1 Chapter 1- This Can't Be Real

It started with a tattoo that shined like light on his wrist. It was a star. Not very big, but it stood out like neon lights. This didn't make any sense to me. But I didn't care.

But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Dakota, and my life was normal. Until I witnessed something happen. Something apparently no one else had seen. I was the only one who did- who could. How could you turn something in that no one could see? Well I'll tell you how. You didn't. The thought haunted me, and so I was that stupid person that did go to the police. That's the part where they arrested me. Said I was crazy. So they locked me up. But not that jail. The one where you go when you are accused of being crazy. The psychiatric center. They told me that I was living in a fantasy and things like this only existed in movies. "Well duh," I told them. "Don't you think I know that? Of course this crap isn't real, or at least I thought it was! But that doesn't change the fact that what I saw was very much real!" One afternoon when I tried to escape they caught me and told me that I wasn't ready to set foot outside with the werewolves. They laughed as if it were funny. But of course I was the only one who wasn't laughing. I didn't see a werewolf that night, but if werewolves really even existed I wouldn't be the only one who could see them anyway, right? I saw the things people couldn't see. The things that might not even really be there, but I knew they were real. I know I'm not crazy. If God exists why wouldn't the rest?

~~~

What I saw that night had teeth as sharp as knives. His eyes were red. Blood red. He wore dark colors and steel toed boots. He had a bikers jacket and a bandana that covered half his face. He reeked of a weird oder that made my eyes water. He was carrying a blade as long as a cane, chasing a girl that had a dim glow around her and her shadow cast on the side of the building she was leaning against almost looked like wings. There was another too. A boy who was farther away seemed to be following them from the distance. He was trying to be discreet but I saw right through him. He was also dressed in black but he made the whole I'm bad act work. I couldn't see his face because he had his jacket hood up. He had a weapon in his hand too. A weapon I've never seen before. It was a knife, but it was clear, almost see through and it glowed green when he stroked his hand along it. The boy approached them. He was so quiet they didn't even know he was there. I watched him as I hid behind a dumpster. The boy with the sharp teeth pinned the girl in a corner. A look of fear covered her face as she looked up at him. He pulled out a smaller knife from his pocket. As he tried to stab her, the hooded boy already having one in his hand pulled out another green glowing knife from his belt, holding one to the boys throat and the other to his lower back pushing him around to face him. The girl slid behind the hooded boy as he pushed the man with the sharp teeth into the corner still holding one knife to his throat and the other now to his stomach. Without hesitation the hooded boy murmured something in his ear that I couldn't quite make out and then killed him before he had the chance to say anything back. That's when I let out a big gasp and ran off like a jet. Of course I had to trip on something and I went down on the ground. When I looked up I found myself looking at the beautiful blue eyes of the hooded boy. He reached his hands up and slowly pulled his hood down. He was pale and had blonde sort of long hair with bangs that went across his face. There was something about him that made me want to get up and run but I knew I wouldn't get far. Then he spoke. "You can see me." It wasn't a question.

Stuttering I said, "I... I." He started laughing and reached down to offer me a hand up. I pushed his hand away. "Get back!" I yelled, "You killed that... that boy." He started laughing again.

"You think that was a boy? You obviously saw what he looked like. So obviously you know that that was no human. Now let me help you up." Was he serious? "Leave me alone!" I got up and ran before he could catch me. Maybe he let me get away. Anyway that's when I went to the cops.

~~~

I sat there in the boring room. They wouldn't even let me get a little fresh air. "Let me go I'm not crazy! I don't belong here!" I shouted through the door. A woman came in.

"Sorry dear but you're not going anywhere any time soon."

"And why not?" I said with an attitude. "Oh right, because I'm crazy. Well what makes you think that you're not the one that's crazy?!"

"Because I'm a professional dear." She said real calm.

"Yeah professionally stupid. And stop calling me dear." I wanted to punch her and run out the door. She rolled her eyes at me and let out a big sigh.

"Look," she said frustrated "we can't have you running around the city poisoning people's minds with your nonsense. I simply won't allow it."

"My nonsense? I witnessed a murder!" I shouted at her. "Who runs this place? I want to talk to the owner."

"Now don't get crazy..." I cut her off.

"NOW!" I shouted at her. She stared at me for 10 seconds till she turned around and walked out the door. Nobody came back for 30 minutes.

"What seems to be the problem miss..." He looked down at his clipboard then looked up at me again. "Lockhart?" I looked him in the eye.

"This!" I gestured to the room.. "I demand to be let out!"

"I'll need a parent signature first." He said to me.

"My parents are dead." I said to him as if he didn't already know. "Well somebody has to be your guardian." He said.

"Yes..." I said rolling my eyes. "My 24 year old brother."

"Ah yes. That's right, the seer. They told me you were a trouble maker." He said it as if it weren't true. "And Dylan... well."

"You know my brother?" I said confused.

"Who do you thinks idea was it to put you in here?"

"What? He wouldn't do that to me." I said now even more confused.

"Oh he did and until he tells me it's okay to let you go you will be staying here." He walked out before I could answer him back. Great I'm stuck here for who knows how long. I thought to myself. I let out a big err and fell back on the bed. Then I fell asleep.

~~~

I woke to a noise that came from the hall. "Stop him!" A voice yelled. There was banging and then... nothing. Suddenly the door busted open. Then I saw him. He pulled down his hood as he walked in the room. "Let's go." He said to me. Without hesitating I leaped from the bed and followed him out the door.