• I was jogging along a quiet street.
    There was not a person in sight.
    But I came to a sudden halt when I saw a woman cradling a dead girl.
    At least I thought she was dead.
    The woman looked distraught, tears were pouring down her cheeks.
    And she was screaming "Sammy don't die, wake up!"

    I couldn't just jog past and ignore this, could I?
    Not when there was a chance I might be able to save her.
    I came over to her.
    "Is she OK," I asked.
    "Let me have a look."

    She pulled the girl away from me, I guess she didn't trust me because I had scary eyes.
    My eyes were blood red, but in every other way I looked like a normal boy.
    That kind of hurt my feelings, I didn't like people being scared of me.
    My hair was a natural colour, it was black and curly.

    The Girl only looked the same age as me.
    "Come on, you can trust me."
    The woman gently placed the girl on the ground.
    Then I placed my hands on the girl.
    "Heal, heal, heal," I chanted
    Suddenly my hands began to glow and the girl's hand began to move.
    When I removed my hands the girl got up and began hugging her mum.
    But before the woman could ask why or how I did that I left.
    The girls father rushed outside.

    "I was worried sick about you guy's," her father cried.
    Seven years later I never saw Sammy again, but little did I know, I would be seeing her soon.

    ***

    My name was Jack, I was a student at the same school as Sammy, but after all those years we never saw each other.
    I had always wondered who my real parents were.
    I was adopted when I was a newborn baby.

    I never had any friends because everyone was scared of me.
    Because of my strange red eyes.
    Or they called me names and made fun of me.
    I didn't care though, I was used to stuff like that after all I had a younger brother by one year who had teased me.
    I was walking down the school corridor which was probably centuries old because it looked that way, the floor was cracked and worn, the once lime green paint was peeling off the walls

    Thomas purposely bumped into me making me drop my bag on the floor.
    "Oops sorry," he said sarcastically.
    I glared at him; my crimson eyes burned brightly like a flame .
    "Freak" muttered Thomas and.
    I didn't give him the satisfaction of a reply, I picked my bag up and headed off to class.
    "Jack, your late for class," said my Teacher.
    "Yes I know, Sorry," I said and sat down at my desk.

    A few hours later school was over, on my way out of class I bumped into a girl.
    She stared into my eyes, remembering the day she first saw me.
    "You!" she cried.
    I looked at her and she did look familiar.
    "I know you..." I mumbled.

    "You saved my life.." she said in a low voice so no one would hear.

    "Yes I remember!" I gasped.
    It was the girl I saved from seven years ago.
    How could I have forgotten

    "How did you do that? I've wanted to ask you for seven years."

    "I don't know.." I shrugged my shoulders.

    "Well then, why do you have red eyes?"

    "I don't know," I repeated.

    She grabbed me and shook me violently "Why!? Why!?" she screamed.
    "My Father sent my mother to see a psychiatrist and it's all because she told them about you!"

    "I'm sorry, I just don't know."


    "At first they thought she was just making it up for attention but then she carried on trying to get them to listen and they thought..they....thought. She went crazy!" she cried.

    "And then they locked her away.." she sobbed wiping the tears from her eyes.
    She stopped hitting me and hugged me tightly, surprised I hugged her back.
    She backed off embarrassed "Sorry," she said blushing as brightly as a peach.

    She ran off down the school corridor, "Wait." I said.
    "I'm sorry."

    She didn't stop, she just carried on down the corridor.
    I didn't go after her, because I knew now wasn't the best of times.
    I left school and went home.
    Charlie, my brother was standing in my bedroom.

    "What the hell do you think your doing in here?!!" I snapped.

    "Waiting for you," Charlie had a menacing look in his eye.

    I tapped my fingers impatiently on the door. "What do you want?" I tried to sound calm, but there was still a hint of anger in my voice.
    "I think I know why your parents didn't want you. It's those eyes of yours, they probably thought you were the anti-christ or something," he smiled.
    Rage burned inside me, growing more intense.
    That was the last straw, I'm going to kill him.
    I picked up a notebook from my desk.
    I flipped through a couple of pages and began chanting something. "Fire"

    A flame burned in my hand, "Get out..." I was gritting my teeth.
    Charlie looked into my inhuman eyes and saw the murderous look in them.
    Charlie couldn't believe his eyes, I smriked when he rubbed them to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
    I put the flame out and sat on my bed.
    Charlie left the room and closed the door behind him.

    I started getting into magic when I was ten years old, my adoptive father bought me a magic book full of spells.
    Once I was alone in my bedroom reading a levitation spell out-loud.
    When I had finished the spell, I looked down at my feet and I was floating.
    I never told anyone what happened that day.

    But my new found skills come in handy, I used magic nearly all the time.
    Of course no one noticed
    Ever since that night I had wondered if my parents could use magic.
    My interest in magic grew into an obsession or at-least that's what my parents thought.
    I also loved reading fantasy books about wizards,demons and all sorts of other monsters.
    Over time I had taught myself a number of spells, mostly ones that could help me.
    Now my brother knows about me I thought.
    I just hope he doesn't tell anyone.

    Chapter two

    A man was pacing up and down his shabby hotel room.
    The wall paper was peeling off the walls and the carpet was cream now it looked brown.
    "I will find you abomination," He growled.
    The man's name was John, the kind of John you don't mess with.
    He was a hunter, the kind that hunted werewolves, vampires and all that sort of stuff.

    He was hunting a new kind of creature one that hadn't even been named yet.
    He got his things ready, holy water and a crucifix.


