Monsters? Not always.

People often associate vampires as monsters, werewolves. Anything not human, even animals and plants. Because according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary Monsters are “An animal of strange or terrifying shape,” or “an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure.”

Guess I qualify.

I walked through the doors to my new school. Great. I … was already not a fan. I passed by werewolf football jocks, siren cheerleaders, vampires from the 13th to 17th century who went into a coma and are now panicking and now here because they need to catch up on what the heck is going on. As well as some succubi and incubi. I think that that’s the plural form for succubus and incubus, like octopi. I also passed some gargoyles, guardian angels, demons, elves, pixies, fairies, orcs, lizard people, and cat versions of werewolves–I couldn’t remember what they were called–and also some centaur. 

After all that, I made it to my new classroom. I was already not very excited for high school. I’ve seen enough movies to the point that I know freshmen are targets. Not only that, I’m the most human presenting.

I’m cooked.

See, I look human, but I’m a revenant. Immortal. Can’t die. I may, or may not, have done it by accident last year, so, no, I have not seen decades. I’m 15; that’s it. And trying to find a way out of it. Cause I do not like the idea of being immortal. Semi-Mortal? A bit better, but god-level immortal? Aw, freak-fracking, no!

Anyway, upon entering my class and exiting the monster teen smelling hallway that was full of perfumes, body sprays, makeup powder, deodorant, sweat, so on and so forth that burned my nose. I entered a better, flowery smelling room.

The thing about high school and middle is that in high school you only have 4 classes in high school a day. Unlike a lot of movies, shows, and so on, so forth. Which was exciting! I had more free time, and more time per class!

The one thing I was happy about, and my favorite class! Herbology! My first class, which explained the smell of flora.

I looked around to see if there was a seating chart. Nope. Guess I sit where I want? It felt weird to do that because ever since elementary school I’ve had to sit in an assigned seat.

I chose to sit alone by the door. Nobody ever sits near the door, or the front. So I knew no one else would sit beside or around me. At least not willingly.

And I was right. No one sat next to me. Not beside, not even diagonally. Sure there were also a few other clusters of desks that were empty as everyone sat with their groups.

When the bell rang everyone got quiet and then the teacher-who was an elf-spoke up.

“Alright–”

She was interrupted by the door bursting open… it nearly hit my face. Kinda regretting sitting near the door now.

“Mr. Vlad, do not burst into my classroom when you are late. Do you have a pass?” our teacher asked.

He panted, he was a very clear out-of-shape person apparently, and then replied, “It was, 2 seconds aftar the bell. Do I need to walk all the way back to the office, and back, which will take 4 minutes, making me miss 4 minutes of class, rathar than doing a small intarruption. Also, you haven’t taken attendance yet.”

She looked mad at his valid points. “Sit down,” she commanded. “Now.”

Okay… she was kind of scary, the guy, whose last name is Vlad? Sat down … right freaking beside me!

I just turned to face him and glared, he on the other hand, smiled, and waved.

Attendance was fun. The teacher–whose name is Ms. Merry–butchered my name.

Eryx Ashmire Duskryn is my full name. She pronounced it like “Erran Ashmare Duskren.”

Nope! Wrong! Oh so very wrong was she!

Oh… I had to correct the entire thing, it’s pronounced “E-Rix Ash-Mi-Re Dus-kr-en.” I felt so much public embarrassment when I did correct it.

We were now doing a “see what you already know” test so I was quiet. She said we could not work with others. And she was in the back because her desk was in the back.

“Rix.” I felt a paper slip hit my arm.

I looked up… Ryl Vlad.

I sighed. And opened the paper slip.

“What’s the answer to question 8?”

Was what it read. He was asking me for help. I sighed, flipped back to question 8 and held up ‘B’ in ASL. I didn’t care if he used my answers.

After he nodded and went back to his work. I did the same.

“Also my name is not Rix.” I muttered under my breath, mainly to myself but I got a quiet “okay” from beside me. Great. He can hear well-oh yeah! It makes sense; he looks like a vamp.

I rolled my eyes and went back to the diagnostic.

Apparently being the first one to finish and stand up to turn in a test or diagnostic gets stares. And also looks of serious questions as to how I, a freshman, know both a lot, and finished first.

After I handed it to Ms. Merry she gave me a nod and I went back to my seat. I got my book out of my bag and started reading.

I was reading a history book about curses and cures to curses.

I enjoyed it. I was also reading it to try and help me find a cure to being a revenant so I can go back to my normal high school, and leave these monsters. I am not a monster. I… I can’t be. I’m human. Just… have my soul temporarily inside of a dead body that is not mine. Yep. That was it. I’m human… well… as human as I can be.

I took a deep breath and kept reading. NOTHING! Nothing in the first 600 pages I had already read alone and not here at this stupid institution. I felt angry but let it go. No emotions showed. None. I wouldn’t let them.

“Aryn…” I felt a poke, a pencil. I looked over. Ryl. Again. “Do you have something I can dooo?” he asked.

I sighed. Went to my bag, got out my doodle book, and handed it to him along with a pencil, expecting him to just find a blank page and draw.

I went back to my nose being in the book, reading each page slowly to make sure I understood EVERYTHING.

I heard everyone else getting up at different times, and doing so to turn in their paper. I didn’t hear clacking nails, I didn’t hear a desk being scratched up, I just heard whispers. Everyone was talking softly. Okay.

After a while the bell rang. I packed up, I actually forgot I had let Ryl have my doodle book so when I felt my bag tugged at I felt scared… bullied? Day one?

