The Era of Darkness Book One The Acquisition

By Elizabeth Lenz

Living in a world where monsters roam freely and magic is performable should have taught Teralia Nina that anything is possible. However, having been sheltered away by her father and knowing nothing of her mother, she doesn’t witness much of the wonders that occur around her. Additionally, being nothing more than a regular human means that she is incapable of magic, and therefore must follow all of the rules and guidelines set in place for her.
Until now.
With no warning at all, Teralia is blessed with unique powers unlike anything she has ever heard of before. Yet, these talents are accompanied by extreme negative consequences, the most frustrating of which is sourced in her inability to gain control over these new powers.
But when Teralia’s father is kidnapped, and she herself is stolen away, she is forced to put these newfound skills to use in order to defend herself and rescue her only remaining parent. She must entrust her life to dangerous monsters, protect herself from enemies who want her dead for reasons she doesn’t understand, and hope desperately that she is able to learn how to use her abilities before someone gets killed. Although these challenges are proving to be more difficult than she expected, Teralia is determined to get her father back, no matter what kind of monsters stand in her way.
Even so, her foe, a young woman who goes by the name “Light”, is more powerful than she could have imagined, and Teralia’s lack of courage also prohibits her from simply challenging this evil villainess and seizing her father; she must first be trained how to fight, yet trouble follows her around wherever she goes. And her worst problem is that her perception of who she really is has been challenged, and it seems that only Light knows her true identity.
And that identity is the exact reason why she was targeted in the first place.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Lenz
• Release date: Jul 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9780997720709

Elizabeth Lenz

Elizabeth Lenz is a seventeen-year-old author who started recording her stories after her mother made her choose between writing fantasies or essays every school day. Now she has dozens of books she intends to write, the first few of which are part of her The Era of Darkness series. Her first novel, The Acquisition, was completed when she was fifteen, but published on her sixteenth birthday.In the future, Miss Lenz intends to write additional fantasies, some sci-fi novels, and dozens of stories with heroes in them, because heroes are awesome. There may be some romance intermixed or dispersed in her works, but her main focus is on magical or supernatural things. When she isn’t writing, she is usually doing, or complaining about, her schoolwork; she is currently a college junior and should graduate sometime around her eighteenth birthday. Miss Lenz lives in Texas with her parents and three of her five siblings, as well as her two dogs.

Book preview

The Era of Darkness

Book One

The Acquisition

By Elizabeth Lenz

This book is dedicated to Kaylee, Linda, Isaac, Sarah, and Jonathan, who helped keep me sane when writing it and encouraged me to finish. It is also especially dedicated to my mom, who aided me in proofreading it, and my father, without whom it would have never been published

Copyright 2016 Elizabeth Lenz

Smashwords Edition

Contents

Chapter One: A Night with the Beast

Chapter Two: The Abduction

Chapter Three: A Fight with a Vampwolf

Chapter Four: The Fall

Chapter Five: Imprisoned

Chapter Six: Cloning an Angel

Chapter Seven: Vampwolf Territory

Chapter Eight: Light’s Domain

Chapter Nine: The Cave Boy

Chapter Ten: Forest Fire

Chapter Eleven: A Dark Family Fight

Chapter Twelve: The Geyser of Ice

Chapter Thirteen: The Boy and His Wolf

Chapter Fourteen: Shafted

Chapter Fifteen: Revenge of the Shattered Wolf

Chapter Sixteen: The Escape Attempt

Chapter Seventeen: Opportunity for Revenge

Chapter Eighteen: The Weapon-Shifters

Chapter Nineteen: Moonlight and Lunar’s Mistake

Chapter Twenty: The Beast of Chaos

Chapter Twenty-One: Howls of Destruction

Chapter Twenty-Two: Teralia’s Decision

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Stone of Blood

Name Glossary

Object/Creature/Place Glossary

About the Author

Chapter One

A Night with the Beast

It was an eerie night. Trees rustled faintly in the cool breeze, seemingly whispering in the darkness. The full moon shone brightly up above, tinting the few clouds that surrounded it gold. Yet, the sphere’s light was hindered from touching the ground by the canopy of trees, so it could only faintly illuminate the world below. Where it did reach was awash with silver.

Fallen leaves and branches, accompanied by twigs, littered the forest floor and cast strange shadows, creating black-and-white illusions. Ivy adorned some trees, while algae covered others. Wild animals scavenged for food through the woods. From somewhere up above, an owl hooted.