    "The perfect things to kill a demon or what ever the thing was," he said.
    He threw the demon killing tools into a suitcase and left the hotel room.
    He ran out of the hotel in a rush almost knocking down everyone he ran past.

    John threw his stuff in the boot of his car and got in and drove off.
    I sense a demon not far from here.

    ******
    I couldn't sleep much that night.
    I was thinking too much about how I nearly lost control with my brother.
    No matter what he said he was still my brother and that didn't mean I could go around nearly killing him.
    Eventually I gave up on trying to sleep and I went downstairs for a drink.

    And what a surprise Charlie was sat on the settee drinking wine.
    He always told me he only drank that stuff because it made him feel classy.
    Of course it was mum's wine and if she found out he was drinking it she would kill him, metaphorically speaking.
    Neither of us said anything, I just got a drink of water and sat down.
    And after a long awkward silence Charlie said "So that thing with your hands. What was that?"
    I hesitated, If I told him the truth I had no idea how that would pan out.
    "It was.....a trick," I said.

    "Oh, for a second there I thought you were gonna say you could use magic." he sighed but he looked relived.
    "No I'm just a damn good magician."
    "I'm sorry though. What i said was heartless."
    Wait a second did my brother just apologise or did I miss something.
    "It's fine," I said "don't worry about it."
    But he still felt horrible, I could tell by the look on his face.
    "Actually, I don't think it's OK," he said "I hate myself for it."

    "Don't let your guilt eat you up."
    "I..won't." He promised.
    "Good night," He said and he went back upstairs.
    I didn't believe him though.
    One day or another he was going to say something more hurtful than that.
    A shiver went down my spine and I had a prickly feeling on the back of my neck.
    Someone or something bad was coming and it wouldn't take long for it to be here.

    Yeah I could sense when something meaning to do me harm was close.
    I heard a car pull up outside and I went over to the window to check it out.
    It was a blue Honda civic, a tall man at least 6 ft got out of the car.
    He was wearing a brown trench coat, at least i think it was brown.

    No I'm not colour blind it was dark out there.
    He was taking things out of the boot of the car, I couldn't see what though.
    He put the things inside his coat and headed towards my house.
    I gulped, What the hell did this guy want?
    Some how i thought he didn't want to sit down and have a cup of tea.

    He kicked the front door down, "Hey!" I shouted "That cost a lot of money freak."
    In the light I could see him.
    He wore a brown trench coat and he didn't look to friendly.
    Which I supposed anyone who kicked down your door in the middle of the night wouldn't be.

    I was surprised my parents hadn't heard all the commotion.
    But Charlie did he was half way down the stairs.
    He saw the damage to the front door and said "Hey man that was a nice door,"
    He pulled a revolver out of his coat and pointed it at me.
    "Hey calm down," I held both my hands up.

    "I don't take orders from demons," he said in a rough voice.
    He looked at Charlie then back at me.
    "Your not the demon but there's something strange about you."
    He pointed his gun at Charlie. "Alright shape changer. It's time to die."
    He moved closer in to the light and I got a good look at his face.

    He had dark hair and a nose like a beak, he also had dark eyes and a scar that went from his eye brow diagonally across his nose.
    His eyes looked blood shot.
    Well he pretty much looked like a maniac.

    "Hey Jack!" my brother cried in a panicky voice.
    The crazed man was still pointing the gun at Charlie. "Hey what's your deal?"
    I tackled the man to the floor and pried the gun from his hand.
    I pointed it at his head.
    "What are you doing?! Shoot him." he shouted pointing at Charlie.

    I looked at Charlie. His eyes suddenly changed yellow.
    "Well... Well John it's been a while," said Charlie in a non human voice.
    "Charlie your...eyes."
    "That's not your brother." the man supposedly called John.

    I pointed the gun at the demon. "Where's my brother?!!" I cried.
    John snatched the gun from my grasp and shot the demon.
    The demon fell to the floor.
    "Leave this to me kid," he said.

    The demon suddenly got up and smashed through the window.
    John leaped to his feet and went charging back out the door, but before he could leave I grabbed his hand.
    "What's going on?!!" I demanded.
    "Your brother was kidnapped by a shape-changer and for some really strange reason it took on your brother's form and lived like a human," he explained.

    I released his hand. "Shape changers!" I spat "Don't give me that crap."
    "Well kid it's up to you, if you don't believe me," He said "But I'm gonna kill the thing."
    "I'm coming with you."

    "No way."
    "I wasn't asking," I said pushing past him and out the door.
    "Well It's not my fault if you don't like what you see."
    He opened the car door and got in the the drivers seat.
    I got in and put on my seatbelt. "It's not like I believe you. I'm just coming along to get my brother."
    "Sure kid..sure."
    "Hey!" I said "I'm telling the truth."
    "So how do you know where this thing is going?" I asked
    "I can sense it."
    "What! now you are crazy." I spat.
    We arrived at a house, a plain old house. So some "Shape changer" lives here.
    "Here," he said handing me a revolver.
    "Cool."

    Chapter three


    We headed toward the house.
    The smell coming from the house was the worst stench I had ever smelt."What's that stench?" I said holding my nose."The shape changer dumped it's skin," he said
    "Yeah right," I said sarcastically.
    Something was moving inside the house, it knocked something over.
    "That made me jump out of my skin," I joked.
    "Oh your so very funny," said John.
    I had no idea why we were just stood outside waiting in the cold.
    I wasn't very comfortable, I was wearing my pajamas and on top of that I wasn't wearing any shoes.

