PART ONE: NEW HOME

CHAPTER 1

Before the sun seeps between the dark ash clouds, a group of wolves attacked our home.

Our neighbors were talking about wolves nonstop since the day that I remember. I thought it was a myth because I haven’t seen one. But now, I’ve seen not one but five of them. They all looked hungry with their saliva almost dropping from their pointy teeth.

I can’t do anything about it. I’m weak. All I do was stare at my parents, trying to block the main door by leaning heavy objects we could find. Felix, my oldest brother, was the one helping them while Jay held my hand tight.

“Jay, hide your sister!” Mom cried and her voice almost broke. “Go inside your rooms, make sure that you lock the doors. Don’t go outside whatever you hear.”

“But mom…” Jay didn’t dare to continue on his words when Felix shot him with a deadly glare. He turned to me and held my hands tighter. “Let’s go, Catherine.”

He tried to pull my body away from my parents but I stayed frozen in my place. I didn’t want to leave them. If the wolves attacked them, I’ll fight them as well.

“They’re five and we’re five. Jay, we can fight them with knives and other things we have in our home.” I walk towards the kitchen, finding a weapon to use but Jay's grasp hardened.

“Don’t be stupid, Catherine. We have to go. We humans don’t have the capability to face those wolves.”

“Catherine, go with your brother now!”

My dad screamed at me. My mother was glaring at me as if she was going to slap me if I don’t follow Jay. Jay was grabbing my arms tight and it hurt me. They were all mad at me, and I don’t know why.

When they finish blocking the door, Felix strode towards me and compressed my arm. He was the harsh one and tougher one between him and Jay.

His fingers scratched through my skin as he pulled me upstairs. That’s when I knew I have to follow them. I didn’t have the strength to pull myself back from him. Jay followed behind us. Were we leaving our parents downstairs with those wolves?

I would’ve to stop Felix from pulling me upstairs, but I also knew that he’ll be madder at me when I do that.

We’re inside my room. Pillows scattered on my bed and my assignment that I decided to do when I woke up the next morning was still on my table. Felix roamed his eyes around my room, searching for a place to hide.

“The bed is a good option,” Jay suggested.

Felix didn’t dare to speak. Instead, he pushed my back so I could crouch under the bed. I hesitated to hide under it but he pushed me again. Glad that I’m slim so hiding under the bed was successful. After I hid in the middle of my bed, Felix and Jay also crawled on both of my sides, pressing me between them. Their perfume was so strong and that was the only thing that I can smell.

We were all breathing hard while we were in our position. With every slam of those wolves on our door, our heart throbbed faster. I hoped that mom and dad were already hiding somewhere else. They said that those wolves will disappear when the sun had risen. It’s fucking 5 AM in the morning and I don’t know the exact time of sunrise today.

Then I heard screams from downstairs, from our parents. I don’t what to think when I hear them screaming in pain. I hope they weren’t hurt but surely they are.

“Mom and Dad,” I cried in a low monotone voice.

“Don’t make any noise,” Felix said.

How can I not make any noise when my parents were already dying on our ground floor?

I covered my ears but the screaming of pain downstairs was still audible in here. Felix and Jay weren’t able to do anything but to pursed their lips. There were crystal clear tears that were ready to fall from their eyes. Like me, they knew that was happening downstairs.

I want to go downstairs and help them. I don’t want to stay under this bed and let my parents die because of those wolves.

Everything stopped, sunlight peeked inside our room. It lighted our room with its natural charm. The golden rays of it blighted the tears crawling down my face.

“Is it done?” I asked, my voice was about to break.

Jay only nodded and placed his hands above my shoulders. Felix was the first one who got out of the bed, and he held a bar of metal that was approximately a meter long. Jay also got out and I followed him. He placed his arms on my shoulders and that made me breathe though I’m still worried about my parents.

We were shaking as we walked to the stairs. Felix froze as his eyes drifted downstairs. My forehead creased and I was curious what he was staring at right now. And when I saw it, I wished I did not dare to look at it.

They were the dead bodies of my parents, looked like they were eaten by a group of wild animals.

…

Everything that happened was fast. Felix said that we should pack all our things and we need to leave the day before the sun sets again. He said it was dangerous to stay. We left our home like a mess and no one dared to clean it. When we already packed everything, we rode Felix’s car with bags in its trunk.

I don’t know where we are going, but it seemed that Felix knew the way where we were going.

“Why did we leave Mom and Dad’s bodies? Why are we leaving?” I asked, letting my tears out from my bloodshot eyes. Felix didn’t dare to even glance at me, but Jay turned to me.

“For good. Don’t worry, Felix and I will fix everything once we settled into our new home.”

That wasn’t a good answer. I want answers. Why are we leaving the home in which we stayed for sixteen years? Why does a group of wolves attack us? Why does it seem that they don’t care that our parents are dead?

“Why does the two of you are not reacting? Mom and Dad died! It seems that nothing happens based on your face!” I screamed at them and I don’t care if they were older than me. Greater age doesn’t mean that they have greater knowledge than me. I admit that I was younger but not a dumb person like them who doesn’t react to the death of our parents.

“Shut up, Cath!” Felix screamed in his deep voice. Now he’s mad at me, his eyes were blazing fire as I saw it from the mirror in front of the car. He focused on the way and his teeth were grating each other as if he’s ready to bite me.

“Just answer me!”

“Cath, don’t…” Jay tried to stop me.

“I need answers and I don’t want to look like the only one who’s reacting that our parents died.”

“CATHERINE! I TOLD YOU TO SHUT THE FUCK YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!” I pursed my lips when he screamed at me. “You’re not the only one hurting, but we have to move or all five of us will be found dead in our home.”

I shouldn’t dare to speak more if I don’t want to drive my brothers mad at me again... They love but I crossed my boundaries and maybe this wasn’t the right moment to seek answers for what happened.

Our car entered a small town with a sign ‘Dusk and Dawn’ on its entrance. Citizens of the town glanced at our car, knowing that we were newcomers. My brother drove, not having a doubt on where to turn and break his way. It seemed that he got here before and I don’t have any clue about that.

My two brothers were already working. Felix works in a small business enterprise, near our previous home. While Jay works whenever there's an opportunity for him to work. He graduated with a degree in English, but the competition in the community college was high. He did not qualify.

We weren’t poor but we’re not rich. I wanted to work in an office someday though the city was far enough from our home. Now that my parents died I don’t know what to do with my life anymore. I lost a reason to strive in my life and to pursue my dreams for them.

There was a small park, a mini-hospital, and a high school inside the town. The name Dusk and Dawn for a town were cool enough to catch my attention. I hoped I would enjoy my stay here, but I guess I won’t.

Felix parked the car in front of one of the suburban homes which were definitely smaller than what we had. It only has one floor and a small garden outside. Felix was the first one out of the car. I watched him stride to the old woman who smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

I swear that wasn’t our grandmother.

“Are you okay?” Jay asked me. “I’m always telling you to not make him mad.”

“I’m frustrated earlier. No one’s answering me. We lost mom and dad and we got into this town as if nothing happened.”

“We’re also hurting, Cath,” he said. “But the danger is on our old home. If we don’t escape during the day, then our bodies would be like what Mom and Dad had become.”

“Then why there are wolves? Why did they attack us? Why we’re here in this town?”

“It isn’t the right time for the answers to your question, but we’re here for your safety. We’re safe in here.” He smiled at e before leaving me alone inside the car.

Why are we safe in here? What exactly we’re in here? What’s this place?