Prologue
10 years ago…
"Mother, what's happing to me?" a young child voice came though the powerless house. A young girl no more than the age of 6 tried to find her mother's room in the dark old house they lived in. Every muscle ached with pain. Something inside her was trapped, and she felt it trying to come out. Her little feet scurried though the house trying to find the right door. Soon the house started to get faintly brighter and she found her mother's door at last.
"Mommy!" She screamed, the pain grew stronger and she felt like she was changing.
"Mommy!" She screamed again. The white door in front of her swung open as her worried, sweethearted mother stood in front of her. At this point the 6 year old was on the floor balled up. She felt her mother's embrace around her and found herself being picked up by her mother and carried into the room. "What's wrong sweetie?" she asked worried.
"I hurt."
"Where?"
"Everywhere." the young child screamed. The mother backed up and looked at her child that was on her bed
"Hold on a moment sweetie, I'll call 911." She said as she rushed to her phone. The child started to convulse as bright orange and black fur started to engulf the child. Her body started to grow larger into a shape of a feline. The mother watched with paralyzed fear as she found out what was happening to her young child. She snatched the phone and dialed rapidly. Soon the child was no longer a child, she became a large adult tiger. The mother held the phone up to her ear and took off, worrying about her own safety. The child followed the mother in hot pursuit. The mother ran just down the hall way when she heard"911, what's your emergency?"
"Help me! My-" and the rest was filled in with a blood curling scream.
Chapter 1
Sweet 16
Present day
"Happy birthday Jodi!" Two elderly people shout as a 16 year old teenager walks out of her bedroom. The 16 year old smiled "Thanks grandma and grandpa."Jodi said as she moved her long brown bangs away from her dark brown eyes.
"You're welcome sweet." The Grandfather said, smiling at his tall granddaughter. The Grandmother embraced Jodi.
"Oh, if only your mother could see this." She whispered into the teenager's ear. Jodi smile faded slightly. "I'm sure she is." She whispered back. Jodi backed away from her Grandmother and looked into her room, figuring if she is missing anything for school.
"Oh, my phone!" she said, patting her pockets. She rushed into her room and got her smartphone off the charger and put it in her pocket. The Grandfather laughed "Always about your phone isn't?" he chuckled.
"Yep, I'll never be me without it." Jodi said with a smile. She started to walk down to the kitchen behind her grandmother. Once the group clambered downstairs slowly, Jodi only had time to brush her hair, get her shoes on and have a sip or two of coffee. She went the kitchen and started the coffee maker and got everything else ready for school.
"Jodi! Are you hungry for breakfast?" her grandmother called.
"No ma'am. Jacob will be here any moment after I get my coffee ready." Jodi called out as she struggled with her converse shoes.
"But sweetie can't you text Jacob that he can go onto school without you and I or your granddad could drive you."
"I could, but I would like to get on school on time." Jodi explained. Her Grandmother shook her head and smiled. She loved that girl to bits, but spends too much time with that boy. Just then Jodi walked in and pulled her white panda shirt down and went for the cupboards for a portable coffee mug.
"Oh yea, Archery club will start again today." Jodi said, pouring herself some black coffee. Grandma nodded.
"Will Jacob be joining you this time?" Grandma inquired. Jodi shrugged
"Maybe, I don't know. If he's not I'll walk home and call you." Jodi smiled. She poured some sugar and cream into the coffee. Outside of the house a black convertible mustang pulled up and honked. Inside was a 17 year old male with spiked brown hair and stunning blue eyes. Jodi looked out the window and waved.
"That's Jacob. " Jodi said. She spun the lid of her cup and grabbed her book bag and her hairbrush before rushing out the door. Jodi's grandpa walked out the door with her and waved goodbye to his granddaughter and her boyfriend. "Have a good day at school you two! Learn lots!" he exclaimed as the mustang pulled away and Jodi buckled in.
Once Jacob and Jodi got to school, Jodi headed over the far end of the school where the Archery practice took place. She wanted to make sure that her bow was still there and was in the best condition. As she got the large storage shed, she saw the light in the room was on. That's strange, maybe Mr. Ramos is here on time. For once, she pondered. When she opened the door and walked in, at Mr. Ramos desk was a tall, slender man with short brown hair. He had black rimmed glasses and blue suite with a brown coat. The man looked at her, with a slight tilt of his head.
"Who are you?" Jodi asked.
"Oh, I'm Mr. Smith. I'll be your substitute teacher today." The man said with a smile and a heavy British accent. Jodi smiled.
"That great, I'm Jodi." She said holding out her hand. The man took it and shook her hand firmly.
"Are you in my first class?" he asked. Jodi shook her head.
"No, I come here 5th period. I'm just checking on my bow." She said walking to where her name was etched on a small plank of wood. Mr. Smith nodded "That's always a good thing to do." He concluded. Now it was Jodi's time to nod as she took her case off the wall and un-zip it on the table. As she open the case, a long recurve that was made out of tan wood slid gently out of the case. The hole grip was painted black with little neon green swirls that she pained when she gotten it.
"That's very pretty." Mr. Smith complemented.
"Thank you. It was my mother's before she died." Jodi said, her hand going over the curves of the bow.
"I'm sorry." He said. Jodi looked up at his brown eyes with her's.
"Why?" she questioned.
"Well, she was your mother. And… She died. I feel sorry for your lost." He said, his voice getting solemn. Jodi still stared into his eyes, for how young he looked he had eyes so old as if he seen his family murdered and he couldn't do anything about it. Jodi broke away from his stare, unable to take it anymore. She closed her eyes and thought about her mother briefly.
"She died exactly ten years ago." Jodi said, and just then the bell rang. Everything went from her mind as her mind fixated on getting to her first class.
"I'll see you in 5th period Mr. Smith." She said as she got her bow put up and getting her bookbag as she walked out of the classroom.