“You left this with me, by the way you’re a really great artist. But why is it so gruesome? Like the dead body, it looks kinda like you? Like with the hair style and the whole vibe, but the face shape is diffarent. And the whole body falling into a spike trap and impaling and being dead is pretty worrisome. You good dude?”

I snatched the book back and walked to my next class. 

FUDDGGEEE

I made it safely, and once again, free seating. I followed the same idea as I had in 1st-block, but… a seat away from the door so I wouldn’t get a concussion if someone entered by swinging the door open like a maniac.

Like Ryl had done so.

PLEASE! Whatever god or gods exist… Please don’t let him be in any more of my classes.

And he walked in and sat beside me again-in the seat right by the door.

WELL SCREW YOU TOO GODS!

“Rixxxx.” He began to gently tug on my hair to get my attention, so I decided to ignore him. Cause no. He’s annoying, “Aryn….”

“It’s Eryx. E-Rix. Not AA-ron. Eryx.” I got tired of him and whispered what I wanted to say at a normal volume… if not louder.

He furrowed his brows and pouted, “I have a speech impediment. I’m trying. That’s why I called you the nickname Rix, it’s easiar to pronounce.”

I sighed, “Fine. Fine, you can use the nickname.” and gave in.

I gave in not because I felt bad that he… that he literally couldn’t pronounce my name and had gotten upset about it. I gave in… because… I didn’t wanna deal with it!

Anyway, the teacher, who was a werewolf, stepped up to the board.

“Alright class, I am Mr. Fitzburt, you may have heard stories about me being called Mr. Frisbee, do not. I will give you detention. Anyway, let’s go to attendance. I do not call names, I go by the photos in the attendance app. To those freshmen who may have been turned into monsters, or who do not know, yes vampires, werewolves, and every creature who is harmed by silver can show up in our photos as we have specific technology for it by using silver and using Bronze. Now, there is one name that does not have a photo: Eryn A. Duskren?”

I raised my hand, great…. Would I have to correct every teacher? “It’s pronounced E-Rix Dus-kr-en, Eryx Duskryn.” I replied.

“Okay.” He nodded, “So everyone is present, and now we will begin. To start we will go over the syllabus, now remember this is an AP honors class, not a basic class. I do not accept late work past one week late without a valid excuse. No, I do not count ‘I wasn’t feeling like doing it’ as a valid excuse. There will be no test retakes either. And as this is a Math class, if you have Dyslexia or Dyscalculia speak now so I know how to assist you with homework and instruction.”

3 people raised their hand, Ryl Included.

“Okay, thank you. I will pass out a specific syllabus for you guys so you can understand it. Those who do not have it, you will get the plain black and white one.” Thus Mr. Fitzburt went and passed out to each person a syllabus.

I was… feeling bad… was… was everyone here really a monster? Why… Why was everyone so kind? So soft, so respectful?

When I got mine I saw a ring on his finger… he was married? Eh, not my business to get into a teacher’s personal lives.

Nope! I shoved that thought from my head, and went right to reading the syllabus.

“Riiix.” I was halfway though when he poked my arm again, and whispered the nickname.

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you have a photo?”

“Because my old photo doesn’t work anymore… and I haven’t been called to make an ID, and so I do not have a photo in the system yet.” I replied.

“Hm. Anyway, what was the drawing about?”

“What drawing?”

“The drawings in your book?”

“Which one?”

“The spike trap one.”

I paused my breathing, “Nothing. Leave it and me alone, I’m trying to read the syllabus.” I got tired of his yapping and wanted to get to my work, so my speech came out a bit muttered.

He paused, looked at me, and sighed. He then went to read his.

And… the rest of class was just Mr. Fitzburt reiterating what was on the syllabus. So… I just… zoned out… and started thinking.

I was thinking about the photo… how could I explain to someone I just met that I’m a soul from another body trapped in a different body after stumbling upon a witch cult ritual to bring back a bad person, and so the body I’m in isn’t even mine and my actual HUMAN body is in a vegetative state in a hospital?

TO SOMEONE I DON’T EVEN FULLY KNOW!

Yep… that’s kinda… no not kinda. That’s very difficult to explain to anyone. Heck! My own parents think I might die because my body is in a coma and I don’t wanna freak ‘em out more.

Oh, and to top it all frick-fracking off, now I have nightmares every night about my actual body dying in different ways and I draw them to cope. Tied to a chair in a chamber of snakes, spike trap, eyes ripped out. So on.

How do I even explain the drawings… the photo… all of it? To anyone?!

I know, I know, it’s creepy, but I look at my dreams for clues… clues as to how I can end this stupid curse. So I can be normal. So I can be… Human… And so I can free myself from being a monst-

RIIIIINNNNNNG!

I was jolted aware of and back to reality by the ringing bell that made me feel like I’d had a heart attack.

“Yeah… you ware pretty zoned out. What ware you thinking ‘bout?” Ryl noticed my near jump out of chair reaction to the bell.

“Nothing.”

I started packing up and made it to my 3rd block.

Okay… not as mad at the gods now… Sorry! Because Ryl wasn’t in my 3rd block, which was Home Ec, I would learn a whole bunch about how to live. Such as baking, cooking, laundry, sewing, finance, and driving. I was excited about the baking part. I love baking!

I went to a desk set up, yeah, still near the door. And still a deadzone around me. And, still not Ryl?

Okay! Why was I feeling sad and lonely about not having a jerk right next to me?

I mean… he’s not… really a jerk. But! He is! He invades my personal space. And keeps talking to me when I don’t wanna freaking talk! He also looked at my drawings in my book!

But… I did give it to him to draw, he just.

No.

Nope!

He’s not human. He’s a monster.

