Ever since Roman could remember, there had always been a wooden fence surrounding his little town. He knew it wasn't the only one, but it was one of ten. His was the biggest.
The wooden fence is to keep the wild ones out. It protects our kind sweetie
His mom had told him once he could understand to stay out of the woods beyond the wooden fence.
His people made sure the kids had a big enough park and room to run around and hide. Guards stood by the front entrance and the back. Some walked around the fence to make sure it was still secure.
Roman had yet to see what a wild one looked like. His friends, not having seen one either, but "hearing" stories, tried to scare the little kids.
"My dad told me they're shapeshifters and that they take you by looking like someone you know", his best friend Dean had said.
"No way, my mom said that they come out from under your bed if your room is dirty", Seth had said.
"Maybe she just wants you to clean your room", Dean pointed out.
Seth's shoulders had sagged. He knew Dean was right. Roman laughed and patted Seth's shoulders.
"My mommy says not to get near the fence because they take little girls to make more wild ones", Bayley had said.
A confused look came on her face.
"I don't know what that means", she said.
She was younger than them, Dean rolled his eyes.
"That's because you're a baby, baby", Dean said.
Her bottom lip trembled. Dean groaned.
"Don't cry", Seth hugged his little sister.
Dean rolled his eyes, before receiving a glare from Seth for upsetting his little sister.
"What about you Roman? What did your mom and dad tell you?", Randy asked.
His dad had told him countless stories, but he didn't know which ones were true. None the less, they were interesting and had him sitting on his dad's lap to hear more.
"A lot, he'll tell you. You just have to ask", Roman said.
"Then let's go ask", Dean said, standing and wiping off his shorts of any dirt.
They all stood and followed Roman home. His dad and uncles were sitting around the living room laughing about something, the kids didn't know.
"Dad, they want to know what the wild ones look like", Roman said, after tapping his dad's shoulder.
Sika looked over at his son, his smile disappearing along with the smiles of his brothers. Dean's dad Hunter, sat with them. Seth's dad, Dave picked up Bayley and sat her on his lap.
"Why are you asking?", Sika asked, looking over each child.
"My dad", Dean said, giving his dad a look, which made everyone chuckle.
Hunter smirked at his son. He got his attitude from his mom, that was for sure.
"Said they were shapeshifters", Dean said.
Sika smiled and looked at Hunter. He knew everyone here made up stories as to not frighten the young, but he always made sure to tell Roman the truth about the wild ones.
"Well you have to ask your dad's if it's ok first", Sika said, picking up his youngest, Nia.
All the kids went over to their fathers and asked. All dad's nodded, figuring they were old enough to know the truth. Once everyone got the okay, they sat around in a circle in front of Sika.
"We were all normal once, civilized humans. Till one day a group of us had had enough and cast out the ones who didn't agree with the laws. They went into the woods and lost their humanity. Turning into killers, taking lives without a second thought. Your great grandparents went into the woods and killed as many as they could. They built the fence to keep them out and to keep you all safe.", Sika said.
He remembered seeing one once, dead of course. His dad and grandfather had caught it and hung it. It looked so human like, they were proud of themselves.
"Have you ever seen one?", Randy asked.
Sika nodded. Several, women, men, and children, but he wasn't going to scare them with the details.
"Yes and no Dean, they aren't shapeshifters", Sika smiled as he noticed Dean was going to raise his hand.
"I knew it", Dean mumbled.
"Why did they kill us?", Sasha asked.
Sika never knew and neither did his father or grandfather. He just remembers someone coming into his father's home and telling him wild ones were murdering someone near the lake where the kids would play.
His father grabbed his shotgun and told him to stay put. He did and watched from the window. Night had come and his father came home with a smile on his face. Proud of himself.
"Come and look Sika", he had said.
He followed his father out and watched as the woman gasped for air. Blood covered her body and tears were wiping the dirt off her cheeks.
"Don't cry for them son, they killed our own", his dad had said.
The woman tried to speak, but another man had come over and kicked her in the head. A sickening crack sounded and Sika felt sick.
"Disgusting trash, all of them", the man said.
Sika hid behind his dad's leg. This man and his group were terrifying, it was something about them that he didn't like.
"You are all more than welcome to stay the night", his grandfather had said.
The creepy man shook his head no and shook his hand.
"Thank you for the offer, but we must go. Do as I said, you know about the fence. Our town his safer because of it", the man said.
His grandfather nodded and watched as they left. His dad turned to his uncles.
"What's wrong?", his grandfather had asked his dad.
Sika had listened in on their conversation.
"I don't know dad, it's strange. Why now do they attack? They've never done anything to hurt us", his dad had said.
His grandfather looked into the woods.
"They aren't human anymore son. They use to be, I remember her as a little girl", his grandfather said, pointing to the woman on the floor.
His dad sighed.
"It just doesn't make sense", his dad said sadly.
His dad was happy they caught the murderer, but he also felt like something wasn't right.
"So, they just found her there with the dead body?", Charlotte asked.
