Grave Digger

Chapter 1- GrimDaughter

God I can't wait to tell father and finally be rid of this asshole!

"I want to talk to Elias. You may stay or leave it makes no difference to me." A sudden dismissiveness in her tone, but her eyes are kinder when they shift to me. I can feel Abe stewing in his seat at how he was over looked by this tiny woman. He came on to this campus so confidently, into her office so confidently, ready to dump me on this woman and run off.

Ha!

"Hi." She says, smiling warmly as she sits up in her seat. I shift my body to hers and I nod my head in acknowledgement.

"Elias, I'm going to ask you a few things. You don't have to answer, but you look like the type to always have something to say." She says winking at me.

"Ok?"

"How old are you?"

"I'm twenty years old." I answer robotically.

"How long have you been a grave digger?" She asks the question quickly.

"Eleven years." The answer seemingly redundant given the information we just gave her.

"What is your genus?"

"Wolf." The reply quick.

"What pack?" She looks up eyes light and curious.

"No pack."

"Never had one?" Her thin eyebrows furrowed together, confused. "Nearly impossible unless you're in a civilian zoned-"

"My pack was massacred by Avis." I state, the sentence coming out swift and I watch her whole body lurch in shock.

Ms. Penelope drops her pen in almost a trance.

Avis is a name everyone knows very, very well. He's written his name in the history books as the most ruthless pack leader and war lord our kind has ever known. The full annihilation of five whole packs, including mine. Half Lycan and fully capable of leading a revolution until his death.

No one knows how Avis died, but no one talks about the lives he's taken. Or how many graves I've had to dig because of him.

"So technically, there isn't a pack anymore." I keep on as if we're talking about some trivial movie fact. "There's now a monument at every pack sight to commemorate and honor the lives he stole."

"How did you survive the ambush?"

Abe quickly interjects. "It would be beneficial if no one knew this information. Avis might have killed many but he was still-"

"No one survived that man." Her voice trembling until she broke out in a terrified giggle. "I-It was the greatest loss our kind has ever faced."

"That's very...true." I sigh and push myself up to stand. I didn't feel like sitting through this any longer.

"Wait!" She stands with me. I pause with a tight lipped smile and wait for her to speak. "I cannot simply enroll you in the middle of the year. But if you take an assessment test and score well, I may be able to enroll you in the upcoming semester. A few other things but if you're up for it;"

For a moment I study her, tilting my head to the side before shaking my head but Abe cuts in, stands ready to smile and give thanks.

"Elias." The tiny headmistress walks around her desk to me. "I want you to know, no one forgot about what Avis did. I grieve for you. I do."

"If more people thought like that eleven years ago, it probably would have made a difference." My voice grim and I look away from her to the floor.

"Say you'll enroll." Her palms pressed together, she looked at me through he thick glasses. "I feel like this school could really help you."