However, even though everything seemed normal enough, something was wrong. The forest was not as calm as it usually appeared. The animals that patrolled the night, chasing after their prey or silently observing one another, refused to wander too far from their homes. They were aware that something was wrong. Their ears were up, twitching at even the slightest sounds. Their reflexive eyes were scanning the surroundings, darting around constantly. The creatures were on edge, waiting for something to happen.

A scream pierced the air, followed by the howl of a wolf.

The small animals that had been searching for their meals suddenly scattered as a man sprinted through the forest. He was breathing fast, as though he had been running for a long while. His green eyes were wild with fright. Adrenaline pumped through him, drawn out by his fear and enabling him to maneuver through the forest without tripping or colliding with any trees. Occasionally, a low branch would smack him in the face, but he showed no signs of pain as the twigs raked over his greasy, muddy, leaf-plastered hair.

The man’s face was scratched and streaked with grime. Blood dripped from claw marks on his legs. Fragments of glass protruded from his right arm and hand, and crimson dripped off their glistening tips. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, and his clothes reeked of alcohol.

He staggered up a steep incline, glancing behind him. He saw no one, which worried him. He crawled to the top, clawing at the leaves and dirt, his body shaking with fear. As he rose to his feet, he again searched the forest for any signs of pursuit.

The air was completely still, and there was no noise other than his gasps for breath.

However, despite the silence, the forest remained tense. The smaller animals had fled. The reflective eyes of a few wolves blinked at the intruder, but the beasts shied back into the canopy of leaves and began to meander deeper into the woods for a different meal. A cougar growled low in its throat at the man perched on the incline, but even it did not give chase. Instead, the feline turned away and trotted back through the woods, brushing past something else that paid it no attention.

Unable to detect the subtle disturbances—the slight rustle of branches, the flicker of movement near the ground, and the pair of mismatched eyes watching him closely—the man turned his back on the forest. Trembling, he looked to what lay before him.

He had arrived in front of an asphalt road. There were no trees to be seen anywhere except right behind him. Rolling hills and pasturelands stretched out extensively before him, tinted silver in the moonlight. Baled hay dotted the countryside like light freckles, and high barbed fences enclosed the fields.

Once more, the man checked behind himself to ensure he was safe and alone. After he was met with complete silence, he chuckled to himself. He then allowed himself a good, hearty laugh. He was safe. As long as he followed the road, he would eventually come back to the town he had been in before he had wandered off drunkenly.

Try and get me now, he taunted the woods. Oh, wait, I forgot: you’re lost in there, but I ain’t! You’ll never eat me for dinner. Hahaha!

Oh, really? You think so? a voice called back, but it didn’t sound like it was deep inside the forest. It was closer than that, yet higher up, as if coming from the sky.

The man quickly looked around, before raising his head and spotting something large and white gleaming in the moonlight. A girl who looked to be eighteen was perched in a tree just a little to his left. Something thick and fluffy hung beside the branch she rested on, wavering slightly in the breeze. It looked like braided hair, but much thicker, and with less bends.

H-how? the man stammered. He took a step back from her, placing one foot on the road; the action caused the girl to smile evilly. The man’s eyes widened, and his heart hammered in his chest. He needed to get away from her, but he was too shocked to do much more than gape. He could feel his legs twitching. If he could manage to control the movement, he would be able to take another step back. Then, after that, surely he could turn and flee.

The girl, seeing him struggle against himself, leapt off her branch and did a flip in the air. Yet, for some reason, she didn’t come back down. Instead, she hovered ten feet in the air on the other side of the road, so the man could only flee back into the forest to escape her. Large white wings kept her suspended in the air, occasionally shedding feathers the length of his forearm.

The moon illuminated her body completely now, but the man wished she had never come so close to him for her details to be distinguished. Her left eye was sapphire blue, and her right was the color of fresh blood. Both of them were highly reflective, so when the light hit them, they turned green, causing her to look like a monster. Her salt-and-pepper hair, which had once been braided neatly, was now dirty and mangled, with several twigs and leaves sticking out awkwardly.

Her grin grew wider and her eyes narrowed, as if she was pleased with the thought of doing something evil. Her lips rose high enough to expose her vampire fangs, which were stained red. Behind them, as if trying to compete, were a second set of canines. However, the hidden pair resembled wolf fangs more than anything else, curving back onto her other teeth.

At first, the man thought part of the hair on her scalp was sticking up, and that her braid extended all the way to her knees, before both moved in a way that shouldn’t have been possible. The motion made him realize that, instead of having human ears, the girl had wolf ears. Her tail curled around her leg for a moment before relaxing and remaining almost completely still.

W-what are you? he asked timidly.