Monsters are evil beings that hurt humans and drink our blood and eat our flesh! The dictionary says a monster is “an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure” And Vampires have fangs, and are-

I looked at my hands as I awaited the bell to ring.

I’m a monster. I… I’m immortal… a ghost in a body that’s not mine. I…

No. I have a human soul. It’s just… misplaced in the wrong body! Yeah! Yep! That was all! That was it!

I took a deep breath. And watched the front of the classroom waiting for class to start.

The bell rang maybe 2 minutes later, and everyone quieted down. The teacher walked in and began calling names. Like I predicted I had to correct the pronunciation. Why mom? Why dad? Why would you name me such a name that is SO FREAKING HARD TO PRONOUNCE?!

Whatever. We started embroidering as a fun thing to do since our teacher, Mr. Burtfitz-I am wondering why two of my teachers’ names are so similar-didn’t have enough time to be able to plan for his lessons fully. He was… a werewolf too, he also looked like he’d be better as the football coach than the home ec teacher.

We were embroidering our names on the fabric and I did what I always do with sewing or embroidery. I fudged it up.

I tried. I tried so frick’en hard. But I couldn’t do it. It looked like a mess.

“Eryx, why don’t… why don’t you start over?” Mr. Burtfitz had popped up behind me, and I let out a slight startled gasp… it really made my heart speed up for a moment.

“I um… I’m not the best with sewing or embroidery.” I replied.

With him being close I noticed a ring on his necklace… it matched one I saw on Mr. FritzBurt…

Mr. Burtfitz nodded, “And that’s okay, that’s what this class is about, teaching you. Start over and try again. It’s okay if it’s bad, the goal is a little better than the last time.” And after saying that he was off to check on other student’s work.

I debated… listening to what he said? Or giving up and not giving a dam about this stupid class and taking another extra-curricular to pass this grade if I wasn’t able to become human by the time a year passed and had to stay for longer in this stupid prison called a school.

I decided to give up on embroidery. And turned in my first bull-dung one. Didn’t care.

I went back to reading the stupid book of mine and looking and searching for the stupid cure to this stupid curse. Be it a spell, a ritual, or a potion. I’d do it! Because then I’d be free. Free of this stupid curse, and free of these monsters.

I’d be normal again, human.

Reading through it all… All I saw was stupid how to die as a revenant, and how to be free. And here I am… trying to swap my soul back to my original body which I’m sure would require a very VERY different spell or ritual or whatever.

Stupid grimoire.

AHHHH! I wanted to yell but alas, I couldn’t, considering the fact I was in a classroom and trying to keep a low profile and GET THE HECK OUTA HERE!

I finished the chapter I was on and went to the next.

The bell rang once more, I packed up and headed to the cafeteria.

I got my… food? The heck is this? It was… like moving green plant sludge, and an animal heart? What the fudge. There was chocolate milk, but even that wasn’t normal! It was chunky and had clumps of cocoapods and cocoa beans. I… I wanted to throw up.

I threw away the food. And went to find a vending machine with normal food.

Please. PLEASE!

Nope.

And the normal food considered “human delicacies” was 4 bucks. Ain’t no way in a freaking million years was I paying 4 dollars for a freaking granola bar.

I groaned, and went to the library. Great… I’d go hungry today.

Whatever.

I went to the library to go read my book in peace. Okay. I could handle this.

I was really absorbed in my book, like super duper into it. So, I didn’t hear the steps behind me, I didn’t feel the breath on my neck, it was when I felt long claws through the left side of my hair I jumped, and actually shrieked a bit.

“WOW! Okay… loud…” It was freaking Ryl.

“What the heck were you doing messing with my hair?!” I felt both upset and shocked. CAUSE WHAT!?

“I was trying to read what you ware so intently reading… And your hair on your left shouldar was in the way.” He answered me, tapping his right ear gently.

“Maybe next time ask. And this is my book. You cannot read it.” I closed it and sighed, “Why are you in the library?”

Ryl nodded, and then replied, “Because I was following you. I saw you in the cafetaria throwing away lunch and then went to the vending machines and looked upset, and then you came in hare and I wanted to know what you ware doing.”

“Why?”

“Because you seemed upset and didn’t get something to eat. Orange?”

“Allergic. No thanks.”

Wait… does my soul carry over allergies? Or is it about the body I’m in? Not risking it.

“Whhhat? What about an apple?”

“How do you even have them?”

“They ware in the fruit section, you didn’t look thare did you?”

I rolled my eyes, and saw the apple in his hand, and took it, “Thanks.” I felt around it, then took a bite. I held it with one hand and the water dripped down my elbow, “Why do you care so much?”

“Because you smell weird… not like a normal monstar, but not like a human. What are you? I’m cuurriousss!”

I hesitated and answered, “A revenant.”

“Hm… no. Don’t lie. Revartants don’t smell like you do. You smell like your body and soul are two diffarent beings forced to be togethar.”

I looked up at him with curious eyes. How in all of the alternate realities did he know?

“Why… How do you smell that?”

“Demon Vamps like me-I’m a half-breed- can smell emotions and souls. That’s how I can smell the diffarence in it all.”

I paused… and just paused chewing my apple and froze… what?

“So… what are you? What’s your storrry?”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“I’m not telling you, a stranger, my story. I’m not some fairytale.”

“Nobody is. Pleaaaseee? I wanna know!”

“No is a full sentence.”

Ryl sighed, “Fine. What’s your dorm numbar then?”

“Why?”

“So I can visit.”

I thought about it, Ryl was a demon vamp. Demons deal with souls. Souls. My soul is split from its actual body. Could he help.

