They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 16: Control

Happy Wednesday! Look out for the <>!

Grayson POV

I ran down the road as I got my dagger ready to strike. I knew what I saw on that school sidewalk, but my mind was elsewhere. Stella ran through my mind like an armed robbery, taking all other thoughts hostage. Stella was getting too close and as much as I liked it, it wasn't safe for her. I had to pull back, she would only get hurt if I didn't. Humans weren't meant to live in the Churchwell Realm or be around creatures from that realm, and I for sure didn't belong here.

We were too different, like oil and water, and we would never work. But the facts didn't stop me from thinking about the what ifs of what could be. However, her perfume and her dress were still on my mind. I don't think I would ever forget the way she looked tonight or the way she held me as we danced. It took all I had to keep it together and not tell her my feelings tonight.

Breaking me from my thoughts was when I saw the shadowy figure running across a field from me. In a way, I was glad a Darkling made its appearance when it did because otherwise, I would have said too much to her. I probably had already said too much to her. She didn't need to know half the things I told her, but I couldn't help myself from spilling my guts to her.

I heard the Darkling growl and tightened my grip on my dagger. This time I would be ready to stop the Darkling, I would be ready for it. But as I ran closer to where I first saw the figure in the field, I saw no signs of it. My mind went to a dark place as I frantically I looked around myself. I needed to kill it before it caused damage to this world and people saw it. Or maybe it was preparing to attack me, waiting for me to let down the guard.

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It was so foggy in the field; it caused me to squint, hoping that I would see anything better, but I could not even make out shapes at this moment. I took a deep breath as I tried to calm my nerves, but I knew deep down that I wasn't ready for what came out of this fog. It was times like this when I wished I was just human, blissfully unaware of the dangers that the world really had.

"Hey Grayson," a familiar voice rang out.

My grip on my dagger tighten as I came to the realization of who was talking to me. I hadn't heard his voice in years, but I don't think I would ever forget it. How could I forget my own father's voice?

Out of the fog came my father, standing in front of me, looking almost the same as the day he left me. It was like seeing a ghost and it caused me to take a step back. I thought I would never see him again. Everyone said that once he turned, he died shortly after. I believed the Darklings killed him, but the smile he gave me confirmed he wasn't dead at all. My father, the traitor to the Churchwell Realm, had finally come back.

"It's been a while," he said calmly as he took another step closer to me.

That statement was reserved for friends or people you hadn't seen in a month or two, but he left me years ago. As heartless as that was, he didn't have the right to talk so casually to me. "It's been years," I corrected him as I looked at him from head to toe to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"It has. But time has been kind to you."

Shaking my head, I didn't want any of these pleasantries. I wanted facts. If he was showing his face, there was a reason for this. "Where have you been? Everyone said you died."

He shrugged as he took a step closer to me, allowing me to see him better under the light of the moon and stars. As much as I wanted to keep my distance, him standing so close allowed me to see every detail about him. I looked a lot like him as I got older, as much as I hated to admit that.