Chapter One - 16th Birthday - Part Two

PART TWO

written by Jenn Parker

"Hey, are you alright? Do you wanna goto the sick bay again?" My friend lily said coming up behind me, she gently places her hand on my shoulder.

I am feeling a bit dizzy, all the other worldly's (what I sometimes call them) seem to be at it again today. Actually they seem to be more and more in numbers lately.

"I'm fine!" I gave lily a reassuring smile and closed my locker.

We walk together for first period. I feel again like I trouble those who care about me.

I slump at my desk. I had no sleep last night. I kept thinking about Peter. I was comparing him to the vague memories of the boy in my past. He practically said it was him - but something seems a little off.

He had a darker feel to him than before. As beautiful as he is, he is almost scary.

"OW!" I squeal, something just tugged my hair. I stand up and look around me. Everyone is starring at me again. So embarrassing - I can see it, another pesky little creature. It looks like a little blue sprite. From experience these type, are just bent on annoying me. I can see it smirking as it hovers around me. Taunting me.

I ignore it and sit back down and try gain my composure.

After class, Karl pulls me aside again.

I guess he wants some explanation - But he probably hates me now anyway...

"Rose, I'm sorry can I take a minute..." he grabs my hand and leads me into a courtyard.

His hand is soft and warm, I actually think this is the first time a guy has ever touched me this way, even though it doesn't mean anything.

I can feel the color rising to my face again. If he keeps bothering me like this, I might actually fall for him.

Before he can get worked up I decide to speak first "Karl, you know... I cant be.."

"Tomorrow is your birthday right?" Karl cuts me off "Uh.. that.." I begin

"I dont need any presents...". The color remains in my cheeks.

I look up at Karl and he has his back turned to me with his hand in his pocket.

"Really.. too bad" he speaks. Karl turns around and raises his hand quickly slashing at me.

"Huh! What hey... STOP!" I cry, backing away from him.

A hot wet feeling slides down the side of my neck. I put my hand up to my neck when the stinging begins. "ugh... Karl.. what are you doing.. You cut me! Im sorry I cant go out with you..." I cried out "I have my reasons..." I also say firmly.

I got it all wrong this guy is a psycho. But I wont let him push me around too!

"Rose... don't you know how special your birthday is?" Karl finally speaks, smirking.

"What I don't get it... Leave me alone, go away from here Karl before I scream!!" I shout back at him. He gets closer to me, he reaches for my hand and pushes up against the school wall.

'Ugh' I thought, that hurts "Stop Karl, your hurting me!" I try to struggle from his grip but its too strong.

"Obviously Rose... Im going to eat you!" Karls smirk turns into a grin, followed by wild laughter. "What! Don't tell me you don't know?" He hisses at me.

The school bells chime. Everyone is going back to class now, away from me and I'm already out of sight. I hope a hall monitor comes to check in here for truancy.

I have no idea what Karl is talking about, but by this stage I'm really scared. Karl licks the side of my neck. I can feel his hot tongue licking up my blood flowing down my neck.

"Ugh STOP, HELP ME SOMEONE! please!" I scream at him. I scream into the air hoping someone will hear me.

"No ones going to come Rose" Karl traces his finger down the side of my chin and presses himself closer into me. I start to feel sick. I struggle some more, but I just cant get Karl to budge. He is really strong for a kid his age.

I start to cry.

Karl lets his grip go of me and backs off a bit. "You are food for us goblins.." He says.

"Once every hundred year a human like you is born" Karl eyes me up again. I can see the hunger in his eyes.

I guess I never thought that the creatures could look human too. But when I think about it Karl does have something about him, something odd, that attracts me towards him.

"Human like me? What do you mean" I half lie, I don't know what he means yet but I'm not going to reveal my secret again to anyone.

"Rose you cant hide it from me. I can smell it all over you. You stink".

'I stink? What, I'm so confused... can spirits smell me, is that why I attract them?'

"Right now because you are about to blossom you smell the strongest, and you smell very tasty" Karl pushes me back up against the wall, pinning me by my neck.

I let out a loud gasp as the air is taken from my throat. It really hurts.

"Did you know Rose" Karl hisses at me again "That not only do you smell tasty, Your blood will give me eternal youth".

"How ever, A demon can take you for his bride, and his clan will become the most powerful in the underworld". Karl laughs again. He starts licking my tears off my cheek.

I want to be sick, I want him to stop touching me. Is someone going to come help me!

I can feel Karl's body stiffen as he flexes his muscles. He pulls his head up so he can look me in the eye.

I want to look away but his gaze is so intense, hard and dark. I feel like I'm a deer stuck mesmerized in front of a cars bright head lights. He rolls his lip up to reveal a fang.

"However.. Rose... Most of the time, Humans like you - Just get eaten".

Chapter One - 16th Birthday - Part One

PART ONE

written by Jenn Parker

My eyes flew open. "Rose....." I can hear my friends familiar soft voice.

"Rose, are you ok!?" my friend calls at me again. My head was pounding, I roll over on my side and face. Reality hits me. I sit up, startled and look around dizzily.

"Ugh.. where am I?" I said. I felt groggily unaware of my surroundings...

"Your in the school sick bay, you fainted again Rose..." my friend Lilly smiled back at me. Lilly looks like she has concern written all over her face. 'How many times am I going to make her worry...' I think to myself.

Even though I have never told her my secret, Lilly has always been my friend, no matter how weird I might have acted in the past.

It really feels like I am not getting used to them yet.. here I am in the sickbay again.

As common as it is for me, it always seems to still surprise me when I wake up here...

I think I am still waiting for him to come back for me. That boy from the past. The only words I remember... But I don't know If he ever will. I cant even remember his name or face anymore.

