Addison

Growing up we've always been told that there is someone out there, who in every way, shape and form is the perfect match for us. They are called soulmates and are rumored as an invisible red string that attaches us to them. I was never one to believe in such fantasies, but one day my entire world came crashing down when the werewolves entered Seabrook.

In case you've forgotten my name is Addison, I am currently at Cheer camp with my best friends Bonzo and Bree, as of right now practice just ended for the zombie team. I told everyone to go ahead and get ready for tomorrow's competition against Bucky and the Acey's. I was thinking about everything that's happened in the last couple of days. I've been writing letters to Zed every day but it seems he hasn't written back to me yet. And then there's the thought of him possibly not wanting to ask me to prawn, or maybe that's the reason he can't. Perhaps he's planning an extra special surprise and it's taking over his schedule or maybe it's his football schedule. Well, whatever it is, I miss him terribly but I can't find the time to tell him that I feel so out of place, like I don't belong.

Now, don't get me wrong there's a beauty in having zombies and humans coexist but when you have striking white hair it seems you don't have a place to fit in. Seabrook is all about having a group and fitting in. I joined the cheer squad because it's what my parents told me to do in order to find my way. Even being a cheerleader and having a kind boyfriend isn't enough for me anymore, I want to know who I am, I want to explore the world around me, and I want to finally belong to someone or something that's so much more than Seabrook. Zed always tells me that I think way too much and need a cool down every now and again, so I decided to go for a late-night run in the woods before heading to bed. The moon was shining so bright that night, the stars were reflected over the lake and the mossy green grass had the slightest shimmer in the night sky. I was running past all the tall oak trees when I felt someone was following me from the shift in the air and the wind increasing around me. I panicked.

"Whose there? Show yourself" I screamed out, it sounded much more brave in my head than it actually came out of my mouth. The only thing that I heard was silence and a distant howl from afar. Quickly I ran back to the cabin and changed my clothes before falling asleep. I glanced over at Bree's bed and noticed Bonzo was with her tangled up in the pastel pink sheets. I smiled as I slid into my bed thinking about the next time I'd get to see Zed. Little did I know there was a pair of yellow eyes watching me sleep peacefully throughout the night.

I was forced awake by a blow horn that Jacey so pleasantly set off in the bright early hours, we were forced to get up early to prepare for the competition. Buckey didn't know it but I knew there was no way he could win against the amazing performance I created, who knew the zombies were amazing at somersaults and backflips? Just as my team finished our breakfast Buckey called us down to the obstacle course. First we'd have to do a quicker performance than the wall would turn into a rock-climber and my team would have to zip-line over the mud run to reach the trophy. It was a challenge but after we finished our performance I looked over and saw that half of Buckey's team was face down in the mud pit and the other half was clinging to the rope for dear life. I glanced up and reached out for Bree's hand, she pulled me up above the rock wall, after Bonzo strapped everyone in, my team ziplined over the pit and landed with the cheer camp trophy in our hands. I really only got to hold it for a second, it was extremely heavy, but Buckey as per usual turned the competition into a publicity stunt.

"Now that you've held your trophy I have an announcement to make me the great cheer captain who is resigning. I will be taking over the school as the class president. So who should take my place as cheer captain?"

There were so many people talking at once, I couldn't even get a word out. If I knew one thing about myself it was that ever since I was a child I dreamed of being a cheer captain. Bree placing her hand on my shoulder snapped me back into reality.

"I think that Bree should be the cheer captain. If anyone can hold a united front I just know it's going to be her."

Everyone behind me, including the zombies stopped for a moment before erupting into yells and cheers hoping for me to become captain. The Acey's were frozen in disgust at the thought of me becoming the cheer captain, but then again I wasn't covered head to toe in mud.

"When I become the school president, I'll choose the best fit. Better beat Addison if you want my throne" Buckey glanced at Lacey covered in mud, her uniform covered in dirt and mud but her hands and hair free from any mess

"Lacey, you can't be afraid to get those jazz hands dirty to win! You've got to be kidding me!" Buckey ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he left to pack his bags for the trip home. I pre-packed my bags last night and ran towards the forest. Buckey always enjoyed scaring the first-year campers by telling stories of wolves and werewolves attacking in the middle of the night. I never knew if it was true, a long time ago the pioneers were attacked late at night and it was rumored they stole a mysterious energy source that they've been profiting from ever since. I always wondered what it would be like to be a creature of the night, to have a pack or a group of people to which you'll belong forever.

I was so focused on my thoughts I tripped and cut my knee open and a branch pulled a patch off of my jacket. All of a sudden a rush of movement was heard, as I looked above me perched on top of a rock is a boy, brown hair with a white streak, piercing yellow eyes, and a fur coat with a purple shirt. He was stunning standing in the sunlight, his fangs poked out from his mouth when he howled into the air and disappeared from my sight. For some reason I knew this was a secret that needed to be kept hidden, I just knew if anyone from Seabrook found out about their existence the monster laws would restrict them from living peacefully.

I couldn't help but call out after him, I didn't even know I screamed out asking for his name but I could barely remember getting up to chase after him. I was standing alone in a small clearing, the world around me seemed like it was spinning. Turning my back I felt the same rush of movement as before, he was there. He was peering through the leaves of the tree.

"I didn't mean to scare you, but who are you?" I waited for a response I'd never get, in a second he was gone, I rushed over to the trees, located on the ground was a small empty box. After opening it, much to my disappointment, there was nothing. I decided to place the box into my jacket pocket, I have to go before the buses leave without me. Quickly I rushed out from the woods, stopped by the cabin and grabbed my bags.

I decided to let Bonzo and Bree sit together, half-way through the trip home Brew jumped up and squealed in surprise, she wrapped her arms around Bonzo who was still holding the apple where he carved a portrait of Bree and the words 'Prawn?' at the very top.

"Yes! Oh my god, I was just asked to Prawn!" Bree's voice echoed out throughout the bus, so many cheers and claps made me feel even smaller than I already felt. I sunk down into the seat and wrapped my arms around myself, I ended up falling asleep and woke up to everyone screaming. After jumping up out of my seat I saw Zed standing on a ladder a few feet away from us. The next thing I knew the bus had crashed into a clearing of trees, I lifted my hand to the throbbing pain on my head, all I saw was red. My vision was fuzzy, and I was half under the bus and stuck between a huge oak tree. I looked inside the bus window, no one was there, I could hear voices shouting and screaming but couldn't form sentences from them. I hadn't realized the groan of pain that slipped past my lips, within seconds I felt myself slip free from my state of confinement, I could see the yellow and purple hazes around me. I wasn't scared, I felt at home, for once I felt that I was somewhere where I actually belonged. I was in someone's arms, they felt so familiar to me so I allowed myself to drift asleep surrounded by the scent of pine leaves.