Changes

Quick note (or long lol): I've been working on this off and on, and I needed to start something I could get in to. This story is not edited or revised yet, so sorry if it sucks lol. (Working on it. Just needed to post something) It's kind of confusing and fast at first, but trust me it'll get better. (I hope) I also don't have a title, so if you guys have any ideas, lemme know. This is "chapter" 1 of this. That's all! Hope you have a fantastic week! -Love, Striver

As I walk out of the subway, I notice someone, something, staring at me. It had sharp piercing eyes like a demon out of hell. I clutch my notebook suddenly. To everyone else, the thing wasn’t even there. They went on with their lives like anyone else would. I stared at the creature back, making sure my gaze was steady. This creature could sense emotion.

This creature was an empath. A horrifying creature with claws like swords and teeth as big as a toddler. It was made of smoke and dust, its eyes the color of blood. It eats the emotions of your soul away with one foul swallow. To everyone else, this creature is not even there. They think it's just the shadow of themselves. In reality, it is the most terrifying creature you could ever meet. 

You might be wondering, how come I can see this creature but no one else can? Well, the answer is simple, I am a Seeker. I am one of the very few people that can see these beasts that lurk the earth. I should also mention I am part of the Association of the Lurking Ones, or the AOTLO. We are a group of people born with powers like no one else. We keep undercover and hide right under your noses. 

The beast roars, its teeth bearing and his eyes shining with rage and fury. I kept walking, pretending to ignore this beast behind me. If I felt even one sliver of worry, the creature would gobble me up within seconds. 

I take three deep breaths, making sure I held it in for around 15 seconds before I let it out. Looking behind me, the monster was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief, turning my head to only be face to face with the empath itself. 

I pretend not to notice it, keeping my emotions under control. The creature scrabbled its claws, waiting for me to break. I walk right through the empath, it's smokey like skin clinning to my clothes and hair. I hold my breath. Breathing in the monster's smokey like figure would result in weeks, maybe months of strange emotional roller coasters, depending on how much you breathe in. 

I walk straight out of the creature, black smoke still grasping onto my clothes. I let out my held in air, my lungs thanking me for this gesture. Clutching my clothes tightly, I cough briskly. Looking around, I see that no one really notices the black smoke lingering over me. Good. 

Taking small steps, I turn and see Zander. He was one of the few others who had powers like me.

He gave me an acknowledging nod. I returned it. As I walked up to him, he smirked a little. 

“Nother empath eh?” Zander said with leer written all over his face. Looking at him, I scoffed slightly. “Looks like you had a bit of trouble back there. Did the famous Thorn’s streak break?” Zander spoke with a glint in his eyes.

“No, I just had a bit of a situation keeping my cool. That’s all,” I said truthfully. Ever since a monster recently broke into our base, everyone has been tense and on edge. No one is really calm anymore, giving the creatures a greater advantage. 

“Say that all you want, but me and you both know that you're slowly breaking,” Zander said with a frown on his face. 

“Not if I can help it,” I said with a grin. “So anyways, what’s it been like at base? Any new creatures recorded in that little notebook of yours?” I tilted my head to the side and shifted my weight from my left foot to my right. 

“One, a Vanisher. Y’know when you lose something and can never find it? Well, that's what this pesky thing is up to. We’ve returned thousands of items that the Vanisher took to their proper owners,” Zander said this with a proud grin. 

“Well, I’m glad you're learning new things, but I really have to get going, there’s a meeting at noon, and I’m already late,” I say with a quickness to my voice. If I was late again, I might have to watch over the cells.

“Alright, alright, I’ll let you go this time. Promise me something though, don’t follow the butterfly,” Zander said this and then disappeared, leaving me in a bubble of confusion like always. He had told me this ever since I joined the AOTLO. 

You know when some cute animal follows a butterfly and gets led into some kind of trap or horrible place? Well, that's what he means. He’s just trying to tell me, in normal terms, don’t let your curiosity get the better of you. 

I walked ahead briskly, making sure I didn’t draw too much attention to myself. Walking up to a simple concrete wall, I touch the cold surface and look around, making sure nobody saw me. 