“How about this? A deal. I give you my story, and my dorm number, and in exchange you help me?” I asked.

“Help you how?!” He got excited but was clearly smart enough to wanna know.

“It has to do with my past, if I tell you what it is, then you could back out with the knowledge of one part.”

Ryl paused, “You’re smart. Fine. But we gotta shake, it’ll hold us both to our end of the deal.”

“So it’s a demon deal? Are you trying to take my soul?” I raised my brows into a questioning face.

“What?! No! I want your information. We just have to shake because then you’re magically bound to hold up your end, and I mine.” He smiled gently and held out his hand.

I sighed, “Fine.” I held out mine.

He took it. And I felt a spark through my veins, no, my blood cells as I shook it. I wanted to scream.

“Oh? Sorry. Should have warned you.” Ryl got a worried look as he pursed his lips together.

“So? Who fulfills their part of the deal first?” I shook my hand a bit to try and get the sparky feeling out and off of it. I also bobbed my head a bit and felt slightly lightheaded.

He paused, and right as he opened his mouth to answer the bell went off.

“Darn it, it’s time for 4th block. Hm. How about you give me your dorm numbar and we talk then and thare?”

“Fine.” I opened my schedule paper, “My dorm is dorm 306.” I shoved it back in my pocket as I stood up and started walking, Ryl walked beside me after catching up.

“Oh yay! We share a dorm! Makes life easiar!”

“We what?” I felt panic. NO!

“Yep!”

I wanted to strangle him. But he could help me… so I needed him alive. Wait. He’s a vamp. So technically… he’s already dead?

Dunno. But we left the library and started walking together. We wouldn’t have 4th block together would we? We couldn’t? Maybe his next classroom was just beside mine? Yep.

NOPE! We walked into the next classroom. Side by side. Well fudgesickles.

I looked at the board, to try and see if there was a seating chart, while Ryl just dragged me to the back to sit.

“What?” I questioned as he sat me down.

“Just trust me.”

And a siren boy took the seat where I’d have sat.

“That’s Marlious, he’s not someone to get on the bad side of. In any class he’s in he sits in the same spot. He’s not in my othar classes but he’s in this one.” Oh… so it was a warning.

“Why let him push you around?” I felt like it was both reasonable and stupid, “It’s first-come first-serve for seats.”

“…Doesn’t mattar. It’s fine, just do not angar him.”

“Fine. Whatever.” I mostly said that to get him to shut it. I wanted to know more… like why. It didn’t make sense. What’s so scary about a siren boy?

A pixie flew into the class, she looked like a tiny little pink fuzz. “Alright class!” Her voice came from hidden speakers, “I don’t have a loud voice so I have a little microphone hooked up to speakers around the room so you all can hear me. I’ll be your Latin teacher! Many of you were hoping for Wiccan Studies, Necromancy, or Cursework, but to be able to do them you need to finish Latin. Oh! I’m Ms. Nemi!”

Everyone nodded, and I just laid my head down. Latin? I did it on Duolingo as a joke back in middle school, got hooked, and can now speak it fluently! I don’t want to go through this! I just wanna learn curses and cures to curses!

AHHHHHHHH

“Rix.” Ryl tapped my shoulder and whispered my name. I just turned my head to face him, “Rix, come on, pay attention, this is important. Trust me, I failed it in my freshman year, it wasn’t fun.”

“I know Latin.” I whispered back.

“How?”

“I learned it as a joke.”

“As a joke? That doesn’t make sense. It’s important to know.”

“Has to do with my past. No telling about it in class. If you need help with Latin just ask, I can speak it fluently.”

“Alright! So let’s do a little test! I’ll write a phrase on the board and call on a student at random to translate it from English to Latin!” Ms. Nemi announced.

She used a little wand to cast a spell to cause the chalk to move and it wrote out the sentence “Translate this.”

Nobody seemed to raise their hand to volunteer. And everyone seemed worried and scared.

“Translate this” in English is very easy, and is translated to“Hoc converte.’” In Latin.

Ms. Nemi looked around, Ryl, I see you’re joining me again. Can you translate the sentence into Latin?”

Ryl looked like he was panicking. For some reason I felt pity and raised my hand.

“Oh? Erix, did you need something?”

“It’s..” I paused… I was gonna correct her but… she got it right. “‘Translate this’ from English to Latin is translated into ‘Hoc converte.’” I said with my head still on my desk, but loud enough for me to be heard even through the muffle.

“Oh? How do you know that?”

“I know Latin.”

Ms. Nemi then wrote something more complicated on the board. “Black and blue is the night sky-sprinked with shades of purple and red, covered with stars looking like glitter.”

So, I spoke the translation in Latin, full Latin “‘Nox atra et caerulea est, purpureis rubrisque coloribus aspersa, stellis quasi micantibus obsita.’est versio sententiae in tabula scriptae.”

And Ms. Nemi froze.

“That… was a perfect translation. You even translated ‘it is a version of the sentence written on the board,’ into Latin.” She paused, and then looked at me. “I’ll have to get you transferred from this class, how about you go ahead and head to your dorm for the rest of the day?” She offered.

“I’ll stay for today or until I get transferred to help Ryl. It’s chill.” I gave a thumbs up and didn’t move.

I did that cause… I didn’t feel like getting up. I felt tired and my arm still numb from that hand shake. I also… kinda wanted to help Ryl to help pay him back for when he helps me… I’d be kinda indebted to him.

Ms. Nemi nodded and turned back to the board. And then Marlious turned to me, in the back, he seemed very upset about it, and upset at me, I didn’t mind and didn’t pay attention, I just looked towards Ryl whose jaw was dropped as he looked at me with shock like I had just blessed him.

