Canopy

Erika winced as she pulled the double sided sticky tape from behind her delicate pointed ear. She didn't know why she had them, just like she couldn't explain why her eyes were a mixture of emerald green and silver.

Erika lived in a small town in New Zealand with her grandmother; she used to have a grandfather. He passed away when Erika was only 15. She loved him dearly; he used to be fencing teacher and an Olympic level archer. Erika was now 18 years old, in her last year of school.

Erika was a tall 5'9 and had long chocolate brown hair down to her waist.

"Why do I even bother doing this to myself?" She questioned.

'Because you want to be accepted,' the annoying voice in the back of her mind said, bringing the memory of her 1st day of high school with it.

flash back

Erika walked into the court yard with a paper bag in hand at her side; she wore a pair of brown leggings that matched her hair and a dark green shirt.

Her hair was in two long braids down the back of her head revealing her pointed ears.

The girl sat down under a tree and started eating an apple( coz shes healthy) when she felt someone behind her. She looked up and saw two 11th graders standing over her with their hands across their chests smirking.

"Yes?" Erika asked tensing up knowing something was about to happen.

"Who said you could sit here?" One of them asked.

"Well last time I checked it was a public school." She stated. She winced as the taller one grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her to her feet.

"Don't get smart with me freak!" He sneered in her face.

"Get you hands off me!" Erika yelled trying to shake off her attacker. All this commotion caused other students to stare and watch in interest. Ignoring her request the other one grabbed a hold of her other arm.

"Where did you get your clothes freak?" The tall one taunted.

"Where did you get your ears from?" The other one joined in.

"What the hell are you on about?" Erika asked bewildered.

"Hell if you haven't noticed by now that you're a freak then you deserve what's coming!" The tall one then took a hold of her ear and twisted, hard.

Erika felt as though someone was stabbing her through the ear with a letter opener. The short one grinned as she fell to her knees withering in agony.

By now everyone in the lunch area was watching nub minded.

Erika couldn't take it anymore, she had to fight back just like her grandfather had taught her.

She kicked out her leg swinging it into the kneecap of the one holding her ear and felt the satisfying crunch under her boot. Stunned the bastard let go of her ear and she took no time in punching the smaller one out, right in the jaw.

Calmly she picked up her lunch and walked home.

End flash back

She had to be strong!

That was 5 years ago. Since then Erika had been taken into the large forest that started on the edge of her backyard where her grandfather had taught her the art of the sword, spear, bow and arrow. He also taught her the ways of the forest.

Erika could climb trees in seconds and not make a sound. She would camp in the forest for weeks in the summer holidays.

She remembered the last word her grandfather had told her

"Don't forget what I have taught you and all will be well my Erika."

Erika was disrupted from her thoughts when she heard her grandmothers weak call from her bedroom.

In the last few weeks her grandmother had been getting weaker and weaker. Erika and her grandmother knew she was dying of old age, none of them regarded it.

"Yes Nana?" she said walking into her grandmother's room. She sat beside the bed, her grandmother took her hand and caressed it lovingly

"My Time is almost up my dear Erika now I must ask something of you."

"Anything Nana."

"Under my bed is letter from your grandfather and I that we wrote when you were very little explaining everything that you need to now at this point."

The old woman paused to close her eyes and then opened them again "Tonight Erika tonight do not stop."

The old lady's eyes glazed over many emotions flickered through them and then her eyes closed.

Erika knew there was no point trying wake her grandmother so she gently placed a sheet over her.

Erika felt so numb like there was nothing here for her. She didn't even hear the phone that was ringing loudly downstairs. Then the grief pain and anger hit her. Erika slid down the side of the bed to the floor and burst into tears, all the loss of her family sliding down her cheeks.

Erika started rocking backward and forward it wasn't fair. "It's not fair!" She screamed, picking up a popery bowl and flinging it across the room where it smashed against the wall.

Erika fell to the floor again and started hyperventilating she let the darkness over come her.

"The letter Erika the letter, don't forget." A voice whispered in her head.

Erika sat up with a start, wondering who was whispering to her. Then she remembered the letter. She looked under her bed and saw a few objects wrapped in cloth and an envelope on top, pulling them out her tore open the envelope and carefully read the letter

Dear Erika

If you are reading this letter it means both your grandfather and I have left you but we will always be with you in spirit.

We are writing this letter to tell you the truth, you grandfather and I are not your real grand parents. Your real mother and father gave you to us so we could protect you because they no longer could. You are a very special girl Erika, never forget that. Tonight you shall find out who you really are in the cloth are gifts from your parents use them well also in the top of my wardrobe is a gift from your grandfather and I these are the only things you will need on you journey at midnight tonight go into the forest and don't look back

We love you very much and wish you good luck

Love Nana and Poppa.

Erika read these words with tears streaming down her face wiping them away she opened the cloth, she gasped in there was a beautifully carved long sword the hilt was white gold and had a picture of a moon with a butterfly inside it. It was truly beautiful her parents must have been very wealthy to afford such gifts for her.

She unwrapped the other cloth she found a gorgeous long bow made from oak wood but it was so light on it was carved some strange characters she did not recognize. It reminded her of Tolkiens elvish that she had read several years ago.

Then she walked to the wardrobe and found a leather bag, opening it she found a pair of leather boots, a pair of wrist guards, a chocolate pair of breeches, a dark green shirt and a two throwing daggers with a hook so it could hang on her belt.

Erika got dressed in her new clothes and wrist guards, packed her quiver full of arrows, attached her sword to her belt, bow to her back, packed her bag with blanket, canteen and looked at her watch. 11:45pm almost time, walking out the door looked back and saw a small figure in the hall, it was Melody her kitten she had gotten for her birthday in July. Erika couldn't just leave her there to die so she walked back in the house scooped up the grey and white ball and placed it on her shoulder, shutting the front door she took one last look at her house

"Goodbye old life hello knew one." She whispered "Hold on Melody." Melody purred in reply and dug her claws into her owner and friends back, as Erika set off at a fast pace into the forest unknown.