My hand moves into the wall and I step into it. Inside the wall was an elevator. The buttons, which I had seen many times before, listed from Lower Level to 10. I clicked on the button 7 and it shown a bright white around the rim. 

Leaning against the elevator’s wall, I coughed and looked as the screen’s number moved from 1 to 2. The elevator stops, and the doors open. A man wearing a silver jacket and neat, slicked back silver hair walked in. He gave me a respetable nod, and I returned it. 

“Nice to see you around again, Thorn,” The man said with twinkling teeth. This man was Ralph. He was one of the nicest people in the organization.

“Thanks, how's Isebella?” I ask politely. 

“Oh she won’t stop goin’ `bout my poor cookin’ skills,” Ralph looked annoyed as he said this. The elevator doors shut and we continued up.

Isebella was Ralph’s wife. They had always gotten along with everything except for cooking. Neither of them could cook bad, but they both insulted each other’s food all the time. In four days it would be their twenty-third anniversary. 

“No way, your cooking is so great, and your chicken salad is heaven in a bowl,” I say, my mouth watering.

“Thanks, Thorn. This is my stop so I better skedaddle,” Ralph said with a respectful bow. 

“Nice to talk to you again Ralph,” I say, bowing in return as Ralph exits the elevator, leaving me alone once more.

Looking up at the screen again, it now shined 6 in glistening white lights. I adjust the collar of my shirt, looking around with boredom. The door finally dings, slowly opening. I walk out only to be greeted by an empty hallway. 

“Room 192,” I mumble mostly to myself. Grabbing the door handle, I burst through the door.

“Ah, Thorn, finally decided to make a show huh?” My supervisor mocks me. I chuckle.

“Just had a bit of trouble making it here. It won’t happen again,” I say, bowing slowly, then making my way to an empty seat. Eyes burned my back like fire. I tug at my shirt helplessly. Coughing slightly, I look up and all eyes look away quickly. 

“As I was saying before Thorn made her big arrival, I think that we should hire troops. People who would keep the AOTLO a safe place,” my supervisor continued, “I was wondering if we could have Ben, Izzy, Zander, and Thorn be our first set of protection. You all know how to avoid these creatures, and you are the only people I would give the safety of this organization to.” he looked over at the four of us, awaiting any questions on contradictions. 

“I will gladly serve,” Zander says, standing and shaking the supervisor's hand firmly.

“As will I,” Izzy, a forty year-old woman with the sharpest eyes, stood and shook his hand as well.

Ben stood up, nodding and shaking the supervisor’s hand with a small smile, speaking only with his eyes.

The only one left was me. Standing up, I made my way over to the awaiting three. 

“I’m sorry, but I will not take your offer. I would much rather be of use to humans. They need us more than they know right now. I round up at least three monsters everyday, big and small. I can’t just sit around waiting when I could be of better use,” 

My supervisor simply nods, but it was clear how furrowed his eyebrows were. 

“As you wish, Thorn,” he stands up and starts walking to the door. “meeting adjourned.” 

Izzy and Ben walked out rather quickly, excited about their new roles for the industry. Zander, however, decided to stay and pester me. He walked up to me slowly and I looked up at him, annoyance written all over my face. 

“Before you say anything, you are not changing my mind about this,” I huff, putting a finger to his lips. 

“Fine, but can I please know why?” Zander’s eyebrow arched, curiosity lingering deep within his stare.

“Were you even paying attention?” I asked, “I explained everything just seconds ago.” I shook my head despondently, looking up at him.

“Well, I mean, yeah, but I didn’t figure you were serious,” Zander replays, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

“Of course I was being serious Zander, I’m serious ninety precent of the time, and the left over ten is when I’m talking to you. I was talking to our boss. Pay more attention or I’ll have to report you,” I shook my head again, patting his shoulder gently. “See ya around.” 

Walking out of the room, I see my supervisor talking to Izzy and Ben. I had a feeling that this new idea of protection would be the end of our organization, I just knew it.