I am the unholy offspring of an ‘angel’ and a monster, she answered. My father was a human who was bitten by a vampire in the daylight, turning him into a feather-winged vampire. My mother was a werewolf born in the dead of night on a new moon, so she was a ‘dark werewolf’. I, as their little love-child, am both a monster and angel. I am a vampwolf!

You… You wouldn’t share information like this with me unless…you intend to k-k-kill me, the man realized, still stuttering.

The girl grinned, teeth gleaming wickedly.

Please… He trailed off.

She flapped her wings, her tail curling again.

Don’t kill me! the man pleaded, clasping his hands together in front of himself to try and reason with the monster. I don’t want to die; I’m not ready!

We rarely are when it’s our time to go, the girl agreed, nodding appreciatively. However, you entered my territory, brought your filth into my home, and taunted me with the idea of food. The death you will receive is the death you have earned for disturbing me at this ungodly hour of the night.

Immediately, the girl folded her wings on her back and dropped to the ground. She rolled toward the man, who turned to flee back into the forest. He stumbled down the incline, feet digging into the ground and sliding across the slick leaves. Yet, before he could get away, the girl’s fingers locked around the back of his torn shirt, pulling him close to her faster than what should have been possible. Her left hand’s fingernails dug into his shoulder, and her right hand slid up to his forehead and secured him in place in a split second.

You won’t get away from me…the girl thought, not even giving the man time to cry out. She tilted her head to the side slightly, biting his neck with the speed of a viper.

The man screamed in pain, knees buckling and forcing the girl to dig her nails into his shoulder even further to support his weight.

Despite how heavy he was, she did not release him, instead squeezing harder and waiting for his cry to fade to silence. She loosened her grip on him as his eyes closed, and he slipped out of her grasp, collapsing to the ground. She stared at his unconscious body disdainfully, then licked her lips. Immediately, the taste set in, and she began spitting and swaying.

Eww, alcohol, she coughed. Humans and their taste in liquor or beer… Blegh. She clawed at her tongue, her fingernails trying to dig out the flavor that was making her stomach churn. She glanced down at her victim, narrowing her eyes. Even so, I did knock him out. I have to at least bite him with my canines, otherwise, it will have been for nothing.

Slowly, hesitantly, she crouched down, crawling over to him and clamping her jaws down on his left arm. She adjusted her grip on him, ensuring that her werewolf teeth were locked around his skin. She began to shake her head slightly from side to side, as if playing tug-of-war with his arm.

So unfair…the girl thought. Humans always get to sleep through vampire and vampwolf meals… Vampire fangs and their stupid toxin that renders people unconscious and numbs their pain like that one human medicine… anesthesia…? Eh, not important. They still get to sleep through all this, yet, when vampires bite other monsters—especially werewolves—it sends their adrenaline on high alert and they’re stuck awake until death… Well, I suppose it is more fun this way, and merciful to these humans if they just fall asleep for no reason.

The girl’s wolf ears involuntarily flicked back. The strange vibrations being sent to her seemingly rattled her rib cage, like the distant pulse of loud music. She cocked her head to the side, trying to perceive the sound better and calculate the distance between it and her.

She released the man’s arm, smirking with satisfaction. She hooked her fingers into the shreds that remained of the back of his shirt, hefting her meal to his feet. With one swift movement, she slung him forward onto the side of the road, watching his limp body land in an intriguing position. Even so, the girl did not rush forward to correct his form. She merely remained in the forest, only moving to duck down and retreat into the shadows, waiting.

A car passed by her and her prey at first, music blasting from the stereo and seemingly shaking the vehicle. However, it began to slow, rolling to a halt some distance down the road. The driver had noticed the girl’s meal.

The vehicle backed up, red taillights piercing the shadows of night and washing the ground in a scarlet glow. The music faded to silence, leaving the puttering of the car’s engine as the only sound.

The girl waited, ears flicking back occasionally at the random crackle of branches in the woods behind her. She shifted on her toes, then pressed her knees to the ground, tail dragging across the cool soil. She licked her crimson fangs, momentarily disregarding the taste of hard liquor.

She watched as the door of the vehicle opened, and a man got out. He was wearing a brown leather jacket with a cowboy hat. His scuffed boots thudded on the ground as he walked over to the girl’s victim, spurs clinking with each step.

Here he comes…the girl thought, remaining in the shadows and smiling.

The other man paused for a mere moment. He looked left and right, his brown eyes darting nervously around as he scanned his surroundings. He spun in a circle, searching for the culprit of the gruesome scene before him, but he could not perceive the girl shrouded in shadows.

