Who Are You?

What the hell?

I stare at the broken-down front gates. Slowly taking steps into the grounds, I see that there were overgrown weeds everywhere. The gates were rusted as if they have been lying there in those positions for a really long time. The bodies that were lying dead on the ground, where my father had been, were no longer there.

Walking in a daze, I look at the houses that had broken windows that were caked with dust and dirt, barely able to see through them. There were thick vines and weeds that grew along the sides of the buildings. Cars were covered in a thick layer of dust with their tires flat, spiderwebs dangled and weeds grown over.

The streets were cracked with age, dirt and decayed leaves just fallen around everywhere. The burnt down houses and buildings were charred black, no longer smoldering, cold to the touch.

Heart hammering in my chest, not comprehending what was happening here, I move faster to my home. Everywhere I came across, the place was completely abandoned. It was as if nature had claimed this place as its very own. Moving around debris that was just scattered everywhere I noticed not a single body was left in sight.

Where did they all go? I wouldn’t have thought my uncle, and those barbarians had enough sympathy to bury them. Reaching the stairs to the porch I walk right into the mansion, the doors left wide open, leaving more dust and leaves to live in this dismal place.

I stop and stare at the foyer. The bodies in here too were gone. I stare at the ground where Myron had been and spot a dark stain that was now faded. My heart aches as memories once again floods my mind. Of us growing up together, getting into trouble just to have a good laugh, of watching him train to be a sentinel. All of it was now gone.

Grief was still too fresh.

Pulling myself together I look up the stairs. The steps and rails were just as caked with dust as the cars and windows were. Careful not to touch the railings I take the steps one at a time slowly. The paintings on the walls were also completely covered, it seemed everything was.

Once I got to the landing I look down behind me to see my footprints. It looked so odd seeing them there, all alone like that. Reaching my parent’s room, I brace myself gazing at the splintered door.

Careful not to jab myself against the wood I enter their room. Like everyone else my mother’s body wasn’t there. But the sheet I placed on her was. Reaching down I pick it up and dust flew everywhere, making me cough.

There was blood stains that had turned dark brown. With shaky hands I drop it, creating another cloud of dust to waft around me. Tears slides down my cheeks as I look at the wardrobe that stood wide open. My mother’s clothes still pushed aside in abandon.

Stepping carefully around the place I could see it was ransacked of all valuable possessions. There was basically nothing left. Looking into the broken mirror I nearly scream with fright. Stumbling backwards on the lopsided bed, throwing myself in huge amount of dust.

Now in a series of coughing fits I try to control it as best as I can, but to no avail.  Feeling like I was going to choke to death, I quickly throw my damp shirt over my mouth and nose to prevent even more dust to inhale.

After another few moments, I was finally able to breathe properly. I quickly get off the bed and sigh heavily to find I was now caked with the stuff as my clothes and shoes were still quite damp from the lake.

Remembering why I freaked out in the first place; I stiffly look back in the mirror. It may be broken, but it wasn’t as dusty as most of the things in here were. I close the distance and lean my hands on the dresser, gazing at myself with shock and confusion.

The person staring back was not me.

This person had blonde hair while I was a brunette. Her eyes were a very light blue when mine were hazel. Her skin was paler than my own and she was a lot more thinner than I have ever been. She looked weak, tired, and soulless.

Reaching up a hand I touch my face, her face. She at least looked my own age. What was seriously going on here? Was this moon goddess Selene’s doing? But why would she put me in another body that wasn’t my own?

Something then catches my eye in the mirror. Looking down at my wrist I was dumbfounded. Scars and quite a few of them. I could tell they were old as they were thin and white. I look to my other wrist to find the same thing. What was this? Why were they here?

It was apparent it wasn’t suicide scars, but one to simply inflict pain on oneself. They were too thin and not deep enough. Looking back into the mirror I stare at the girl, who was now me.

“Who are you?” I whisper.

Of course, I don’t get an answer back, but it made me dead curious about her. Looking around the room one more time I leave and head down the hall to my own room. As soon as I entered I could see this room was also ransacked as well. Nothing was left as everything was thrown around and destroyed, just as the rest of the place.

I go to my dresser, that had all the drawers ripped out and tossed aside with all my clothes thrown about in disarray. Sighing heavily, I go to search on top of the dresser just to find my favorite perfume missing, my jewelry box completely empty and all my favorite makeup gone, left with only the basic knock off brands behind. A photo frame was faced down. I pick it up to still see the family picture of me and my parents looking as happy as can be.

The glass was broken, so I just carefully take the pieces out and take the photo from its frame. I look at the smiling faces of my mom and dad. Knowing that I will never see them again and wishing this was nothing but all a nightmare.

The sting of tears blur my vision as I quickly fold the picture and put it in my back pocket. I check my closet to see if I could change into something that was more me, but the dust on them were so bad there was no way I could wear them without sneezing and coughing up a storm every few minutes.

I did find; however, a map faded with age. I would stare at this map all the time, wondering what the outside world was like. I never left the pack grounds. There was no need to when we had everything we needed here in Night Stone. I had everything provided for me and whenever I needed something that was only acquired from outside, that was what our gammas was for. They retrieved anything that they could and brought it back within days.

It never crossed my parents minds to travel when here was a peaceful home. Only every once in a while would my father and his Beta traveled for business, other than that, the forest was as far as any of us would go.

But when this map was brought back on one of the errands I immediately took it and checked out all the nearby towns and city names. One always stuck out like a thumb to me. It was the closest town to us and was not very big to begin with.

The little town called Canyon Rocks.

It was my best bet on where to find my uncle. I assumed that man’s pack was nearby if my father was in the way from getting them what they wanted. I wasn’t sure how I was going to go about getting the revenge for my parents and our people, but I was willing to take all the time in the world to get it.

It was clear the moon goddess gave me another chance, and I was taking it.