I smiled faintly upon seeing Ryl’s reaction. It was… cute?

NOOOO! What was I thinking? Mind no! STAP! He’s a Demon Vamp, he’s dangerous, and we’re just using each other for our own benefit, me for him to cure my curse and I guess I’m helping him pass Latin!

AHHHH

Anyway, after my panic filled the rest of the class’s time for me, the bell rang. I sat up and packed up.

Ryl was about to lead me out of the crowd of the classroom when Marlious approached and slammed his hands on my desk.

“What in the 17 realms was that?”

“Technically if there were realms then each realm would have infinite alternate realities counting as a separate realm, meaning there would be 17 to the power of infinity leading to infinite realms. But what did you want?”

Marlious’s face flushed in embarrassment and he looked at me furiously, “You are a freshman! You shouldn’t be able to fluently speak Latin!”

“And you can’t? If you’re older than me, shouldn’t you be able to speak it?” I retorted.

Marlious seemed even more furious at me now, “I will destroy you freshie. Maybe I’ll start with Ryl.” He seemed like he was about to wind up to throw a punch at Ryl.

Ryl seemed terrified at that, and as Marlious started the punch I stepped up and took it.

WHY DID I DO THAT? He has sharp claws like daggers and scales that also look painful! And I just took it? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!

Thankfully I didn’t do it to my face I lifted my arm to protect myself a bit too.

“Ouch… Ow… okay… listen here. Marlious-”

“Marlious? My name is Merlious! That stupid Demon Vamp can’t say ER words and replaces the E with an A. He’s an idiot.”

“Hey. I’m the only one who can call him an idiot, anyway, as I was saying, you can annoy me, make fun of me, but the moment you mess with my friends is when you sign your death certificate. Got it?”

That was enough to scare him off I guess, but… his reaction of getting a pale face and then stumbling back and then grabbing his bag and running off? Felt a loooot like over kill.

Ryl looked at me scared then grabbed my wrist and held it all the way to the dorm as he dragged me. HE HAS SUCH LONG LEGS I WAS JOGGING TO KEEP UP WITH HIS SPEED WALKING.

When we made it to the dorm, he closed and locked the dorm door.

“How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“The black eyes?”

“What black eyes?”

“YOUR EYES TURNED BLACK! WHAT ARE YOU?!” Ryl kinda raised his voice asking that which shocked me.

“My eyes what?!”

“Okay! Sit down and tell me your story now!” He pushed down gently on the bed.

“Okay?” I paused, “So I was born human. My soul is human. I accidentally stumbled upon a witch cult ritual and my soul got put into the body of the person they were trying to resurrect. My body, my actual body is in a hospital as my family thinks I’m in a coma. This body I’m in right now, isn’t mine. That’s why my soul and body, as you said ‘smell like they are fighting or two things apart from each other because they are apart and different from what they are meant to be.” I explained.

Ryl took a deep breath, “That’s why you’re reading the book about curses, you’re trying to revarse it.”

“Yeah, it’s very difficult.”

“No… it’s a basic soul body swap. I learned that when I was 12.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah. So that’s what you want help with? Going back to your original body?”

“Yes. It is.”

Ryl paused, and seemed to think about it, “Well, then you nevar ware human.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a witch.”

“Witches are women. Wizards are men. So wouldn’t you say Wizard?”

“No. Because Witches and Wizards are not defined by gendar, Witches are known for harbal and demonic rituals, which explains the black eyes, and Wizards are known for academics. Witches are born, Wizards are made. You’re a Witch.”

“How am I even a witch? Both of my parents are human.”

“You don’t need to have a witch parent to be a witch. And if you really ware born human then your body wouldn’t have survived the switch. But it’s in a comatose state, it’s alive, breathing, because of the magic in your body letting it live without your soul in it. A human soul leaving its body would equal its body to die and then its soul to go to the undarworld. But your body is alive, and your soul is still hare. You’re a witch.”

“What?” I froze CAUSE WHAT THE HECKY WAS HE TALKING ABOUT?!

“No, that doesn’t make sense!” I stood up using my arms to help me up off the bed. I forgot I had gotten punched by Ma-Merlious. “Ow…”

“Huh? Your sleeve… it’s getting drenched in a brown black ooze… Take off your jacket.” Ryl asked.

I nodded and took it off. Yep. Where Merlious had punched me was battered. And scratched.

“Why isn’t it healing? I thought reverents were supposed to heal really fast.”

Ryl’s face paled. “Because your soul is fighting the body you’re in. If I don’t fix this now, your soul could leave it and then it’d be lost. Do you know which hospital your body is being kept in the comatose state at?” Ryl asked.

“Um… I think it’s at… Frazier Rehabilitation Institute it’s in Kentucky.”

“Kentucky?! We’re currently in Oregon! That is 5 states away!”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to fix this right now, and shadow travel us thare.”

“WHAT?”

“Yeah. And it’s vary far away, furthar than 1,500 miles, that’s gonna cause a lot of Mana sickness.”

“Okay, the body switch thing happened a year ago, so I think one little punch won’t kill me.” RIGH?! Staying calm on the outside, panic on the inside. And… a lot of it.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“One year! No wondar it’s not healing! The body and soul aren’t connecting or fusing proparly you’re letting them fight, you’re a part of the fight they are in. And ovar a year, that bond is lessening. I know a lot about souls, trust me on this!”

“Okay?”

“Good!”

He started drawing on the floor in chalk, drawing weird symbols. It was a spell circle. Ryl was drawing it fast too, but it looked good.

“Okay. You’re a witch… so I should be able to regenarate some of my Mana aftar I fix this, through you.”