Come on…she thought, dragging her claws in the dirt, tail wagging soundlessly from side to side. Come on…come closer… Look at him. He needs your help…as do I…

The stranger seemed to disregard his hesitancy, racing over to the man on the ground. His brow furrowed and he nervously bit his lip as he surveyed the injuries of the unconscious alcoholic on the ground. He rested his hand gently on the arm of the girl’s victim, studying the bite marks on it. His eyes quickly glanced at the shards of glass embedded in the other, and his mind seemed to be trying to piece together what exactly had happened in the woods.

Come on…the girl thought.

The stranger slid his arms under the back and neck of the vampwolf’s victim, then rose to his feet. He hauled up the man, carrying him to the vehicle despite the visible strain it was causing him. Even so, nothing stopped him from setting the unconscious man in the back seat.

Good boy… the vampwolf girl whispered, her voice inaudible to anything that didn’t have the ears of a beast.

Despite that he certainly couldn’t hear her, the man returned to scour the woods. He halted on the edge of the road, his feet knocking pebbles down the incline.

The small fragments of asphalt tumbled toward the girl, but she did not stir. Her eyes remained fixed on the stranger, watching him look around in a state of panic once more. She closed her mouth but did not cease to grin as the stranger fished out his cellphone. As he climbed into his vehicle—dialing three numbers—the girl rose to her feet and growled, digging her nails into her palms.

The vehicle revved before speeding away, red taillights fading in the distance. The beam of yellow it cast in front of it also disappeared from the girl’s sight.

Humans… the vampwolf girl murmured, her voice betraying her amusement. She retreated into the shadows of the forest, watching the small animals nearby dart hurriedly around now that the woods contained only their typical residents. The owl studied her from its perch, and she smirked at it.

Oh, so fun…the girl thought, glancing back at the road one more time. But now that they’re away…

She found that she couldn’t help herself. Her throat began to rumble, and her ears flicked back. Her tail curled around her leg before remaining still behind her. She opened her mouth and took a deep breath through her nose. As she exhaled it, head tossed back and eyes to the sky, she produced a howl that could be heard for miles. The sound echoed through the woods, bouncing off the pasturelands and reflecting back at the trees, which amplified the noise.

Run from that… the girl whispered to no one other than herself. She lowered her head, turned back to the thick of the woods, and began to walk into the canopy of shadows.

She faded into the darkness of night without a trace.

Chapter Two

The Abduction

Teralia decided that if there was one thing she hated more than inside chores, it was cleaning the chimney. Her skin, which was usually beautifully tanned, was now speckled with soot. Her hands were colored black, smeared with charcoal. She couldn’t touch anything without leaving streaks of grime everywhere, which was extremely inconvenient due to the fact that her sole purpose for cleaning was so she could remove the black filth that clung to the outer bricks. She didn’t dare mess with the inside, since no one could see it anyway, and it would be washed later on if it actually needed improvement.

She wouldn’t have been so frustrated with her assignment if she hadn’t slipped four times already and almost fallen off her house every time, making her regret her decision to climb onto the shingled roof. Her father didn’t even know she was up there; if she tumbled to the ground, no one would notice.

The only reason Teralia was there at all was because she hated seeing the white bricks marred ashen grey. The rest of her house’s exterior was pristine: both the upper and lower stories’ ivory wooden panels were looking tidy; the windows on both floors were lined with snowy trim, as was the bottom of her home that connected with the concrete base. Dark grey shutters matched the shingles her tennis shoes were struggling to grip, and she could see her white driveway far below her.

Yes, the once-white bricks highly contrasted with her house, and if Teralia was to live in a busy city, she was going to make sure that no strangers would laugh as they passed by her home. She had chosen of her own free will to go up to wash away all the grime, so she wouldn’t be able to blame anyone but herself for any misfortunes that might befall her.

Of course, that reality didn’t prevent her from being annoyed when her foot slipped again.

Teralia yelped as her shoes lost traction once again on the shingles, and she came down hard on her left leg. She began to slide from her place slightly as the rest of her body also failed to grip the textured surface. Fortunately, her fingers and toes were sufficient to dig into the shingles, preventing her from falling off the roof. She heard her heart pounding so loudly that she almost believed it had crawled into her ears so it could bail if she did any other dumb things.

Well, Teralia thought, shakily rising to her knees. I brought myself up here… If anything stupid happens, then it’s one hundred percent my fault. But I’m not going down until the job is done. These bricks have been bothering me for a long time, and I’m going to make sure they’re spotless when I’m through with them.