    "You could at least have gotten dressed," he laughed pointing at me.
    "We were in a rush and you would have gone off without me,"
    "Well yeah," he agreed.
    "Are we going in or what?" I said tapping my feet on the pavement impatiently.
    "Yeah sure."
    "So were we just standing there for the sake of it," I groaned.
    "I was getting an idea of how many demons they are."
    "How?"

    "Sensing," he said and walked toward the house and once again kicked the door down.
    "Do you ever knock?" I asked.
    He replied with a laugh and pulled another revolver out of his coat.
    "Wait a minute if you had two guns, why didn't you use it on me when I was pointing the other at your head?"
    "I don't point guns at kids," he said.
    He pointed his gun in front of him, he stood in the doorway looking both ways.
    "The coast is clear," he said.
    We both entered the house. It was an average house, but it was empty no furniture, no wallpaper or paint and no carpets either.

    The place didn't have many hiding places, so it wasn't the best place for a shoot-out.
    I walked into the kitchen, a pile of dead rotting skin was on the floor.
    "Oh god!" I cried when I saw it.
    John came over. "Believe me now?" he asked.
    "There's just no way!" I stomped my foot on the ground.
    It's just some crazy killer who skins their victims I told myself.
    My foot hurt, I wished I had some shoes on now.
    John suddenly pointed his gun toward the doorway.

    A skinless creature stood right before us, it was dripping with blood.
    You could see all it's muscles and nerves. It disgusted me.
    "Oh god," I said.
    He shot the thing five times in the chest head ,legs and arms

    The bullets hit the thing.
    Blood splattered all over the kitchen.
    It just got back up.
    "What the hell is that thing!" I cried.
    I was panicking, but i needed to calm down if i was to use magic on this thing.
    So in breathed in and out and aimed my hand toward the thing.
    "Fire!" I shouted.
    A small blaze of fire burned inside my hand, I threw it at the thing.
    It's entire body was on fire. "How the hell.." gasped John.
    The thing burned until it was nothing more than ash.
    "I'm gonna search the house for my brother," I said and I was shocked by how calm I was.
    John put a hand on my shoulder stopping me from leaving.

    "How did you learn how to use magic?!!" He demanded.
    "I don't know but when I read a spell I can use it," I explained."I knew there was something different about you,"
    "Different?"
    "Well I sensed something strange about you."
    "Nevermind, I'm going to look for my brother."
    I headed upstairs because we had seen all of the downstairs.
    I opened a bedroom door, inside was my gagged brother.
    "Umm ugg." he tried saying someting but his mouth was taped.
    I took the tape of his mouth. "Behind you!" he screamed.
    I looked behind me, it was John. "He's OK."

    I untied my brother and lead him out the house and into the car.
    "I don't remember what my captor looked like but i think that it's best that way," said Charlie.
    "So what do you remember?" I asked him.
    "Heading to school and then I hit over the back of the head," He said.
    He rubbed the back of his head. "I hope that it doesn't swell up."
    We drove home only to be greeted by my parents.
    "I can explain," I said.
    "I picked these two up outside a nightclub. He's completely out of it." He said pointing to me.
    "
    "Hey!" I growled.
    I stomped off inside the house and upstairs before anyone could say anything.
    What a day I need some sleep, I threw myself on my bed and slept.
    I awoke hours later, "Oh my god! I'm late i'm late," I shouted.
    It was 10:30 a.m and I was hours late for school.
    I thought it was strange my parents didn't wake me.
    "Why didn't you wake me!" I shouted when i went downstairs.
    "We thought you might have a bad hang over."

    "Arrg!" I growled and I stomped off upstairs to get dressed.
    After all that yesterday I needed normality.
    I got dressed and got my shoes and socks on.
    I didn't even stop to have breakfast.
    I ran out of the door and on ward to school.
    I arrived a 10:45 a.m, my teacher looked surprised. "And why may I ask ,are you late?" said my teacher.

    "My alarm and parents didn't wake me up, they thought I might not feel well because of a hang over," I explained.
    "Oh," He sighed.
    I sat down and got out my english book.
    And after a boring long hour of work it was over.
    To my surprise I saw the girl, who's life I saved all those years ago.
    "Um, hello?" I said tapping her on the shoulder.
    She turned around, "Oh you!" she gasped.

    "My name is Jack." I held out my hand.
    "Sammy," she said taking my hand.
    She let go of my hand and said, "I'm sorry about yesterday. Gosh how embarrassing."
    "It's fine," I reassured her.
    "So can I come to your house later and we can talk," She said all of a sudden.
    "Yeah sure," I got a pen and paper out of my bag and wrote down my adress and handed it to her.
    "I'll come round about seven."
    "OK."

    And she left.
    I continued on to my next lesson mathes, how exciting.
    Mathes wasn't so bad I survived it.
    Of course I had no people to talk to but myself, so it was incredibly boring.
    Thats what you get for being billy no mates I guess.
    But i wasn't to worried.

    Chapter four

    I walked through the school hall way and as usual, everyone stopped talking and stared at me.
    You would think after all these years of seeing me, that I wouldn't be so scary.
    That's what I see in their eyes.
    They see me as a freak, and a social outcast.
    It hurts but I have to get through it.

