The Anomaly

Before I begin, there is something I must tell you. This is not a regular heartwarming tale nor is it the grimiest one you have ever heard. No, this is my story and mine alone. So, my dear reader, whomever you may be, know the pain I have been faced with in writing this letter. I write this not to send but instead to be discovered by a sole who wishes to change the world forever. Only after reading this letter will the world and the very air we breathe have changed in the blink of an eye. I am sure you must be quite curious as to my identity. I am Charlotte Rose and this is the story of my life. Use it wisely. 

Ever since I was a little girl, people said I was gifted. But, not in regards to my intelligence. I was born a witch with immense powers that not even the coven elders could understand, my mother being one of them. As I grew older my power grew with me. When my siblings and peers were learning to float feathers over the Thames I was flying. As soon as I discovered my ability to do elemental magic, the other coven elders started researching my parent’s history. None of my paternal ancestors had even an ounce of the same powers I had and none were able to do elemental magic like I did. The genetic markers in my magic and that of my parents simply did not match. So, they kept digging. By  the time I was 16, I learned that the man who had raised me was not my father by blood. My mother had been unfaithful years ago, but did not know for sure who my father was. When I turned 19 it became apparent that I was gifted in other ways too. But where I saw opportunity, my coven saw a monster.

My true father had been a werewolf. Meaning I was a hybrid and had the abilities of both a witch and werewolf. The only problem was that interspecies relationships were forbidden. These unjust rules had never been broken before. So, I am the only hybrid in existence, the sole member of my kind, and a creature like no one else. My coven feared the power I had and made me leave them, never allowing me to come close to them or my parents ever again.

You see, people fear what they do not know. They don't truly know anything about me and that will be there down fall. You cannot survive in this huge world if you possess an unchangeably small mind. 

For the last year I have lived in London, trying to uncover anything that may help me discover who I am. Being a werewolf only strengthened my power as a witch. As a werewolf, I was able to turn at will on the full moon. But, as a witch, this ability made it so that every full moon my powers grew into something I never even knew existed. Being different doesn't make us weak, it made us strong.

The reason I am writing this is simple. I hope you have the ability to be more open minded than my old family. I also hope that you can be braver than them too. Brave enough to realize that the rules put in place by the species leaders are outdated and will destroy us. These rules only inspire fear  and strengthen the invisible chains that force us into conformity. A world full of anomalies is not an evil thing, because that is what we all are. But, I am a different kind of anomaly. I am the hybrid. I am one of a kind. I am going to change the world. But, I need help. I need you to be one of many people that dare to be different. I need you to be brave. I need you to not be what everyone wants you to be. I need you to be an anomaly.    

***

London, 2018

Today was just like yesterday and the day before that. Every day since I was exiled from my coven last year was. I woke up in the same small flat that my mother had given me just before I left. I think it was her way of apologizing. Every day I would wake up, get breakfast at the café, and head to my work at the pet shop. I didn't hate my job, but it was not the one I was promised. Last year I was set up to be the leader of our coven. Not that I would want to lead a group of exhaustingly small minded people anymore, but I was happy there with my family. Every day since, I have been forced to be human. At night however, I practiced my magic. I trained to get stronger and to harness my power so that I could control it. I have been doing something else too. I am the leader of a group of werewolves, vampires, and witches alike that wish to make a difference in our world. I started this for the next generation of discarded anomalies. For members of the supernatural community that have been deemed useless by their family to have a place that would welcome them. We are called the Joined Spirits.

***

“Hello?” It was mid Autumn and as I opened the door of my flat I not only felt a chilly gust of wind, but also saw a single man. His hand was held in mid air as if about to knock on the, now open, door. Seemingly flustered, he quickly lowered it. The man, whoever he was, appeared to be no older than 22.

“Hello.”

“Who exactly are you?” I asked.

“Oh, my apologies. I’m Oliver Baker,” he tentatively and offered his hand, which I shook.

“What are you doing at my flat, Oliver?” 

“I believe this belongs to you,” he said, holding up a piece of parchment which took me a moment to recognize. It was the letter I had written just after I was shunned.

“I think you better come in,” I said, stepping back.

“You are Charlotte Rose, are you not?”

“I am. Tea?” I asked, walking toward the kitchen after signaling for him to sit on the couch, which he did.

“So is it true?” 

“Is what true?”

“Are you really a hybrid?”

“Yes. Do you take sugar?”

“Is it true you're a thousand times stronger than your coven?”

“Well I don't know about a thousand, but yes.”

“Wicked.”

I set the tea tray down on a small table next to us and joined him on the couch.

“So, what are you?” I asked him.

“An anomaly.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that what you were looking for? Someone different who didn’t want to blend in. Someone who wanted to change the world. A partner in crime.”

“I think I might need to know who you are before we go into crime together,” I said.

“I am a witch born of werewolves.”

“You’re a hybrid too?”

“No. That’s the thing, no one has ever heard of one species being born from parents of another. If word got out that I exist, who knows what could happen.”

“That’s exactly the issue. People like us have been persecuted for decades just for being different. But why come to me?”

“It was your letter,” he responded, seeming slightly confused.

“Yes, but you haven’t been asking questions about that. You’ve been asking about me. So, tell me Oliver, what is it you want to know?”

“I’ve known a few witches in my old coven and who told me stories of a hybrid. A cross between a witch and a werewolf. They told me that you and you alone have the ability to destroy the entire world. They said you are the most powerful being on the planet and that I should stay far away from you.”

“Why didn't you?”

“It only took my coven a month to find out what I was. A few witches set my house on fire while I was sleeping. Thank God I had a spell on the house. It didn’t let the flames reach me, but by the time I woke up, the witches had almost broken through it. I climbed through my window and escaped. But, if I had woken up even a minute later…I would have died. I would have died because I was different. We have both been nearly destroyed by those who couldn’t understand us.” 

