(Sur)real

I concentrated on writing a letter, a hard task to complete, considering I was blind to the real world. Swirls of grey outlined the shape of the desk before me as the Others tried to help.

“Trace the letter b on the paper,” I said softly.

A tiny swirl started in the center of my vision. I moved the pen I held toward that spot.

“Show me the tip of my pen, too, so I know where to aim.” With care, I traced a ‘b’ on the paper under my pen. “Is it lining up well?”

A horrible wailing moan pierced the air. It wasn’t a sound of agreement, but a warning.

“Who’s coming?”

“Blaaaake…” The word was more of a long moan.

Hurrying, I put the paper in the desk’s drawer and opened the braille book I’d set to the side. My door opened just as I set my fingers to the page. The Others’ ghostly grey forms swirled around Blake in an agitated display. They liked Blake.

“Olivia,” Blake said. An unsuspecting listener might think he said it in greeting. I knew better.

“Good morning, Father.”

He remained in the doorway, observing me for a moment.

“I feel as if you’re hiding something from me…what are you doing?” Suspicion and accusation collided in his tone.

“I apologize. This book is an action thriller about—”

“I don’t care. Come. You’ll spend the day in the Family building.”

“Yes, Father,” I said, suppressing the dread I wanted to feel.

As soon as I stood, the Others moved away from Blake to swirl around the objects in the room, creating a grey, visual display of my surroundings so I could move unencumbered.

Blake led the way from the room, and I followed.

“You’ve always been closed off, Olivia, which I appreciate. However, you’ve been behaving out of character lately. I don’t like it, and I don’t trust it.”

“I apologize, Father. I’ve been dwelling on the problems with my sisters, trying to find a way to help.”

He cocked his head and inhaled deeply as we continued to walk. He wouldn’t detect a lie, though. I always told the truth. He stopped to open a door and held it for me.

The cool breeze stole my breath as I stepped outside.

“The families will help you stop dwelling on problems that are not your concern,” he said, continuing down the sidewalk.

Looking further ahead, I watched as the Others danced along the large building that loomed before us. Thousands of them filled the air. I couldn’t remember a time without them. They were always with me.

When Blake and I approached the front of the building, a woman opened the door. I wasn’t sure who it was, though. I just knew it wasn’t one of the nice ones. They were never allowed out because they would run if given the chance.

“I will see you at dinner,” Blake said abruptly, turning and leaving me to walk the rest of the way now that someone was waiting for me.

“Good morning,” I said softly to whoever waited.

“Olivia.”

The single word was enough to recognize Marie. I stepped inside and waited for her to lead the way to the central meeting room. A child ran past us. It—I couldn’t tell male or female at such a young age—slammed into my leg with a toy as it ran past. I didn’t flinch though I knew I’d wear a bruise in a few hours.

Marie said nothing about the incident, but I knew she’d heard. Ahead, the chatter of childish voices drew my attention, along with the lower murmurs of their mothers as they watched their young playing.

When we reached the central room, the children and women quieted for only a moment then resumed. Marie left me, and I made my way to a chair set along the wall. The Others raced with the children, keeping up with their play so I could see what went on around me. A child ran up and pulled my hair before running away.

I turned to look at the mothers.

“I won’t tolerate any abuse.”

A few laughed but didn’t answer. Another child ran up to me. Its hand darted out toward my face, a slap or a scratch intended. I swatted the hand, and the child giggled before running off. It was a game to them. The blind girl who could see.

It had been like this from the moment I came to live with them.

My earliest memory of Blake seemed to have set the tone for my life, and the tone was very reminiscent of a death march. I couldn’t have been more than four the first time I’d noticed him. A woman I couldn’t recall had been holding my hand and leading me from a building where doctors liked to watch me play. Back then, I hadn’t yet spoken any human words, though I’d understood them. I’d been listening to the Others since as long as I could remember, and the grownups around me had assumed I was deaf and blind because I emulated the language of the Others. I could only guess that my parents hadn’t liked my moaning wails.

While leaving that building so long ago, I’d been wailing to the Others around me, watching them dance and swirl, when a large chunk of them had broken off to dance around a single person. They’d moved so fast and accurately that I recalled seeing every detail of the man’s face in their swirling shades of greys. Stopping, I’d watched the man across the street continue to walk, unaware of the storm around him.

“Come on, Olivia.”

The woman had given me a gentle tug, and I’d wailed louder and pointed, drawing the man’s attention.

“No, honey, it’s not nice to point.” But it had been too late. He’d seen me. More than that, he’d caught my scent, and something about it made him cross the street and follow us at a distance.

The woman and I had walked to a parking garage, and I remembered what had happened next with complete clarity. Blake had called out to the woman, asking something. She’d paused and turned. Blake had moved super-fast and had her head between his hands while I watched. He’d twisted sharply, and the woman had fallen to the ground.

I remembered how I’d trembled in fear. Then, a voice had come to me, and the Others around me had slowed, almost blinding me.

“Child, you are not alone. Go to him. Have courage.”