“What?”

“Don’t listen to the complicated bit, just trust me. Okay. Step inside the circle with me.”

“Okay?”

“Now, think about your real body. The one your soul is meant to be in.”

I listened and he held my hand as he did an incantation in a demonic language, causing his eyes to go red, and also his short horns hidden by his hair-which I didn’t even know he had cause his fluffy hair covered it and I couldn’t see them-grow and sharpen.

Kinda… cool. Or cooler than cool.

Then I felt sick to my stomach… and saw rainbows. I face planted onto the hospital floor. Hospital floor. WHAT?!

“Yikes… not used to shadow travel?” Ryl whispered as he helped me up.

“First time.” I nodded.

“Okay, well we’re hare. Wow this you?” He pointed to the body hooked up to the machine. And beeped slowly.

The hair, it was what I was used to, brown and long compared to the short black hair this corpse I was in held. It was taller too, but thinner than I remember.

“Yeah.” I nodded, “That’s me.”

“Wow! Pretty! I can see the similarities!”

“Why… Why did this body change when my soul entered it.”

Ryl looked up from looking at my actual body, “Because your soul changes the body, trying to make it home. But to you, it wasn’t so you kept fighting it. So the body you’re in kept changing to get as close to the body you are supposed to be in to reach equilibrium and peace.”

I nodded to his explanation. It… it made sense. Kinda.

“Okay! Let’s do this.” Ryl stretched his arms and then took both of the bodies hands in his.

He did another demonic incantation and all that and I felt dizzy. I felt… Out. I passed out.

Then I woke up with a jolt. I was in my body. I was me again.

“Yay, you’re awake. I went ahead and removed everything for you don’t worry.”

I looked in the window to see my reflection. There I was. Me.

“Okay. And how are we gonna explain this?” I just realized how screwed we might be.

“Do you like your parents and family?” Ryl asked me.

“Uh.. I mean… depends. I like some, others… could do without.”

“Parents, siblings, that.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Then we go with plan A!”

“What’s plan A? And… wait… where did the body I was trapped in go?”

“Oh the moment your soul left it it turned to ash and then the ash turned to vapor. And plan A is you pretending you woke up, and then I guess, uh… we go our separate ways?”

“Seperate ways? Dude I just learned I’m a witch less than an hour ago! You think you can get rid of me that easily?”

“Well… you kinda seemed like you didn’t like me. I could smell it. You felt annoyed with me. And upset.”

I rolled back my memories, did I? Yep. AND THEN I CALLED HIM! A MONSTER! MY FRIEND! I kinda forgot I hated him cause now he feels like my one friend.

“Hm… what if we separate for the school year? Then I can convince my parents to let me go to this great academy I heard about! Or maybe I can make it through a semester?”

“Yeah… Ima have a lot to explain to our principal eithar way. But I like your plan bettar.”

I nodded and then the doors burst open and then Ryl… was gone.

The people in the doorway were nurses who rushed to my side and checked things, vitals, doctors wanted to do X-Rays, MRI’s, CAT scans. So on. I felt overwhelmed while doing that. I also managed to actually eat.

It felt nice to see human food again it was warm and didn’t wanna make me throw up and the milk was nice and cold and smooth.

It also felt comforting to know that I was okay. Ryl was okay… too, he had to be.

And like I planned I managed to go home eventually. It felt weird to be in my room after an entire year. Sleeping there… and I felt lonely. I decided to do something I probably shouldn’t do after being in my own body for 2 weeks during family dinner.

I was sitting there, my mom and dad and my little brother all around the table, which was circular.

“Eryx, baby eat up don’t just push around the mac-n-cheese.” My mama scolded me in her gentle motherly tone.

“Is something wrong son?” My dad asked.

“Don’t go to sleep again!” My little brother seemed scared about that.

I patted my brother’s head and then decided to speak, “For the upcoming school quarter could I go to school. I’m… feeling a bit lonely and I was doing research and there’s this-”

“No.” My mama answered before I could finish. “Eryx you just woke up. You will go digital if you want to go to school. You will not go to school.”

My dad decided to clear his throat and speak up, “I say we hear him out Honey.”

“Are you insane George?!”

“Martha! Think about it. Eryx is old enough to make those decisions himself.”

“No he’s not! He has the mind of a 15 year old even if he is 16! He was in a coma for a year, George. What if he went into another one? Would he even wake up from that one?”

“So? The boy will either go with our blessing or go do something stupid. I say as long as the school is in the US he can go.”

“That’s too far, his heart is weak, he literally has to have a heart monitor on him now!”

I picked up mine and Sammy’s plates and led my little brother to my room.

Our parents kept arguing… yelling at each other. And as they did my chest ached…

I put headphones on Sammy and played him a show from my computer to distract him from the fighting while he ate. I ate too. Just… slower. Now I know why this was a bad idea.

“Ree?” My brother tugged on my shirt.

“Yeah Sammy?”

“Where’s the school you wanna go to?”

“It’s in Oregon. It’s really good. For… weirdos. Like me. But it’s not one to fix me, but to… help me embrace who I am.”

“How far away is Oregon?”

“It’s about 2,000  to 2,500 miles from us.”

“And how far of a drive is that?”

I took a deep breath, “3 to 5 days. But if you go on a plane it’s about 5 to 8 hours.”

“Why is it so far away?”

“…because I think I’d really fit in there. And… I have a friend who goes there.”

“Friend? When did you meet?”

That made me pause… I couldn’t tell him the truth… I couldn’t. Or… “You know werewolves, vampires, cryptids and crypts? Right?”

“Yeah.”