Or even who he was...?

"Sorry for calling you out so suddenly" It was now after school, and I just got called aside

by one of the seniors.. I hope I'm not in trouble.

"My name is Karl, I'm in 3rd year, so you know me Rose?" He leans his back up against a tree.

"Uh yes... Karl... who doesn't know you, Your so good at sports and your grades have been awarded... so.."

Karl urges me to come closer to him. I take a couple of steps. I could smell his deodorant. Getting a closer look at him, he seemed pretty fresh, he must have just finished practice and had a shower.

"Great... well I was wondering Rose" He pauses hesitantly "If you would be interested in dating me..."

I can feel my entire face light up hot pink.

WHAT! Why so suddenly.. I'm surprised he even knows who I am. And everyone else teases me,

I know I'm not popular. I don't get it.

Suddenly I felt a pull on the back of my skirt, I glance down and sure enough another little creature is trying to prank me. I don't get it, they leave everyone else alone.. and just now, at such a important moment they are around me yet again.

I look at Karl, not only is gorgeous, but he is popular and talented. He is very much my type. But...

"No" I say reluctantly.

Karl gives me a confused look.

I don't need to give him an explanation. I just need to go home. I cant be with anyone while these monsters still effect me. Especially in front of such a cute guy!

"Sorry" I say and walk off leaving Karl behind me.

"Wait, why? I don't understand, I really like you so..." Karl says calling out to me.

I really want to stop but I start running instead, with the creatures following me home.

All of a sudden I wanted to run away. All this is just to over-whelming.

"Some day, I will definitely come back" The kind boys words running through my head.

I don't understand.. Why do I keep waiting?

I cant even remember the important parts. My memory of him is so vague. I don't know why.

The rest of my childhood is so clear to me. Mum said I would cry about it, was he really that important to me. Wasn't he just a boy in my neighborhood.

I finally arrive back home. To my surprise there is a moving truck outside of my neighbours house. No one has lived in there for awhile, I always assume it is a holiday home.

Between my house and the neighbouring house, which has rather large grounds.

There is a secret passageway through the garden which I used to play in.

I always have fond memories of this spot, it's like when I come here I feel magically at ease.

And all the strange things that usually follow me seem to be calmed.

Curiously I decide to take a peek and see who is moving in next door.

There at the main garden path that led up to the back door of the house, is a beautiful looking women. It appeared as though she is admiring the garden there. Could this women be my new neighbour? I wonder if Mum knows anything about it.

I turn to leave, but something catches my eye. No, on second thought. That is a man.

The man turns to face me, he must have spotted me.

"Rose" He calls out.

To not be rude I approach him. Mum must've talked to him already.

Suddenly I feel nervous, He truly is a beautiful man.

"Um Hi, Im your neighbor, sorry I was curious about who was going to be here now." I started "I am Rose, so you must have met my mum already?".

I hope mum only said good things about me.

"Ah ofcourse, Yes It has been awhile Rose"

"Uh.. I don't quiet follow sorry" Does he know me from somewhere?

"I used to live here about 10 years ago... you don't remember?"

what... "My name is Peter" he follows

Peter? I don't remember a Peter.

"We used to play together as kids" He waves his hand in the air.

"Look...." He points to my arm "They are sticking to you again"

A small gnome like creature is grabbing my arm. It must have been the creature from earlier.

With a slight gestured wave from him the creature flew away.

I've never seen anyone do that before!

What he just said to me starts to sink in. "What... wait! You can see them?"

He nods and smiles at me warmly. "Yes, I can see them too... You really don't remember do you?"

I shake my head. I don't, I have no idea who Peter is.

This person...... maybe he..

"Sorry I need to go now Rose, I have been looking forward to seeing you though".

Peter smiles at me again as he carefully plucks a rose from the garden.

He gently passes me the flower "A Rose for a Rose.. You really grew up to be a pretty girl". He flashes me a beautiful smile. He begins to walk off but stops and turns toward me again "Don't worry, If you ever need me I will be here, come see me anytime".

My heart begins to pound loudly in my chest as he walks away..

That night in my room. My heart is still pounding while Peter's words go through my mind..

'We used to play together' and 'I can see them too'.

So that person was really him? The missing person from my past.

I flop down on my bed as I watch the spirits dart across the ceiling. I cringe.

I need to see Peter again.. I need to know about my past. I also want to know how I can stop seeing these creatures. I don't want to do all this on my own anymore.

Did he really come back for me, like he promised. Maybe it was mum telling him stories.

Mum probably already apologizing in advance for my weirdness.

Also that was a promise we made as children, he couldn't possibly have been serious?

But he did remember my name?

If it is him though... I feel a bit happy I waited.....

Prequel

The world is filled with strange things. Scary Things.

Its just that normal people, cant see them...

My name is Rose. And since I can remember, I can see other worldly creatures and spirits that others can not.

When I was younger people hated me for it. They would whisper behind my back and my parents would always have to make excuses for me acting so oddly. They also wouldn't believe a thing I said and I used to get into a lot of trouble.

But now I hide it, and I've been attempting to live a normal teenage life but its not easy.

The creatures are tricksters and the spirits they enjoy making me cry, but I bare with it as much as I can.

I do remember, there was another boy who could see them too, but he ended up moving far away.

We used to play together all the time, even though he was a little bit older than me, we used to

have a lot of fun.

What I appreciated most about him, was that he always cheered me up when I was feeling scared or sad.

He told me before he left, that he would come back for me one day.

Since then I have been on my own, for these last 15 years and well the truth is..

I will never get used to these creatures....

This is my story.....