All These Voices...

THE BUS ROCKS HER FROM SIDE TO SIDE. As she travels these not so familiar roads, her brains afforded the time to daydream or rest. She hadn't slept well last night, something about this place that had her hairs crawling.

Everything seemed so normal, yet something felt so very off. It could've just been that she didn't particularly want to permanently live here, as horrible as the people were there...at least she was familiar with everything there. Here, she didn't even know where to go besides her nan's house.

Some chatter, their voices rising and blending in the sweet ritual of friends. Some absorb themselves in music; others drift into worries that will erase themselves on arrival when their body rejoins the world of moving and speaking to others. And so it goes on that way, all of us together and separate, feeling all the same turns and bumps.

The bus ride is her meditation. The same chill music in her earbuds, the same view was passing as a beloved and rewatched movie. She'd passed these roads before, with her mom.

The music fills her ears without effort, like the waves filling holes in beach sand; the sound rushing in, she always reacted to the beat, while others indulged in their chatter. Her eyes looked slightly around, watching as the unfamiliar faces show the weariness of her presence.

It was best she had put her earbuds on. Just so she could drown out them out, she felt anxious already, and she didn't feel like adding more to it.

It was better to listen to something more of a lively tempo that could lift her, elevate her spirit, whilst relaxing her sudden mood. Before the notes filled her ears, she took deep breathes in and out. She was utterly relaxing as she looked at the view provided for her next to her.

Ed Sheeran always seemed to understand her more than anyone in her life. 'Bloodstream.'  A song that seemed to keep on replaying over and over, never did it stop.

Funny enough, by the time she'd reached school. The song stopped. 'Here we go.' She couldn't help but think to herself.

Harlow inhales deeply, clutching her backpack. The first day of school. Why did this feel like such a bad idea? She felt like dying at the sudden anxiety, that sheer overpowering nervousness.

Why so nervous?

New place, new people. It was hard for her to fit in back at her old school, never mind a new one. That sudden feeling like she was about to jump in the middle of a lion's den feels someone gets a surge of catastrophic fear mixed with nervousness. Everyone around her felt like predators, and she was prey; they waited to pounce on her any minute. She saw it in their eyes the suspicion, the evident weariness of the newcomer.

It was apparent she didn't belong here. Not even a little bit. That feeling of being so out of place has never been so strong before.  No matter what town you went to, everyone knew everyone in their town, and outsiders rarely entered it. It was the law of the werewolves. That was the major problem with being a part of a pack; outsiders weren't all that welcomed. 

Newcomers were seen worst than untrustworthy rogues- a wolf who never belonged to a pack. 

She was that unfortunate soul who was an outsider, and to say it was easy; she would be lying. Even if she were confident and outspoke like many other wolves are, they would for a sure break in this type of pressure and be seen as an enemy rather than part of the pack.

This was way out of her element.

Harlow took her last step, ultimately leaving the bus. She took a couple of steps forward, moving further away from the bus. The only thing she had as a way to get home, her only escape from here.

Her Nan had kindly gotten everything sorted, and she had even gotten her her timetable. "Hey, you must be Harlow Gage." Someone said, all too chipper. The stranger almost jumped at her excitement, at she looked welcoming.   

Harlow hadn't noticed her until she had jumped right in front of her like an excited kitten. She was tall...well, taller than her, which didn't make a difference since everyone was taller than her. The stranger's soft curls fall in fiery swirls to a face as sweet as a white chocolate button. A smile lingered on her red lips, and she looked friendly. Too friendly.

"I'm Mia." She said, her voice sweeter than honey. "I'm here to show you around."

'This was going to be a long ass day...' She couldn't help but think to herself.

"Oh, hi." Harlow finally said; her voice was faint. Nervous. She was new. What else was she going to be? Being around people, she didn't know brought her on edge, a constant corruption of lack of trust in the unknown.  

"Come on then, and we are going to be late for the assembly." She said, waving her hand for her to follow, wearily she did.

Everything about this place was different from her last home. From the halls, she walked into the people that looked at her at the corner of their eyes. Just as she was walking past, so were the many bodies of the school. Following one another to the wide double door entrance, she rushed past hectically, which she assumed led to the assembly hall. 

The school was pretty primary, nothing new. It consisted of the same lockers, just a lighter colour. Same shiny floors, she assumed the janitor has just finished mopping. The school was...well, school, and that didn't surprise her in the slightest when she walked through it. It was the same system as her old one; the only thing that changed is the people that surrounded her.   

"So, do you like it here?" Mia asked as they walked side by side at a slowed pace in comparison to the others.

"Um...I don't know; I haven't stayed here for that long." She shrugs; what else was she going to say. "I've only been here a day."

"Oh, maybe I should show you around the town sometime." She was friendly, too friendly for her liking. As if this town wasn't weird enough.

Harlow forced a smile onto her lips. "Yeah, that would be nice."

As much as she distasted the thought of being shown around here by strangers, she also had to make friends... she was going to be here for a while, and Mia seemed nice...

As the bodies of students sat down on the metal chairs that were placed in rows. She copied the action and sat herself down along them, sitting in the far back where their eyes wouldn't catch her. Anticipation grabbed her by the throat as she waited for what was going to happen next. At her old school, she didn't have assemblies like this. Just a brief announcement on the school speaker broadcast, her headmaster would make it her mission to give yet another useless information for Blood Moon students.