She crawled unsteadily back to the chimney and wrapped her arms around it for support, then crouched and resumed cleaning. She was almost finished with her work; only the very base of the chimney needed her attention. Nevertheless, because she had clung to the pillar for assistance to keep from sliding off the roof, she had smeared the filth from her fingers back on the chimney.

Argh! Really?! Teralia demanded, glaring up at the smudged handprints that seemed to mock her hard work. She dipped her scrubbing brush into her murky, frothy water and slapped it across the bricks, which only made more of a mess. I hate you… She scowled down at the base, grumbling replacements for obscenities under her breath.

Oddly enough, the angrier Teralia became as she worked, the colder the air seemed to grow. Also of note was the fatigue she could feel building within her, making her arms shake and her head feel heavy. She wanted to take a nap, but her self-set task was still not yet completed.

Stupid me, Teralia thought. I chose to do this, so no more getting ticked off. I did this to myself, so there’s no need to get frustrated with the chimney. It’s not its fault that I’m tired; Dad said that getting angry does this, because then I use so much energy being mad that there’s nothing else I can do. Everything’s depleted when I’m irate: all of my strength reserves. So…happy thoughts only.

Teralia began to whistle a cheerful tune, even though she still wasn’t in a good mood. She rose to her feet to erase the new smears she had added. To distract herself from her continually building irritation, she began to plan out what to do next. She definitely needed a shower, but after that, she intended to grab some snacks from the kitchen. It wasn’t as if her father would see her sneaking them. Besides, for all the trouble she was going through to make his house clean, she believed she had earned the right to have a little snack.

As Teralia finished cleaning away the remains of the filth, her dark blue eyes glanced at the busy streets below, studying the hustle of city life that she had grown accustomed to but never truly liked. She squatted down to clean the base again, but her gaze remained fixed on the world around her that still had yet to notice her.

Below her, people weaved between cars and trucks that were stuck in the heavy flow of rush-hour traffic. Drivers honked in anger and slammed their feet on their gas pedals in warning to the smug pedestrians. The occasional motorists accidentally rammed into the bumpers of the vehicles in front of them, which made Teralia wince.

She watched a lone figure dart from the thick of traffic and onto the sidewalk, clutching some books and papers and shouldering an overstuffed backpack that seemed to jerk him around with every footfall. He looked like a college student running to night class that he was probably trying not to be late for. Perhaps he had realized that the rush-hour traffic of everyone returning home from work would make driving impossible, as well as endanger cyclists; sprinting would be fastest and safest.

College students always look so tired…Teralia noted. I’m glad I’m still somewhat a kid. Not a kiddie kid, but not an adult either.

She flinched as the stranger’s foot caught a gap in the concrete, making him to trip and fall. He instinctively reached out to catch himself, only to cause the papers to flutter out of his arms, sliding across the pavement in all directions.

Oh…Teralia began, grimacing at the student’s misfortune. She felt pity rising within her as she watched him look hopelessly at his scattered documents. He seems so devastated. She turned around carefully to see him better, planting her back against the chimney and subconsciously curling her toes in her shoes for some imaginary extra traction. I wonder if he had a test or something. That’s not good. His stuff is all messed up now, and if he was running late before…

The stranger looked left and right at his pages, but remained in his place. He didn’t know where to start.

I want to help him, Teralia mentally insisted. She adjusted herself in the shadows of the bricks, her eyes glancing down at the pages that were blown beyond the student. Some documents were colliding with a lamppost only seven feet behind him before they slipped to the side and remained still, waiting to be seized by another gust of wind. But I’m all the way up here, and it’ll take me too long to get down there, collect his escaping stuff, and then crawl back up here. We both have work to do—even though mine was voluntary, and caused by a slight obsession of white bricks being white, not harsh grey.

Teralia tried to turn around so she could focus on the last of her work—the small, almost unnoticeable specks that dotted four bricks—but she never received the chance.

It was as if the chimney wasn’t there. As she adjusted herself, her back passed right through it. She felt the ground beneath her shift as well, causing her to end up stumbling to her feet in an attempt to catch herself. Even more strangely, all of her support seemed to disappear behind her, dissolving in what looked like a ripple of shadows.

Aah! Teralia mentally yelped, her eyes wide with surprise. Where’s the world? What happened to the—? Why am I falling?!

She staggered back, shaking her head and closing her eyes, squeezing them shut. Surely her body was messing with her; she couldn’t just fall through a completely solid object. She had to be hallucinating, and her stomach was probably just doing flips or something because she was hungry.

Teralia’s attempts for logical explanations for whatever just happened were quickly nullified by the fact that she was somehow no longer standing on her roof; she was now behind the student, and he had yet to notice her trembling in the shadow of the lamppost, her left shoe planted on one of his papers.

