One Year Later

"Law and Order is still looking for the missing individuals. Officers Caleb Hale, Ethan Whitaker, and Lila Hale. If you know anything about the whereabouts of these esteemed officers of the law, please contact-bzzt-"

The radio cut out with a staticky crackle. I glanced up from my notebook, watching Mom smack it like she always did when it acted up. "Piece of junk," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

I bit back a smile and went back to my math problems. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the broken radio and the sound of my pencil scratching on paper. It wasn't much of a house—peeling wallpaper, creaky floorboards, and a chill that crept in no matter how many blankets we piled on at night—but it was ours for now.

"Do you think they'll ever find those cops?" I asked after a while, not looking up.

Mom didn't answer right away. I heard her exhale, the kind of sigh she did when she didn't want to talk about something. "Doubt it," she finally said. Her voice was steady, but I'd learned to catch the tiny edge underneath when something really bothered her. "People disappear all the time."

I paused, tapping my pencil against the page. "What if they're still alive? Couldn't they just—"

"Y/N." Her voice was sharp this time, cutting me off. I looked up, startled, and found her staring out the window. "Don't worry about it, okay? It's not our problem."

She was right, of course. It wasn't our problem. But I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that crept in whenever I heard their names. It had been years since we'd started moving from place to place, and sometimes, I caught the look in Mom's eyes when she thought I wasn't watching—like she was waiting for something. Or someone.

"Why are we always moving, anyway?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. "You said it was just for a little while, but it's been a year. Are we running from something?"

Mom froze for a second, her hand resting on the radio. Then she turned to face me, her expression unreadable. "We're not running," she said carefully. "We're just... looking for a fresh start. That's all."

I frowned, not convinced, but I didn't push. Mom had this way of ending conversations without actually saying the words, and I'd learned that pushing her didn't get me anywhere.

Before I could say anything else, a sound from outside caught my attention—a low, scraping noise, like something heavy being dragged across the gravel driveway.

"Mom?" I whispered, my heart pounding.

She was already moving, her body tense as she crossed the room and grabbed the bat she kept by the door. "Stay here," she said firmly, her voice low.

"But—"

"Y/N," she cut me off, her dark eyes locking onto mine. "Stay. Here."

I swallowed hard and nodded, clutching my notebook like it was some kind of shield.

Mom slipped out the back door, her movements quick and quiet. I stayed where I was, my stomach churning as I stared at the door.

A loud crash from outside made me jump. My hands were shaking now, and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears.

Should I go after her? She'd told me to stay, but what if she needed help?

Another crash, followed by a low growl that sent chills down my spine.

"Mom..." I whispered to myself, standing up slowly.

I crept toward the window, peeking out from behind the curtain. The driveway was empty, but the shadows seemed darker than usual, shifting like they were alive.

Something moved at the edge of the yard, too fast for me to make out.

And then I saw her—Mom, standing in the middle of the driveway, holding that old bat like it was a sword. She wasn't alone.

A figure stepped out of the shadows, short and hunched, with goat horns and glowing red eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. Its skin gleamed, wet with red liquid, its mouth curled into a grin full of sharp, bad human teeth.

I ducked back behind the curtain, my breath catching in my throat.

What the heck was that?

I pressed my back against the wall, trying to calm the pounding in my chest. I didn't know what was going on out there, but one thing was clear—Mom had been hiding something.

And whatever it was, it had finally caught up to us.

The minutes stretched into what felt like hours as I stood frozen against the wall, the muffled sounds of the struggle outside filtering through the thin walls of the house. My mind raced. That thing—it wasn't human. It couldn't be. And yet, Mom didn't seem surprised. She was prepared.

My legs moved before my brain could catch up, carrying me to the back door. The old hinges creaked as I cracked it open just wide enough to see what was happening.

Mom stood her ground, the bat gripped tightly in her hands. The creature snarled, circling her like a predator sizing up its prey.

"You're not getting him," Mom said, her voice low and steady. "Not while I'm alive."

The thing's laughter was guttural, like rocks grinding together. "Brave words, mortal. But he's marked. You can't hide him forever."

I clutched the doorframe, my knuckles white. What did it mean, marked? Was it talking about me?

Without warning, the creature lunged, its claws swiping through the air. Mom moved like lightning, sidestepping and bringing the bat down hard on its back. The crack echoed through the night, and the creature let out a howl of pain.

I couldn't just stand there. Mom needed help.

Grabbing the nearest thing I could find—a rusted wrench from the cluttered utility shelf by the door—I pushed the door open and stepped outside.

"Y/N, no!" Mom's voice was sharp, panicked, but it was too late.

The creature's glowing red eyes snapped to me, and its grin widened. "There you are," it hissed, its voice dripping with malice.

I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. But before it could take a step toward me, Mom was between us, her bat swinging with deadly precision.

"Get back inside!" she barked, not taking her eyes off the creature.

"But—"

"Now!"

The urgency in her voice snapped me out of my stupor, and I stumbled backward into the house, the wrench still clutched in my hand. I shut the door but didn't lock it, pressing my ear against the wood to listen.

The fight raged on outside, but Mom's grunts of effort told me she was holding her own. The creature snarled and howled, but I didn't hear any triumphant laughter.

Finally, there was a thud, followed by silence.

I held my breath, waiting, until the door swung open and Mom stepped inside. She was breathing hard, her hair wild, but she wasn't hurt. Her bat was smeared with something dark and sticky, and her eyes were blazing.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her gaze raking over me.

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

She sighed, setting the bat down by the door before crouching in front of me. Her hands gripped my shoulders, firm but gentle. "I told you to stay inside, Y/N. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

"I—I just wanted to help," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her expression softened, and she pulled me into a quick hug. "I know, baby. But you can't fight things like that. Not yet."

I pulled back, looking up at her. "What was that thing? And why was it after me?"

She hesitated, her jaw tightening. For a moment, I thought she wouldn't answer. But then she let out a long breath, her shoulders slumping.

"It's... complicated," she said finally. "There are things in this world, things most people don't know about. Monsters. And they're drawn to certain people."

"Like me," I said, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. "So the snake lady was real? She actually did those ... things."

She nodded. "Yes . I've been trying to keep you safe, even before her, to keep them from finding you. But they're persistent."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Monsters were real. And they wanted me.

"Why?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Mom stood, running a hand through her hair. "Because you're special, Y/N. You're... different. And they see that as a threat."

Different. The word hung heavy in the air.

"But I don't feel special," I said, my voice small. "What threat warrants someone making you do something like that?"

She smiled, a tired but genuine smile. "You don't have to feel it. You just have to trust me when I say you are." Her face fell solemnly as she tried to answer my questions, her response?

"Some monsters are ... more monstrous than others."

I nodded, even though I didn't fully understand, but her answer left a sick pit in my stomach.

"Come on," she said, ruffling my hair. "We need to pack up. We can't stay here anymore."

"Again?" I asked, the weight of her words sinking in.

"Again," she said, her expression apologetic. "It's the only way to keep you safe."

I didn't argue. I just followed her lead, the wrench still clutched in my hand as we began gathering our things.

As I packed, a new resolve began to take root in my chest. I didn't know what made me special or why these monsters were after me, but I wasn't going to let them win.

Mom was protecting me.

And one day, I'd learn to protect her too.

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DGW: I hope you all enjoyed the read, leave any comments or suggestions you'd like to add for the story

Suggest Love Interests Here:

Suggested Love Interests: Zoe, Reyna, Clarisse, Thalia

Tools Used: FANDOM WIKI app, Grammarly, Theoi.com, Wikipedia

Word Count: 1666