Empty

"The most important things are invisible

and the most important people, you often forget their presence. Not because they are light or you are ungrateful, but because your life would be nothing wothout them. So, they blend in and become you and you no longer see them as a singularity. But you forget they are their own thing and person."

Ever since humans found out about were-kind, humans went from curiosity and exploration to full-on slavery and torture, now, extermination and sports.

Now you ask, how did werewolves get overpowered by humans? Well, the human body may as well be for decoration, but the human mind is a terrifying shelter for terrifying things. Given the place, time and person is right, they may create an entire world war that kills millions of their kind thanks to technology, fear, greed, or some other human conundrum. Do not believe me? Check their history books, they have done it twice!

A few weres are still alive and kicking thanks to significant efforts and haunting childhoods. After The "Demons Hunts"- a period where weres were hunted for fun and "pet reasons." Weres have found Themselves in little pockets of hideouts pretending to be humans when they need to be but avoiding humans in general like the plague. From Wolves' bane in water, food, and air, to silverware and doorknobs. They want them dead and completely gone.

But alas, like in every delightful book, there is a haven, a promise for the future. For Brayleigh, that would be the Dark moon. Stretching for miles with huntable lands and security Greater than the humans. They are showing every day who is the greater species. And Brayleigh would kill to be on their team.

That was why she was doing it.

"Brayleigh!" She could hear Lily call, but no one was there just her.

"Ah!" She thought. Finally, insanity has found her.

"You must write to Sophie and tell her What you are. Get her to support you. Remember, that is all you are worth." Came the voice of the Shadow man, the false Alpha who had starved and tortured her growing up.

Just like yesterday. A day like yesterday but longer than that. Further back enough to cast a contrast like night and day. Further back enough to remove the frost and falling leaves and revealing a time, when it was still summer and her friends tried to drown her at the lake, 'to teach her to swim'. Further back enough to remember there were things in this world to fear. Things worse than death. To shadow man and that night she had made up her mind, she had packed her bag ready to leave the playground of idiots who think anything they did was worth anything.

The light had shown from the window, with a caressing glow that night, the moon had lit up the room and tiny luminous balls had floated in with the light. It was a summer night, and it was calm.

A makeshift bed covered in twigs and bareback books peeking from within said twigs, the uneven floor of dirt and tree root, clothes hanging from a tall tree's branches, a mat on the floor, and what seems like a green sack surrounding the small space underneath two trees forming a home of sorts. The outside was calm enough to fool croquettes. For they chirped a delightfully. But inside Brayleigh was sweating under the cool breeze as her heart threatened to fall out of her chest.

Brayleigh sighs. "But I may die before I get on their team." Another sigh left her lips, her eyes so full of life, brimming with admiration had fallen many notes short. With her head down and in a sombre mood falling onto her hair and the atmosphere was not the same.

"How do I tell you? I am the thing you are too scared to talk about. I am not human. I wish I could be clear about who I was to you, but I cannot. Saying these words to you now, as I am, is not easy. I may die soon, so consider these my parting scorn, but if we truly were ever friends, then this is my most sorry goodbye. Selfishly I hope when I die, you die too because nowhere is heaven without you." Brayleigh finishes. A shadow comes in from the dark corner of her room stepping into the light.

The only thing visible still was the height and stature of the person, letting you know it was a strong man. And prominent also was his nose, sticking out of the shadow barely kissing the light.

"I don't have full faith in the delivery." The man spoke in a booming voice, shocking Brayleigh into a more stoic position. Back straight, both hands on her lap in fists as she kneels, head straight, eyes down. "And don't say greater species." He tsk and Brayleigh could almost see him shake his head in disapproval. Her gut coiled waiting for an impact ready to tame the pain, but nothing came. "Have her believe we are on the same side before you make her hate her race. So, equality is the bet. And write it down in a letter you will send. You are a cold, bloodless animal without emotions, she will know. You are vile and ugly. That would not help either."

Without further ado, he walks out. Her stoic position falls and her fisted hands open revealing red in a line. Evidence of how tight she fisted, cutting her own flesh with her nails. Sliding her hands from her lap to the moonlit ground and her shoulder slouched. Her eyes watched nothing as her mind travelled to a thousand different places while her body remained still. Almost lifeless.

Secretly, Brayleigh wanted to see her friend in person one last time as this was indeed the last time. She had plans, big plans, a selfish one? Yes. A dangerous one? Absolutely. But she was tired of barely dreaming and Dark moon was calling her name on this night when the moon shone the brightest.