    And then there was Thomas, who wasn't afraid of me.
    He still saw me as a freak.
    The only people who really accepted me were my parents.
    I wasn't to sure how Sammy felt about me.
    I guess I would find out to night.
    Even though I hated my brother, I was glad he had forgotten everything about yesterdays events.
    Nobody should have to see things like that.

    I was still freaking out about the existence of supernatural creatures.
    I was also wondering just how many of our fictional monsters were real.
    Perhaps they all were, but then again that would be majorly freaky.
    I know I use magic all the time and the thought of a monster scares me.
    But hey I'm only human...I think.
    I continued walking past, I could feel people watching me.
    What were they waiting for?
    Why did they watch me?
    I was no different than them.
    Well I was but still I'm still a normal teenager.

    I hoped my parents would let Sammy come over today.
    Because I hated sneaking out and I would.
    When she came round we would sneak off somewhere, if they didn't let her come round.
    I already had trust issues with my parents.
    I was deep in thought when someone thumped me on the back.
    "Hey, are you gonna stay here all day? It's time to go home," said my brother.
    "Um, oh yeah," I mumbled.
    We left the school and headed home.
    "So, do you remember what happened yesterday?" asked Charlie.
    "Yeah, we both got really drunk and that guy John gave us a ride home," I lied.

    "Oh, I don't remember anything about yesterday. And I don't like it, I feel like I've lost twenty-four hours of my life."
    I felt sorry for him, even though I hated him.
    I still couldn't help wanting to tell him the truth.
    Though the reason I hated him was not because he treated me badly.
    I feel like a weak person thinking this but it was because I was jealous of him.
    He was good looking, he had blond hair and green eyes.
    All the girls were begging him to be their boyfriend.
    He was great at sports and he had loads of friends.
    I would trade life for what he had any day.
    He didn't know how lucky he was and how normal.

    And then theres me, the red eyed freak.
    People regarded me as a monster.
    Even though they never said this I saw it in their eyes.
    Ever since I was young I was good at reading people.
    Not reading their minds but just by looking at them I knew what they were thinking.
    Not exactly what they were thinking but a little.
    Like for instance right now my brother was worrying about explaining his absence to his girlfriend Amanda.

    Two girls were staring at us from across the street, one of them was thinking my brother was cute.
    The other was looking at me, I turned my head and looked at her.
    Usually when people first saw my eyes they would gasp.
    But she just stared right at me mystified.
    What shocked me was what I read from her.
    She hated me, she wanted me to die.
    This was unusual, people usually just stared at me like I was a freak show.
    But this girl, she had no reason what so ever but she hated me.

    "Whoa, check out that girl," gasped Charlie.
    Trust him to be interested in a psycho.
    I rolled my eyes at him.
    "No, look at the way she's looking at you," he said "It's like she wants to rip your head off."
    I looked at her again, he couldn't be more right.
    The hatred in her eyes was intense.
    Why does she hate me so much?
    "I hope, I never see her again," I whispered.

    "Do you know her?" He asked.
    "No."
    He shook his head and laughed.
    "Why, who is she?" I asked.
    "I don't know, but you must have done something to tick her off."
    I was begining to think that she hated me just because of my eyes.
    Everyone else did.
    I tried to stop thinking about the girl, after all what was the point.
    She was just like the rest, they all hated me.
    Even the teachers at my school did, they didn't show it but I knew.

    When we finally got home, I told my mother Sammy was coming over.
    "OK, she said.
    I went upstairs and into my room.
    I sat on my bed.
    The girl something about her bothered me.
    Not her thoughts of me dying but there was something different about her.
    And that something scared me.

    I wonder am I ever going to see John again.
    I never did thank him for saving my brother.
    And that got me thinking, he said I was different.
    I wonder what he mean't by that.
    I hope it's nothing bad.
    What scares me the most is the fact that I might not be human.
    That would prove, what Thomas has been saying about me all these years.
    That I was a freak.
    Someone who didn't belong.
    I wondered what my real parents looked like.
    Did they have to deal with what I had to everyday?

    The not knowing was driving me mad.
    I had to find John and soon.
    I needed answers and I hoped he had them.
    It was 6:45 P.M, Sammy would be here soon.
    Apparently some time after I had stopped day dreaming I had fallen asleep.
    I averted my eyes from the clock, watching it would only make time seem slower.
    Everybody knows watching the clock makes time seem slower.
    I'm not going to sleep tonight.
    I already had a lie in this morning.

    I hated odd sleep patterns.
    I was going to be tired in the moring.
    I heard a knock at the door, I was getting ready to answer it when my brother got there first.
    "Jack, your girlfriend is here," he laughed.
    I pushed him out of the way and led Sammy up to my room.
    We needed privacy if I was to tell her everything.
    She sat on my bed beside me.
    I stared at her and tried to guess what she was thinking but it didn't work.
    My mind was still tired, I guess.

    Chapter five


    I tried to think of the right way to word my abilities and yesterdays events.
    Sammy waited patently while I did this.
    "Sammy I'm going to tell you some things about me and I hope they don't change the way you feel about me," I said.
    I raised my eyebrow, "how do you feel about me?" I asked.
    She looked confused and then said "I used to blame you for what

    happened to my mother, but now I realise, it wasn't you," and that was how she answered.
    "No, I mean do you think I'm a freak? Are you afraid of me?"
    "Would, I be here if I thought either of those things," she laughed.
    Stupid thing to ask a girl.