Oh my goodness! Teralia thought, horrified. I must’ve blacked out and ended up sleep-walking or something down here! She looked up at the sky, noticing that it was still a dark grey, the horizon tinted orange in the dying light of the sun. Or maybe I’m daydreaming?

As she continued trying to find some logical answers to the oddity that had taken place, Teralia’s eyes darted left and right to make sense of her surroundings. She realized that she had absolutely no way to explain what had just transpired; her only option was to write it off as a dream. The impossible couldn’t happen; there were no alternatives for absolutes. Although her father had made her very aware that there were monsters in her world who were capable of magic such as teleporting, Teralia herself was human: she couldn’t do anything like that.

So even if it was possible to be standing in a specific place at one second, then appear in another, things like that could only be done by monsters. They were the only ones capable of such feats, but since Teralia wasn’t one of them, it was physically impossible for her to simply materialize out of the shadow of a lamppost.

Whatever had just happened was purely natural, or it didn’t happen at all; that was something she had been taught as a child and was told to embrace, even if it defied all logic in itself.

Teralia was now feeling extremely shaky, and completely drained of all energy, but she was forced to put on a poker face and disregard her discomfort as the student turned back to look at her.

Teralia grinned sheepishly at him, dusting her hands on her already filthy jeans before offering her left one to help the student to his feet. Since she was now inexplicably on the ground, there was no reason for her not to assist him.

Are you okay, sir? she asked, her left hand trembling from her fatigue.

The student studied the soot on her fingers disdainfully, but he was in a hurry, so he allowed her to help him up. His eyes were scrutinizing her entire body. He wasn’t just sizing up the grime that speckled her skin; he was considering if she had been behind him the entire time.

Yeah, he answered her, his voice suspicious. I’m fine, thanks. He wiped the soot off his hands that Teralia accidentally rubbed on him, then looked around at his documents.

Teralia studied them as well, turning in a circle to see them all. The wind was carrying away some pages, which she decided she may as well chase down first, since the sheets wouldn’t collect themselves. She tried to be careful to avoid smearing any ash on the pages that she gathered up, but it proved to be quite difficult. Even so, she was determined to be helpful, even if she felt like she had been backed into by a truck.

Here, she said as she handed him the documents that had been attempting to escape.

The student was skeptical, but he thanked her nonetheless, accepting his papers and gathering up the pages at his feet, still being assisted by Teralia. Even if his pages were all out of order, at least he had everything. Fortunately, nothing had blown away, so it was possible for him to get to school and attend his night classes without much issue. Although Teralia didn’t really know much about any sort of college work since she was still in high school—homeschooled, no less—she guessed he could slip into his classroom without any additional hassles.

The student nodded his thanks to Teralia, shuffled his papers, and shouldered his backpack. He turned away from her and continued running in the direction he had been heading all along, leaving a surprised Teralia standing in the middle of a deserted sidewalk, wondering how tripping hadn’t made him learn his lesson about sprinting.

Now completely alone—except for the cars to her right which were ignoring her and continuing about their business—Teralia turned back to her roof. She was curious about the oddity that had occurred, but she knew she would never understand. And she wasn’t supposed to; she was required to write it off as nothing unusual: just some typical events, or some real-life glitch.

Yet she wasn’t satisfied with this. She knew she could bother no one with this information, but she longed for an explanation. Her eyes were fixed on the undisturbed ladder, and on the cleaning tools resting around the chimney exactly where she had left them. Something should have been moved if she had stumbled in a dazed stupor down to the ground. Additionally, the college student behaved as if she had simply appeared in the shadow of the lamppost behind him.

With a frustrated sigh, Teralia abandoned the conflicting information, pretending it didn’t happen. It was simply inexplicable, and she would have to be satisfied with such a vague and illogical answer.

I gotta get back up there…she thought, pushing aside her contemplation before it could begin gnawing at her. Her eyes spotted the bricks, which she had done a reasonable job cleaning. She stared at them, finding herself wondering whether or not it was worth going up there to remove the few almost-unnoticeable specks.

Forget that! Teralia added after a few moments of hesitation, puffing out her cheeks. She stuck her tongue out at the bricks, as if they would understand such an action, before she marched to her front door, head held high with the pride she felt for doing a good job on her self-assigned chore. She ignored the buckets, tools, and ladder; she would collect them later, when she didn’t feel like face-planting the ground and sleeping for a year.

The chimney is clean enough anyway! Teralia told the air as she rested her hand on her door handle. Besides, there are better things awaiting my attention…like snacks! She disappeared into her house, ready to take a shower.

