(A/N above ^^^ is fanart of the creature from this story made by Splashi6. Thank you very much for your devotion to my story!!!)

Wren walked home holding Evergreens hand to comfort her. Sometimes Evergreen could be... well, a crybaby. But Wren would never tell that to anyone, because it was rude. Wren walked down the main street, then turned to go to one of the smaller streets where all the villagers lived. 

That's when the gong rang.

Wren had only heard this gong go off five times in the past year. Wren had heard from some people that the monster might have left. But clearly now it did not. Wren squeezed Evergreens hand harder, and then dragged her over to the closest home.

Wren opened the door and thrust Evergreen inside. She closed the door behind her, the screams outside where already quieting down as people hid inside houses within seconds.

"Over here," Someone whispered, and Wren pulled Evergreen towards teh voice.

A boy about Wrens age held open the door for the girls. He was someone from Wrens class, although she did not remember his name. Wren's first thought was of the safety of Evergreen, then of her father. She pushed Evergreen down into the cellar. She hesitated for a moment.

Wren wanted to make sure her father was safe. She needed to know that he was safe in someones cellar.

"Get in already," The boy whispered frantically, the booms of the monsters footsteps where within earshot now.

Wren took a deep breath, she had made up her mind.

Then the entire house shook. Wren fell over on the floor. the monster sounded as if it where just outside the house. Wren quickly jumped down into the cellar before she could change her mind. Wren knew that her father would be safe, he was a responsible man.

The boy shut and locked the cellar door. Wren went to sit next to Evergreen in the darkness.

"Everyone say your names really quickly and quietly, one at a time. I need to know how many people are here and who they are," Said the boy.

"Wren, that's Evergreen," Wren said quickly.

"I'm Aster, these are my children, Robin and Finch," A woman said.

Wren looked through the darkness and could see two little children huddled against their mother.

"I'm Basil, the Boy-Who-Thinks-He-Is-In-Charge's mother," Another woman said

"And I'm Sorrel, The Mother-Who-Wont-Let-Me-Be-Responsible's son," The boy said, sitting down next to Wren and Evergreen. Everyone talked in the quietest voice possible.

Wren hugged Evergreen as the monsters footsteps walked overhead.

"Oh I remember you, Wren right? You're the girl who rejected Kunal as your boyfriend," Sorrel said.

"Kunal is a complete idiot. And i feel like i should be known for more then 'The girl who rejected this guy'. I have accomplished many things," Wren said.

"Oh, yeah sure, you accomplished the most amazing things ever," Sorrel said sarcastically.

Wren kind of liked his personality. Sarcastic and funny, yet responsible. Wren father always told Wren to make more friends, this might be a chance.

"I bet you'll be chosen for a guard job, because you accomplished so much," Sorrel said.

"Maybe I will," Wren glared at Sorrel.

"Not if i get the job first," Sorrel smirked playfully.

"Sorrel, This is serious right now. Please don't make small talk and be quiet," Basil said seriously.

Everyone in the cellar grew quiet as the monsters footsteps continued to be heard overhead. Wrens worry for her father only grew by the second. What if he never made it to a house? What if the noise of the monsters footsteps where getting quieter, only because it had already eaten her father and was satisfied?

Evergreen's grip loosened on Wren as the monsters footsteps grew quieter and the shaking of the earth gradually faded away. Like Protocol, everyone was required to stay in their cellar for at least one more minute. After that, anyone had ten free minutes off from work to hide in their cellar if they where an extra cautious person.

Although, some people hid in the cellar for an extra ten minutes just to skip work.

Wren was still holding Evergreens hand as they climbed out of the cellar after a minute had passed. Wren pulled Evergreen outside and they stood in the middle of the street, both girls preparing to do what they normally did after a lock down.

Evergreen set off running north, while Wren ran south. After a lock down, The girls ran down each of the five streets and then met up outside the town hall. They went to make sure their parents where right, checked on some other people, then made sure each other where alright.