“They’re real.”

“No, mama and dada say they’re not.

“Sammy. I am one. I met a lot too.”

“Prove it then! And how and when did you meet them?” Sammy asked, and I swear I saw sparks in his eyes… I could tell his little mind believed me partly. All because he was only 6 anyway.

“Okay.”

“So what are you gonna do? A spell? A curse? What?!”

“Not a curse. I’m thinking of something else… Sammy, do you wanna get away from mama and dad?”

Sammy paused and then nodded solemnly, “They fight too much… yeah.”

“Okay. Go pack a bag of everything you need. Clothes, toys, you can take as many bags as you can carry.”

Sammy nodded and ran off to his room.

While he did that I tried to remember the spell circle I saw Ryl draw, I tried to remember the words he spoke for the spell. But all I remembered was the circle. Would that work? Would it be enough?

I’d have to try.

I drew the circle on the floor in chalk and then packed myself a bag. Sammy returned with 3 bags. 2 on his back and carrying one and one of his stuffed animals.

“And you also got clothes and everything?” I asked.

To that Sammy nodded.

“…Okay…” I took a deep breath, “Let’s pray this works.” I nodded and took his hand in mine and stepped in the circle.

Instantly I felt lightheaded… and sick to my stomach as we phased through red clouds and ended up on a stone floor. I felt my heart pounding… and it hurt. Nope. Ignoring it.

“Oh god… I hate shadow travel…” I sat up and helped my little brother up too. I looked around. THIS WASN’T THE PLAN!

We were in like a hot red and black room that… oh fudge. Upon turning around there was a giant black dragon like creature with claws and also knight clothes and armor.

“Is that Satan?” My little brother’s voice sounded like a little kettle.

“Satan? Our king? No, he is but a myth.” The demonic voice spoke calmly. “I am a mere underlord, not even possessing the power of the 7 Sinner Lords. I am Netherifemi the 8th, lord of the rural lands which reside in Wrath’s ring, servant to the deadly sin Wrath.”

“Okay… um… look… I didn’t mean to come here I was trying to get to-”

“So you wrote the circle. The circle of shadow travel in which I only taught my children. How do you know it?” The demonic voice seemed angrier now.

“You’re Ryl’s FATHER?!” I shrieked by accident.

His eyes sparkled then, “You know my son Ryl, oh he’s precious isn’t he? Did he teach you? He should have told me. Where were you going? Ryl is my baby, he’s my youngest kid. Would you like to see baby photos of the little rascal?”

“Um… he didn’t exactly teach me, he um… did the circle and I remembered it. I didn’t know how to do the chant so I was worried it wouldn’t work… I’m just trying to get to Ryl… And, this is Sammy, my little brother.”

“Aw! And who are you?” He gently pointed his big claw to me.

“…I’m Eryx.”

“Eryx! Oh I’ve heard so much about you, you know he gushes so much about you on our evening calls.”

“He what?”

“Oh! Sprouts so many little details, and he was right, your eyes are like blue diamonds deep as the ocean with flecks of gold!”

“And why did we end up here without an incantation?” Sammy asked, having paid attention to the conversation.

“Oh, little one, that’s because I sensed the spell circle being made, and because Eryx is a witch. But because it was someone who I didn’t teach who had made the circle I interfered with it and brought you here to question you. Now. Would you two like to see some baby photos of Ryl?”

Sammy nodded before I could say no.

“Aw! Yis!” Netherifemi’s eyes sparked with excitement.

He then took out a tiny smart phone from his pocket and held it with two claws tapping it… how did he tap it when he couldn’t see what he was tapping since his claw was so huge? “Now let’s see… where’s the photos app?” he got out little grandpa glasses, that made me chuckle a bit, to see his screen.

“Here we are!” He turned the phone to us and lowered it to us, “You can swipe side to side, he was adorable no?”

Okay… Ryl was an adorable little toddler, with tiny fluffy hair that didn’t hide his horns. But as a baby who was wrinkly he was very very ugly like a baby gargoyle to the point it was cute.

“Aw! He is adorable!” I picked up Sammy to see, “Oh, Sammy, did I prove it?”

“Yes. Yes you did… and Ril-Rye-” He was struggling to say Ryl’s name.

“Ryl.”

“Ryl! Aha!” He got it with the help from Netherifemi.

Netherifemi then started to baby Sammy and treat him as his own, and give him snacks. Like… an actual father should. He was gentle, calm. He didn’t yell. He was giving.

I envied Ryl… and Sammy. I never got that, a loving parent feeding you snacks like that. I felt a bit more pain in my heart again.

Soon his little phone rang.

“Ah! It’s so late already?”

Ryl had called him for their evening call, and Netherifemi had answered.

“Hey dad!”

“Hellow son! Oh! By the way, Eryx is so kind, did you know he has a little brother?”

Ryl’s voice didn’t come from the tiny device for a moment, “How do you know that?”

“Oh because he tried to do the whole shadow travel thing and because it was someone who I didn’t know using it I brought him here and all that. By the way, I showed him and his brother, Sammy, your baby photos. Oh, you were so cute.”

“YOU WHAT?” Ryl’s voice shrieked from the phone.

He hung up-I heard the dial tone-and appeared right beside me on the floor.

“Which baby photos did my dad show you?” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me gently.

“All of them!” Sammy shouted from up on Netherifemi’s knee. “And that you also said Eryx’s eyes were diamonds but as deep as the ocean with golden flakes swimming in ‘em!”

To that reminder that had happened and my eyes which I always saw as boring were seen as such… I blushed a bit and felt…. Embarrassed?