Although she still remembered the strange shadows which had gathered her into their embrace and dragged her through her home, drawing her out of the lamppost, she had almost successfully convinced herself that such events never happened.

She would not tell her father about this.

. . . . .

Teralia took a long, hot shower to wash off all the grime. Once she had gotten dressed into a different pair of denim jeans, some clean tennis shoes, and a simple black T-shirt, she headed for the kitchen. She had earned the right to commandeer some food, and she was going to do just that. However, as she grabbed a few snacks from fridge, a voice broke the silence.

Don’t you need permission for that?

Teralia yelped in surprise and spun around to see her father. He was standing directly behind her, his 6’3 stature seemingly towering over her height of 5’11. His blue eyes glittered with amusement, as if he took great delight in frightening her. His features were ruggedly handsome, and when he smiled, he looked similar to the statues she saw of angels. His hair was dark brunette, about two inches long, and trimmed neatly so that he would look professional.

How’s my little Terra doing? he asked teasingly.

Da-a-ad! Teralia protested, making sure the A’s were extra-long and obnoxious. "I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m fifteen. Fif-teen." She sounded it out for him, making him chuckle.

I know, he said. But even so, to me, you’ll always be little. If you don’t like that, though, I’ll just call you ‘little’ while we’re here.

Teralia groaned, but she didn’t seem too bothered by her father’s behavior. By now, she’d grown accustomed to it, and had begun to assume that all fathers acted similarly to hers.

So, her dad began, locking eyes with her and gaining her full attention. I have a question; do you like the nickname ‘Terra’ more than your actual name ‘Teralia Nina’? Because we can change it, you know.

Teralia was confused by his statement for a moment. She liked her name, and her father had even told her that it was very unique and powerful. Now he wanted to change it? Surely he wasn’t serious.

Her father waited.

Well he looks serious…Teralia thought. I suppose I’ve got to answer him.

"I don’t really want it changed, Father. ‘Terra’ sounds normal and boring. But there’s no one with my name, and I like that. I intend to keep it that way. It makes me feel extremely special."

Her dad’s expression softened.

"You are special, he agreed after a few seconds of hesitation, chuckling slightly at Teralia’s response. He seemed to consider something for a moment, before he proceeded to change the subject. Listen, Teralia. I heard that a drunken man staggered into the forest last night and got attacked by both a vampire and a werewolf!"

"Someone got attacked again?"

Yeah, but this guy doesn’t remember what happened at all.

Really? Teralia asked, incredulous. How could someone just forget about something like that?

Yeah. The doctors treating him said that either the alcohol had something to do with it—he had remnants of his liquor bottle stuck in his arm—or maybe the vampire bite did. Point is, he can’t leave the hospital for a week or so, and I was wondering, just out of curiosity, have you been wandering into the forest?

No. Your ‘scary’ stories about evil queens living in flaming castles nearby have ‘frightened’ me away. Why do you ask?

Oh…no reason really. I was just worried for your safety. That’s my job as your father, after all.

Teralia could see his defenses going up, yet she wasn’t sure why. His eyes betrayed that he was guarding himself, but all she had done was answer his question with a reference to the old bedtime stories he used to tell her to deter her explorative side so she wouldn’t get hurt.

The protective look quickly disappeared as her father regained his calm demeanor. He backed away from her slightly, gesturing to the clock. His tone of voice was suspiciously cheerful as he said, Well anyway, I’ve gotta go to work now. You can cook some dinner when you want to, although I don’t even know how much you’ll be able to eat if you want those snacks.

Teralia quickly hid the leftovers she had intended to munch on behind her back, not meeting her father’s eyes. Even so, she was smirking slightly, knowing that he was only teasing her.

I’m going to be home late, her father continued. "So if you do eat some real food, don’t bother making any for me. I’ll go out to eat or something."

"So you can eat all the good food without me?" Teralia asked, trudging to the fridge and returning the leftovers to it.

I love you.

Mmm…yeah, she agreed sarcastically. "That’s exactly what you’ll be thinking when you’re biting into the glorified junk food I love eating."

Teralia’s father smirked, leaning in close to kiss her on her forehead and silence her.

Teralia remained quiet, not sure what to do. As her father pulled away, she heard him say, You showered because you cleaned the chimney for me, right?

Yeah. Wait, no, it wasn’t for you. I cleaned it because it was bothering me. And… She hesitated, considering that, before she raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously. How did you even know I cleaned it?

