try and change my course, but a crashing sound reaches my ears and I look back to see the GF guy is trapped under a huge pile of boxes that look like they've just been tipped over.

Aphmau and Lucinda emerge from behind them. I grin. "Good timing!"

"Thanks!" Aph grabs my elbow and leads me away from it all, ducking behind a bush. Lucinda and I follow her quickly.

"Thank you again." I whisper.

"Are you all right?" Aph asks.

"I'm fine." I promise. "Just... just startled." As if on cue, my ears and tail pop out. I groan as Lucinda and Aphmau laugh shaky laughs.

"Let's get back to the hotel." Lucinda suggests.

I laugh with relief. "Yeah... let's do that." We all look around just to make sure nobody saw, and then we start our way home.

But I feel sick, and frightened. I came so close to ruining everything. If they had caught me, if they had followed me to the hotel... I put everyone in danger.

I need to learn to control myself. Or else I'm risking everyone I care about.