What you think does matter

 The Hidden Monster War The Howling Shadow Chapter Six The howl sent shivers racing down my spine, sharp as ice and impossible to ignore. It wasn’t just a sound—it was a warning, a promise of the nightmare closing in. It echoed through the trees, each long note vibrating through the ground beneath my feet. The air around us seemed to thicken, heavy with an unspoken threat, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Mia clutched her knees to her chest, her wide eyes reflecting the firelight. Her lips parted, but no words came out, just a shallow gasp. Beside her, Brady’s hand hovered near the small hatchet he had found earlier in the camp. His knuckles turned white, and though he tried to look brave, the way his shoulders hunched betrayed his unease. “They’re closer than I thought,” Evelyn murmured, her voice low but steady. She stood, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. Her calm demeanor was both reassuring and terrifying, like a storm brewing on the horizon. “What...w...

The Hidden Monster Wars Chapter Four The sanctuary had fallen quiet, but the silence felt heavy, like the moments after a thunderstorm when the air is still charged. The soft hum of the repaired barrier echoed faintly, the glowing runes on the trees shining steadily now. It was almost peaceful, but the smell of burnt ash lingered in the air, a grim reminder of what had just happened. I stared down at the sword in my hand. Its glow had dimmed to a faint shimmer, and it felt oddly warm, like it had its own heartbeat. My arms trembled under its weight, though I couldn’t tell if it was the sword or the adrenaline crash. “Sam?” Mia’s voice broke through my thoughts, soft and tentative. She knelt beside me, her hand brushing my shoulder. “Are you okay?” I looked at her, my vision blurry from unshed tears. “I—I think so. But that…that was insane. I didn’t even know I could do that.” Her face was pale, smudged with dirt and streaked with sweat, but her eyes held something I hadn’t seen before:...

My name is Samantha Blake, and my high school just became ground zero for a war no one else seems to notice. Vampires, werewolves, and monsters—yeah, the kind from scary movies—are real. And they go to   my school . It started during third-period biology. I was dissecting a frog, trying not to gag, when Jayden, the guy who sat in the back, bolted out of his seat. "Mr. Dyer, can I go to the nurse? I feel sick," he said, clutching his stomach. Jayden was one of those quiet, keeps-to-himself guys. But something about the way he moved felt...off. His steps were too smooth, like he was gliding. "Go ahead," Mr. Dyer replied, barely looking up. Jayden shot a glance at Vanessa, who was sitting two rows over. She stiffened, her blue eyes narrowing into slits. They stared at each other for a long moment, like they were talking without words. Weird. At lunch, I sat at my usual table with Mia, my best friend, and Eric, who always stole fries off my tray. Today, though, neither ...

Broken – no other choice 1980 I am sitting at my desk desperately hoping the school day flies by. I really don’t like it here, things haven’t been going well and being the class outcast once again is taking its toll on me. There’s a knock at the classroom door, one of the office administrators walks in and calls the teacher over to the side. Soon two large men dressed in dark suits walk in and one of them whispers something into the teacher’s ear. The classroom is silent; everyone is trying to listen in on what is being secretly said between them. We are all anxious, curious about what is happening. The entire classroom turns to look at me in shock when the teacher calls out my name and motions me to come forward. “Take all your stuff with you.” She says with this tense ring in her voice. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I couldn’t help but smile on the inside, do you see me, that’s right look at me, I am important. As I put everything I had into my bag, all...

Broken – no other choice I’ve never been to the movies, I wasn’t sure how to respond but if this was an added bonus to getting out of school early – I am all in. As the men in the front seat quietly talked to each other I spent my time looking out the window. I was thinking about how great this would be for me, tomorrow I would be back in school telling all the kids how I spent the day at the movies. I would finally have something that would make me special, make me important and something that will make them all very jealous of me. They parked the car and quickly walked me into the theater, they didn’t even pay for a ticket, they just flashed their badges and continued to walk me right in. The room was dark, they directed me to a seat three rows up from the front and smack dab in the middle of this humongous brightly lit screen that showed dancing cartoon popcorn and candy characters. This was the best day of my life. The movie started and the title popped onto the screen – Ai...