Promises are meant to be broken like the chains that hold them together.

Light became dark as the shadows slithered up the trees like snakes clutching their prey. The canopy grew thick as I continued to follow the beaten path, only a small light in my hand to guide me to safety. The wind howled as I heard a consecutive snap of broken branches and lightning strike the tree that I stood before. Being far enough away, it was like time slowed down as I saw the lightning take over the tree like a virus. I looked up to the sky to see the parting of clouds from above the tree. The sun began to slowly peek through the clouds in rays of light.

The tree swayed as I heard a snap, breaking in half before crashing to the ground, making the earthquake beneath it. It was a lifetime cut short, saddening, but yet life continues on. I noticed the sun begin to shine down upon the tree. It was quickly covered by the moon, causing a red line to emanate from around it. The sky began to hiss as red raindrops began to pour down and burn the ground. The moon moved and I saw the fiery sun before it disappeared again.

Giggling came from behind me and began to echo throughout the forest, surrounding me. It abruptly stopped and I heard a twig snap from behind me, a laugh below me, a scream above me, even though no one was there. The raindrops began to devour the dead tree, and I sunk to the ground with my head resting against the shelter. A figure came out from the trees and I had to hold back a snicker at the robe they wore with a cape-like design to it as it blew in the wind.

"Hello little one, how nice to see you again. You remember me don't you?" The figure's eyes shone red as they looked at the rain running down the side of my boots.

I bit my lip and looked down, knowing that this was only a dream and that I couldn't be hurt, I hurled a rock at them to make them go away. With a raised brow, the person stepped to the side and slithered up to me. A small dagger held against my throat where I could feel my pulse.

"Don't you remember me?" I gulped and felt the dagger slice into me, warm liquid trickling down my throat in the process as the person laughed and pressed it harder against me.

A quiet wail came from beside me and I saw a fox and wolf come out. The fox began to snarl and the wolf came up beside me. The person dropped the dagger and took a step back while the fox pounced on them. The fox looked at me before running back to the woods, only for a person to come from the other side of the treeline and watching me as they did so.

The banging of drums followed suit, a blue mist trickling through the forest. Their eyes were yellow as black tears streamed down their face. I noticed a small child from behind them in chains and a hood drawn over their face. The hood was removed and white hair with ears poked out, while their amber eyes watched me as I stood up and moved to the shadows of the trees.

"Bring the child forth to me, slave." The word spits out of their mouth like venom, and I was able to see that it was the person from earlier that the fox attacked, a scar covering their eye.

The hooded slave winced as a marking on their lower ribcage glowed blue and began to burn because they hadn't moved. Throwing the child to the ground, I heard a howl from the distance as a group of five ran off towards it. The child stood up, dusting off the dirt from their hands whilst they glared at the scarred person. Their hand was grabbed and they were dragged to a white circle that had been traced in the ground. Blood ran through the crevices in the ground as it began to release a white mist that the scarred person began to draw into themselves.

The child wailed and their ears disappeared, making them collapse to the ground in a small heap. The person continued to take the essence from the child, only making them grin more as they did so. As the sins were taken in, the scar began to fade until it was barely visible.

"Now my angel, we must commence the cleansing to free you of your sins."

It was quiet. The curtains laid still, untouched. The sun was hidden behind a mass of clouds, engulfing the room in a murky gray. The blankets that laid upon me were across the room in the bathroom. The room was frigid, just like the shackles that chained me to the bed.

All I ever wanted was always a dream of mine, while my nightmares were reality. Pulling on the shackles, they rattled loudly, so I decided to stay quiet and lay still. The more I laid there, the more tired I became, I noticed different specks of light floating around the room like glitter.

Black and gray surrounded me as I heard a scuffling next to me. The child from my dream was running around the room, completely unaware of my presence. The marking looked sickly and green, making the shirt become grimy. Their ears perked up as they bounded to the bedside table. The child took a seat in the chair and looked at me before looking at the door.

With a tray and book in hand, the hooded slave from earlier came in and crouched down beside the child. Their eyes were clouded and they coughed weakly into a tissue. The child began to giggle and play with the slave's hair as the slave addressed their wounds and brought out an old leather book. The child immediately stiffened and tried to slip away from the person.

They snatched the child's hand and placed it to the book when a black liquid began to seep into the crevices, it began to unlock. With a kiss to the head and a bandage on the finger, the slave left the terrified child in the chair. Looking at me, the child turned and cracked a grin while putting a finger to their lips before turning stoic and robotically moving towards the door.

