Author's note: Ok, so here's the first chapter, I hope you guys enjoy it… if anyone's reading it. I've noticed that other people who put up there first chapter get a lot more hits than I do, any suggestions on how more people will want to read my story? Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 1

1944

You know… I never asked for this…

I would be perfectly content if I were able to live my life like normal people do… but no. That wasn't what the fates had set out for me. Instead I was cursed. At least that's how I saw it.

My name is Zeke Francis, and as far as I was concerned, I'm the most unlucky and abnormal kid who'd ever lived in Minnesota, US of America.

Honestly, I don't think that I've ever been normal, since as far as I could remember they'd always been there. I had to wonder sometimes what others saw, if they saw anything at all, that is. But I see it. And that's all that really matters, isn't it?

The worst part of all of this is that no-one ever believed me when I told them what I saw. I mean, it would make sense that they wouldn't believe me; I didn't even want to believe me. But the truth was that they were everywhere. They never really hurt me, with the exception of one or two, but in comparison to all of the ones I've seen that's nothing.

They've become so common, in fact, that I've grown to ignore them. It's much easier that way. But I know that eventually there'll be a time when ignoring them will no longer be an option.

And then I'll have to face the fact; that these monsters are real and that they'll haunt me as long as I live.

It was really odd. I've been seeing less and less of the monsters recently. They're still there, but quite a few have gone missing. I blame the war. Not that I'm saying that's it's a bad thing… or a good thing either, whichever. The point was that I'd only seen a total of five monsters this week. I usually see a minimum of twelve a day. It was strange, but I didn't mind.

For once, I felt like a normal fourteen year old, as I should, in fact. Sure, I was still teased. Who wouldn't be after claiming their sixth grade teacher had snakes for arms and a lion for a head? But that didn't mean that I wouldn't enjoy my time while there were no monsters to stare intently at me; knowing that I saw them.

But still, it would have been so much better if I were left alone for the day by him too. But… no such luck, he came over anyways, and with his posse of three, no less.

"Well, well, if it isn't nuts for brains," Kevin said laughing at me as the others sneered. Honestly I couldn't care less for their taunting. Thus, I ignored them and went on reading the book I had brought from home. Kevin, however, refused to be ignored. "Hey! I'm talking to you." He yelled as he took my book from me.

"Give it back!" I snarled, getting up. I was only few inches shorter than him, but we both knew that in reality, I was the one who would win in a fight. I just chose not to. After living in fear of the monsters for the first seven years of my life, I convinced my mother to get me to learn Fushin style karate, a style of martial arts, under the impression that it was "In case someone tried to attack me". But I was no bully, and I refused to use it on a living person. Especially not on the worthless excuse for a bully called Kevin.

"What is this anyways?" Kevin said, trying to decipher the book, even turning it sideways, to no avail. Truth be told, it was in ancient Greek. I'd become fascinated in it from the age of ten, when I'd found out about the Greek gods and other pieces of mythology, and was now able to read and write it quite fluently after hours upon hours of studying it intently. But to the bullies it was just more reason for me to be called a freak.

"Give it back now," I said, my temper rising. He knew what would happen if I got angry, and he knew it was very close to happening.

I saw the fear in his eyes before he quickly muttered, "whatever," and threw the book on the ground before stalking away, his posse following; their tails between their legs. I sighed as I went back to my book.

That night I dreamed. I didn't dream often, but it did occur time to time. However this time, it wasn't fictional as most dreams are. This had happened before, two years ago in fact.

I was waiting after school, outside of my classroom for my sixth grade teacher, Mr. Smithens. On me leaned an object (two to be honest), wrapped up in a heavy cloth. I had just taken it out of my locker; otherwise others might have been curious why I was lugging the thing around all day. And I couldn't have that.

I was terrified and anxious at the same time; not my favorite combo. But what could I do? He attacked me, yesterday… or tried to. If the principal hadn't needed to talk to Mr. Smithens at the last moment, he probably would've ripped me to shreds with his head, or poisoned me with his reptilian arms. The worst part was that I had only asked him a single question during class, 'Do you eat rats?' and after denying told me talk to him after class, for punishment for 'demeaning the teacher' or whatever. He's so stupid…

But that was then, this was now. I had to stay focused, or I'd end up dead. But then I questioned myself… what if I'm just crazy, what if I harmed an innocent man because I thought he was part lion, part snake, all freaky murderous thing. But then I remembered his eyes right before he attacked me… his gleaming red eyes. No, I was right. I'm certain for the first time in my life that they were real, and some might just want me dead.