“Okay… DAD! I told you not to evar say that to anyone!” He had let go of me to lecture his dad while standing beside me… I kinda missed the warmth of his hands on my shoulders though.

“Oh! But I couldn’t resist. It was so sweet remembering you gush and sprout such detailed little facts about your first crush!”

“DAD! YOU ALSO WARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT! AT ALL! ESPECIALLY NOT WITH RIX RIGHT HARE!” Ryl shrieked so loud beside me I thought I’d go deaf.

“Oh… right.” Netherifemi chuckled sheepishly.

Ryl… he what about me?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Well there goes my attempt at seeming normal-ish around Ryl.

“Oh! I just realized, Eryx, why were you trying to get to Ryl using the shadow travel? I forgot to ask.”

FUDGE! “Oh… um… it’s a kinda long story I don’t want Sammy to hear.” I would have to explain wouldn’t I?

“Huh? Why can’t I hear it, Ree?” I smiled gently at Sammy’s innocence and his constant nickname

“Wait a minute! Why does Sammy get to call you a nickname without you looking upset Rix!” To Ryl’s nickname I frowned, “You just did that!”

“Because he’s my little brother, and he is still learning how to talk, he may be 6 but he has a learning disability.”

“So? I have a speech impediment… we’ve beeeen ovar thiiiis. I physically cannot pronounce your name no mattar whhhat.”

“I have favoritism to my brother, and Sammy, come down here, why don’t I… you guys don’t have cell service here?” I had planned to put on a cartoon to distract Sammy so we could talk.

“No, not cell sarvice but my Dad does have WiFi, hare hand me your phone.” Ryl offered.

I did so. He did the whole WiFi connecting thingy for me-but he was grumbling about the fact that I had favoritism to my brother..

“Thanks Ryl. Sammy, down here.”

I called up to him. He used the ladder he had climbed to get up to Netherifemi’s knee to get down from it.

“Cartoons?” Sammy knew a bit.

“Yeah. Here, you can also play games.” I handed him my phone to watch or play games on it and also the wired earbuds.

“Okai!” Sammy then went to sit by the base of Netherifemi’s throne earbuds in. He was… safe from what I was about to say.

I clutched my chest as I began.“Our parents… aren’t the best. They really need a divorce and I couldn’t take waiting for the next semester to start-and I can’t even tell my parents oh hey I was in a different body for a year that’s why I know of this amazing Academy and they don’t even know I’m a witch because I haven’t told them-and even then my parents don’t even want me to go to public school now and want me to do home or online, and I still need to learn how to control the blasted witch power ‘cause if I accidentally set fire to one more thing I will lose it! Not only that I can’t leave Sammy with them, so I did the logical thing or what made the most sense to me, tell him about the supernaturals and all that and then take him with me and run away. Annnd… yeah… It’s not smart-I know. It’s incomplete but-”

“But nothing, Eryx.” Netherifemi interrupted me, and lowered his hand to use the tip of one of his fingers to gently pat my head. “You did what you had to do. Besides, you will not have to worry.”

“But why not? How do I explain the whole reverent thing and then witch thing and then the parental thing and then Sammy to the headmaster! Sammy is human!”

“That he is. But… unlike what you fear, the principal of that school is a very understanding lady who knows what it means to be trapped in the human world but as a monster like us. And trapped with humans who act worse than monsters. I’m sure she will give you the protection you and your brother need. And, if Sammy can’t stay in the school dorms with you and Ryl, he’s welcome to stay here. And Eryx. I am very proud of you.”

He… he was proud… of me.

I did something stupid and reckless because I had to. And instead of scolding me about every way it could have gone wrong?

He was proud.

I felt the tears and couldn’t stop them as they fell from my eyes, starting as little streams to raging rivers as I stood there and sobbed. Sammy hadn’t noticed-still watching his cartoons I had used to distract him from the adulty conversation-Ryl looked confused, and Netherifemi looked panicked.

“Oh… did I say something wrong?” Netherifemi quickly with a worried look painted on his face

Ryl also looked confused and awkwardly patted my back.

I calmed myself a bit, and then sniffled, still choked up a bit, “You’re proud of me?”

“Of course. You did what you needed to do to survive. I do not blame you.”

“…Why ware you crying?” Ryl seemed worried too as he asked his question.

“He said he was proud of me… and… and he means it.”

Netherifemi saw it, “Have you never been told that? That someone was proud of you?”

I sniffled again and then shook my head, “No… not ever. And especially not when I do something stupid and reckless.”

“Ryl, marry this boy so he can be my son-in-law or I am adopting him.”

“Daaaaad! Tiiiime and plaaaace!”

“Says the boy giving back pats… not even a hug? Son… I am disappointed.”

“Oh! He smelled hugely of crippling sadness and negative feelings. It was ovarwhelming!

The two started a lighthearted bickering… a bickering that was playful, not filled with genuine anger. And… it… made me chuckle a bit. It was sweet. Sweeter than what I used to know.

I know something now.

It’s not having claws, scales, fur, fangs, horns, wings, or being abnormal that makes you a monster. Well… maybe in a horror movie or to the dictionary yes. But… There’s another definition to monster. I’d forgotten about it.

“A threatening force,” it’s about how you act, and treat others, it’s not just “a person of unnatural or extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty” not about looks, it’s about how you act. And Netherifemi may be a demon who’s many stories tall, and Ryl may have fangs, but they’re not monsters. They’re kind. They don’t have a threatening force, they have a sweet one.

So no. We’re not monsters, not the ones from a horror movie. We’re not generic horrendous monsters.

We’re not monsters, but we’re also not human.

And that’s what makes us so uniquely beautiful.