Marked by Moonlight

MAYA.  

Some days unfold with ease, while others present challenges. I woke up this morning with the hope that my premonition of an unfortunate day was unfounded. Sadly, it wasn’t wrong. With a messy hair and drowsy eyes, I got out bed and went into my bathroom to freshen up. Staring into the mirror a multitude of thoughts ran through my mind but one more pressing than the others; I needed a compelling reason to leave this house.

I resided in a charming suburban home in Queens, New York, with my Aunt and Uncle. For the most part, I was content. I was told by my Aunt, Emilia Lennox that she had to take me in after the mysterious death of my parents when I was three years old. She said it was a story that she wasn’t ready to fully explain and I never pressed her. I held deep affection for them both, yet I often felt out of place. As a little girl, I derived joy from being in the company of others, I was carefree, charismatic and so energetic but as I matured, I became reserved and preferred solitude most of the time. My aunt believed it was a typical teenage rebellious stage and that I would one day outgrow it although I knew that was far from the case. I began to feel disconnected from my peers and developed a profound passion for art.

Initially, it began with simple sketches of scenes I encountered on my way to school or at home. Gradually, it evolved into intricate drawings of landscapes, figures, and anything that captured my attention. My artwork became my sanctuary, a means of escaping reality.

“Maya, come downstairs” Aunt Emilia called from the kitchen disrupting my train of thoughts. I quickly brushed my teeth and ran my comb through my hair and hurried downstairs. As I stepped into the kitchen the aroma of toasts and coffee greeted me and I caught the sight of my Aunt in an apron standing by the counter and dishing our food. My Aunt was a beautiful and petite brunette with lovely green eyes that matched mine and for a small woman she could be really scary and fierce when defending what she loves and that’s one of the many reasons that I admired her. She was very caring and understanding but that made her so deeply rooted in my affairs; She was always eager to understand the events unfolding around me, a tendency I found somewhat intrusive, though her intentions were rooted in genuine concern.

“Morning, Auntie,” I greeted taking a seat next to the counter, irresistibly digging into my breakfast.

“Morning, Maya, I’m already late for work and I’ll be having a night shift today so I’ll be back late” she said as she removed her apron and that’s when I noticed her wearing her work clothes. She worked as a nurse at the Meridian hospital, about thirty minutes from our house. “There’s some food that you can heat up for later, okay?” she added, while moving around the kitchen, trying to clear up what she can. “okay,” I replied still eating. As she gathered her things she called out a quick “bye” on her way out.

I finished eating and returned to my room uncertain of what to do, my uncle had already left for work very early in the morning and I never knew his schedule or what time he’s supposed to be back home.

Deciding to browse on my laptop, I sat at my desk in my room. I can’t say that I hate social media but I’ve never really been so involved in it. Yes, I have my accounts but there’s pretty much nothing on it and I have few people I actually talk to online. Being on break from school gives me the opportunity to explore so many things-indoors I might add. Scrolling through some posts on social media, my fingers pause hanging mid-air as I read a post I just came across ‘Moonridge Academy presents their annual application into their institution. A place for discovering more about what most think are just myths and a place to learn more about oneself. Moonridge Academy accommodates all mythical creatures especially werewolves and accepts only one human every year, apply now and you might be that lucky individual’. I was so shocked, this couldn’t be real, could it.? I had heard numerous times from the people in my town that these mythical creatures did exist but no one had ever had any solid evidence to prove it. I once asked my Aunt about the credibility of these statements but she immediately shut down the topic telling me not to believe such rumours for my own good. Naturally my curiosity got the best of me and I kept researching about werewolves but it still seemed like a far- fetched theory due to lack of any evidence. Now I did not know what to believe after I had seen this post about this strange academy, it seemed like a stupid idea but I felt a strong urge to apply. At least it would just cure my curiosity and it was only one human per year, what are the chances that I would be picked.?

With so much excitement, I filled the application letter and read more about the school I was desperate for a reason to leave the house, where my every move was monitored by Aunt Emilia. and I really didn’t want to return to my school after the break either; I had only friend, Beth, who was not coming back after the break since her family was relocating to London.  I didn't feel close to anyone else which just made everything worse. Ugh!! I didn’t want to go back to a school where I had no one yet everyone knew everything about me. I heaved a sigh, as I clicked submit.

I desperately craved a fresh start and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that and learn more about myself.

With my decision made, I planned on how to break the news to my Aunt and Uncle later that night. The thought of it made my stomach flutter nervously, and the weight of what I had just done began to settle in. To ease the tension building in my chest, I laid back on my bed, closed my eyes, and let myself drift into a quick nap. Just a few minutes, I told myself. Just enough to calm down.