    I groaned and slapped my head.
    "What's wrong?" She asked
    I sighed "your the one who wants answers and I don't even have them, I'm just as confused as you," I explained.
    I felt incredibly useless I wanted to answer all her questions I really did.
    And here I was asking her stupid questions.
    I can be such a morron sometimes.
    I guess I was afraid she would hate me.
    I admit it I have trust issues.

    "So, are you going to tell me how you healed me?" She asked.
    "You know I won't blame you if you think I'm a freak after I tell you this."
    I stood up and got my spell book off my desk.
    When she saw the book her eyes lit up.
    "This is a spell book," she said mesmerised.
    I flipped through some pages and found my favourite spell the levitation spell.
    "So are you like gonna do some magic?" She asked.
    "Yeah."
    "Do you have to say magic words and stuff?"
    "No, I don't but it helps to say something, all I have to do for this spell is imagine I'm a bird," I explained.

    "A bird?" She asked.
    "Yeah, I know it sounds lame. But it does work."
    I began to imagine what it was like to fly.
    I felt the breeze under my wings.
    The joy of being airborne.
    The sound of the wind filled my soul.

    "Oh my god it's working!" She screamed.
    I looked down I was floating.
    "Shh! Do you want people to hear?"
    "Oh sorry."
    I heard someone running upstairs.
    My brother burst the door open.
    "What's going on in here?!" He cried.

    "Nothing," we both said.
    I was sat next to Sammy on the bed.
    He frowned and went back downstairs.
    "Oh boy that was close," she gasped.
    "So, how are you taking all this?" I asked her.
    "Jack, I've had seven years to make up my mind, I don't think your a freak."
    I was surprised, I guess I was still working Sammy out.
    Well technically I've only known Sammy for one day.

    So I don't know her that well.
    But even though I didn't know her well, I knew I could trust her.
    "So tell me, before I showed you. How did you think I healed you?"
    "Well, don't laugh."
    "Go on, I won't laugh."
    "I thought you were a superhero," she said laughing.
    "I'm flattered, but no I'm not that cool."
    She frowned, "You are my hero."

    She shocked me when she said this.
    I didn't know she regarded me that way.
    "So can you pull bunnies out of hats?" She joked.
    "Maybe," I laughed.
    She looked at my clock and gasped "Oh god, I'm so dead. I was supposed to be home at 7:30 P.M. I told my dad I went to the shop."
    It was now 8:00P.M.
    I sighed and shook my head, "why did you lie?" I asked.
    "My dad has a problem with me hanging out with boys," she explained.

    I sighed and shook my head again.
    "I'm so grounded."
    "Listed I'll walk you home and explain," I offered.
    "Yeah but then he'll know I lied."
    "He's gonna know you lied anyway."
    "I guess your right."
    We both left the house.

    "You know I really appreciate this," she said.
    "It's no problem, I've seen scarier things than your dad," I admitted.
    Her eyes widened "like what?" She asked sounding really interested.
    "Like a shape-changer, that kidnapped my brother yesterday," I mumbled.
    "Seriously, a shape-changer a real monster?" She asked.
    "Yup, it takes on other people's forms and then when it's finished it dumps it's skin," I explained.

    "Wow," was all she could say.
    She was silient through the rest of the walk.
    When we finally arrived at her house.
    I knocked on the door.
    A big brute of a man answered the door.
    My eyes widened in shock.
    What have I gotten myself into?

    "Where av you been?" He asked.
    "Over at Jack's house. I'm sorry I lied dad."
    His red sunken eyes that bulged out of his head looked at me fiercely.
    "im, e ain't worth yah time!" He shouted pointing his large finger at me.
    "Mister, it was my fault," I tried to be as polite as I could.
    "You, better get outta ere, before I kills yah!" he roared.
    I did as I was told, I might be an idiot sometimes but I didn't have a death wish.
    Now I knew why Sammy was so scared.

    He looked nothing like the man, I saw seven years ago.
    Something must have happened.
    But I wouldn't get myself involved.
    That big brute looked like the incredible hulk gone wrong.
    I continued down the street.
    I would have a chance to talk to Sammy at school tomorrow I reasured myself.
    Worying about wouldn't help.
    When I got back home, as usual I went upstairs straight away.
    But my brother was blocking the way.
    "What's the deal?" I asked feeling frustrated.
    "Mum and Dad want to talk to you," he said.

    What have I done now?
    I walked into the living room and sat down.
    "What?" I asked them.
    "So your here," Dad said.
    "We want you to spend more time with your family," Mum explained.
    "You spend way too much time in your bedroom," Dad said.
    I looked over at the door way expecting Charlie to be listening in.
    And I was right he was, with a big grin on his face.

    I said nothing, I didn't know what to say.
    "Well?"
    "Fine..." I mumbled.
    And I pushed past Charlie and ran upstairs.
    If it was one thing I hated it was family get togethers.
    It wasn't that I hated my family, in fact I loved them.
    it was just that I have a problem with talking to people.
    I don't know what to say and sometimes I say the wrong thing and upset them.

    It was strange I felt so comfortable with Sammy.
    Like I could share anything with her.
    I've never felt that way before.
    The next day at school, I was playing with my pencil.
    "Everyone, we have a new student today," said Mr Williams my english teacher.
    "Say hello to Anita pritchard."
    I stopped playing with my pencil and looked over at the front of the class room.
    My jaw dropped.
    It was the same girl who I saw the other day.
    The one who wants me dead.

