C1 Goosebumps

LAURA

I watch as the rain hits the glass, making the tip-tapping sound along with thunder strikes. My little brother holds me subconsciously. I jerk his hands off me, and he looks at me full of rage.

I, on the other hand, being irritated, turn away from him.

We've been traveling for about six hours, and now I'm beginning to feel suffocated. I wouldn't mind being alone for a whole day, but being with my family in a cramped space is nothing I'm happy about.

Dad got a promotion at work and decided to apply for a transfer. He says he's bored of staying in our hometown and wants to move away to try greener pastures.

My mum and brother threw a hell of a fit, not wanting to relocate, but for me, I was full of happiness to the brim.

I'm a hunter, or so I was told. It all began when I was 16. Back then, I went hiking with my family, and somehow I got lost in the woods. I wandered around aimlessly until I met an injured lady. She had been impaled with a wood and was hurting a lot. She pleaded with me to help her pull it out. I was scared, worried, but most of all, I wanted to help her out. I took hold of the edge and drove the stick in her. I killed her.

I waited for an emotion. I wanted to be scared, to run, to call for help, to cry, but nothing. All I felt was content. I moved away from her body, wandering further until I was found.

The next day, we all went home from the hiking grounds. I got home thinking of what I did. After all, I killed someone, and I didn't feel remorse, fear, or guilt.

Little did I know what I had gotten into until I turned on the shower, facing the mirror to see a tattoo on my arm, like a star, so little but noticeable. I hurried out of the bathroom, not knowing how and why I had a tattoo.

A year passed by, and I turned 17, and then 18, and now I'd turn 19. By then, I had killed a lot, discovered a lot, but I knew nothing of my origin. The tattoo of a little star had been transformed into a dragon and a Slayer. The tattoo had crawled from my shoulder to my hand. No one could see it, only I could, or so I thought, until I met a stranger a week ago. I was shopping at the mall for new things to bring along. She stopped beside me and said,

"You've got a pretty dragon tattoo, dear." I looked at her, unsure of how she saw it. She kept a funny smile around the corner of her mouth.

"Can you see this?" I asked, full of surprise.

"Yes, my little hunter, I can. Come with me." I doubted in my mind immediately, contemplating on either to go with her or just ignore.

Eventually, I gave in and followed her and stopped at the corner of a street, causing me to wonder if she's some sort of crazy lady or can actually see the tattoo.

"Stop looking at me like I'm crazy. I'm perfectly fine," I flinched back. Can she read minds? I asked myself.

"I can't read minds, darling. I'm not a vampire."

"If you can't read minds, then tell me how did you know what I was thinking about?" She giggled slightly, enjoying my innocence.

"That's always what comes to your mind as new hunters," she explained. However, the more she speaks, the more she confuses me.

"What do you mean by hunter?" I asked her.

"You are one crafty child, aren't you? I mean the same thing it generally means. Hunters kill preys, predators, anything they just hunt, just like you do. You kill."

Hearing her speak and talk about my killing instinctively made me aim for her throat, but with the speed of lightning, she avoided it by twisting my arm and throwing me down.

"Calm down, I'm not your enemy. If anything, I'm your family. We share the same bloodline and the same enemy. I can see you don't know much of your origin. Take a look."

She removes the sweater, and I see she also has the tattoo, just bigger, better, and more pretty than mine.

She has the tattoos of three mighty dragons and a Slayer. Her tattoos are all over her arm, her neck, and her back. I am amused.

"Why do you have the same tattoo as I do? And if you are like me, then you also kill people, don't you?"

"Hush, my dear, not people. We kill monsters. I'm not amazed you can't tell the difference. They look exactly like humans, they take up pretend skins, but they're not. They're inner demons, vampires, wolves, and witches.

You must have noticed nothing seems normal about every single one of them you killed. Something must have been off. I need to go real quick, but always know you are a hunter, and the only thing that makes you alive is the drive to kill. Do not deviate from your purpose. The more you kill, the stronger you become."

*****

"LAURA!!! Come on, we are there already." I am brought out of my fancy world when mom calls me.

"I'll be behind you, mum."

I must have drifted into thought again. Ever since my encounter with the strange lady, I've been itching to know more about my origin. There's more people like me out there.

I get out of the car, clinging hard to my backpack. I can see my brother smiling from ear to ear. I must say he's too happy for someone who threw a fit when the announcement for relocation was made.

Mum, too, beaming with smiles, but they're not to be blamed. Dad put in all effort with the house. It's beautiful, I must confess. It's a bungalow, with a pool. It has a mini-garden and a mimic sauna, just perfect for mom and Bruce. But then, how's my room? He didn't adorn it with flowers, did he?

"Come over,

let's take a picture and stop being too clingy to that backpack of yours."

I grin at mom. She's been too annoying lately. She must be pissed at having to relocate, but why has she been taking it all out on me? I move slowly towards them.

Dad sets the camera, and we take a picture. Mom moves into the house.

"Dad, does anyone think Laura is being spooky lately, or am I wrong?" I gaze at my brother Bruce. He's been a pain in the ass ever since he was born and still is.

"Shut it, Bruce. No one's paying attention."

"Can you both stop bickering already and unpack with your Mum?"

"Dad, I'm 19 and a proud American. I think Bruce should do those kinds of chores all on his own."

"I think you might be forgetting something here, sister. You're 18, not yet 19." I pick up a stone and throw it at Bruce. Thanks to my fast reflexes, it hits him.

"What's your problem, bitch?" he yells at me.

"I'm sorry, you said what?" I tease.

"Both of you go in right now!! And you, Laura, didn't I tell you not to throw things at your brother?" Dad says, getting pissed as I curse at Bruce, mumbling in low tones.

"It ain't my fault he started it, and you did nothing about it," I defend myself.

"He didn't do anything. All he did was state the fact that you aren't 19 yet, and the best choice you could make was to go for violence?

Keep that attitude of yours in your hometown, not here. You'd have to begin school afresh." I could feel my ears pop at the statement.

"School?"

"Afresh, darling."

I heard him the first time. I repeated it on purpose just to make him clarify. He said it right. I know better than arguing with Dad right now, but did he just trick me?

I agreed to move away from my hometown because he told me no school, and the minute I get here, he's telling me to start school afresh? Here? He's screwing with me, and I know he is.

I turn to look at Brian with a smug grin. I'd love to slap right out of his face. He's 16 but acts 14. I stomp the ground and walk on in as I pass by mum, who's busy unpacking.

"Your room's the third by the left upstairs, hon."

I walk past her like I didn't hear what she said just now. I walk to the third room on the left, I open the door ajar, and all my anger fades away.

I really do love my dad. He's the best. My room is painted black and blue. He knows what I like. He had spooky posters all around the room already. It still doesn't count as enough price for tricking me into coming over, but let's say he paid off the interest.

I lock the door to my room and slump into bed.

"Finally, I get to be alone after a six-hour drive." I throw my backpack on the floor and remove my sneakers.

I lay in bed for a while, then I got this feeling, the feeling of my skin crawling. I looked at my arm, and I saw goosebumps…