I may have gone outside and spotted some things on my roof, as well as some extremely white bricks—good job—but… Her father grinned mischievously. "You know, you spent all that time showering and yet you still missed a spot."

Teralia’s eyes widened and her hand immediately wandered to her cheek, where she had tirelessly scrubbed off the soot that was practically ingrained in her skin.

I did? she demanded, horrified. Where?

Your hair, her father answered, pointing to her fringe.

Teralia dashed to a mirror in the next room and skidded to a halt in front of it, examining her reflection. She stared at her jet black hair for a moment, scrutinizing the waves and tangles in it. She squinted at the segment of her fringe which stuck out awkwardly above the rest of her hair, causing one section to appear thicker.

Where’s the…? She trailed off before scowling.

Very funny, Dad, Teralia shouted from the room. "If I had accidentally missed some soot in my hair, it’s all black so there’s no way anyone could tell! Sneaky little liar…" She poked her head out of the doorway, spotting her father now standing in the front entryway.

Lock the door behind me, he called to her as he exited.

Teralia heard the sound of his car door slamming seconds later, and the hum of the engine as it roared to life. She frowned, walking over to the entrance as her father drove away. Her fingers touched the cold brass lock, and she turned the latch, securing the door before she spun around and walked away from the fake wood.

She then ambled back to the kitchen so she could eat her food before the rest of her evening slipped away.

He thinks I’m just going to wait around to eat? Teralia wondered, her thought voice chuckling darkly. No way; I’m starving! There’s no way I’m going to be waiting! Spaghetti takes forever to cook anyway.

She began to prepare her meal, turning on the stove to boil a pot of water before she walked over to the sofa and activated her father’s radio. She plopped down and began to listen to her favorite songs as she stared at her shaking hands. Her fatigue from her earlier strange experiences had not yet worn away; perhaps scarfing down some spaghetti could fix that. If she could just stop herself from shuddering so noticeably, she would be able to forget that anything strange had ever happened to her that day.

Teralia got up from the sofa a few minutes later, absentmindedly tossing half a box of noodles into the bubbling pot. Despite what her father had told her, she fixed enough for two people; however, she was confident she could eat all of it by herself. Her dad always joked that she was part pig.

Eleven minutes to food, Teralia thought to herself, setting a timer on her oven and staring lustfully at the fridge. She wanted to eat, but she didn’t want to spoil her dinner. Just eleven minutes… Eleven too many.

Somehow, she managed to prevent herself from snacking on anything before her food cooked. Her timer went off, and she poured out the scalding water before she smirked and dumped the spaghetti into a large bowl, smothering it in tomato sauce. She meandered back to the sofa and flopped down on it, listening to some more music and staring at the black television screen before her. Scooping up her dinner on her fork, she shoveled it into her mouth.

And this is why I don’t need a boyfriend, Teralia thought. If I had one, I wouldn’t be able to eat like this.

She twirled the spaghetti onto her fork and continued eating. In ten minutes, she had devoured her food and debated on getting something else. It took her another few moments before she willed herself to get up. She went straight to the kitchen and put her bowl in the sink, then began rifling through the cabinets and fridge, looking for second dinner. She opened up the pantry and poked her head inside the room, leaning on the doors and searching for something she wanted to eat. Her eyes locked on a bag of chips and she grinned. She entered the pantry, seized the food, and strutted out proudly despite that she had done absolutely nothing other than grab an unhealthy snack.

Teralia shook the bag slightly, pretending that she had done something impressive to attain it, only to lose her grip on the plastic. The chips crashed loudly to the floor. Triumph fading quickly, she snorted her disappointment with herself before she stooped down and picked her second dinner back up. She returned to the couch, considering whether she wanted to turn on the television set or not. She gazed at the large plasma flat-screen, imagining the advertisements she would have to deal with.

They’re tolerable, Teralia thought as she looked from side to side, searching for the remote. She spotted it lying on the flat-screen’s stand, which made her frown. If she wanted to turn on the television, she would have to get up. You know what? No they’re not.

Teralia was about to try opening the chip bag before she felt a chill, as if she was being watched. Shivers ran down her spine and she instinctively looked to the front door for assurance that it was still locked.

It was open slightly. A light breeze caused it to creak on its hinges, like something from a horror movie.

I know I locked it…Teralia thought. If it’s open now… She spotted a glint in the darkness in front of the street, which made her squint in an attempt to understand where it was coming from. What is that…?

The door groaned again, but other than that, there was silence; her question went unanswered.

Teralia snorted. I’m just overreacting. I probably just dreamed I closed it. I’m on edge because I’m all alone. Maybe I should watch some scary movies just