The night was getting late.

The sound of helicopter was becoming fainter until it faded away. Cars and motorcycles were following the helicopter, returning to their base. That night, they failed to retrieve the target. 

The fugitive, a sole being, was hiding inside a hollow giant trunk. She was listening intently. When she heard them going further away from her, she released a long breath. She didn’t need to. It was out of relief.

When it was secure, she went out of her hiding. In no time, she was on the run once again. This time, her lips twitched to form a little smile of satisfaction. She made her way fast in the forest, through the trees. Her movement was graceful and as quiet as the soft rustles of the leaves she passed by. Her skin was pale as the moonlight in the sky.

She would have no more of her prison.

No more of their torture.

She fled with one single intention. To find others of her kind. To warn them about what her chasers were capable of doing. But more importantly, to keep herself protected and hidden from them.

***  

            I want to stop.

            My body is not tired at all, but my mind is worn-out.

            I don’t know how far is enough to keep them away from me.

            The dawn is breaking and despite the cloudy day, the sun sneaks a little peek between the clouds. Is it true that those like me can’t survive under direct contact with the sun? Will I burst into flames?

            I honestly don’t care about dying. Bursting to flames and actually die would be a blessing. I won’t have to worry anymore about them capturing me and…

            I push the thought aside. I don’t want to think about my past.

            You’re free now, I tell myself.

            You will have no more of them and their horrifying experiments, my mind says firmly.

            Though I’m not completely sure, I try my best to listen and believe.

            Not realizing that I just cut off my thoughts from my senses, I’m in for a surprise. A soft wind blows and it brings with it an awful dog smell. I cringe, feeling a little scared because the smell seems to burn my nose. It is that awful. I almost can’t stand it.

            In front of me is a wolf. A giant, sandy-furred wolf.

            Surprised as it is, the wolf also flinches and growls, as if it can’t stand my scent. Like it is disgusted of me. The feeling’s mutual there, buddy, my mind says.

            Uncontrollably, I feel a change in my head. I am surprised to hear the sound of clothes, ripped off. I am even more afraid when I feel my skin breaking. The funny thing is, it doesn’t hurt a bit. The next thing I know, I have spotless snow-white fur and I am standing on four legs.

            The wolf still stands in front of me. Its face looks shocked, like it’s been watching and assessing me. I didn’t notice it before but its eyes look almost… human. The wolf then takes a few steps back to examine me. I want to see myself, but my instinct tells me to keep my eyes on the wolf. My instinct keeps me tense.

            As if the day isn’t bizarre enough, I witness the giant wolf’s transformation into a naked, muscular man. Or, boy, judging by his young, childish and playful face. He has short black hair and brown eyes. His build is very long and gangly.

Keeping my eyes on him, I see a pair of jeans tied to one of his legs. He put that on before facing me again.

            What is he? I wonder confusedly.

            This time, the change on my brain happens clearer to me. I feel it copying every move, ever command that the boy-wolf’s brain made a minute ago. Soon, I feel myself changing back into my body.  Standing without any shreds of clothing on my two legs now, in front of a boy-wolf stranger has never even crossed my wildest imagination. Yet, here I am.

            I glance at my ripped clothes and take two largest shreds of robe, cover my private parts as I tie the two shred together. Then, I look up to see the boy-wolf in front of me. I keep my guards up. We stand still for a few moments and stare at each other with eyes of disbelief.

            “What are you?” the boy-wolf asks, breaking the silence between us.

            I stare at him, deciding that he can’t be more than sixteen. But his body is extraordinarily muscular built, just like a full-grown man.

            “What are you?” I demand back.

            He continues to stare at me. There is no more disgust. His eyes cannot conceal the fascination inside him. And if I’m right, there is an immediate adoration when he looks into my eyes this time. Strangely, I think I feel the same way. The boy-wolf stares for a few moments longer then he looks like he is considering a few things before finally answering my question.

            “I’m a werewolf,” he says.

            When he sees me looking at him weirdly, he waits then decides to ask a question of his own, “You’re a vampire, aren’t you?”

            “Yes,” I reply quickly before I can stop myself.

