Today, I killed someone.
And trust me, I am not a cold blooded monster that they say I am, I didn't have a choice, he didn't leave me any room for otherwise, He would have killed me if I hadn't stopped him. I had no choice; I killed Trey Reed.
TREY's POV
It all started a month ago, I had returned home from work and noticed that I had no milk left. I dropped my briefcase on the sofa, grabbed my wallet, my phone and then left for the store.
Luckily, when I got there, there was still one bottle of milk left on the cart so I grabbed it and walked to the counter.
Miss Johnson welcomed me with her usual infectious smile, "Trey Reed, you outof milk again? That's bad baby, you gotta take care of yourself"
"Hello, miss Johnson. Hope you are doing okay?" I asked. I like miss Johnson; she is okay. And okay is good.
"Aye, worry bout me not. I'm always good. You …not so much." She said, brown eyes perusing over my skinny body.
I smiled, fixing my glasses, "Well, I better go before it rains."
"Good night Trey." She smiled.
I came out of the store and realized it had actually started raining.
Well, now I have to go back and purchase an umbrella then.
I turn to open the door when my eye catches a figure. An unfamiliar woman is leaning against the wall. Her wolf hair cut rests beautifully on her diamond face. She holds this empty stare in her eyes and there's a strong aura revolving around her.
She was smoking a cigar while watching the passerby's.
As I stood there, I was captivated by her. What a woman! I thought.
She is in a black shirt with black denim and black sneakers - like a character plucked right out of a novel.
"You going in or …?" Someone behind me asked.
I jumped, sharply turning around to face him, "Sorry about that." I apologized, gave him a nod and strolled back into the store. I purchased two umbrellas: one for me and the other, for the unfamiliar woman but when I came out, she was already gone. But I instantly recognized her.
I followed her again but this time I intentionally made myself known to her. All the other times that I stalked her, I did so without her knowledge but now I need her to know I exist, to know that I am watching her like her shadow.
I can see her growing nervous as she increased her pace. I could even feel her daggering gaze on me from the second floor shabby apartment window and I loved it. She doesn't know it but I know her more than she knows herself.
After a staring contest that lasted for half an hour, I turned and left with a smile knowing too well of what I did. I left her a gift that might just completely dishevel her life.
I usually would sneak into her house and last night when I did, she had passed out on the couch after having one too many drinks for someone her age. I understand she is fighting demons in her head and all but I don't want her to hurt herself. Hurting her body means ruining the pure essence of that which she carry.
I tucked her in and left her the gift, which I know by now, she must have seen.
FREDA's POV
Someone was stupid enough to break into my house and leave this note on my refrigerator door.
It says, "Hello Flower, welcome back. I have missed you …We all have"
Who could it be?
My legs couldn't carry me as they both went cold. I hunkered down on the floor, the bottle slipping out of my trembling hand.
Flower? Only three people call me flower: my mom, my ex step father and my stepbrother Connor. But it is not possible for any of them to write this because, they are all dead or …lost. I need to find this crazy bastard and teach them a lesson and I have a suspect in mind the crazy idiot who followed me from the store, and I did caught him asking questions about me. Could he be a journalist? But how does a journalist know what my family used to call me?
I must find out.
I took it upon myself to investigate so I started the next morning. I followed him from the store and found out his house was just a few turns away from mine. He works in finance, and he is apparently as soft as a jade but a stalker definitely isn't innocent.
The important thing is; he lives alone.
I staked out of his house and around 7pm as usual, he left for the store and then I snuck in. It was easy to lock pick his apartment door, I learned that in prison as one of many skills one must have to survive in such a ruthless environment.
I entered his house, it was normal, too normal. His living room is spacious: decorated with mustard colored sofas, a center table, paintings on the wall, flowers, a chandelier and a massive TV. His kitchen is on the left, his bedroom and the guest room is upstairs. Everything was placed perfectly as if calculated and all the colors in his house marry each other - breathing life into the apartment.
After searching everywhere and found nothing, I was on the verge of giving up when I noticed a shelf mounted at the end of the wall in his living room.
I walked there and started searching the books for a clue and then I came across one that stood out; a black book with golden engravings around it.
I reached for the book to pick it up but when I attempted so, I realized half of the body is glued to the shelf and as I lifted the book, a loud unclogging noise jars on my ears and then the shelf parted into two, revealing a secret iron door.
I knew he wasn't innocent.