"Sh, you're not supposed to know. Well now you do, and you know what you need to do."

I sat up on the bed, the chains rattling once again. Rubbing my eyes, the slave from the dream stood there with a small smile, but never looked at me. Their head was clothed in silky black as they placed a small platter down with sweets. I looked up, and they looked away.

After eating, the slave took my platter and I heard the rustling of chains come from them, yet I saw none. The intricate design that clothed their arm was burned and smelled like ash. Drips of black burned their skin as they limped out the door and down the hallway.

The door was left open for the next person to enter I assumed, yet no one came. The child from my dream came to the room again and glanced at me before hiding under the bed. The scarred person came forth with a cane in their hand. Glancing at me, they rolled their eyes before taking a seat on the armchair across from me. A delicate tattoo was faded but stretched from their lower torso up to their neck. It poked from underneath their turtleneck like it was choking them.

"Tell me where The Ave is." Their voice was hoarse and they coughed into a napkin.

I stayed silent, not knowing what The Ave was, but most importantly, I didn't want them to think that I didn't. Right now I had the upper hand and I hoped to keep it like that. They waited, and when it was known I wouldn't speak, they left me sitting on the bed. The child poked its head out, white ears flicking to the noise in the hall before coming out and looking up at me.

"Shush, hurry, they'll come soon with the belt. It's time to go friend!" The child giggled and unlocked my cuffs by extending a talon from their hand, holding my hand, and started to run.

We ran through the people that walked the land. The child smiled back at me before we passed through another person. I couldn't comprehend what was going on, nor did I have the time either. Looking down, I couldn't see my hand, only the hand that held onto the child's that kept me grounded to this realm. Letting go, I felt myself begin to drift away into nothingness.

The sounds of nature grew silent around me, as my hands went through one another. I was truly becoming a spirit, drifting along with the winds. I could only hear a small whisper from below me. The child began to giggle and smiled up at me before pulling me towards the ground.

"Come on! We're almost there," the child whispered as the sirens began to go off when we made it to the border, "it's time for you to go to sleep now. Good luck!"

The child blew a kiss towards me and I felt heat surround me as I fell into a deep sleep. The wind carried me through the forest's depths, although my consciousness would come in and out as I moved along, allowing me to see specific places and not others. The fox that I frequently see sat on the porch stoop of my work patiently waiting for me to open the door. Once my feet touched the ground again, I grasped onto the door handle before closing it behind me.

The fox slid in, laying with its back on the ground, expecting attention from me. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a pair of gloves before starting to pet it. It let out a quiet whine with its tail wagging before dashing inside when it saw that we had no customers and food on the floor.

"Hello baby," Devyn murmured, the fox wagged its tail, before rolling onto its back.

"Come on, we're gonna get the lunch rush soon, let's go." Devyn glared back at me.

"It's nearly dinner time, you had the night shift today. Have you been sleeping all day again?" I gulped, not sure how I was supposed to answer that question, but nodded.

Devyn smiled before giving the fox a berry and shooing it out the back door. The bell chimed as a couple walked in, walking around to look at the murals and plants that adorned the walls. I took my place at the counter and began to count the tips before they came up to me.

"Good afternoon, I'm Skylar and this is Zion. We were just stopping by to tell you something," Skylar paused and the two looked at one another terrified as if speaking without words, "when the time comes, take it, and run as far away as you can."

The two left swiftly and Devyn looked down at the envelope before looking at me again. I tucked it into my back pocket before I started to clean the counters. The unopened letter left silence hanging over our heads, uncomfortable and stifling for us.

"Hey, you feeling okay? You look a little sick." Angelo came in, pointing at a muffin.

"We got a weird couple that came in not too long before you. They were talking about running away." Handing Angelo the muffin, I notice that the smell of smoke becomes more prominent in the room as if the lingering smell of smoke just became more apparent.

"Will you go?" I didn't respond, I couldn't, I didn't even know what the message meant.

Angelo sat inside talking to me and periodically went outside to do something behind the line of trees that I was unable to see. I didn't pry, it only took a few moments until we were reunited once more each time. The night started to become more crowded as people came after work and Angelo still had not moved from the bar stool that sat in front of me. People seemed to understand that the seat was taken even when Angelo disappeared, which left me confused.

