George
The loud drum beats coming from the outside wake me up. I knit my eyebrows together and frown.
"Everyone! There is an announcement from the Alpha!"
I stumble on my feet as I rush to go outside. With my eyes still half asleep, I peek outside the window. I wince as I am blinded by the light outside. I cover my face with the back of my hand.
"You are only allowed to step outside of your houses once the drum beats," the man says while walking down the grand wooden staircase. Mr. Tuna climbs on the window and sits near me. The murmurs of the citizens grow, like the buzzing sound of bees.
"At night, no one is allowed to step outside once the drum beat goes. We will be inspecting every house too. Every roaming citizen will be punished at the witch's dungeon."
A male werewolf raises his hand. "Why is this happening, Sir?"
"One of us smelled the scent of a vampire, a weak vampire," the man explains emphasizing the last phrase.
"The scent is gone now. The vampire has probably regained," the man looks at me. "Knowing that there's part of an inside job here, we have to make sure that our village is safe."
My mouth gapes. I wanted to say something. Instead, I chew my lips and sigh. A low growl vibrates in my throat. Mr. Tuna brushes his cheek on my arms.
"And to make sure that everyone is safe," the man claps.
A group of armored werewolves march around the village, entering each house. Three of them enter my house. They search everywhere. Under the bed. Inside the bathroom.
"It's just me and my cat here," I say.
"It's too obvious to say, but I guess I should," I say and cross my arms on my chest.
"Then we have to be sure about that," the female werewolf fires back.
"You can already figure out if I'm lying," I say and cross my arms on my chest.
"True. But we can also figure out if you're hiding something," she replies. She stops midway sniffing my blanket. "And you are."
"When was the last time you saw a vampire?" She asks me once again.
Unable to say a word immediately, I look at Mr. Tuna.
"I mean, I witnessed a full chaos of werewolves and vampires clashing," I answer, stopping myself from fidgeting.
"You did not answer the question. Everyone knows you saw that. But is that the recent time you met a vampire?"
The other werewolf sneezes. "Nevigera," he growls. "Why am I sneezing?"
"Cat allergy, perhaps," I answer and shrug.
The other werewolf picks up my journal and try to open it.
"Hey! Don't you know what privacy is?" I glare at him and snatch my journal away from him.
He stares at me without saying a word.
"Clear!" they left with my house looking like it got robbed.
The female werewolf looks at me before leaving. "You've adjusted easily to escaping questions," she scoffs and gives me a smug look.
"The inspection is done," I say in a soft voice. I close all the windows.
Mr. Tuna walks underneath the blanket and goes back to his real form. He wraps the lower part of his body with my blanket.
"We have to move now," Jared says. He wraps his fingers around my wrist and drags me with him. We stand at the center of the house.
"We have to start moving, okay?" he cups my face with both of his hands. "Okay?"
I nod as I stare at his gleaming red eye.
"Yeah," I say in a whisper. I pull his hands off my face and rake my hair with my fingers.
"What should we do?" I ask and walk back and forth.
"Listen," he grips my wrist and pulls me to face him. "You are a walking lie detector now. Determine the werewolves who are hiding something," he calmly says. "That way we can narrow down our suspects."
"Right, right. My class! I'm late to my class!" I exclaim.
"Forget about your class!" he whispers through his gritted teeth and grips my shoulders.
Cold silence screams in the room.
He sighs and clenches his jaw. "Sorry," he says and looks away.
I bit my lip to stop the tears forming around my eyes, shocked because of him getting frustrated.
"I'll go to my class now," I whisper.
"Sorry," he says and kisses the top of my head.
"Oh, by the way," he speaks before I open the door.
"Maybe you have your eyes on Sophia," he says before transforming back to Mr. Tuna.
I run to the open field. With my trembling hands, I put on my cape.
"Gosh, I'mâ" I stop halfway through my sentence. "Late," I mutter looking at the empty field.
"Where are they?" I frown and look around.
"Did I miss something?" I look around with my hands on my sword.
"Remember, they're going to kill you. Because you can't control your powers yet. They'll kill you. As soon as there's no one protecting you when they see that you're already alone."
Is it now?
"Are they going to kill me now?" my grip on my sword tightens. I slowly walk backward.
"Hah!" I look around and pull my sword out. But no one's there.
I sigh.
"Why don't you just do it now?" I ask. "Kill me! I'm getting crazyâGhmp!" I panicked when a palm cups my mouth. I tap his arms and push him with all of my strength.
No! Don't kill me yet!
"Shut it," Elis' voice whispers through my ears.
"Oh my!" I gasp for air as soon as he let go of me.
"You're dead," Ellis says.
"I know," I reply.
He taps my sword with his.
I stand in defense.
"They all know this is a huge mess. They'll be tightening our security," Ellis says and attacks me.
"What should I do?" I ask.
"We'll have a meeting about what should we do to your mother," Ellis says and starts attacking me.
"What?" I frown.
"They're going to frame you up," he hits my sword again.
"I have a question," I say when he returns his sword in its case.
"Fire away," he replies.
"Do you know people who have a connection with the vampires?" I ask.
"You know. I've wondering about that. Our Alpha has been so confident that we had secured our power long before you came. He's been mentioning about this backup," he starts walking away from me. He walks out of the village.
"Where are you going?" I tried catching up with him.