Kneeling on the floor she resigned defeated by the fate ahead of her, staring at the moon with lifelessness in her eyes.

"I will make it somehow." She said to no one in particular.

***

Morning had come and the whole room looked different. Everything was neat. A huge bag packed and ready with all sorts of clanking tools, Brayleigh lifted out the huge bag from her tree hut and dragged it towards the woods when no one was looking. Her back was hunched and her ribs peeking from beneath her makeshift crop top, which seemed to be a tie-dye of all shades of brown.

Her boots barely fit, sliding the wrong way every time she moves. She stood up, adjusted her khaki trousers, and grabbed a rope from her bag to make a belt and loop around the ankles of her boot.

Wiping the sweat off her brows she quietly walks to the slushing stream ahead. Where she moved to get water for the road but was stopped by something unsightly in the water. Her face. She was no different from a corpse, eyes protruding, lips dry and chapped, yellow in the whites of her eyes, pronounced cheekbones, and a mop for hair. Dashing her palm on the surface to blur the vision, she fetched her water and move to leave at once. But the feel of the water just then stayed with her.

Walking ever so slowly back to the water as if in a trance debating every reason she should or should not allow herself a little dip. Three minutes top. As the decision was made, she moved more quickly. If she should allow herself to be vulnerable, she would not allow herself to be vulnerable for long. Peeling off her items she stealthily slid into the water avoiding obvious sounds. Hiding behind a vine to quickly wash. Fear bubbled within her when she saw brown muck rise to the surface, she held her breath hoping it will dilute soon.

The vines from the willow tree by the stream created a brilliant shade that even though she thought three minutes she gave herself five more minutes. She regrets the moment she felt the water vibrate.

Thud. Thud. Thud. She was familiar with that Thud.

She could hear a large animal pounding the ground. Hard. Heading her way. She moved out of the water less careful of the sound. Dressing up quickly and grabbing her bag she slaps it on her back and runs. She was a quick runner, but no different from a quick human runner. She was starved and there was no way she could outrun this force. Deciding to step on every rock she finds to limit the tracks she leaves behind. She finds herself slower. Then she smells it. Corn and first rain. Sweet and earthy. Her heart lurched, but she left all resolve and ran faster.

Soon she finds a hidden hole she had dug for reasons like this. She quickly slid in and then covered it.

So much for the bath, she thought. Her body muddies again and reeking of cow droppings she has laced this place with to cover her scent.

Listening in to the sounds from above she soon hears the pound stop. Her breathing stopped too. My heart was pounding harder. She feared he will hear her heartbeat, and this fear made her heart beat faster. Then she feared a panic attack which drove her into more panic. While weeping over her sad death in a cow's toilet. She heard the pounding retreat. She waited for no sounds. Only then did her heart calm. With practiced ease, she jumped out as if gliding through the air.

Pretend. A lot of wolves were pretending these days. Some managed to find innovative ways to live in small human villages to avoid wolves' bane air, some pretended they were someone else, someone who had died, so, they took their identities. Some pretended the war never happened and continue to live in packs, constantly trying to seize territories and harassing any wolf they met calling them "rogues". Some wolves pretended they could win this war and created secret organizations like children. Some pretended to be hunters and foraged the woods freely. Some pretend like Brayleigh. That they will be okay alone. But when night falls and no one is watching, those pretenders lay in bed watching the moon, hoping Gaia would hear them today.

But Gaia is taking a nap, and no one knows when she will wake.

By noon, Brayleigh had neared Lowey, a village her aunt lives.

Her aunt had never been fond of her, but for some reason, dogs don't bark at Brayleigh as they do towards wolves. Her aunt's questionable presence in the village was more accepted after a visit from her. So, her aunt welcomes her each time, feeds her, and offers a room so the neighbours stop sniffing in her garden.

Her aunt even grows wolf's bane in her garden to drop suspicions, though this had caused her aunt to become weaker and unable to shift. The will to live is strong and Drew, her aunt, had such will.

Walking through the town she saw a few people she recognized and tried smiling, but her eyes never smiled, but no one was put off by her scary eyes, they knew her eyes were incapable of joy, they have known her since she was three.

"Oh, my dear, girl!" Mrs. True a close friend of her aunt exclaimed running to Brayleigh. "You look half dead. What do you do out there? When you come, you always look..." Mrs. True said unsure how to finish.