Sage came in the back door, exhausted, and covered in heavy grime. Devyn groveled and the two went to the back to freshen up. Angelo stiffened and looked back at me before turning to glare at Sage. I moved to the register and Sage began to move around swiftly like a ghost. Without the public noticing, I was able to see the mark on Sage's shoulder singed heavily and bleeding before the collar to the shirt was pulled up. Sage looked back at me, with what I thought were golden eyes, before turning to clean the tables that were to my back.

"Don't go," Sage's voice was weak when we spoke later that night after everyone left.

"What are you talking about?" Sage looked panicked towards the back door.

"I forgot that I have to run to the grocery store. I'll be back soon, I promise." Sage looked at me with a forced smile, sorrow behind the very soul that I trusted my life with.

The wind began to howl as the night drew light, the moon becoming dull as the clouds clothed it in dark. It became black, moving across the sky like ink on a page. Rain began to pound down onto us, making the roof quake. Sage looked at me, towards the sky with a deepening frown, before running out the back door into the night.

I didn't dare run out, the lightning that sounded around us told me not to. Sage looked back at me with doe-like eyes before darting out into the woods. I took a seat on the cushions and watched the lightning crash down outside. The wolves howled outside, making a chill creep up my spine. Shivering, I locked the doors and pulled a blanket around me.

I went back once the storm cleared, having waited for Sage for a few hours. The sound of the rushing water from the gushers was deafening. The streets were overflowing with water, the gravel only helping so much. Streets were silenced by the water and the absence of people.

Kay was waiting for me on the couch, looking up with gloom when I sat down. The main room was quiet, only the chiming of the hour heard in the room. Hearing the clatter of a teacup, I notice Kay's shaking hands. I smiled and Kay looked down to the teacup on the saucer with the spilled raspberry tea that clothed the white cloth, staining it red.

"Where is Sage?" I murmured softly, Kay looking at me with worry.

"I don't know," Kay took a breath and looked at the rain outside, "Sage has been acting weird lately. I have a few hunches but I'm not sure what's going on."

"What's going on with Sage then?" Kay glanced at me, the locked books, and sighed.

"What do you know about Magik?" I stifled a laugh and Kay glared at me.

"Well, I've never known if it was real or fake. There's no way to prove something doesn't exist when people don't want it to." Kay smiled before going to one of the books on the wall.

"We're not human, which probably not surprising since I just asked you that question." I bit my lip and nodded, while Kay murmured something and the locks on the book turned to ash.

"There are many misconceptions and myths that engulf the Earth, I'm one of them." Kay's head tilted as I was stared upon, fangs creeping down until I knew that Kay was a vampire.

"You don't drink blood do you?" Kay shrugged and leaned back against the couch.

"We can, that's what these are for." Kay pointed to the fangs. "However, we've evolved over time to also take in essence, which is the Magik your body continuously produces and there are two types. It cannot be tainted by anything, meaning it's a good food source. I have dark essence because I feed on others like a parasite or evil souls have it, while you would have light."

I nodded, looking down at my hands, willing for Magik to come but received nothing. Kay snickered and took the gloves that covered my hands. My hands were covered in scars and burns, but Kay paid no notice. Feeling cold engulf my hands, I notice a small white glow emanating from my hands and Kay smiled before pulling away. Putting on my gloves, Kay looked out the back window again, Sage still not returning after being out for well over six hours.

By the next morning, Sage had not returned, and Kay was pacing not much to my surprise. Kay knew something that I didn't about Sage, and that made me nervous. Downstairs, everything was normal, it was like Kameron wasn't in the hospital and Avery didn't look upset, instead, smiling while the food was served. When I came into the kitchen, Ari looked at me with foggy eyes, and then the child scrambled to come over to me, tugging on my pant leg.

"I want a bond, pretty please?" Ari giggled and continued to tug on my pant leg.

My thoughts went blank as if I was trying to remember something. Ari pouted and put a pancake dampened with syrup in my palm. Although I was disgusted by the texture, I smiled at Ari until Nix came over and guided the child back to the children's dining table. Washing my hands, I notice that the dining table was eerily quiet and I glanced back to see Kameron walking in the front door, a cane in the left hand, and a small bundle of clothes in the right.

"Hello everyone, we will begin investigations, please be ready for more night patrols."

The little kids run up to Kameron, asking why they can't do the community night patrols with their parents. Kameron laughs and walks away with the kids while Nix tries to control the few stragglers. Avery begins to clean up the kitchen tables when I grab some breakfast.