A small tear rolled down my cheek as empathy overwhelmed me.  

“Your own coven tried to kill you?”

“Why do you seem so shocked by that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, yours tried to kill you too.”

“No. I already told you, they only kicked me out.”

“Charlotte...I told you I knew witches that knew about you,” Oliver began slowly.

“They also knew some of the coven elders from when you were with them. From what I’ve heard, they wanted to kill you, not just banish you.”

“Then what stopped them?” I asked softly.

“Your parents.”

` “No. No. Not possible. My parents didn’t give a damn about me. They let me get thrown out by a bunch of cowardly ass witches without so much as a word of protest or a goodbye,” I stood up, unable to remain seated any longer. Anger flowed through my veins and my head started spinning uncontrollably.

“Those ‘cowardly ass witches’ wanted to slit your throat and they would have done it without even blinking. But, your mom was able to convince them to let you go, even though it broke her heart.”

I fell into an armchair, worried that if I kept standing I might pass out. Anger fizzed out of my head and was replaced by another chaotic wave of thoughts. For the last year I had lived with and had accepted the fact that the people I loved the most were the ones that had caused me the most pain. Now, hearing this life altering news from a stranger, I simply had no idea what to think. Oliver walked over looking concerned as another few tears rolled down my cheeks. He kneeled down by me and reached out to touch my arm.

“You okay?” he asked kindly. 

“Are you lying to me?”

Oliver only looked up at me quizzically and drew back his arm.

“What you just said to me…about my parents. I need to know you were telling the truth.”

“I guess you’ll just have to trust me,” he said with a shrug.

“Can I?”

“I think I’ll let you decide that for yourself.”

I nodded and dried my eyes on my sleeve. When I opened my eyes, Oliver was approaching me with an offering of tea. I took it gladly, said thank you, and he retreated back to the couch and grabbed his cup. We sat there in silence, drinking our tea, for almost an hour. My brain still swirled, but the tea and silence helped me to calm my thoughts. Though I could not tell what Oliver was thinking, I knew I was in some of his thoughts. He kept glancing over at me periodically and then looked back down when I caught him. I think he was concerned about me. To be honest, I was concerned about myself too. When this kind of bombshell is dropped on a person, the expectation is that they will crumble. But, I did not intend on giving my coven that satisfaction.

“Let’s go,” I said, standing up suddenly.

“What? Where?” Oliver asked with surprise, setting down his cup.

“To confront my parents.”

“What about your coven? They’ll crush you.”

“They may outnumber us, but I can still kick their asses.”

“You sure about that? Not to doubt your power but aren’t they like really powerful too?”

“We’re the anomalies, remember?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Lighten up Ollie. It’s payback time.”

“As long as you can promise me you won’t use me as witch bait.”

“Let’s just get there first,” I said briskly, grabbing my coat and opening the door.

“You’ll just have to trust me,” I added.

“Can I?”

“I’ll let you figure that out,” I said, smiling, disappearing from the doorway.

“Damn it,” Oliver cursed under his breath, unable to resist the temptation of following me.

“Coming!” he yelled, shaking his head.

***

“This is it,” I whispered a half hour later.

“The entrance to Mount Doom,” he whispered back.

“What?”

“It's...never mind.”

We stood just outside the clearing where my old coven met every full moon. I looked up at it and could feel the extra power coursing through my veins. Oliver followed my gaze and then turned back to me.

“So are you going to wolf out or something?”

“No, I’m a hybrid. I can control the transformation. As a witch, my power basically doubles on the full moon.”

“Well good, we’ll need it.”

“You going to be okay?” he added.

“Let’s just go.”

I stood up and strolled nonchalantly into the clearing, hoping my confident stride would mask the fear I felt swell up inside of me.

“Anybody home? Banished hybrid freak out here!” I yelled.

“What are you doing?” Oliver whispered urgently.

“Getting their attention.”

“Nice to see you again Agnes!” I exclaimed sarcastically at the sight of a dark haired coven elder as she emerged from the trees.

Behind her came around 50 witches from all directions.

“Let me get to the point. You wanted to kill me but didn’t. Please don’t take this as a second shot to do so. I want to see my parents, that’s all. No need for blood shed.”

Suddenly, a shot of red light hurtled toward Oliver and I. I stopped the spell quickly with my hand.

“You okay?” I asked, seeing Oliver's terrified expression. 

“Uh huh. Charlotte watch out!” Oliver yelled, basically tackling me to the ground as about 50 rays of fatal bursts of red light came barreling towards where we had just stood.

All around us, the witches began to advance towards us, chanting as they went.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered to Oliver. Even with the power I had, there was almost no way I could defeat 50 full grown witches. Another tear ran down my cheek. Upon seeing it, Oliver spoke.

“There’s no way in Hell did we come all this way only to be barbecued.”

   “What are you doing?” I yelled, as Oliver stood up and shot a spell towards one of the witches who staggered backwards.

“Doing what us anomalies do best! I’m fighting!” Oliver yelled, as he dodged a few more spells.

I took a deep breath and stood up to join him, breathing in the moon's power. I held my hands out to both sides and huge blasts of light filled the air making a sound like the crack of thunder. All around me, witches retreated. I had never used this much power before in my entire life and I could feel the effect it had on me. There were only 23 witches still standing, but they kept coming closer and closer. I knew this was it. I knew this was the end of the sole hybrid left in existence.

“Stop!” a voice rang out in the crowd, causing silence to fill the clearing. A woman broke through the mob, running towards me.

“Mom?” I whispered softly, barely able to form the word I never thought I would ever say again. Just like that my life changed again, forever.