It was a plan they did every time, It had been invented by Wren to keep Evergreen less nervous about their families and friends.

Wren sprinted down the street, looking for anyone in trouble, but mostly headed towards her house to check on her father. Wren spotted a little kid crying, they where probably about six years old. She stopped and went to go comfort the kid and see what was wrong. Wren approached the child and crouched down next to it.

"Hey, its okay, whats wrong?" Wren said, smiling at the kid.

"S-some Strange person p-put me in the cellar and i d-don't know where mommy is!" The toddler cried.

"Its okay, the stranger was protecting you, What does you mommy look like?" Wren asked, Wren and Evergreen commonly found the kids of the village as the ones who needed help. Evergreen was probably assisting a child right now.

"M-mommy is a bit darker then you," The kid said, pointing at Wrens arm.

Wren glanced over at her arm, it was a lighter shade of brown, although obviously not a white persons arm. 

"Okay come on," Wren said, she had an idea in mind of who it might be.

After all, In such a small village almost everyone knew everyone. Wren grabbed the child's hand and led her a couple houses down the street, and knocked on the door. A crying woman opened the door, and she smiled happily when she saw her kid.

"Oh thank you! I sent my husband out to find him, but i guess you got to him first," The mother said, hugging her child.

"No problem, just doing my duty to the village," Wren smiled, then dashed off down the street.

She ran as quick as she could. Wren was good at running, she beat all the boys who she had challenged to a race. most did not accept the offer to race, saying they did not want to make Wren look like a fool in front of all the slightly-older boys. Those who did accept where the real fools.

Wren wanted to get to her father as fast as she could. If her father was hurt, she would probably blame herself forever. But her duty to the village was more important, Wren knew her father was in his workshop at this time of day, and he has a cellar right beneath his feet always. He was probably always the first one safe, besides those known as a Chary.

Chary was a word that mean in some ways "overly cautious". But over the decades, in the village the word 'Chary' had become what the villagers call someone who is always in their cellar. They spend all their time in the cellar, thinking that if the monster would come they would be already hidden, safe, and they where never going to be risking their life.

Many of the Chary people where Cloth-Makers. They would keep a lantern in their cellar and make clothing all day, they had the Product Collector come down into the cellar, and the Chary would hand the freshly-made clothing to Product Collector, without ever taking a step above ground.

Wren really hoped she did not end up being a Cloth-Maker or Product Collector. Sitting around all day making clothing? no way! Running to each house to collect the clothing and other products? How boring would that be!

As her current dirty before she was given a job in a week, was to the people. not her father. Wren sighed, slowed to a jog, and took the longer route, so she could get to every single person that might be lost or hurt.

And of course to make her trip to her father longer, someone had abandoned a cart full of flowers outside. The cart had been knocked over by the monster, and someone was frantically trying to salvage their flowers.

Wren ran over to help.

"Oh thank goodness, I need all the help possible!" The person with the flowers thanked Wren.

"No problem," Wren said, flipping the cart right side up.

After Wren flipped the cart back up, she helped the woman with the flowers. She picked up all the flowers carefully, and laid them in the cart, repeating the names of the flowers in her head. I came across some Aciano, and it only further reminded her of how she had to get to her father.

Wrens father's name was Aciano. 

"I'm sorry ma'am, but i really have to go," Wren said as most of the flowers where put back.

"Alright sweetie," the woman said.

Wren jogged down the street, rounded the corner, and continued down the main street. She realized with a bolt of fear that people where huddled around her fathers workshop. She sprinted the rest of the way there.

"Where is he?" Wren asked in a squeaky voice.

Some people quietly moved out of Wren's way. She froze, tears running down her face.

The cellar door was broken, half open, and next to the broken cellar door was the worst thing Wren could possibly imagine.

A small puddle of blood, dirt, monster slobber, and splinters of bone. 

Her fathers favorite bracelet lay among'st the wreckage of his workshop.