I’d tipped my head up, trying to see the man again.

“Lift your arms to him.”

A child came running up to me, pulling me from the past. I avoided another blow and stayed in the present, waiting for the hours to pass.

Marie came to sit with me as many of the families left to fix lunch. She didn’t offer me food, and I didn’t ask for any. She wasn’t my friend. None of the women in this room ever would be.

It was my fault that I was enduring the families. Blake knew I didn’t care for the family building. He knew how I was treated. And, he used it as a punishment for not behaving as he expected. I was a tool to the Urbat, a disposable asset. I needed to behave accordingly.

My fate could have been graver. Instead of treating me like a daughter, Blake could have treated me like a human, or worse, a werewolf. I’d heard tales from the women of how the Urbat population had grown. I’d even met a few pure werewolf females.

Long ago, before I’d even been born, Blake had met the controller, Charlene. Back then, both the Urbat and the werewolves had been struggling. The last war between the two races had left their numbers decimated, the werewolves more so than the Urbat. After that war, the Urbat leaders had passed down one directive. Keep the werewolf population low so they wouldn’t be a threat again.

The best way to do that was to keep the female population low. Blake and his crew had been out hunting a Mated pair they’d heard about when they came across another rumor. A human female was living with a werewolf pack.

By the time they’d reached the werewolf settlement, the woman had been fully entrenched in the pack and committed to the leader. But the best part was that years of obscurity had seemed to erase knowledge of the Urbat from the werewolves. Blake and his men had stood in their midst and the werewolves hadn’t even known.

It was a defining moment for Blake. He’d looked around at what the controller was doing and followed her example with the Urbat. He’d forced his men out into the human world. They’d adapted or faced punishment. In reward for their obedience, they had been allowed to capture, not kill, the werewolf females if the females hadn’t established a connection to the leaders of their kind. The Urbat mated with the captured females but did not take them as Mates. That increased the Urbat population while bringing the werewolf population low. Half-breed werewolf children were raised to hate the werewolves and sent to infiltrate the werewolf community.

The werewolf women never lived long. Like wild animals forced into cages, their spirits faded until they gave up. I could think of only one who still survived and was older than me. However, I hadn’t seen her since she’d become pregnant again.

Most of the Urbat women were half-breeds. As long as they showed strong Urbat traits, they were welcomed and treated very well. If they didn’t…well, Blake couldn’t allow the werewolf population to grow.

When the time finally came for Marie to walk me to Blake’s private rooms, I didn’t hide an ounce of my relief. My quick steps soon outpaced Marie, and I opened the entrance door to Blake’s building myself.

The hall was quiet as the Others skimmed along the walls to guide me. Hints of grilled chicken flavored the air, and my stomach growled. I didn’t try to hide any of my reactions. He’d be pleased that he could provide food for me when I was so hungry. Blake in a good mood meant I could return to my room sooner.

“Good evening, Father,” I said as I walked into the dining room.

“Olivia.”

He stood and pulled out a chair for me. The courtesy was an illusion, a way for him to get closer to me so he could decide if I had been appropriately punished for my small slip. I sat and waited. After a moment, he moved away.

“Were you sufficiently distracted from your thoughts today?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good. Leave your sisters to me. I have several men searching for the fighter. I have no doubt they will find her before the dreamer and the rest do.”

I reached for my napkin to distract myself from thoughts of my incomplete letter. The Others moved around the room, outlining everything, so I could see the covered plate before me. After settling the napkin on my lap, I turned toward Blake. He was watching me, waiting for my acknowledgement.

“Of course they will. They were very close with Gabby.”

A growl escaped him at the reminder of just how close he’d been.

“Joshua is lucky he’s dead. I should have killed him myself for his incompetence with her.”

He reached across the table and lifted the lid off my plate. I inhaled deeply, showing my appreciation.

“Eat,” he said.

I picked up my fork and knife and carefully cut a small piece from the chicken breast on my plate as I considered his frustrated tone.

Blake had also entrenched himself in the human world, creating a network of contacts and playing the market to build an empire. It was through sheer luck that he’d found the provider. I knew very little about her, other than Blake had kept her isolated from me.

His mood had been high with both of us under his thumb, and everything had been going well until one of his spies had reported an Elder had found the locator, Gabby. Blake could do nothing while she’d lived with the Elder, fearing that he would give away his hand too early.

So, he’d planned and waited, putting the oldest half-breed he’d had in place. Joshua was supposed to make it possible for an Urbat to Claim Gabby. Instead, some unknown werewolf had shown up at Gabby’s residence, preventing all challengers from getting close to the girl.

Blake had lost the locator, who was his key to finding the two missing Judgements. Not only that, the provider had escaped just this spring. They had all been at the werewolf Compound just weeks ago when the dreamer had shown up and Claimed Joshua. From there, Blake’s plans had completely fallen apart. Except for me.

“You’re very quiet,” Blake said.

I swallowed my bite of peas and gave him a small smile.

