Fated to a Monster

~Ria~ “Ria, we have to leave,” my mom, Rose, barked, dragging my arm as I jerked up from bed. The dim light of our old house glittered on her, showing her worried, wrinkled face. “What's going on?” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes innocently as I stared at her keenly. “He found us,” she muttered, her lips trembling as she looked behind her. Her body shook as she spoke and it sent shivers down my back immediately. “Mom, what's going on?” I repeated, my heart beat increasing as I looked towards the door. “I will explain everything on the road honey, we have to leave, now!” She replied. “Get your bags.” I hurriedly packed my clothes in a flash. My palms were sweaty and I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest. After about ten minutes, I was done packing up. “Come on,” my mom screamed, holding my hand as we ran downstairs. “Get in,” she shouted, pushing me to the back seat before driving off recklessly. I stared back at my neighborhood as we drove away. The neighborhood I had come to love even though I had been here for just six months. Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to fall but I held them back. My name is Ria Jones and my life has always been a nightmare. I lived all my life with my mom and I never knew about my father, even though I always asked. “He's dead,” my mom, Roseline, would always say. As much as I trusted her, I couldn't hide the fact that something felt fishy and I had questions no one was willing to answer. The silence in the car was deafening as we just crossed through Chicago's border. The cold breeze of winter hit me as I stared out the window. “Phew!” my mom exhaled as she held my hand, smiling lightly. “Stop the car,” I muttered with a slight frown on my face. I was done playing games and I needed answers. “Stop the car mom,” I barked, raising my voice slightly. “Ooh, easy,” she said, bringing the car to a halt as the tyres made a screeching sound. “What is it this time? I don't have the time for this right now,” She roared, staring at me with disgust written on her face. “I need answers mom, I'm tired,” I replied, staring at her with teary eyes. “What answers, Ria,” she barked, her eyes blazing like primal fire. I hesitated for a while, deliberating on my next question. “Uh huh, I'm listening young lady,” she shouted, raising her brows slightly. I tried to speak but the words stuck in my mouth as my eyes drooped. “We don't have the time Ria,” Roseline yelled, making me flinch. “Who's my father? And why do we keep running,” I snapped, dropping the bombshell. “Huh! Uhmm,” she stuttered, her eyes widened as she fidgeted on her seat. “Mom,” I called, tapping her gently. She quickly adjusted herself as her expression hardened once again. “There's nothing to know about a dead man, and don't ever stop me to ask this question again,” she yelled, starting the car. “Answer me!!” I roared as I snatched the car key from her. “I'm tired of living like a puppet mom, I'm tired,” I yelled, tears streaming down my flushed cheeks. “Who is my father? Why do I have these strange dreams and strange powers?” “Darling, I can explain but now is not the time, you have to trust me, okay?” my mom replied, trying to hold me but I shifted. She looked behind, her body shaking as though she was scared of something. “Who are we always running from?” I asked, not minding that we were parked in the middle of nowhere. “Now is not the time, Ria,” my mom shouted, her eyes bloodshot red as her veins popped out. “I will tell you everything when you are ready, I promise,” she added, her voice barely audible. I hesitated for a while as I pondered on her words. Should I believe her? I wondered. “No mom, I want to hear it now, I'm eighteen for f**k's sake,” I retorted, still holding onto the car key tightly. She looked at me for a while, as though she was thinking of what to say. “Fine, fine, I will tell you,” she muttered, her voice was low and her eyes drooped. “Your father is alive,” she said. “What? How…I,” I stuttered, staring at her in shock. “Honey, I can explain,” she whispered, staring at me with glistening eyes as though she was watching my reaction. “How could you do this to me?” I yelled, pushing her hands off me as I forcefully ran out. “Wait Ria, wait, you can't be outside,” she shouted, running after me. “Leave me alone, you lied to me,” I shouted, still running back. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore, so I allowed it fall freely. My heart was shattered and I could feel my heart beat increasing. ‘How could she do this to me?’ I wondered as I continued running. It was as though a spear was plunged into my chest, breaking it into a million pieces. “He raped me,” she said, making me stop on my track. “That beast, your father, raped me,” my mom repeated, tears trickling down her face too. “What do you mean?” I asked as I turned back to face her. “I will explain everything in the car Ria, just come with me, please,” she begged, her voice laced with sorrow and urgency. “No!! I need answers now,” I snapped, proving stubborn. “Where's my dad?” I shouted. “Ria!! Don't look back,” my mom said, her eyes popped out as she stared at something behind me. “Don't look back, just come to me slowly,” she added, her voice trembling as she stretched her hand towards me. “Don't change the topic mom, I'm serious,” I yelled. Suddenly, I had a screeching sound behind me as chants and war cries filled the air. “They are here,” my mom screamed, horror clearly shown on her puffy face as her eyes popped out. “Run!!” She screamed, dragging my arm as she pulled me towards our car. “Get in,” she barked, opening the back door for me before going to the driver's seat. “Fasten your seatbelt,” she muttered as she started the car. Now that I was already seated, I took the opportunity to look at what was behind me. “Huh!” I mouthed, my mouth slightly opened as my eyes popped out in shock. Balls of sweat trickled down my face and my skin crawled in fear. We were being chased by men in masks as they followed us in hot pursuit. “What's going on mom?” I asked, my voice filled with fear as my lips trembled.. “Who are these men and why are they after us?” “They are not after us honey, they are after me,” she replied. “What do you mean?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest. “You want to know the truth, right? Here it is, you are not a human,” my mom said, her eyes still fixed on the road as she drove recklessly. My mind reeled in shock as her words echoed in my head. “Not a human? How?” I muttered, still in deep shock. “You are a werewolf,” she shouted as she turned to face me. “Huh! Were….” Suddenly, I heard a crashing sound as our car collided with a car in front. The car tumbled several times before landing at the roadside. “Mom,” I called slowly, I was covered in blood and my head was bleeding badly. “Let her go please, you can take me,” I heard someone say outside, the voice sounded like my mom's. I dragged myself slowly outside, crawling on broken bottles amidst the pain on my leg. A man in black mask was pointing a gun at my mom. His face was properly covered but I could see a snake tattoo on his hand and his green glistering eyeballs. “I'm sorry,” he muttered as he fired two shots at her. “No!!!” I screamed before I blacked out.