I heard a click. Snapping back to reality, I saw the classroom door open and out stepped Mr. Smithens. He saw me and smiled. Not one of those, 'Ah, my favorite student' smiles or 'Ah, a diligent student come to ask me a question' smiles, but an 'Ah, I'm going to kill him' smile. I didn't say a word; I just slipped off the cloth covering the objects that were leaning on me, revealing my dual long swords.

I had been training with them for the past two years now, after becoming a first degree black belt in the style of fushin , and if I didn't say so myself, had already mastered them, able to beat some of the seniors in my class. But this wasn't class, where if something happened, we'd stop and get a band-aid. This was the real deal.

And it terrified me. But still, I moved forward, slowly, with one sword in each hand. Smithens didn't move; he just stood there, smiling a lion's grin. However when I was within ten feet of him, he lifted his left arm/snake. It literally stretched and tried to bite me. But that was when my instincts kicked in. I quickly dodged to the left, and tried a downwards strike on his arm, but I must've missed, because nothing happened.

Now, I went on the offensive, rushing forward, my right sword ready to strike, and he moved back. I continued my assault, but to no avail, he just continued to step back, dodging each and every swing, with perfect grace. To an onlooker, we must have looked like we were dancing, for every movement seemed in synch. I swiped to the right, he moved to the left. I struck down, he jumped up.

I was growing tired of this, and I knew he was trying to wear me out. I almost chuckled to myself, 'Good luck with that,' I thought to myself. I had great stamina. He'd have to go some time before I ran out of steam. Then I noticed something. His right arm was gone! I knew I hadn't cut it off, however, and he wasn't even bleeding. Instinctively I moved to my right, and barely dodged the snake that flew past me. Luckily, other than the small part of my sleeve that it'd just torn off, I was relatively unscathed.

But now I was angry at being so blind as to not notice his actions, and I tried a new tactic. I threw my left sword right at him. He dodged. But I knew he would. That's why I took the moment to rush at him and stab him straight in the mouth.

Only… it didn't harm him! Then he looked at me with a look that said "you're so pathetic", and began to laugh a maniac's laugh. In disbelief, I tried slashing him over and over again, but to no avail. My blade couldn't harm him!

"What are you!" I said truly frightened, stepping away from him.

He turned to me and smirked. "Poor confused mortal. Don't worry; I'll put you out of your mis..!"

But then he choked on his words with a look of horror etched on his face… and he began to fade away, turning to golden sand in the process. I stood in awe, looking until he had blown away. Frightened, I did the most logical thing… I turned and ran, picking up my fallen sword in the process.

I ran until I was home. Then I went into my room and sat on the corner of my bed, looking about terrified that Smithens might come back at any second. But after a few moments of sitting, I realized that he was gone, perhaps forever.

Comforted by that thought, I tried to fall asleep.

I refused to go to school the next day, feigning sickness, and continued to do so for the next three days afterwards. When I returned to school on the fourth day after the 'meeting', I noticed that we had a new teacher. Unsurprised, but trying to feign knowing nothing of his disappearance, I asked where he was. I was, however, surprised when I was sneered at by Kevin, saying that there was and never had been a 'Mr. Smithens' , and that there had only ever been out current teacher, Ms. Dundas. He then proceeded to call me crazy. And for some reason, everyone went along with his act, and Mr. Smithens' name was never brought up again.

But I could never forget his gleaming red eyes.

I woke up in a cold sweat. It was the middle of the night. I convinced myself that the loud echoing noises of the bombs exploding down at the battlefield were the reason why I woke up so frightened. But really, I knew that wasn't why. It was because I knew.

Less monsters in the area or not, I was going to be attacked again… and soon.

Author's note: Ok, hope you guys enjoyed it; the next chapter will be up next Saturday, so please subscribe and review!