Chapter 4 CHAPTER 4

AVARA

Soon, school was over.

Everyone made their way home, talking about Stella's suspension.

Many shared their take on this punishment, with one side believing she deserved worse and the other thinking it was too much for her.

But for me, I was more focused on my own safety.

I finally wrote my letter and was set to take the next step.

Arriving at my place, I walked over to the old mailbox we hardly made use of—due to the advancement in technology and all that—ready to slip my letter inside it.

Before I could even take it out from my back, I paused and found myself questioning my actions.

"Doesn't this feel childish? What if at the end of it all, it turns out my whole wish is just another imagination that can never come true?" I pondered, feeling doubt taking over my mind.

"What if the werewolf kingdom doesn't exist? Doesn't that make my dream for freedom a joke?" I asked myself with sadness, contemplating whether or not I should post the letter or hold back.

That's when I heard the sound of a door opening in front of me, causing me to lift my head up.

And right in front of my home stood my mother, wearing a see-through black robe with no shame, looking at me.

"What are you doing over there?" She questioned, narrowing her eyes at the mailbox.

I carefully drew away from it and lied, "It was opened, so I came over to shut it."

"Oh, I see," She responded in a doubtful tone, leaning against the wall.

Seeing how she stared with suspicion, I decided not to make any move for now.

I don't want anyone knowing about my plans to escape this prison called home.

"I'll have to be careful," I planned, approaching the door while trying my best not to look suspicious.

The moment I stepped into the house, Mom followed me from behind, shutting the door closed.

She didn't give me the chance to take another step when she held me back from the shoulder, turned me over and said, "I know you saw me with that man yesterday, Avara."

"What are you talking about?" I responded, trying to act like I didn't know exactly what she meant.

But Mom wasn't buying my act.

She glared at me with a devious chuckle and said, attending to my dress like a caring mother, "It's okay to lie, Avara. In fact, that's exactly what I want from you."

The moment she said that, I noticed someone from the corner of my eye, stepping out from the dining room half-naked!

It's that same man who was banging my Mom yesterday!

I was stunned to see him again and my reaction told Mom that I definitely saw them in the act.

"Now my dear..." Mom spoke, caressing my face while leading me to my room. "As a good girl, I expect your lips to stay shut. If Daddy ever finds out about my affair...."

"AHH!" I exclaimed when she pushed me into my room, causing me to fall to the ground.

I turned to look at my mother's cold heartless face, as she warned with a finger sliding through her neck, "I'll silence you for good. Remember that, my love."

She shut the door, leaving me creeped by her threat.

And before I could get to my feet, Mom's loud moaning echoed around the house, causing me to cover my ears in disgust.

Her words, her action... It became the drive I needed to pull out of my doubts and make the right decision.

Whether the werewolf kingdom is real or not, I'm done with this family.

About an hour later, the house was finally silent.

I snuck out of my room and found Mom and her lover sleeping on the floor in the living room, half-naked under a blanket.

I looked away with disgust, snuck out to the mailbox quietly, and placed my letter inside the box.

With a little prayer to the heavens, praying for freedom, I went back inside and locked myself in the room, waiting.

.

That evening, Mom and Dad sat in the dining room, eating and talking about their day, while I stayed in the living room, away from them.

Dad had asked me why I was being distant and Mom lied to him that I was preparing for a test and didn't want to lose concentration.

"Let's not disturb her, my love."

"Of course I won't. But if she needs me to give her a private lesson, I'll definitely help my girl," He laughed.

What a deceitful plan.

"I won't let him anywhere near me. Test or no test," I rolled my eyes, leaning against the couch.

That's when I saw it through the window. A figure near the mailbox!

"Could it be?" I gasped, jumping to my feet, shivering in anticipation!

My mind couldn't make out what I just saw. Maybe a human or something that looked like a human.

But I was definitely sure that the figure was at the mailbox.

Curious, I snuck out of the house without my parents knowing and ran over to the mailbox to check.

The moment I opened it, I saw a different letter from the one I posted!

"Heaven! Is this real?" I was trembling in excitement, as I slowly took the letter out, staring at a stamp of a wolf head on it.

"They replied," I heaved, my heart pounding with unexplained delight.

In that moment, I could feel all my troubles vanishing, as I held this letter tight to my chest, racing back into the house.

My speed attracted my parents who wondered why I was running to my room like that. But I didn't answer them.

All attention was on this letter.

"This can't be real. NO, THIS IS A LIE!" I shrieked, still finding this hard to believe.

The letter had a sweet smell of rose and it was thick like something that came out from a different world.

Without hesitating, I opened it and read the reply.

"Dear Avara, we've accepted your request to visit our kingdom. You're the first human to ever write to us, and this gives us great joy to know how much she believes in our existence," I read, giggling with happiness.