    Chapter six




    She...She's going to my school.
    I don't know why but this girl scares me.
    I don't think I want to know.
    Now that I had a good look at her, she did look scary.
    She had jet black hair and grey eyes.
    Oh god her eyes, staring at them was like, staring into a bottomless pit.
    They were souless eyes, empty and soulless.
    She was sat a few desks away from me.
    I dare not look over at her, but I knew she was looking at me.
    I could feel her cold souless eyes peering at me.
    I shuddered, how long would I be able to put up with her.
    Hell, she was scarier than that Shape-changer.

    The other students eyed her curiously.
    She returned the look with a cold heartless glare.
    The other students eyes widened in horror and they looked away.
    I didn't blame them, I couldn't bare looking into thoses eyes either.
    I looked over at her.
    Her face was emotionless, she looked almost like a robot.
    She turned her head and glared at me.
    I flinched away and tried to concentrate on my work.
    It seemed I wasn't the only freak in the school now.
    Once class was over I decided to look for Sammy.

    I walked through the corridor whistling my favourite song.
    Nothing special just a piano tune.
    Not looking where I was going, I bumped into Anita.
    Oh god, I've had it now.
    I thought of fleeing but it was too late.
    She grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and rammed me against a locker.
    I gulped.
    "Listen freak, I want you to know. You may have fooled the rest of them, but I know what you are," she bellowed.

    It was the first time I had heard her speak.
    Her voice sounded animated.
    She had no emotion in her tone what so ever.
    My heart was pounding.
    I want to know why I'm so afraid.
    She's just an ordinary girl.
    Why does she terrify me so much?
    "What are you talking about?" I grunted.
    She held me up with so much force, my throat was hurting.
    Her eyes remained cold and hard.

    "Do not lie to me creature, I've seen others of your kind, that are more convincing," she spat.
    "My kind?"
    She press her free hand against my throat.
    "Why do you make it so easy for me to kill you?" She asked sounding surprised.
    "Kill me?!" I kicked my legs, trying desperately to free myself.
    Fear tightened itself around me like a noose.
    This girl did want to kill me.
    But why, what had I done?
    What did she mean by my kind?
    I had to do it or I was going to die.

    I imagined a newly formed flame.
    Growing and burning intensly until I felt the heat in my hand.
    And the flame came to life in my palm.
    I showed her my hand.
    "Let me down or I'll toast you," I warned.
    She dropped me on the ground.
    I hit my head against the locker. OUCH!
    "Wha? What a-are y-you?" She stammered.
    Now I scared her, it made me feel good.

    I got up, "Why'd you try to kill me?" I asked sounding furious.
    She stared into my crimson eyes and said nothing.
    Her cold soulless eyes were now full of terror.
    "You are not one of them, but why do you have their aura," she said and then ran down the hall way.
    I stood there in horror. What the hell just happened?
    Who the hell was she?
    She was abnormally strong for a human.
    I was glad no one was in the hall way when that happened.
    That way atleast I could keep my magic a secret.
    I had almost forgot that I had been looking for Sammy.

    I checked everywhere, I couldn't find her.
    She didn't come to school.
    I felt alone without her.
    Not that I didn't before but she made me feel less alone.
    Now I felt like I was the only person in school.
    And that didn't make me feel any better now that there was a strange girl that wanted to kill me.
    Maybe now she saw I wasn't completely helpless she'd leave me alone.

    I reluctantly left for my next class and there waiting for me was Thomas and his hooligans.
    His eyes darted toward me.
    A grin appeared across his face.
    "Hey, it's the freak," he laughed to his gang of friends.
    I sighed and tried to push past him.
    But he stood in the way stubbornly.
    "Where are you going freak?" He sneered.
    Thomas was asking for it now.
    He was going to push me over the edge one day.
    "Move!" I ordered anger was trying to overcome me.

    My crimson eyes blazed, Thomas's grin disappeared and he moved out of the way.
    I almost felt like laughing when I saw the look of terror on his face.
    It was too easy to scare him.
    "What? Your just letting him past!" Complained Eliot his best friend.
    "There's something about that freak, It scares me," he admitted.
    What he's scared of me. Me?
    This was to good, maybe now he would leave me alone.
    I was feeling pretty good, but Sammy's absence.
    Was dragging me down.
    I was really hoping to see her again today.
    Had her father taken her out of school permanently, because of me.


    She shouldn't have come to my house.
    I could have found a private place in the school to show her my abilities.
    Now I felt guilty.
    This was all my fault.
    Would I ever get to see her again?
    After all it's not like I could go see her not with the incredible hulk and all.
    Maybe I'm just being an idiot, she might just be ill or something.
    But deep down I knew that this was not true.
    Should I go over to her house?
    Or should I wait?
    I was really letting it bother me.
    I should just wait until tomorrow and see what happens.

    I sat down at my desk, only just realising I had been stood in the middle of the classroom day dreaming.
    Luckily I was the only one there, how embarrassing that would have been.

    A couple of seconds later, I was joined by the rest of the class.
    Anita sat next to me.
    She put a piece of paper on my desk and sat down.
    I opened the paper and had a look at it.

    I'm sorry.

    Was all it said.
    Did this mean she felt bad for trying to kill me?
    She was the strangest girl I had ever met.
    I wrote "It's OK" on the paper and tossed it on her desk.
    She opened it and read it.
    She flashed me a grateful glance.
    So was she my friend or enemy?
    And what did she mean by my kind?
    I'm so confused.