A lady dressed in a cut-suit walked onto the stage, grabbing the microphone that another teacher gave her. Her heels cling and clang on the wooden surface; they seemed to ease the chatter that slowly dies down by her presence.  Her sheer presence exuded importance, respect snd even admiration. Harlow could see it in their eyes as they patiently waited for her to speak, to inform them of a matter. 

"Morning, students." She said, composed. Even from the way she spoke, it held power, a sensibility there; it defiantly shows her that the women seemed like the type to not cross anyone out of line, almost like one of those friends that were a goody-two-shoes. Like herself.

"As you may be already, be informed of the precautions we have to take now."  She continued to say, as many listened.  "Many of you already know from recent news regarding an attack that happened to our dearest neighbouring packs these past few months."

Attacks? What was she talking about? "Michael Collins continues his monstrous acts of the brutal murder, but we shall not fear, and we will show no fear to the enemy."

Chatter began to once again flutter around her; people were scared. The mention of his name brought more than just chills. A catastrophic panic, a corruption that tares them apart from the inside. 

Even she felt it. 

"Quiet." She hushed the crowd; her voice bombed throughout the hall. They were like trained dogs, doing as their master commanded, which was ironic since they werewolf.

Just her luck. First day here, and she was in more danger than ever before. No matter where she went, his infamous name followed her, like chewing gum stuck beneath her shoes. That's all she ever heard about back in Blood moon; everything about this vicious enemy haunted everyone's nightmare. Even hers. He was what everyone talked about, and it made sense since he was the cause of the many pack's downfalls. Their main concerns were always about him and him only.

A bloodthirsty Alpha no one could stop. Most believed him to be a powerful werewolf, more potent than all the Alphas combined- or at least that's what everyone keeps on telling her, whether she believed them or not was another thing. They said his strength was unmatched by many, and maybe it was why he always won every battle.

And there's another fact, Micheal Collins always won. He loves the sheer satisfaction of winning, or maybe that's what she was told. She didn't know much about him besides the fact that he was a serial killer who indulged himself in a spree of killing innocent people. 

Michael Collins, his name brought terror to the world around her. The news of his next moves continually fluttered around her like an annoying fly, never did it leave her alone. 'Monstrous acts...' the headmaster had said; she couldn't be more right. The man was a monster, a heartless creature that enjoyed attacking packs for no explanatory reason.

For years they had attempted to try and stop him and his vicious pack of his, but that was a lost cause. Most of them died in their attempts, all while others were injured or had cowardly ran away to protect themselves, but why attempt to rid the world of this evil when you know you don't have the guts to see your plans? Through. She just never understood that.

However, where do they go? The woods weren't exactly the best-known place for being a place where hope and happiness grew. Eventually, they ended up dead.

"No one is to wander around alone, especially in the woods. Make sure you are in groups when outside. No one, and I repeat no is to step outside alone." She instructed such a solid and direct instruction. 'As if that will stop him...' She thought to herself, but even so, she heaved her warning, anyone were to follow. If they didn't, then...they'd die. 

It was simple. Micheal Collins had a reputation, and everyone in this room knew it. Too well.

The words rang in her mind, an echoing of alarms ringing. 'No one is to step outside alone.' Her mind couldn't help but take in that warning; how could she not. She knew the consequences if she didn't.

"It's scary knowing he's near us," Mia whispered, etching closers to her, leaning slightly in her seat. 

Harlow turned her head to get a better look at her, "Yeah." She exhaled. What else was she going to say? There was nothing to say.

"You don't think he would..." Her voice wavered.

"Attack." She finished her sentence off for her. Harlow knew what she was going to say. She was thinking about it too. Everyone was. If Michael Collins were to invade, what would happen to everyone here? Indeed, he would not lose it and kill everyone here. It would be insane, even if he were borderline psychotic.

Maybe he would; he was known for that very thing. Every pack worse fear had suddenly manifested itself into a reality. "I don't know." She said.

Just knowing that he was able to attack at any given moment was genuinely terrifying. Harlow had heard some who had survived his attacks; they always referred to him as a cold-hearted beast. They described staring into his eyes would be like staring into a pool of hatred. Some even questioned if he had a heart.

He probably didn't. And what was worse, nobody knew much about him besides the fact that he was evil and, just very simply put, dangerous.

The tension between everyone was apparent; it couldn't be missed within the amount of the student bodies within this hall. Their scared and worried faces said it all.

"Stay safe, students." And with that, she was off the stage, just as students began to rise from their seats and dispersed to their classes.

Her eyes scanned the room frantically; she didn't know where to go. She went into her bag and took out her timetable and map of the school. Damn, this was harder than she had thought.

The sheet of her timetable was quickly snatched away from her hold by Mia. "Hey!" She says.

"You have science at the first period." She states while remaining scanning over the paper, "Same" She smiled.

Phew, at least now she had a semi-recognisable face within her class, even if it is Mia. A Smile stretched itself onto her lips. "Amazing."

Mia handed back her timetable and turned to lead the way, "Follow me."

And so she did.