By | Sydney Moore
Chapter 1
I sat there on the little beach right on Prospect Lake wondering how long it would be before my father woke up and realized I was gone. I left with nothing, hoping to go back with something. I sat there waiting for a miracle of some sort. Maybe a shooting star somewhere high above in the diamond sky, nothing. The last words I heard were, "It's better this way as much as it hurts. There are things you don't know and things you can't know. I love you." My head spun around thinking back to this memory of the last time I saw Cam. He stood there hiding something I was sure of. His jet black hair was slightly shining due to the glow of the crescent moon in the starry sky. He stood tall next to me, always careful not to get too close. I miss the warmth of him next to me. I started to cry slowly weeping.
Car tires slid across the gravel road and at this point I could have cared less if it was a killer or another one of my dad's friends. I saw lights and moved towards the beach away from the opening were the car soon would be. It was getting darker and all I wanted to do was jump into the water a couple yards away. Seth stepped out of his car and yelled my name. I crept behind a giant oak tree hoping he would leave. He sniffed the air and followed my scent. "Sara, why are you doing this?" he looked me in the eyes and I folded my arms and walked back to the rock I was sitting on. Seth and the rest of his family were shape-shifters. Or abnormal creatures some say. He can smell really well by using I think a dog. He can hear far like a bat at times too. He hates shifting though; in fact I don't think he ever does.
"Why are you doing this to yourself, let it be."
"I can't find any answers to this! Nothing is right!"
He hugged me. I stopped him gently. He was in love with me, I was sure. He would never admit it though. I love him in a way but not as he does. He saves me like music does for people. He's my favorite album at times. He's a jaw dropper too that's for sure. Girl's melt for him and chase him like a puppy after a Frisbee. One morning I stepped outside for school and he was there waiting for the sunrise. It's times like those when I know why he's my friend. Then there is Cam, I can't even describe him. He's everything I was hoping for. Cam was the one that made my heart pound with his melodic voice. That tranquil sound held me captivated for hours before I actually wanted to move. It always came to this, either Cam or Seth. Seth was amazing, and Cam was too. Being stuck between two right choices well… SUCKED!
We walked quietly towards his Land Rover. The car was midnight black with tan leather on the interior. Seth always liked to say it was his, although it was really his fathers. His dad didn't really care though, he lived on the edge. He rode a Harley usually. I always laugh at him when he puts on his leather coat and funny boots. "Get in." Seth quietly yelled. I hopped into the passenger's seat and strapped myself in. He spun out of the clearing and headed towards the highway. He occasionally flipped through the channels which played classic rock only. He went over several of them about 8 times. I could tell he was anxious. I was about to ask him to stop flipping through channels when he quickly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"SHHH be quiet!"
We sat in silence and he stepped out disappearing into the mountains.
I started getting worried. I sat still wanting to lie down away from every single dark window that was in this car. I knew too much about Seth and his family that I was in danger of others like him who were horrible creatures living life as an animal, never human. I knew in a way what was going on but I couldn't grasp my head around it.
Seth opened the door rapidly and started the ignition as quickly as possible. "What now?" I asked in a hushed scratchy voice. "They want you dead for now, I killed him so you don't have to worry, just please stay home at nights when I'm not around." "Okay, I think I can handle that." I replied.
Seth's Land Rover slid down my street hitting every pot hole with elegance. His car was so smooth. I envied his car so much. I had a small Subaru that my mom got from some old friend, old meaning ex- boyfriend. I swear one day that old car was going to shut down for good, I can't wait! Its ripped flooring was horrible. It was a gas guzzler too, almost every mile it seemed it needed gas. What a waste of money it is, in my opinion.
We pulled into my cracked driveway and Seth seemed more tense than usual. "What's wrong?" I couldn't help but ask. "Nothing." Well obviously something's wrong I thought about saying. "They don't like me knowing about you do they?" He looked at me, "No my parents don't care that you know." He was so stupid sometimes, "Not your parents, the Terra." He stopped for a minute. The Terra is a group who live as shape-shifters, never changing to humans. They rule over a kingdom, if you can call it that. Seth used to own this, "kingdom" well his ancestors at least. A large war broke out among them. Flames were tall, and winds were strong. So many of them were killed, or captured as slaves when the Terra won. Only few escaped shifting into faster animals like cheetahs. It was amazing but scary to hear. Seth's ancestors escaped and started a family here in this small town Manitou Springs, in Colorado. They named it after the Native American word "Spirit." It is between the Garden of the Gods, and Pikes Peak.
"Yeah I guess they said we are exposed to mortals."
"I'm sorry I always make these problems come up."
"You didn't do anything at all! You should be the one never wanting to see me again."
"You are honestly crazy Seth."
Seth chuckled a little and said, "I know." He flashed me that smile. That gorgeous perfect smile that made everyone melt. Maybe that was another one of his talents making people have a heart attack.