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 ...

Hi, I’m Ellie, and last weekend I got tangled up in the weirdest mystery of my life. It all started with Mr. Whiskers—Mrs. Thornton’s grumpy, fat, gray tabby who lives two houses down. Everyone in the neighborhood knows Mr. Whiskers. He’s famous for hissing at kids and stealing hot dogs off backyard grills. But last week, Mr. Whiskers vanished. Mrs. Thornton knocked on every door on our street, asking if anyone had seen him. “He’s never wandered off like this before!” she cried. “He always comes home for dinner!” I wanted to help, mostly because I felt bad for Mrs. Thornton. So I decided to search for Mr. Whiskers. At first, I didn’t find much. A paw print here, a tuft of fur there. Then I saw something strange . In the yard next door, Tyler—the kid I barely talked to because he was so quiet—was sitting on his porch, petting Mr. Whiskers . The thing was, Mr. Whiskers didn’t look grumpy or annoyed, like he usually did around humans. He was sitting perfectly still, staring up at Tyler l...

 Hi, I’m Ellie, and up until last week, I thought my life was totally normal . You know, homework, soccer practice, and sneaking extra snacks before dinner. But then, weird things started happening at my house. And by "weird," I mean alien-level weird . It started with the basement. For the last few weeks, every night at exactly 9:00 PM, a low, buzzing hum vibrated through the house. It wasn’t loud, but it was the kind of sound that makes the hairs on your arms stand up. I asked my mom about it once, and she said, “Oh, it’s just the pipes settling.” Pipes don’t hum like spaceships. Then there was my dad. Last Friday, he spilled a glass of water on his arm, and instead of grabbing a towel like a normal person, he just stared at it. The water rolled off his skin like it was plastic. The strangest thing of all? They were acting too normal. My parents have always been a little quirky—Mom sings made-up songs while she cooks, and Dad loves cheesy puns. But lately, they were acting...