I twist the doorknob, my heart bouncing in my chest as I stepped into the room: a massive space with only one chair but plastered all over the walls are thousand pictures of mine from when I was a baby, to my teenage years. I find myself sweeping my eyes on pictures of me I never knew existed; those taken with my family and those when I was alone.
How the hell does Trey Reed have these pictures?
"That was quick." His voice ranged in my ear. I jumped, sharply wheeling around to meet his pool of enthralling green orbs.
"You …who the fuck are you? Where did you get these? What do you want?" I rained down my questions on him while staying wary of him.
Trey chuckled, stepping further into the room. I retreated backwards, preparing my fists for any sneaky attack from him. He plucked one picture from his album and shot me a side eye, "We have been keeping an eye on you since you were a baby. We always watch the precious ones."
"We?" I had to ask.
Trey ignored my question and continued "I bet you have no idea that your mother is not really your mother, she is a surrogate."
"That only explains why she would turn a blimd eye to my suffering and never once visited me in prison. Tell me something I don't already know." I responded confidently, hiding the anxiety creeping within me.
I lied, I didn't know about it and learning so from a complete stranger is making my gut twists like a worm.
Trey shrugged and said "Hm, if you already knew that, how come you know nothing about who you really are?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." I frowned.
"One thing you need to know is that it is time we harvest that which we planted." And then he charged towards me not knowing I had readied myself. I fixed my stance and punched him so hard across the cheek that he hit the dry wall and dropped to the floor.
"Bitch, I was only sixteen when I was forced to fight people triple my size to survive." I snarled, "When I take you to the cops, you can tell them who the fuck ALL of you are!"
I watch in horror as Trey rise to his feet, using his hand to put his dislocated jaw back into place and it made a subtle 'Crack' noise as he did.
He then grinned maniacally "That was a good punch." Then he came at me again. At the flash of a lightning, Trey grabbed my throat, suspended and pinned me against the wall.
I rammed my knee into his face, forcing him to release me. I drop down, wheezing for air and sharply got to my feet and then dashed for the door but Trey swooshed like the flash and blocked my path.
He yanked me by my hair and grinded my face into the wall, pinning me in place under his iron-grip.
Trey is too strong to be human.
"That was enough child play. Now I need what's within you." He growled.
As he spun me around, I pulled out the pocket knife I kept tucked under my shirt. He pushed me against the wall, sinking his nail into my shoulder.
I gave out a sof gasp as I glanced at his hand which was now a green shade with scales covering his shiny skin. I couldn't believe my eyes.
Trey wrapped his other hand around my neck and was squeezing the life out of me so I had no choice but to plunge the knife into his jugular.
He gasped, his eyes snapping open as he released and dropped to the floor with a thud.
Staring at his body and my bloodied hands made the color drain faster from my face. I scramble away as my soul left my body.
I killed again.
"Now, that is cruel." A voice spoke behind me. I sharply circle around, meeting a pair of brown eyes. A melanin busty woman stands before me in all black military like outfit. She looks confident and beautiful but where the hell did she appear from?
I glanced at the wall behind her and then at her with a confused look on my face.
"Oh I understand you must be turned but I promise, I am not a ghost, even though I did come through the wall." She explained, not that it changes anything.
"Who the hell are you? Are you part of his people or team that he was yapping about?"
She plastered a sorrowful face when she said "Comparing me to these low creatures is like a slap to my cheek. That is more cruel."
"Creature?"
The sound of flesh squelching made me look around and behold, Trey's body has now turned into this giant green fish-like creature with scales all over its body. It has these little horns shooting out of its forehead, the elbows and the legs are bendy with horns growing out of each ankle, forming a small frame that shields the thigh. Its elongated fingers are designed with sharp black claws.
"What is this thing?" the question wrenched out of me.
"This 'thing' is what we call a changeling. They are shapeshifting monsters who can imitate and live like a human being. They are creatures of the dark and as a Luminare, you carry light within you which is why …"
"Wait, wait, wait a minute." I cut her, "What did you just call me?" I had to confirm if my ears weren't failing me.
She looked like she was about to explode but still, she smiled and repeated, "You are a Luminare." She spoke slower this time, "And my name is Eagle and I can assure you that I am the only person who can save you from the army of changelings coming for your light."
I study her warily, "Well bad day for you cause I don't trust humans."
She smiled confidently as she said, "Well I guess it's a good thing since I am not one."