    Chapter seven

    After school ended, I followed Anita out of school so I could talk to her.
    She stopped half way down the street when she noticed me following her.
    She didn't say anything but she gave me a puzzled look.
    I guessed she was giving me a chance to explain myself.
    "I want some answers Anita," I said.
    She nodded but she looked hesitant.
    We carried on walking until we reached a quiet alley.
    I still didn't trust her, but nearly being killed by someone has that effect on you.
    "Ask your questions," she said with an emotionless look.
    "Why did you try to kill me?" I frowned.
    "I can't tell you...." Her face was sad now.

    This was frustrating, she tried to kill me and she won't even tell me why.
    "Why?!" I growled.
    "It would put my family in danger if I told you," she said.
    The pain on her face was obvious.
    I couldn't help feeling guilty, I decided to stop pressing for questions.
    "Then I have nothing to ask," I said coldly and left the alley.
    Anita was so puzzling.
    I wanted to know what she was hiding and I couldn't read her.
    When I was feeling mad or upset it affected my abilities.
    It made it harder to use magic.
    I sighed and decided to go home.

    The walk home was quiet and soothing.
    It calmed me.
    I heard a car horn honking.
    A blue Honda Civic drove along side the path.
    "Hey kid I need to talk to you," said a familiar voice.
    "John, I didn't expect to see you again," I said sounding as surprised as I felt.
    He opened the passenger side door and he signalled for me to climb in.
    So I did, "So what's up?" I asked clipping the seat belt into place.
    "I'm hunting another demon, but I don't know how to kill it," he explained.

    "What is kind of demon is it?"
    "It's not really a demon, it's just what I call them all. It's a nest of Vampires."
    "So? Just get a cross and some holy water."
    "These have developed an Imunity to most things."
    "Most?"
    "The sun won't stop them only fire will."
    "Oh I see you want me to burn them out."
    "Yeah."
    I sighed, "OK, let's go,"

    As if I haven't got enough problems now I was acting as John's sidekick.
    I looked at John, he had a fresh set of claw marks on his face.
    He saw me looking and said "Vampires nasty business,"
    "I don't like involving you, kid but your the only one who can stop them, I don't have a flame thrower you see."
    This was funny, the last time I went on a hunting trip with John, I thought he was crazy.
    And now I'm as serious as he is about it.
    My favourite spell a lately seemed to be my fireball.
    It had saved my life multiple times.

    I just hope this went OK, I didn't want to be dead or undead.
    After all this finished, if I came back from this alive, I was going to see Sammy.
    I didn't even know why I was risking my own life to help John.
    Maybe I had a death wish. Who knows?
    John parked the car near some old abandoned ware house.
    So typical of some Vampires to be sheltering here.
    Close to civilisation so it's easy to find a victim or a recruit.
    We both got out.
    He opened up the trunk of the car and dug out two torches.

    He gave one to me and we entered the ware house.
    The bad thing was it was really big.
    "Why don't I just burn this thing down?" I asked.
    "There might be people in here, they do take them sometimes and hold them hostage and drink them dry later," he explained.
    "I'll look for people, you burn the Vampires," he said going in the other direction.
    I guess this leaves me to go through this door.
    I opened the door, it was an almost empty room.
    It was half full of boxes.

    Suddenly I heard a scraping noise, "who's there?" I called out into the darkness.
    The scraping sound stopped but I still couldn't see anything.
    I shone my torch on a few boxes.
    There was nothing, maybe I imagined that noise.
    After all I was feeling scared, anyone in their right mind would be.
    Even if they had magic at their disposal.
    I ventured further into the room knocking a few crates over in the process.
    I could be so clumsy sometimes.

    I have to keep quiet if I want to keep my blood to myself.
    Hopefully the noise didn't alert any Vampires to my presence.
    I had to admit I was kind of worried about John, he didn't ahve anything to protect himself with.
    I heard the scraping noise again.
    There was something else in the room.
    I wouldn't allow fear to control me.
    I shone the torch in front of me.

    A girl with grey eyes and jet black hair stood before me.
    It was Anita, " So you've figured it out," she said.
    "Did they capture you Anita?" I asked her.
    I was shocked to see her here.
    "No, I am one of them," she confessed.
    "Your a...a...a" I couldn't even finish my sentence.
    "A vampire," she said.
    "But, I-I d-don't understand, why did you try to kill me?" I asked feeling sick to my stomach.
    Anitas shock revelation had knocked any sanity I had left out of me.
    "I saw you a couple of days ago hanging out with the hunter John, I thought you were a hunter. So I had to get rid of you, but you clearly are something more," she explained.

    My heart was racing.
    Was I in danger?
    Would I have to kill Anita?
    Even though, I really didn't want to.
    "Relax, I don't want to kill you."
    "Why?" Was all I could say.
    "I have drank my fill," she explained
    "M-Monster,"
    "You do not understand us."
    She left and went to warn the rest of her family.
    I stood still shaking making no attempt to stop her.


    "Kid," I heard John calling for me.
    He opened the door and walked in.
    His eyes widened in shock when he saw Anita.
    "have you killed her yet?" He demanded.
    "N-No," I nodded.
    " Here," he said leading me out of the room and into another.
    It was full of dead bodies with puncture marks on their necks.
    "This is what will happen if you make those mistakes!" He snapped.
    I couldn't bring myself to say anything I was to ashamed.



    Chapter eight


    Even though, I didn't want to, I would have to kill one of my classmates.
    I don't even know why I didn't want to to kill her.
    I mean she tried to kill me.
    I didn't even regard her as a monster, she seemed like a human to me.
    What's wrong with me? She had killed inocent people and I'm hesitating to finish her.
    My stomach churned and my hands were trembling.
    "What's wrong?," ordered John.
    "I....I...I..ca-can't," I stammered still shaking.

