Chapter 1
May, 2011
I sat on the edge of my bed, looking around as boxes littered the room. I held back a cry of anger and instead kicked a box that lay in front of me. Things rattled around inside the box but I didn’t move to check and see if I had broken anything.
The moving was always the hardest part.
Every year we move states, not staying in one place long enough to know anybody but memories collect like dust on a window pane. At first I thought moving was fun, but that was when I was six, when I chased butterflies around the garden and thought the moon followed my car.
“Willow! Have you finished packing?” My mum shouted from downstairs, her voice echoing throughout the house. I stood up and sighed whilst running my hand through my golden blonde hair before calling out, “yeah.”
“Jane! Are you ready?” I heard my mum call to my younger sister. “Yes!” She called back in a small voice. “Flynn?” My mum yelled, addressing my younger brother. “Yep!” He shouted back. Silence followed and the house seemed empty. “You’re lying!” My mum replied making the corners of my mouth curl up into a grin.
Flynn and Jane are twins; they’re only nine, though Jane keeps reminding Flynn that she’s a minute older. They look the same with their brown curls and evil grins, but their personalities are completely opposite. While Flynn prefers to cause mischief, Jane has her head stuck in a book.
With one last look around my room, I grabbed my bag off the floor and headed towards the door. Downstairs, my mum was tutting and shaking her head as she stood at the foot of the stairs. Her light brown hair was swept up into a messy bun and her brown eyes looked tired. “Do you mind walking Jane and Flynn to school?” She asked as she turned to face me.
I grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl and took a bite, “nope.” She gave me a small smile before looking up the stairs, “Flynn Tyler Mason you get down here!”
Flynn raced down the stairs followed closely by Jane, they were inseparable.
“Give me your hand.” My mum ordered in a calm voice. Reluctantly, Flynn extended his hand, revealing two studded earrings. “Now give Jane back her earrings.” Flynn, who was red with guilt, turned and handed his twin the earrings.
“I wish you can’t tell when I lie...” Flynn muttered bitterly. “And I wish you moved to get things rather than moving things with your mind.” She retorted ruffling his already messy brown hair. “We’re going to be late for school!” Jane complained as she grabbed her bag off the bench and ran towards the door. “I’ll pick you up at one!” My mum called out just as I closed the door.
“Jane, what’s wrong?” I asked as Jane’s hands shook, she looked up at me with her big brown eyes. “What if I disintegrate something again, I can’t help it!” Her bottom lip trembled and I stopped walking before placing my arms on her shoulders. “You will if you keep thinking like that.” I told her, my voice steady. “But if you’re so worried-“ I reached into my bag and pulled out a small pair of black gloves, big enough to fit her tiny hands. I had them just in case she got into trouble. She smiled as she pulled on the gloves, flexing her fingers as she did.
“Do you have any presents in there for me?” Flynn asked as he peered into my bag. “You can control your powers, some of us can’t.” I told him, whacking him playfully on the arm.
“Oh Willow!” Jane moaned before clinging onto my arm, “they better not hurt you today or I will turn them to ash!” I frowned, each day I was stared at or avoided because of what I could do. I didn’t mind it, although having at least one friend who didn’t care would be nice. That’s high school for you though, an outcast because you’re different.
“I’ll be fine...” I smiled warmly at them both before checking my watch. “Shi- I mean sugar!” I grabbed Flynn and Jane by the arms before dragging them quickly along the path.
***
“That’s her... Willow Mason...” People whispered, not knowing I could hear them. “The one with the blonde hair...” Others mumbled into people’s ears. “The Masons are freaks.” I bit back a growl and instead kept my eyes to the ground as I walked into school.
“She’s leaving today, good riddance.” I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could block out the voices. “When are people going fox hunting?” My eyes snapped open and I searched the sea of faces, my teeth gritted together.
A rough hand landed on my shoulder and I tensed up before turning and staring into the cold dead eyes of Mr Mortem, the school principle. “Don’t want to be getting into fights on your last day now...” He narrowed his eyes before removing his hand from my shoulder.
“Of course not...” I replied coolly, trying to fight back the smirk. “You better get to class, just because it’s your last day doesn’t mean you won’t get into trouble.”
***
I could run so fast as a fox. My feet barley made any noise as I ran through the forest. The wind howled and blew my light blonde fur. No one at school would miss me; I still had an hour before we left this place and moved on to another town.
I slowed down and sniffed the air, my ears shot up and I listened carefully. The birds had fallen silent and fear ran through my veins, someone was coming.
“So how many of these trees are we cutting down?” I crouched down low and hid in the bushes, careful not to be seen as I watched two men walk around and start marking trees with spray cans. “Around twenty...” They marked more trees and I crouched down lower, my belly just scraping the ground.
I moved slowly towards them, my teeth bared and a low growl forming. “There’s something...” One turned and peered into the bushes where I was slowly creeping forward. “I can see brown eyes.” He whispered, sweat visible on his forehead.
The second man crouched down, I growled and he stumbled backwards in surprise before falling to the ground. “W-we can come back l-later.” He stuttered before climbing to his feet and backing away.
The other nodded his head vigorously before running off.
I pushed my way through the leaves and watched as the two men ran away, smirking. “Willow! I know you’re out here!” My mum called as she trudged into view. She stood in front of me her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised.
“Is school suddenly not important?” She asked as I bowed my head in shame. “You’re setting a bad example for Jane you know. She looks up to you and yet I find you out here, frolicking amongst the trees!” She threw her hands in the air and sighed.
“I’ll give you ten minutes then you change back and come straight home.” She ordered before turning her back and walking away.
If I don’t change into a fox once in a while I slowly become more animal than human. My eyes turn a coal black, I become moody, I growl even if I don’t mean it and if it’s really bad, I start biting people.
With one last look around the forest, I turned and ran.
***
“Are you sure you have everything?”My mum was asking Jane when I arrived home. “I’m sure!” Jane told her looking annoyed. “Go look again...” Jane sighed unhappily before stalking back into the house. “Hey kiddo...” My dad grinned and ruffled my hair before walking over to Flynn who was stuck in a tree that towered over our house.
I made my way over to our car that was parked in the driveway; suitcases were exploding out of the trailer attached to the back. I glared at it; this was the object taking me away from my home yet again.
“How was school?” Jane asked, standing beside me once she had convinced mum she hadn’t forgotten anything. I shrugged, “school is school. Did the gloves do the trick?” I asked, noting that she still had the black gloves on her hands.
She grinned at me, “yep!”
“Willow, can you help your brother down from the tree?” My dad asked as he gazed up at Flynn who was clinging to the tree, turning pale. “How did you get up there in the first place?” I asked him as I made my way over. “I climbed...” He stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Why don’t you just...climb back down?” I questioned as he shook his head fearfully. “I’ll fall and break my legs you idiot!” He cried back, grasping onto the tree branch some more, his knuckles turning white. “I’ll catch you then...” I told him, extending my arms. Flynn gulped before shifting his body so his legs were now dangling off the side of the branch; he took a quick breath before jumping down. I caught him easily and set his feet back on the ground.
“Alright! Everyone in the car, we’re leaving this town!” My dad yelled pumping his fist into the air as he exited the house, a red toothbrush in his hand. “What’s with the toothbrush honey?” My mum asked standing beside him and eyeing the toothbrush as if it were a weapon. “I found this in the sink, picked it up and get a vision that this toothbrush belongs to one Jane Harper Mason.”
Jane blushed before grabbing the toothbrush off of him and stuffing it in her jean pocket.
“Let’s get this baby going!” My dad shouted happily, jingling his car keys up and down.