I've read wasn't ever easy , but this one had drained me more than I expected. The bright lights, the chatter, the suffocat

nd teenage chaos. They didn't notice the girl with the pale skin and too-dark

sleeping in a coffin someone forgot to bury. Cold, damp, and filled with the ghosts of

life. Cars honked, dogs barked, children laughed. But none of it felt

l houses and overgrown yards. Maybe one of them

the hun

ds trembled. My vision blurred. The scent of human bloo

o

gs to move. I needed the woods. Tr

e, the trees welcoming me like old friends

witched at every rustle, my eyes searching for movement

ds. Quick. Clean. I

t like fire and silk. Relief washed over me, followed by shame. I

up

my face and hands, scrubbing at my clothes. T

heard the sn

fr

trees, rifle slung over his sho

ht?" he shouted, dropping hi

ds came. My shirt was soaked

ed?" His voice shook with urgency, his

i

oth and familiar. My lips p

pered, eyes wide. "I... I ran.

cern. "You poor thing. Come on-we'

he helped me up. His

woods-modest, but clean. A fire crackled in the hea

he said, already pulling o

a he handed me, letting its heat

our name?

" I sai

You're safe

led f

. Ri

stions, and I gave vague answers. He didn't press. Maybe he

bedroom,I was pleased,final

lped where I could-chopping wood, cleaning, cooking badly. We became...

n't ask why I stared at the moon too long or

in a long time, I did

teeth. And mine we

-

when everything

les. Marson was in the kitchen, whistling some tune I didn't recognize

think about going back

e kindling I

't mean to scare you. I just.

s I bent to pick up the pieces.

ight. Just know... I'm

. My mother's voice echoing through smoke. I woke up dr

e moon hung

sted throu

ounding me. My senses were sharp, every sound amplified

't cha

d the cabin, sat beneath the twis

fety was a lie too. Because undern

lips, remembe

uld I keep

he saw me for w

whisper of the wind through the trees, carry

't belo

fore

ready to le

And I tried to be human,