    It wasn't the regret of killing her now, fear had shown it's ugly face.
    I was completely frozen up.
    John shook me, "Idiot, we have to go."
    I gulped, here I was scared stiff and there was a Vampire on the prowl.
    I calmed myself down by taking deep breaths.
    I tried to imagined a flame, burning intensely.
    Soon after I felt heat in my palm.


    "Well, I didn't find any live people here so let's burn this place down."
    When we left I half heartedly threw the flame at the warehouse.
    I was feeling pretty depressed.
    John looked at me and asked "What's wrong kid?"
    "Nothing," I said.
    I was actually surprised we didn't run into any other vampires.

    We both got into the car.
    I was quiet on the way home.
    When we arrived at my house, I got out of the car.
    "I might need your help some other time kid. But don't screw up again." He said before he drove off.
    I just hoped it wasn't anytime soon.
    I remembered promising myself I would check up on Sammy.
    Damn I should have asked to drop me off at Sammy's street.
    But I had to check in with my parents first, I was late.



    I walked in the house.
    "Where have you been?" Asked Charlie.
    "None of your-"
    "Where have you been?" interupted my father.
    I sighed, "At Sammy's house, I lied.
    "Tell me next time," he said and went back into the living room.
    That was my Dad sat in front of the T.V 24/7.
    I was glad Mum was at work at-least then she wouldn't nag me.

    I considered telling my Dad I was going out again but I didn't.
    I remembered when my parents were on about me spending more time with the family.
    I thought that was funny considering all my Dad did was sit in front of the T.V.
    I jogged down the path and onto Sammy's house.
    It was a good thing I remembered the way there.
    When I got there, I knocked on the door.
    The incredible hulk answered the door.
    "What?!!" He roared.
    "I want to see Sammy."
    "No way she's cleanin up."
    Anger surged through me, I had to get this fat blob out of the way before I did something I would regret.
    "Move out of the way you fat get," I used the levitation spell on him and tossed him out of the way.
    He hit his head against the wall and lost consciousness
    I walked into the house.
    "Sammy?" I called.

    "Jack?" I heard her say.
    She walked out of the kitchen, she was wearing an apron.
    No doubt she was cooking that fat things dinner.
    "How'd you get in?" She asked sounding surprised.
    "I kind of knocked your father out," I admitted.
    "What?! But, is he OK?" She suddenly said her eyes wide with fear.
    "Yeah."
    "Come on I'm busting you out of here," I held my hand out to her.
    She shook her head.
    "How could you do that to my father!" She suddenly cried.
    I flinched, "but, I."
    "Get out!" She screamed.

    I'm such an idiot, all I thought about was me.
    How did I think she would react?
    Was she supposed to be happy that I'd done that to her father?
    I was ashamed of myself for putting myself before Sammy.
    Today all I had done was screw up, first was the Vampire thing and now I'd let Sammy down.
    I walked around the street with my head down not paying any attention to where I was going.
    I ended up walking into a lamp post, ouch.
    That was going to bruise.
    I rubbed my head and gathered my bearings.
    By now my Dad had probably noticed that I had left.
    I didn't really care though what ever he did I deserved it.
    I reluctantly made my way home.
    I opened the front door expecting for a raging ogre to roar at me.

    There was nothing, only silence.
    The silence unnerved me the house was usually noisy.
    Charlie usually had his music blearing out.
    I entered my house, "anybody home?" I called.
    I got no answer, I ventured further into the house.
    My Dad's chair was empty.
    Now that was strange he never left the chair only to go to the toilet.
    And the T.V was also switched off.

    I ran upstairs and checked my brother's bedroom.
    He wasn't there, I even checked my own room.
    Blood seeped out under my door.
    Panic and fear stopped me from opening the door.
    I swallowed hard there was a lump in my throat.
    My palm grew sweaty.
    I slowly gripped the door handle and opened the door.
    My heart was racing, my face was drenched with sweat.
    My room was covered in blood.
    There was no bodies in my room, only something was written in blood on the wall.

    FOOLED YOU, NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO FEAR FOR YOUR FAMILY'S LIVES.

    Anger boiled in the pit of my stomach, there was only one person sick enough to do this.
    Anita.
    The fear and regret to kill hear was washed away by the need to snap her scrawny little neck.
    Suddenly I heard a voice.
    "No no burn her to death," it said.
    "Wha? What, who said that?!" I nearly screamed.
    I heard a screeching noise in my head.
    I fell to the ground clutching my head.
    The pain made my eyes water, my head was still screaming in pain.
    The agony was too much and I lost consciousness.

    I awoke, I looked around I was still outside my bedroom.
    I opened the door to my room.
    There was no blood it was gone.
    What happened?
    Did I dream it all?

    What was a lie and what was the truth?
    I rubbed my head still feeling the pain in my head.
    The voice that must have been my imagination.
    "Think again," I heard the voice say.
    The strange thing was that it sounded like it was inside my head.
    "I am inside your head Jackie boy," it said.
    "I'm going nuts. I'm going nuts. I'm hallucinating and hearing voices," I cried.
    "The things you saw were mearly images of what could happen," it said in a cold creepy voice.

    "Did you do that then?" I asked it doubting my sanity.
    "Yes, I mearly wanted to show you what your stupid mistake could do to our family," it explained.
    "Our family?"

    too be continued