"We shouldn't be suspicious," he looks at me while glaring. He also wears his angry face. Probably part of his act to not get caught.
"Have you met these backups?" I ask.
"Not yet," he replies. "But we provide them half of the animals on our farm, protection from witches, and now they are asking for fairies and elves. I am afraid soon they'll ask for mermaids."
"Do not follow me!" he yells.
"I-I'm sorry," I whisper.
Right, we shouldn't be suspicious. After my short training with Ellis, I practiced. I visit my new class and check if there is training. I open the wooden door of the cave, a literal cave.
"They're paid with animals," I mutter.
I've been looking for the spies. I thought the only reason they don't like me here is because I am not welcome. But the top of the cliff is full of secrets. That's why we aren't allowed there. In this perfect village, corruption breathes underneath.
"This part is?" Sonia asks showing her claws to the class.
"Paws~," the children say.
"Okay, now we will transform our hands into paws," Sonia says.
I sit beside my seatmate. She stares at me with her big brown eyes.
"Are you studying with us?" she asks in her innocent voice.
"Yes, I am," I stare at my hand and try to transform only my hands.
"But you're not a kid anymore," she says.
"I know. But I am late in transforming," I reply and concentrate on what I am doing.
"Now I'll sing the song. If you have transformed your paws clap with me," Sonia sings and claps two times.
** The song is in the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It
"If you have transformed your paws clap with me," still no one is clapping except Sonia.
Everybody is focused so that they can clap with her.
"If you have transformed your paws, if you have transformed your paws, if you have transformed your paws, clap with me," she continues.
I stare and my hands.
"Think as if you need them right now!" Sonia advice.
"I need my paws. I need my paws," I chant and close my eyes.
I feel my fingers slowly growing. I don't open my eyes and continue to think of the reason why I need it now.
To scratch my back.
To open the canned tuna.
They'll kill once your on your own.
"George, clap with me!" Sonia exclaims.
I open my eyes and see my paws.
"If you have transformed your paws clap with me," she sings.
I clap twice with a bright smile across my face.
I did it.
I look around. Some kids are in their full form crying because they can't control theirselves.
"If you have transformed your paws clap with me," Sonia sings. I obliged with a smile across my face.
"How did you do that?" my seatmate asks. "I did it to my foot instead," she pouts.
"Focus. Focus and don't be afraid," I reply while clapping along with the song.
"But, what if a giant worm appears?" she looks at me with tears forming in her eyes.
A giant worm?
Oh.
Maybe that's her nightmares during Morphe.
"I'll fight them! Okay?" I assure her and ball my paws. "Sonia and I are here," I say.
It is a fun night. The peace of the village calms my mind. Then, I realized how messed up this place is. They have disciplined citizens. They took advantage of that. Down here are the people who trust them. But they are up there, drinking, indulging their power. They're probably laughing about their citizens being fools.
I enter the house. My shoulders relax as soon as I enter the house. A sigh escaped my lip. I am greeted by the feline creature at the center of the house.
"Hey," I say and carry Mr. Tuna with me. "Can you come with me?"
We walk outside the house. "You said we must move now, right?" I pat his head. "Let's go."
"Oh, by the way. Look!" I show him my arms. "I can control my power to transform my paws only. How cool is that?"
Mr. Tuna jumps off my arms and runs towards the cliff.
"Hey!" I chase him.
The drum starts to beat.
"No, no, no!" I take bigger steps.
The werewolves run to their houses and close their doors and windows. Meanwhile, here I am, running past them. I look for Mr. Tuna but he is nowhere to be seen.
"George! You have to go back now!" I hear one of them yell at me.
I hear a werewolf yell.
I climb upstairs. Unfortunately, two werewolves are walking and guarding the cliff village see me.
"And where do you think you are going?" one of them asks.
"I'm looking for my cat," I reply and gasp for air.
"There's no cat up here," he replies and tries to push me back to the staircase.
"No, SirâI'm," I pull my arms away from his grip. "I'm sure he's here!"
"Tuna!" I hear a familiar voice. "What are you doing here?"
"See!? Tuna," I exclaim. "That's my cat's name!"
Clarkson walks to us with Mr. Tuna in his arms.
"George!" he greets me with the warmest smile I've ever seen today.
He hugs me tight and pats my head. His warm embrace brought comfort to me. Oh, I miss him already. I hug him back and tap his shoulder
"Your cat is always missing. What kind of pet owner are you?" the other werewolf asks, looking at me with a judging gaze.
Clarkson apologized on behalf of us. He says Mr. Tuna is really a stubborn cat. He walk with me down the cliff. In my arms, Mr. Tuna purrs.
"Have you found what you're looking for?" Clarkson asks. "Jared?"
Silence.
I wait for him to laugh or something but he doesn't.
"I know it's you, Mr. Greyson," he whispers while patting Tuna's head.
My mouth gapes open, unable to say a word.
"Right, Georgina?" Clarkson shifts his gaze to me.
I didn't say a word. Instead, I get Mr. Tuna from him.
"I am not allowed to go down. You should go," Clarkson says. "Werewolves are watching us here. I bet they're trying to listen to our conversation," he whispers.
"Good night," I say and hurriedly walk down.
"Quick, the drum will stop after a few more minutes," Clarkson says and waves.
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