Shifter

Once upon a time there was a thing called normal, if you could even call it that. I was a normal human girl living a normal human life. I went to high school and hung out with friends, and I was always annoyed at my parents for trying to pin me down and protect me. They may not have known the even greater danger I was in, or any of the others for that matter, but they sensed something. Now a days, I want to thank them for it. Because without it, I would never have become me. Our story begins in a small suburban high school in America. The location does not matter; only the fact that we were once there, together, matters.

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I walked through the mist, finding the surrounding forest eerie. There were creepy laughs now and again. Those laughs seemed like normal ones from dark people. I shivered as I walked deeper into the darkness, the shrubs catching at my pants. I jumped as a bird flew through the trees, calling in alarm. I knew instantly that it was a mistake, that I was in danger. I charged forward, unsure of where I was going but uncaring at the same time. I had to get out. My feet sloshed through some cold, murky water. It slowed me down a great deal, which made me panic and try to run faster. That led to my downfall. I landed face first in the water, feeling the cold biting my body. Suddenly I couldn’t breathe nor get up for air. I struggled in the water until I couldn’t anymore, until it felt like all heat and life had been sucked out from me. From above I heard the same cynical laughing.

I woke up in a cold sweat from my latest dream. They were beginning to get more vivid, more realistic feeling. I didn’t think that this was good for my health. I had decided when I first began having this dream that I wouldn’t tell my parents about it. There was no use in having them panic and calling the therapist. Dr. Frank could bring out the worst in people. Even if they didn’t have anything bad in them in the first place they would leave with something bad in them after leaving his office.

I stood up, my room feeling cold. I wondered who had turned up the air during the night. It was supposed to be a cool one. But I shrugged it off and headed to the shower, taking care to brush my teeth afterward. No sense in Vik making fun of my “smelly morning breath”. Personally I thought he made it up because he teased me about it every day in the morning. Once I had used mouth wash four times to prove him wrong. He didn’t care. Or, he did, he just made fun of me for using mouth wash four times.

After I was finished with my shower and teeth I hopped downstairs. “Hey mom.” I greeted, pulling the apple juice out of the refrigerator.

“Hey honey. How are you this morning?” She asked, flipping another pancake.

“Pretty good.” I said, pulling out a glass and taking the plate she offered me. “At least, as good as I can be after sleeping.” I poured myself a glass of juice and began to pick at my pancakes.

“Are you alright? Are you having night anxiety? Should I call...” She began but I interrupted her.

“I’m fine ma. Honestly.” I said, trying to give her a sincere smile. After I ate my breakfast I put my dirty dishes in the dishwasher and ran up to my room, grabbing all of my school stuff. I then ran down the stairs and outside to wait for the bus. My parents were too afraid of getting me a car, so I was one of the only seniors riding the bus. Vik rode it too, though he didn’t have to, which was nice. I was glad to have someone to count on.