SAFEWORD SHIFTED

Sera - 1

I couldn't help but wonder how these authors create such wondrous stories, stories that just dragged me in and wouldn't let me resurface, except for when they did. I lived my life through these books, and I couldn't imagine living any other way - but I already am.

My mother is everything to me, all I have really, and through the things my father put us through, I grew into the uncomforting arms of depression. I could never think of suicide, because it wouldn't just kill me, it would kill her too. I sought different things to help cope, I tried self harming, doing artwork, finding new hobbies. None of it worked. Then I found my reason to live, my hope. Yes, of course it sounds ridiculously cheesy but I've experienced worlds in my head that most people could never even dream of. I have books to thank for that, most importantly, the hands at which made them of course.

I love the books I read, and constantly long to see myself in the mysteries, the romances, and the thrillers. I don't exactly like audio books or reading digitally but I do admire one app in particular for online reading, Wattpad. It's something I hide from most people as they would make fun of me, make fun of the situations I love to read myself in or the way it's my coping. I love the stories I can find, the way I can read as if I were the characters I longed to be. Weirdly enough, I've even made friends through the app, it's so nice to have people to talk to about the books I indulge myself in.

For tonight though, it was 1 A.M, and I had school the next morning. The reading would have to stop tonight and resume tomorrow during school or at night. 

- 

Waking up was always the worst part of my day, it's the one time I actually regret reading. I never really was the type to wake up two hours early to get ready, I preferred saving time to sleep considering I stay up so late. I made my way onto the bus and drifted off until I we reached the school, getting off I approached Celeste. She ran up to me and complained about how her boyfriend missed school and how she had to ride with her sister. I loved Celeste, she was the reason I enjoyed school, she indeed is the weird but enjoyable best friend every main character has. We have almost the same schedule and both just talk till the classes where I'm alone, then I pull out my book and begin to read, especially in math.

Going home was never something I avoided, a place I loved, and I was thankful to love my home as much as I did. I loved my home mostly because of the person whom my mother was. I walked in and sat my stuff down, rushing to go to my room.

"Hi sweetie, how was your day?" my mom said

"hi, for dinner, could we order pizza?" 

My mom laughed and agreed by grabbing her phone and calling the pizza place down the road. I walked to my room and sat down opening Wattpad. I spent the next few hours reading an unhealthy amount of fan fiction till I finished the ones I was currently reading. I began looking for new books on the app that would meet my usual standards: long chapters, completed story, and had good character personalities. I was looking through a few stories and found one called "Guide to shifting", I had heard minorly of shifting but I never really knew much about it. I selected it and opened the book.

To my surprise, I was sucked into the guide, but the concept of shifting was just way to good to be true. I mean, it was literally all I had ever wanted. I quickly began thinking after finishing the guide, I wanted to make a script immediately. I wanted to shift more than I've ever wanted something before, my thoughts were a step away to a reality that was possible. I scribbled out my script, listing out what I wanted to happen and what I looked like. 

I listed my name: Seraphina Estrella Black, my complexion: sleek black hair, green eyes, and 5'3. I wrote my script based off of what I wanted to happen in one of my favorite books: I wanted a mystery, a crime themed book with a bit of a romantic twist. Lastly, I wrote out my safeword:

BEWITCHED