Chapter One: Beautiful Monster

Strolling down the familiar streets I have called home for my entire life, a sweet smile sat on my lips as I looked around, this place never changes, you see the same buildings and people each and everyday. Even though I loved this place, I will admit there are times my body seemed to long for more, as though there was this deeper feeling of purpose I was searching for but had yet to find. But with the beautiful winter’s sun shining outside and each person walking with smiles on their own faces, I shake the same longing feeling away and head into the town centre where the marketplace stood, the same hustle and bustle of those same ordinary people getting on with their mornings filling my vision.

But the moment my feet landed on the old stone cobbles they’d walked hundreds of times, it was as though I was hit with this odd magnetic feeling, as though my body was connected to some kind of force that wanted nothing more than for me to follow it.

Looking around the area in a wonder but also, a hint of confusion, I hoped I would see what was causing my body to react in this way, a way it never had before. Each time I’d look around for some bright sign letting me know what was happening, I was hit with that same normality, nothing was out of place and as always, exactly the same.

“Earth to Ivory.” The voice of my best friend and the man I was planning to meet broke me from my trance, jumping back slightly out of fear, Jake stood right in front of me.

“You okay, you seemed lost?” He asked once I had fully snapped back to reality, even though I was still very much confused with what was happening with my body and that same odd magnetic feeling seeming to linger all around me, I nod my head with a forced smile.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I-I just went into my head a moment there.” I smiled hoping to explain away the whole incident as deep down, I was very much lost at anything that was happening.

“Oh, maybe you need to grab a coffee from Hannah, I mean after the night you had.” Jake joked still a little confused on what was happening before sending me a wink, immediately, I turn to look at him rolling my eyes at that comment.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I laughed allowing him to lead me away from the edge I had placed myself lost in my thoughts and deeper within the market, the magnetic pull seeming to lighten slightly as I blended with the crowd of people but still, it didn’t seem to let up.

“You don’t… well according to Reece, you and he shared an evening more than a little cordial together last night.” Jake says with another smirk flagging over Hannah who worked away on another coffee before turning to look at me, where I now had to smirk crossing my arms over my chest.

“Well perhaps Reece needs to learn the phrase, don’t kiss and tell.” I responded not giving this man what he wanted to hear as he ordered our regulars from Hannah and with it being his turn to pay, it gave me another moment to look around the area.

At first, nothing stuck out to me just like last time, maybe I did just have a long night last night where my body and brain are little hazy. But before I could turn my attention back to Jake and put all of this magnetic odd feeling to the side, my eyes fall upon four rather large men, all seeming to linger around the back of three large buildings which sat just to the side of the market, such men I had never seen before which caught my attention immediately. As I said before, it was always the same people walking these streets, you get used to not being surprised anymore. But it was their mannerisms that seemed to truly pique my interest, they seemed off to what you’d expect.

Each held dark expressions on their faces as they looked around the land surrounding us and back out into the crowd as though they were making sure they weren’t seen. The moment they turned to look in my direction, I whip my head away not wanting them to know I was staring and plant my eyes on Jake, who collected his change from Hannah with a smile. When he turned to look at me though, his face held confusion again.

“Something isn’t right with you Ivory, are you sure you’re okay?” He asked now sensing the internal panic I was feeling from staring at those men, his hand taking my arm snapping me from another trance I had placed myself in.

“I don’t know what’s happening, I just feel off.” I explained refusing to turn my head in case those men spotted me staring and were waiting to see if I looked again, where Jake was quick to take my hand and lead me off to the side while Hannah made our coffees.

“Is this about what I told you last night… I know it was a massive bombshell to drop on you, but I couldn’t keep it to myself anymore.” Jake began to say in a more hushed voice than before, the secret he was made to keep for years but broke and told me last night at the party we attended was huge, but I was quick to shake my head.

“No Jake of course not, I think I am just a little tired and hazy after last night, maybe I need that coffee more than I thought.” I said not wanting him to feel guilty about telling me last night, yes, it was a huge shock and one I wouldn’t have expected at all, but it wasn’t his fault.

Taking this as his cue to go and collect our coffees, he placed his hand on my shoulder with a comforting smile before getting up leaving me to sit alone with my thoughts in the middle of the market centre. Of course, my eyes drifted over to where those four men seemed to have been hiding but now, they were nowhere to be seen, scanning the surrounding area even more closely, I was confused to not see them, it was as though they’d vanished off the face of the earth!

Shaking my head and asking myself why I felt so intrigued by these men that I didn’t even know, I attempt to put those thoughts at the back of my mind and force myself to think about something else, I won’t deny I was somewhat worried I was losing my mind! Until that same magnetic pull feeling filled my body again but this time, with such force it was as though my body would give out if I didn’t begin to follow and find whatever was pulling me away.

I believe that’s why I did what I did next without even thinking, leaving all of my belongings on the little wall Jake had led me to, I do as my body seemed to beg for and began to follow that same magnetic feeling that seemed to pulse and get that much stronger with each step that I would take. In that moment, it was truly as though my entire mind was so transfixed by this odd feeling, I had tunnel vision, anyone who seemed to try and speak to me, the noises of the loud market place and any other thought of why I was walking in a trance faded into the black, it was as though my mind and body wouldn’t allow me to do anything until I had located whatever my body was drawn to.

Reaching the very edge of the marketplace where those three huge buildings stood, ones I had never been inside but had seen the same odd-looking individuals walking in and out, I was shocked to see the door, which was always kept closed, wide open.

My feet soon came to a stop right outside of this building, due to the size of this town and people seeming to know everyone, words of warning had always been spoken about this very building, many people enjoy saying some kind of odd group operates inside. Telling tales of mysterious creatures which they wish to hunt, odd weapons always laced with silver and some other odd substance, people stay away from this building and those inside.

Even though this odd magnetic pull seemed to strengthen the very moment I lingered by the door and begged me to walk inside, the harsh warnings of this building and all that happens within those walls allowed my clouded mind to bring my body to a halt.

But as though whatever was inside wanted me more than anything, the moment I went to turn around and leave, the most delicious, knee buckling, mouthwatering smell I believe I had ever encountered filled my nose. Looking up in shock and wonder, I find as like the magnetic pull, that beautiful smell seemed to erupt from within that very building.

The pure stench of this beautiful smell seemed to lull me so deep within a hypnotic trance that any other thought aside from finding whatever was emitting this beautiful scent, was gone from my mind and before I could stop myself, I take my first step into this odd building.

But what I would discover not only scared me to death with the gruesome scene… but that beautiful monster which seemed to leak with the intoxicating smell, changed my entire life forever.