Dialogue with Them

The Car Accident

David and Frederick stood at the entrance of the villa, where the rain had eased a bit. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows made the place feel transparent and spacious.

However, the gloom had not faded; behind the dark clouds, dusk was deepening, and the black night was fast approaching.

"Do you think we could have a talk?" David didn't let his smile fade with the coming of the night. He seemed a bit afraid of startling me, so all his movements were deliberately slow, gentle, and non-threatening.

I looked at him, trying my best to ignore Frederick's attempts to eavesdrop on my thoughts. I gave a wry smile and nodded. I tried to regain my usual calm demeanor and tentatively asked, "Perhaps you wouldn't mind if I made a phone call. I came quite suddenly, and I need to explain things."

I knew Emma and Jason would go crazy. Ever since I moved to Intley on my own and insisted on living in my own house instead of staying with my Uncle Trevor, they had demanded at least one call from me every day. Over the years, I had grown accustomed to this routine.

"Of course, that's a perfectly reasonable request," David said with a slight smile.

This family was so friendly that I didn't know how to express my gratitude, or perhaps it was just the calm before the storm. I patted my clothes, finding not a single pocket, and then remembered that my phone was in my backpack, which I hadn't brought with me.

"I think you might need this," Frederick said, extending his hand toward me. I was certain he had been standing by the door just half a second ago.

"Thank you," I said politely, taking the phone from his hand. I turned away and dialed Emma's number, which was quickly connected.

"Hey, Mom, I'm home. Nothing new happened today. I'm praying it keeps raining tonight; you know I can't sleep without the sound of rain. No, I don't need looking after; you don't have to come over. I'm sure I enjoy the feeling of solitude. Don't you have work tomorrow? I'll definitely get my homework done; you don't have to worry. I'm 17, not 7; you don't have to worry about me getting carried away by wolves. Bye."

After hanging up the phone with Emma, I let out a sigh of relief. Emma could be quite nagging on the phone, but it always carried a sense of familial warmth.

"You have a very responsible mother," David said, sounding as reassuring as any of my elders, even though I had only met him an hour ago.

"I love her," I said, my voice firm with the love of kinship, devoid of any tearful sentimentality.

"You are a good girl, Ethel. Don't worry, we won't hurt you; we just need to clarify a few things." David had already taken a seat on the sofa, his fingers interlocked on his knees, his eyes filled with nothing but warm smiles as he looked at me.

"Frederick is supposed to have a destined one in his life, but the family's divination couldn't identify who that person is. In fact, it suggested that such a person doesn't exist. However, your arrival has disrupted that prophecy, leaving us puzzled. We're unsure what caused this change, whether it's something about you or some external factor," David said, his gaze gentle yet piercing.

"I..." I tried to gather my thoughts, but it was difficult.

David glanced at Frederick beside him, but a look of frustration quickly appeared on his face. "Although I know some things, I'm struggling to articulate them. It's as if a mysterious force is hindering me from organizing my thoughts into words."

I suddenly realized that Frederick seemed unable to reveal the fact that I came from another world, and I let out a long sigh of relief.

"There's still time; you can tell me slowly," David said, tolerantly regarding my lack of cooperation. "Perhaps you should eat something. You look... like you must eat."

I thought what he meant to say was that I looked like a malnourished, yellow-haired girl.

I felt I should tell them something, but I just stared, and under the gradually fading daylight, we silently waited for the dark colors of the night outside the glass windows to slowly envelop the land.

Their posture was like that of sculptures, unmoved. As if the agonizing moments were merely a second fleeting by, I finally couldn't bear it any longer and broke the silence.

"A car accident," I said, furrowing my brow, trying to speak.

The two unique "beings" in front of me listened intently, not interrupting my abrupt start.

I clumsily continued to form my answer, "I was in a car accident when I was six years old. It was that accident that caused a significant change in my life and soul."

"Car accident?" David repeated for confirmation. He didn't find my words absurd, and since Frederick would know if I lied, he believed me without any reservations.

I didn't lie; it was a car accident.

"I don't know what consequences this car accident might bring for you, but it gave me a chance to live. Everything I'm saying is true. Maybe I was supposed to die in that accident, but the wheel of fate turned, allowing me to live on in a different way. I might be explaining it in a confusing manner, but that's the general idea."

"We scared you, so you ran away?" Frederick said, sitting next to David. Equally harmless and cautious, he was truly father and son with David.

"I don't know, my instinct told me I should leave as soon as possible. Besides, you were looking at me so fiercely, like you were going to tear me apart on the spot," I muttered discontentedly.

"I was scared too, it was the first time I felt like that. Some memories, thoughts, and even your inner thoughts flooded into my mind that didn't belong to me, and that's why I reacted like that," Frederick countered defensively.

I remained silent for a long time. "But why did such a strange thing happen? You're not human, are you? The speed at which he carried me through the forest was beyond human," I said.

"Werewolf," David added softly. I felt like I should show a look of shock, but I was unusually calm.

I said nothing, feeling like I had said all that needed to be said. The living room fell into a strange and eerie silence, with David and Frederick not moving a muscle.

After a long, long time, who knows how long, in such a big house without even a clock in sight, I coughed, finally breaking the awkward silence. I couldn't stand sitting like this, as I would be too nervous to move because of their influence. "So what next?"

David raised his eyebrows, looking puzzled. "Huh?" he said with a smile.

"Are you daydreaming?!" I twisted my facial muscles and finally clenched my fist. "Okay, then what do you plan to do with me?"

In a room full of werewolves, even if they looked very human, it wasn't something that could be resolved by inviting me to dinner.

I was sure they didn't want any humans to know their true identities.

"Eat you, stage a car accident, make you disappear!" Frederick said slowly, as if casually greeting someone. He licked his snow-white teeth and smiled happily. "Of course, none of this will happen to you, we are good people." He emphasized the word 'good' so much, as if he was very satisfied that I thought he was kind-hearted.

Good... what a load of crap. How I wished I had a rope to hang this vile man.

"Then, um, then you should eat something, take better care of yourself. You are so beautiful, don't let yourself be in a state of physical weakness for a long time, lack of meals leads to decreased immunity, which will make the people who love you worry," David stood up, and he said to me very seriously, like a father accustomed to dealing with disobedient children. "The next time I see you, if your physical condition is still like this, I will tell your guardian, Miss Emma Miller."

I shook my head quickly. If Emma knew about my irregular lifestyle, she would definitely worry and send me to live with my uncle Trevor to monitor my life.

I could imagine how much stricter and scarier he would be if I returned to his life.

"I will try my best," I immediately promised, as if anyone could see how picky I was.

David nodded in satisfaction, looking very imposing when he was serious.