“I’m lost in my thoughts and looking forward to returning to my room. The book,” I said, as if to clarify why.

“Ah, yes. I suppose you’ll need a new one soon. Do you have one in mind?”

“I have no particular title in mind, but I do like the suspenseful ones.”

“Very good. I’ll order something new for you.”

“Thank you, Father.”

We ate in silence for the rest of the meal. Blake didn’t believe in small talk. At least, not with me. My basic needs were met. My time suitably occupied. There was nothing more to say. As usual, he finished before I did. With food still on my plate, I set my fork aside and thanked him for the meal. He stood and pulled out my chair for me, extending manners as a well-practiced pretense, then walked me to my room.

I read for thirty minutes before I pulled the letter out from the drawer. With the help of the Others, I painstakingly continued to write the brief message to the fighter.

The grey mists around me slowed and brightened, and I looked up to see the Lady beside my desk. Where the Others were shades of grey, she was light, almost white.

Dear one, are you certain you want Slith to occupy one of the Urbat?

“He’ll be able to find her?” I asked softly.

Yes.

“Then this is worth the risk and the price.”

One of Blake’s men poked his head in.

“There’s a problem.”

I continued eating as if the man wasn’t there.

“What problem?” Blake asked, setting his fork aside.

“They’ve found the fighter.”

It had been days since I sent the letter. Plenty of time for her to receive and listen to what I’d written. I struggled to contain every hint of my regret.

“And?” Blake asked.

“Not our men. The locator, the controller, the provider, and the dreamer.”

Though they knew the names of the ones already found, the Urbat refused to use them. They only ever used my name.

I lifted my napkin just as Blake picked up his plate and heaved it against the wall. The bits of broken china and food bounced off the material I held in front of my face. Calmly, I set the napkin aside. I didn’t touch my food again.

“Olivia, back to your room.”

“Yes, Father.”

It took over another week before I felt the next shift in our world.

I was just stepping into Blake’s office when the swirling grey around me changed suddenly, and I stumbled in the abrupt stillness. Without their movement, I couldn’t see the real world.

Have courage, the whisper of the Lady’s words drifted through the veil. It will all end soon.

“Olivia, what are you doing?” Blake asked impatiently. His voice didn’t change the calm of grey around me like it usually did. It was as if my companions were frozen.

“Father, I can’t see,” I said, keeping my tone respectful.

“You haven’t been able to see your entire life. It’s never prevented you from walking before.”

“I think something is happening,” I said instead of acknowledging his words.

“What do you mean? Your sisters?”

I nodded, and he made a sound of impatience.

“Tell me.”

“There’s nothing to tell. I only have a feeling.” I bowed my head as if ashamed. “I’m sorry, Father.”

“I don’t need apologies; I need information.” His shoes scuffed against the floor as he moved to his desk. The shadows of my world remained still. They’d never done that before.

“It’s something big. World changing,” I said with quiet realization.

“Without you, it can’t be world changing. Now, don’t just stand there. Sit.” His barked order echoed in his office.

Holding out my arms, I tried to recall the layout of his office and made my way to the chair before his desk.

I’m here. The words were a hissed sigh, and with them, I saw a slight movement to my left. I turned and watched Slith drift toward me. His shadow molded into the shape of a chair. Taking small steps, I walked toward him then reached for the back of the chair.

The television, a familiar, gentle voice said. Tell him to turn it on.

“Father, I think you should turn on the television.”

His anger grew.

“Something is changing. I can feel it,” I said again.

A shuffle of noise came from before me then the room filled with voices.

“You’re coming forward with some astounding information I know our viewers won’t believe. A new species exists among us.”

“Not new,” another voice said. “We are as old as humans. Here since the beginning.”

“And what are you?”

“The most popular term is werewolf.”

Shock hit me hard. The werewolves were exposing their existence?

“You can’t expect us to believe something like that without proof.”

“Of course not. You might want to move back.”

I wanted to ask what Blake was seeing but kept quiet.

Blake swore loudly and started yelling for his lieutenants. The conversation on the television continued as he shouted out orders.

“Are you dangerous? How many of you are there? Was that dog attack earlier this year one of you? Why are you coming forward now?” the reporter asked.

“There are two Urbat close to the station. I’m sending them in,” Blake said.

“I’ve come forward because we are all in danger. We are not the only species hiding within the human population. There is another species, Urbat, who are very similar to us in appearance but not in nature. They would see the human population devastated.”

Blake made another strangled noise.

“Start rounding up the women and children. I want this place cleaned out in thirty minutes.”

Everyone who he’d called in left the room to start the evacuation.

“Urbat,” the reporter said. “Why do they want our population devastated?”

“Because your numbers are a threat to their goal. They want to rule. The population, the planet, everything.”

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Our time here is over. The Urbat are coming for us because we’ve shared what they didn’t want us to. Find Blake Torrin, their leader. Cut off his connections. He’s everywhere and has enough money to do much damage.”

Blake roared his anger.

It is time, the lady whispered.

I gathered my courage and made my move.