            He begins to examine me from the top of my head to my toes. I wrap my arms around my body, feeling as if those shreds that barely cover me just fell off.

            “But, it’s impossible,” he says in a low voice, mostly to himself.

            “What is?” I ask. As the words come out off my mouth, I realize that he meant of me transforming into a wolf like him.

            My guess is proved right.

            “You transforming into a wolf. That’s impossible. How did you do that? Aren’t vampires supposed to have, like, their skin and figure set in stone?”

            I can’t deny it. I too am puzzled.

            “I don’t know,” I say. I honestly don’t.

            After another long pause, the werewolf decides to brush off his thoughts and questions and offers his hand.

            “Well, then… Hi. I’m Seth,” he says as I take his hand to shake it.

            “Samantha,” I tell him.

            “Samantha…” he repeats, enunciating my name as he nods his head softly.

            I feel a surge of excitement as I hear him say my name. It’s been awhile since anyone call me by my human name that I almost forget it. It’s been awhile since anyone calls me at all, I realize. I was used to being referred to as ‘it’, ‘the vampire’ or ‘the girl’, that the memory of my real name is so fade and dim.

            “It’s nice to meet you, Samantha,” Seth says in a friendly and sweet manner, something I’m definitely not used to.

            I hesitate but decide to accept his hospitality.

            “Nice to meet you too, Seth,” I respond in my best tone.

            It almost sounds like I’m singing and this surprises me a little. I never talk this nicely before to anyone. At least, not as far as I can remember. I feel weird, yet good at the same time.

            The sun shines down on me. I must have been too consumed in my conversation with Seth that I didn’t notice it. It’s too late for me to move and I am ready for my imminent death. But apparently, to my surprise, there is no bursting. My skin simply glitters, like someone took their time to cover every inch of me with little pieces of diamonds. My skin, that dull and pale skin of mine, literally reflects off the light like a jewel would. I lift my hands and examine them; amazement clearly shows in my face.

            Seth seems to read the situation.

            “Are you a… newborn?” he asks.

            Distracted from looking at my shining self, I look up. I don’t understand.

            “A… Newborn?” I inquire.

            He cocks his head to the side before explaining to me, “You know… A newborn. A term used to describe a young vampire, a vampire that just became one. You seem surprised, seeing your skin glow like that in the sun. I figure you must be new to this. Or, you’ve been in the dark all your vampire life.”

            “I believe it’s the later for me. I’ve been a vampire for quite awhile now, but I… Hang on. You know I’m supposed to glow like that?”

            Seth just nods like it’s common knowledge.

            “What else do you know about me? I mean, my kind. What else can you tell me?” I demand. No one had ever really explained to me about what I am. I’ve never met any other like me, so I let myself belief I was the only one. I thought vampires are extinct, and I’m the only one left.

            Seth smiles broadly. I like his smile. It makes him look youthful. And it looks sincere. I wonder if that’s true.

            “Chill, girl. Of course I know your kind. I’ve been friends with them for three, four years now,” he tells me.

            I’m suddenly thrilled.

            “You know other vampires? Are they here?”

            “Calm down. I’ll take you to them if you want. They’re a coven but they live like a family. The Cullens. They’ve been nice, even to their supposedly enemy clan, like me,” he replies cheerfully.

            I’m confused, but his offer is definitely not one I want to miss.

            He starts to turn away and leads the way but then he turns back to face me and looks at me from head to toe.

            “We should get you something better to wear first, I think,” he says as he turns to face me again.

            I slap a palm on my forehead. I had forgotten my err… condition at the time. I feel embarrassed so I just nod my head, agreeing to the point Seth made. He then gestures to a different way from his first, leading to a solitary house not far from where we met.

            The house seems very woody. The front porch is decorated with pots of flowers. It’s nothing like I’m accustomed to. Of course, who am I to judge these kinds of things, right? I’ve been living my whole life in…  I stop myself before those cursed memories come back.

            I avert my attention back to the house in front of me one more time. It looks very warm, welcoming and comfortable. I just hope it’s safe, I hear my mind whispers.