The tiny village housing less than three thousand citizens was mostly trees and stones. It used to be a pack territory that was evacuated years ago and is now owned by humans who moved in.

Mrs. True was a lovely woman with only good intentions. Seeing her worried expression, Brayleigh was touched. It was more than her aunt had ever given her.

"Hello, Mrs. True." Brayleigh greets trying to help Mrs. True with her groceries. To which, Mrs. True slaps her hands.

'What are you thinking? With that heavy backpack of yours? Are you trying to die young?" Mrs. True turns her around looking at her state of her. "Why do you smell so bad?" She asks sniffing her and retching. "Do you feed yourself?" Mrs. True could be called maternal instincts. Her heart was as soft as a dove's and her eyes were gentle waters.

"How are you?" Brayleigh asks looking at the woman who was glaring at her poking ribs.

Mrs. True sighs and looks up at the stubborn girl. "If you want to die so badly, why not take me with you?"

They both stare at each other, one amused and the other worried.

"Let me take you to your aunts. My car is not far." Mrs. True said staring at Brayleigh a while more before sighing and shaking her head. She runs with her little legs kicking her long summer dress. Her hand on her hat kept the wind from snatching it.

Mrs. True grabs a dog cover from the boot of her car to cover her seat. "I don't want my car smelling like you." Mrs. True said apologetically. But Brayleigh found the irony of the situation funny.

"I don't mind," Brayleigh says dumping her snail shell of a bag into the trunk of the car before sitting on the covered seat.

"How is Fortitude?" Brayleigh asks the moment she sat down. Hoping the answer this time was different.

The small Toyota rumbles to life in a delighted tune beeping as if to say welcome.

Brayleigh has never been to a human school, so, a lot of human technology was confusing to her, but she doesn't ask questions and silently watches hoping to learn something.

"He has not come back home. But we know he is okay. He will come back." Mrs. True said, Eyes on the road with a smile on her face akin to a scar. Looking over at Brayleigh before looking back at the road. "You come back Every time."

Something dawned on Brayleigh; every time she comes back, she gives hope to the Trues that their son would come back. But fortitude has been gone for five years and never once came back. Was all this false hope?

She missed him.

Fortitude was like a big brother to the gang. Fortitude, herself, and her cousins grew up together. Fortitude disappeared when she was only twelve. The gang grew quiet, and she visited less. Everyone thought they both liked each other and jokingly called Mrs. True and Drew in-laws, so, when Fortitude disappeared, they thought she knew something. She did not know anything.

Looking at Mrs. Ture's confident face, Brayleigh wondered if she was one of the pretenders. Humans pretend too.

The road peeled away and revealed a new road, taking them closer to their destination.

But every road had fortitude standing at the corner hailing them to stop in her mind. His hair, his eyes... his sad eyes.

Brayleigh closed her eyes and hunched into the chair trying to block out the view.

Fortitude had been the first person who was kind to her and never disappointed her.

When she arrived in front of her auntie as a toddler, everyone assumed she was a wolf child separated from the pack and did not know what to do with her. They couldn't harm her as she looked like a child would. When everyone crowded around her tiny person discussing what to do, fear held her as it was just like the hunters in the forest who wanted her dead, but fortitude warm small hands held hers and he smiled.

She would never forget.

The car smoothly drove over the rocky ground and soon they pulled over at her auntie's driveway.

"Drew! I found your niece half dead!!!" Mrs. True had always been dramatic, so, it was no surprise Drew came out languidly.

"What now?" Drew asked. Brayleigh could see wrinkles on her aunts' face and looked over to the wolf's bane garden. Weres live a long time. But her aunt would not. She and her family are sick, and due to her will to survive they will all die like humans.

Brayleigh walked over to the trunk to grab her bag, looking over at her aunt who was looking at her. They understood each other without words. It wasn't a pleasant surprise. But her aunt was a were and most weres were pretenders these days.

Her face broke into one of worry. "Oh, my darling. What would your father say if he sees this?" She feigns pain screwing up her face and covering her mouth.

Brayleigh could see Mrs. True buying everything and almost crying herself too.

"Come in." She said not moving from the door. Brayleigh walked in slowly. She was hungry, they had food.

Hugging her aunt like they always do when she comes, she walks past her and into the house. It was neat and clean, with no sign of life, which is one of the reasons Brayleigh cannot accept such a life. Plastic decorations colouring the place. It smelled so empty.

"Pay attention to the most important people..."