Seventeen years earlier
Dear our sweetest daughter,
Sorry this letter is short, but there is no time to waste. We must hide you in order to protect you. You will be safe until the day comes. For now you will be safe and protected by a family that we have known for a long time. We love you, our sweet and dearest Aria; you were the best thing that happened to your mother and me. I am sorry we couldn’t see you grow up but it was for your protection. We wanted a different life for you. We couldn’t raise you in this time of war between are kind, and only you can stop the war on the outside and the war inside you. Good luck and Uncle Beck will always be there for you.

Love,
Your father and mother

The ink was barely dry before Aria’s parents had placed it on the stoop of a family who had wanted a child for years. They were friends of the Pace family. It was a warm morning in May when the Paces’ delivered their daughter to the Bellwoods. They kissed their daughter goodbye before disappearing in the woods. The Bellwoods awoke to a smiling child in a basket at their door. It was a blessing they had always wanted, and they knew exactly who gave it to them.



Dark vivid colors surround me, I am running, from someone or something, I can’t see. Dodging trees and stumps, vines and twigs, its speed has picked up, and is heading my way. Running faster, I see a quick glimpse of it, dark and muscular it is twice my size. BANG! As its upper body crashes into mine and throws me to the ground. I try to crawl away but it just claws into my back, I choke on a scream and roll to face the creature. Paralyzed by his eyes, human eyes, they stare back as I just whimper in fear. I close my eyes as his teeth go for my neck.

Sitting straight up, I stare at the wall, wiping the sweat from my face, I slowly get out of bed. Dragging myself to the bathroom I stare into the mirror. I look like a hot mess, one crazy night of partying and drinking. Too bad that wasn’t the case, nightmares; this was the third night in a row that I have dreamt about creatures and the woods. Everything felt so real, I could smell the forest, feel my heart pounding, and touch the cool ground. It all started when I read the letter my birth parents had left me. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I turn the shower on a felt the steam fill the restroom. Slowly stepping into the shower, I wash away all my fears and thoughts down the drain. After half an hour everything was either down the drain or pushed to the back of my mind and I could make it through another day. Walking into my room I hear the alarm ringing signaling that it was 6:30am. Rummaging through my closet and dresser I managed a pair of jeans (that weren’t ripped) and a vintage T-shirt. I stopped in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection. I still had my long curly dark hair, little nose and full lips, but something was off. I seemed coarser and ragged, my cheekbones more obvious and so were the bags under my eyes. Right as I was leaving my room, the doorbell rang. I picked up my bag and headed toward the stairs. Caden was at the door, he has picked me up every school day since we were 8. My mother was already at the door smiling and letting him in. For some odd reason he was abnormally tall for any 17 year old, as he stood next my mother who was only 5 foot. He looked around 6’3 now as he mingled with my mother. “Good morning Mrs. Bellwood is Aria awake?” “Oh I heard the shower upstairs let me call her, AR-Ri- oh there she is” My mother turning to face me at the foot of the stairs. I forced a smile, “Good morning mom, and Caden you are about,” glancing to my empty wrist “umm 15 minutes early.” I smiled.
“Well you know thought we could grab coffee and donuts before class.” He smirked
“Sure, why not, mom is already late for work so she won’t be making any breakfast.” both of us glanced at her as she wiped that dazed smile off her face and ran up the stairs. “My lady the car awaits.” Caden laughed as he opened the door. I walked on over to his ’03 black Honda civic and climbed into the passenger seat. “My, my, the car has gotten dirty over the past weekend, what hurricane hit this place?” I asked holding a box of old take out. “Cousin Cindy” was all he said. “Crazy Cindy, as in C.C. cox? The one who got caught sucking Timmy Legato’s Co-““SHHHHHH….. Don’t even go there.” Caden cut me off. Looking at him stare out the window as he thought about that party, made me giggle. Turning to face me he gives me his stern face and I slouch in my seat and salute him. Smiling my favorite smile he turned his attention back to the road, but that smile is one of those smiles that could light up a room. It could always make me forget all my problems. “Umm… why are you staring at me like that?” He questioned snapping me out of my thoughts. “Uhhh… there was an eyelash on your face.” Quickly I turned to face forward. Really an eyelash Aria all you could come up with. Music was humming through the car, but the tension in the air was intense. Caden just looking straight forward and I try not to stare at him. Glancing over I could see every vein, from his hands on the steering wheel, all the way up to his temple. Studying him closely, I realized this was too close; I shouldn’t be able to see his veins throbbing. My ears strained to block out the music so I could hear his heart beating. I listened in closer, wrinkling my face, to hear a small voice, it was Caden’s voice but he wasn’t talking. “AHH!” I let out a yelp, as my head engulfed in pain. Tires screeched as Caden looked at me with disbelief, “How in the world did you do that!?” There was a loud ringing in my ears; I couldn’t comprehend anything that was going on. Caden was yelling and trying to get my attention. My eyes refused to look at him they had a mind of their own just wondering, all the way to the back of my head.

Green everywhere, my bare feet felt the coolness of the earth and my hands searched out in front of me. I was in the forest again, the brush began to rustle, and something dark flew by. It happened again, I was surrounded, all these eyes surrounding me. “Join us.” A strong voice called, as I blacked out in the middle of the forest.