THE WILD IN HER BLOOD

I didn’t want to be in Raven Hollow. Not even a little. How did my life change in the blink of an eye? I didn't want to leave my home, I missed my dad. The car ride felt like it lasted forever. Everything outside looked dead-The bare trees, Fog, and that creepy sign that said “Welcome to Raven Hollow” like it was proud to be haunted. I kept thinking about my dad. Not the way he looked in the coffin—but his voice on the phone just weeks ago. Telling me things would be okay. He lied. Mum died years ago, and now him. My dad was my best friend, I told him everything. I told him about boys, school, life… you name it. and everything a girl would have been taught by her mum, my dad taught me. My mum died while I was two years old, and I have little to no memories of her. I grew up seeing pictures of her and dad, looking all lovey-dovey in almost all of the pictures. Rumours back at home had it that my mum and dad were high school lovers, and they were power couples up until my mum died of cancer. I always wondered how tough that was for him, but now I no longer wondered because I felt even worse, I am an only child too. And now I am an orphan at 17, moving in with a grandma I barely remember. And starting over in a town that smelled like wet dirt and smoke. “Come on,” she said when I got out of the car. “Bring your things inside. You’re not made of glass.” I didn’t answer. She didn’t wait either. The house was old. Like… “creak with every step” old. There were herbs hanging near the windows and jars with stuff I didn’t want to even ask about. She led me upstairs without much talking. My room was small. A wooden floor, a soft bed, and a blanket that looked handmade. “School’s tomorrow,” she said. “Uniform’s in the closet. Don’t open your window at night.” That part caught me off guard. “Why?” “Just don’t.” Then she walked away. School was weird. Everyone stared when I walked in. Not just a glance. Full-on “who the hell are you” stares. Like I walked into a movie and ruined the scene. In first period, the teacher barely looked at me. “Aria Monroe. Sit next to Kael.” I didn’t know who Kael was until I saw the guy. He wore a Jet Black hoodie, Sharp jaw. Didn’t even look up when I sat next to him. He didn’t say hi, He didn’t move, Just sat there like he’d been carved out of stone. I didn’t say hi either. Didn’t want to be weird. But I noticed something. He didn’t blink much. And when the bell rang, he was already gone before I could even pack up my stuff. At lunch, I sat alone ,not long after a girl slid into the seat across from me like we were already friends. She was pretty and loud. “I’m Blair. You’re the new girl. From the city, right?” I nodded. She smiled like she already knew everything about me. “Let me guess—your parents are dead, your grandma’s weird, and you’ve already seen Kael.” “…okay, what?” She laughed. “Don’t worry. He ignores everyone. Even teachers. People say he lives in the woods.” I glanced over and saw him. Sitting outside under a tree. Alone. Eating nothing. Just… sitting. Blair leaned in. “Don’t get caught staring. He’s got a temper. And a past.” I didn’t know what that meant, but I didn’t ask. That night, I couldn’t sleep when i got back home from school. Not because the bed was uncomfortable—but because everything was too quiet. Like the house was listening. I turned over and looked out the window. Then I heard it. “Scratch”. Not loud. Just enough to raise the hair on my arms. I got up slowly, heart in my throat, and peeked out, but they was no one But wait, there was something-“A mark”. Right under the window. Like something with claws had dragged down the wood. I stepped back, My chest was already tight. And then— I heared howling, not too far away, as it was not faint at all. Like something was out there. I froze. “Don’t open it.”grandma said. I turned and my grandma was standing at my door. Her voice was low and sounded very serious. “Don’t open that window. Ever. Not at night.” She didn’t even wait for me to answer. And boom ,she walked away.