Looking at me, Avery immediately glances to the ground to pick up a small bloody rag that fell out of the pant pocket. Before I could question, Avery had disappeared, serving breakfast to some of the adults that came down the stairs. Biting my lip, I look down at the slime that was left behind and my eyes widened as it began to move on its own and down the kitchen sink.

Avery comes back into the room with a grim look, the rag nowhere to be seen. After quickly glaring at me, I looked to the ground and made my way outside the front door. Few people were mulling around due to the unfortunate weather. The skies were reddened by the setting sun, the clouds having a dark hue as if they were looming over us.

Angelo was working in one of the garages at a small desk. It was splintering and the varnish had begun to fade with use, reminding me of how exhausted Angelo looked. Looking up, I was met with a smile and a motion to sit down at the adjoined pull-out table. Taking a seat, Angelo hastily puts the papers with blotted ink into a leather binder and tied it in a knot.

"The weather's holding up, well, at least for the time being," Angelo coughed while putting the folder into a saddlebag. "Have you decided what to do regarding the letter?"

"I still haven't read it, it's weighing my bag down like a ton of bricks." Dramatically, I pulled it out of my bag, examining the intricate designs on it that matched Angelo's folder.

"Do you know where Sage is?" Shaking my head, I wondered why Angelo was asking.

I looked over to see Angelo murmuring something over a different book. Eyes nearly white, I noticed that another book was on top of the bag. Although it had no designs carved into it, as Angelo spoke lines began to snake their way around the page. It was a dying lily, a petal falling to the ground. I felt an unknown surge to reach over and grab it, but suddenly it was gone, and I immediately got up from my seat and looked down on the book in horror.

"You need to know what's going on with Avery and Sage." Angelo stopped as a scream echoed from outside the garage, we look at each other before Angelo closes the book.

We scramble to get out of the garage to see children fleeing the playground beside the woods. Few people did anything, most had too much adrenaline running through their systems to think rationally. Angelo looked at me, grabbed the book and bag, locked the door, and sprinted towards the forest. Gathering my bearings, I followed suit, although I knew I would regret it.

As the last people fled, I noticed how silent the woods were again. Looking up, I saw a bird on a branch with its wings extended about to take flight, but it didn't move, not even breathe. Nothing was moving, as if time had been stopped, or at least slowed down to that point since time is relative. As we went further into the forest, it was like I was seeing the same scene over and over, except it was slowly going back in time like a roll of film.

"Look," Angelo whispered and began to slow down as the trees cleared in front of us.

The forest floor was drenched in blood as if a war had just been fought. The grass that was untouched, laid dead surrounding the massacre. Snarls surrounded us in a circle, growing louder and quieter like a game. Seeing eyes in the woods, Angelo moves closer to me and drops the book into my palms. Waiting to be told what to do was futile, Angelo wasn't going to speak to me, instead, looking deep into the underbrush at a pair of glowing eyes moving towards us.

Wolves stalked out from the brush, thorns in their sides, and blood dripping from their foaming mouths. Their claws glistened with the essence of their kill and came to us like a dance. One swaying to the left, to the right, moving towards us and back, all while continuing to growl. Angelo held the bag, rummaging in one of the small side pockets, until pulling out a small vile.

"Move, you're nothing more than filthy dogs." Angelo grabbed some powder and flicked it towards the wolves, recurving a whine as the powder exploded in a green cloud of smoke.

The smell of burning flesh began to waft towards us, while the wolves' snouts closest to the smoke began to peel away. Hair fell in clumps and their whines subsided to silence as they began to back away from us. Angelo stood on guard until they fully receded into the woods.

"Are you okay? They didn't slobber on you?" Angelo comes to my side and checks me.

"No, they didn't." I look up Angelo from my place on a rock in the forest clearing.

With a sigh of relief, Angelo plops down next to me and pulls out the book from the bag. Reading through it, I notice what appears to be a version of older English and squint to try to make out a few words. Once I do so, many of the words begin to make sense and I'm bombarded with a sense of fright and anxiety, making my heart begin to race until I pull my eyes away.

"Do you see that?" I look up to see Angelo pointing to a small mound deep in the brush.

Glancing at each other, we slowly get up, looking around to make sure the wolves don't return. Moving towards the mound, I notice that it looks like the carcass of a dead animal, although the light was minimal so I can't be sure. Angelo stands in front of me, crouching down to look at the mound, before standing up abruptly and pulling out some items from the bag.

"Look," Angelo pulls out the medkit before grabbing the mound and flipping it over.

With bloody and infected cuts from the wolves, lay unconscious Avery and Sage.