Sika nodded.
"Grandpa helped build the fence", Randy said, looking towards his father.
Dave nodded.
"Have they killed anyone since?", Lana asked.
"No and that's thanks to the fence and the guards who protect us", Hunter said.
The kids smiled.
"Anymore questions?", Sika asked.
"Can we go back outside?", Dean asked.
The men nodded.
"Go on", Sika said with a tilt of his head.
The older boys stood and ran out. They sat on the swings, looking at the fence.
"I dare you to dig a hole and crawl under it, stand on the other side and count to one hundred", Dean said to Seth.
"Why don't you do it since you aren't scared", Seth replied.
"Chicken shit is what you are", Dean said.
"My little brother is not going to do that. My mom will kill me and then him", Randy said.
Seth nodded as he hung upside down on the monkey bars.
"Then you do it Randy", Dean said.
Randy rolled his eyes at Dean.
"I'll do it", Roman shrugged.
Dean smirked. Roman made his way towards the fence. The patrol had already passed a few minutes ago, so they had time. Dean helped him dig. Roman tried to fit, but he still needed room. They dug more, Randy helped now. He wanted to know what was on the other side as well.
Seth kept watch.
"Patrol", he whispered.
The boys stood and filled the hole with leaves Seth had gathered. They sat on the slide. Jimmy and Jey had joined them now. The twins were just as curious.
"I think this is good Rome", Randy said.
Roman squeezed through the hole and came out on the other side. Randy followed next and then the twins. Seth sighed and followed, he didn't want to be left alone. Randy reached under and scooped as many leaves as he could to fill the hole as best he could.
"Now what?", Roman asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
The boys shrugged and looked around the wooded area. There was still light out.
"The lake your dad was talking about should be a little bit that way. My dad has a map of the area", Randy said.
They boys nodded and made their way, following behind Randy.
"Seth, stay close", Randy said.
Seth did as he was told. It was getting darker.
"The lake", Dean said, pointing to the small river that connected to the lake.
The boys stared at the water.
"What do you think it looked like? The body", Dean whispered.
"Probably ripped to pieces. Blood and guts everywhere, an eyeball hanging from the tree and an arm floating in the lake", Randy suggested.
"I want to go home now", Seth said quietly.
Randy looked at him and nodded.
"Race you back?", Randy asked.
He wanted to take Seth's mind off of everything. All the boys nodded. Roman couldn't help but feel like someone was watching them. He looked around as the other boys took off in the direction of home. They walked a straight line, so they wouldn't get lost.
Hearing a branch break behind him. He started running, tripping on a rock. His hands caught his fall and kept him from going face first into the ground. His hands were cut up and bleeding. His jeans saved his knees from getting scratched.
"Are. You. Ok?", someone stuttered.
He looked up and saw a woman with dark brown hair wearing a handmade dress. She looked worried, her hair was somewhat knotted and she had no shoes on. He moved back only to wince because his hands stung. She bent down.
"I. Won't. Hurt. You", she said.
He wondered why she paused after every word. She dug through a bag and showed him a cloth and a small bottle.
"Hands", she said, showing him her palms.
He looked down at his and she held a hand out. He placed his hand in hers. She wet the cloth and cleaned his palms, he hissed before it felt like his hands went numb.
"Help", she said.
He nodded as she wrapped his hand and moved on to the next one. Once she finished, she smiled.
"Good", she nodded.
He smiled.
"You're a wild one, aren't you?", he asked.
Her smile fell and she stood, wiping her knees. He noticed her baby bump.
"You're pregnant?", he asked.
She looked confused. He stood and pointed to her bump.
"Baby", he said.
She looked down and placed her hand, a smile forming on her face again. He looked back when he heard his friends calling for him.
"I should go", he said.
She looked in the direction of the voices, curious. She had seen the boys walking towards the lake and followed them. She knew how dangerous the woods were if you didn't know how to take care of yourself out here.
She kept an eye on them. He looked back at her.
"I'm Roman, by the way", he said.
She looked at him confused. He pointed to himself.
"Roman", he said.
She smiled when she realized he was telling her his name.
"Brie", she pointed to herself.
He smiled. His friends calls getting closer.
"You should go", he said.
She understood go and you, but should was foreign to her. She looked back.
"Go", she said.
He nodded when she looked back at him.
"Roman", she said.
He sighed and started walking away, hoping she didn't follow him. When he looked back, she was gone. He kept walking till he saw his friends.
"We thought you got eaten", Jey said.
Roman laughed and followed his friends back to the hole in the fence.
"If anyone is going to get eaten, its Seth", Roman said.
The boys nodded, agreeing. Seth pouted and Roman put his arm over his shoulder.
"I'm just messing with you buddy", Roman said.
Randy uncovered the hole and poked his head under. He looked at Seth.
"You first kid", he said.
Seth did as he was told. Each boy after another. Roman looked back and scanned the area for Brie, but she was nowhere to be seen. He smiled before crawling back to his side.