The Elevator

Redbridge Pack

My eyes peeled open after a long restless nap. I checked my phone and could see that I had been travelling for over seven hours now. I looked at Benji, who was slouching against the window, mouth hanging open and drool dripping down his chin. He was fast asleep, and I didn't have the heart to wake him.

I opened my window and looked at my surroundings as the limousine was driving through the country paths. Although it had been years since I had been on pack lands, I could sense the connection to the area. I knew we were minutes away from being in Redbridge. The air was thick and humid, but because of the drive, it created a cool breeze across my skin.

The land had changed since I had been here. Before, the tall trees that were brimming with green leaves and fruits were now withered away. The branches no longer looked strong and healthy, but thin and brittle. There wasn't a thick coat of grass that covered the ground, but small patches of grass were dispersed upon the hard and dried up land. The place that I once called home didn't look majestic or welcoming. It looked decrepit and derelict.

Although the scenery had changed, the roads hadn't. The layout was still the same as I felt the car to take us further into the centre of the pack grounds. There were small tiny houses loitering across the roads. They were all sparsely spread out. Once upon a time, wild flowers grew in between the homes, but now they were empty. It made the place feel bigger than what it was. There was a sense of emptiness that blanketed the town.

The homes that were once decorated finely now looked like shacks. Cracked windows, crumbling bricks in the walls, tiles were missing in the roofs. I gasped in shock as I looked at my surroundings. People were walking around in the streets in the midafternoon. They were all looking at a limousine driving through the grounds. I pushed the button to do my window up. I couldn't bear to look at their defeat. Their eyes peaked in my direction as they concentrated on the strange vehicle that was entering their grounds.

As I observed the pack members, they all looked tired and worn. Their bodies didn't hold the confidence or strength they held when I was a child. They all looked broken. Dirt covered their bodies, and their clothes were worn and torn. There was no laughter or chatter. All I could hear was the deafening silence in the air. I could hear no bird tweeting, no cricket was chirping in the grass. Everything just felt empty.

I could feel the car slowing down. I could sense the change in the terrain as we hit the gravel. It was then that I knew we would stay in the main pack house. A part of me dreaded being around so many people. I had spent the last few years in solitude, only allowing a handful of people into my inner circle. All I knew was I was going to hate being surrounded by a large group of people. I knew it would be overwhelming.

The gravel was crunching under the tyres. I took a deep breath and gave Benji a quick shake. He snapped up, banging his head against the window. "I'm awake, I'm awake." He shouted through his sleep like haze. I chuckled in response.

"We're here." I exhaled. "You ready to see my old stomping grounds?" I asked Benji.

"Yeah, but I mean shouldn't I be asking you that?" He asked.

"Too late to back down now. Jacob didn't give me much of a choice." I exhaled.

He grabbed my shoulder and looked deeply into my eyes. I could see that he was trying to offer me his silent comfort, but it wasn't making me feel any better. All I could do was feel anxious and pain from. I never planned to return to this place. I hoped to live a human life hidden away from the people that had caused me harm over my lifespan. "I'm always here for you Lettie, you're not on your own. We will get through this like families do." He said with a warm smile as he squeezed my shoulder.

The car came to a halt, and it was then that I pushed the door open and pushed my feet to the gravel. The pack house looked the same as it did when I was a teenager. It still had the same white coat of paint that covered the house, the windows still had the same wooden frames. There were vines of wilted leaves covering one side of the house. I looked up and sighed.