"As the moon shines tonight, we hope you can meet up with our chariot in the woods to begin your journey. For once the Goddess hides her glow behind the clouds, our chariot will forever be gone... Tonight? That means..."

I looked over at the clock. It's already eight and the moon is out.

"I don't have much time. I... I have to start packing!"

Jumping to my feet, I rushed over to my closet to get all the things I need, but thinking about my parents and my plan to not alert them, I decided to take just two clothes into my bag, and wait patiently for the right time to leave.

"Once the Goddess hides her glow behind the clouds, the chariot will be gone," I repeated that line, having a clear understanding of what that means.

My timer is the moon.

I had to keep an eye on it.

.

Thirty minutes to ten, and the whole house went silent like a grave.

I was sure my parents were in their room sleeping, so I took that opportunity to flee from that prison of a home, and into the night, heading for the Woods with my eyes on the moon.

For the first time, I smiled like never before, thinking of all the wonders that await me.

A life with the werewolves? This sounds too good to be true.

But it is real.

I wrote to them and they heard me!

"Haha!" I laughed like a kid, happily making my way into the forest, following the directions in the letter.

Purple ribbon attached to branches. That was the indicator, and I saw them.

I followed the trail and arrived at the exact point, deep into the woods.

But... "Where's the chariot?" I uttered, looking around, then at the moon.

"This is the place, and I'm on time. So, why is there no..."

"Aren't you a gullible soul?" A familiar voice said from behind, sending shivers down my spine.

"That voice," I recognized in a heartbeat filled with fear, as I turned around and found... "Stella?"

She was leaning against a tree, just at the exact path I came through, holding what appears to be an iron rod, smiling!

"I thought writing letters to Santa wasn't enough. But writing to werewolves? That's a first," She mocked, drawing near.

I drew back as she spoke about my letter and how silly it was.

"Oh Avara, I thought we were friends. Why are you running away from Mommy and Daddy? Why are you running away from me?" She placed her hand on her chest, acting sympathetic towards me.

Seeing how she was behaving... "You wrote that letter, didn't you?" I questioned with no doubt, but with pains in my voice.

Hearing my question, Stella switched into her true self.

She grinned at me and said, lifting the rod to rest on her shoulder as she pulled my actual letter from her pocket, dangling it in the air, "Guilty as hell. And it was the best trap to use and get you alone."

She laughed, squeezing and tossing my letter to the ground.

Fear overwhelmed me instantly. How could I have been so foolish to easily fall for such a thing?

I allowed my own desire for the supernatural things to blind me and now I'm in danger!

"Don't worry, Avara. Your Chariot is on its way. Just one strike to the brain and you're good to go," She grinned, her legs moving closer!

I didn't wait for her to get near but ran away into the woods without looking back.

Stella came after me, vowing to make sure I pay for getting her in trouble.

I was breathing heavily and making my way into any path my legs carried me.

"I have to get out of here, fast!" I panicked, sprinting with all my might.

Stella chased like hell showing no sign of giving up.

And when I unknowingly bumped into a tree, she struck her rod at me, hitting me on the shoulder.

It was intense, but that didn't stop me from fleeing.

"ARGH!" Stella roared, chasing me.

I kept on running as I feared what would be my fate if Stella finally gets me.

And just as I was losing hope of ever getting away from her, I saw something ahead.

I saw people! Three... Three men!

My hope came shooting high as I found myself screaming for help, increasing my speed.

"PLEASE, HELP ME!!" I cried out, hoping they'll hear me on time.

And as my steps drew closer and closer to these men in the dark, something unimaginable happened.

In a flash—just a few steps away from these men— my whole body was immediately sucked into what looked like a portal of dazzling night lights with intense force, spinning me around!

"What's happening?!" I screamed, not knowing what was going on!

Before I knew it, I was tossed out at once, and onto something hard, sending me falling.

Then, trembling, I turned back to find this strange thing that sucked me up.

But it was gone.

Not just that, I couldn't find Stella too. It looked like she vanished. Like she just turned back and left.

And that felt really weird.

Just as I was trying to understand what just occurred... "Do you mind?!" A deep angry voice spoke from under me, startling me!

I looked down and realized I was on the very three men I saw. Their faces buried down on the soil!

"Oh my goodness! I'm...I'm so sorry!" I apologized, getting off immediately.

I was about to offer my help to them but was immediately struck by what I saw when they rose to their feet.

Their height... They're huge and—and freaking tall!

And their ears?

"That's no human ear? That's..." Before I could say what I think it was, the three men turned around to face me, and... I saw it!

Their eyes, it glowed red under the moonlight, revealing who they truly are!

"Heavens... They're werewolves!"