3

DAPHNE’S POV

“Daph!” my sister wrapped her hands around my neck and kissed my cheek. “I’ve missed you so much. Uni is terrible being apart from you.”

My older sister had dyed her hair blond with highlights. She looked stunning with her freckles and tanned skin. Standing next to her, I looked even paler and duller in comparison to the goddess called my sister. Still, I was happy to see her.

“Daisy,” I smiled just breathing in her scent. She’d arrived a little later than me but, all that mattered was, my family was together again.

“How has the academy been? I’m so jealous. You get to attend the fancy wolf school,” Daisy started to say. She was always the chirpier one of the two of us.

I couldn’t tell her that I had spent three hours stinking up the whole bathroom before the janitor did his rounds and found me. I also didn’t tell her I spent five hours trying to wash off the smell.

She wrinkled her nose. “Why do you smell like fish?”

Thankfully, before I could reply, my father burst through the door, his hands weighed down by grocery bags. “My girls!” he said, putting the bags down and barreling into us. He grabbed either of us in both hands and twirled us right there, grunting with the effort.

I giggled as he put us down and hugged us. “I missed you,” I said, inhaling that familiar scent of popcorn and caramel that clung to his clothes.

“I know that you girls just got back but we’re short staff because of the season and all the travelling, we need a little help at the theatre,” he pulled his lips into a thin line, feeling bad for asking so soon.

Daisy and I exchanged a look. We’d been thinking about the theatre all through the semester. My parents ran the local theatre, although it was anything but local. It had the best movies, beautiful and a steady stream of customers. That place was home. I had memories as far back as three, hiding under the counter while my mom made popcorn and chatted with customers.

Still, we weren’t going to let our father know that we were excited to be back. “Well, you see, Dad,” Daisy began, “It’s Christmas and kids like us got out, watch fireworks and fall in love.”

“Not my Daphne. She loves her parent’s too much to leave us,” Dad pulled me into his side, holding me.

“I always knew she was your favourite,” Daphne feigned annoyance.

I chuckled, “We’ll help out, Dad. Whatever you need.”

“Great. We received tons of new Christmas movies and I’ll need two young, intelligent girls to go through all of them and eat all the popcorn and drink all the slushies they want,” Dad stroked his chin. “I wonder where I can find them now that everyone’s caught up in festivities.”

Daisy immediately started guiding me towards the door. “Look no further, Dad. Daphne and I will handle the movies. You just stay here and rest up. We’ll go help Mom.”

Dad thanked us, wrapping his red scarf around my neck. He tightened it, making sure that it was secure. “Are you okay, cupcake?” he asked.

He rubbed my shoulder tenderly and for a moment, I wanted to melt into his love and tell him everything. But, he had worked hard to get me into Bateview Academy. It had been his dream to go and it would absolutely crush him if he finds out that I was being bullied.

“I’m okay,” I lied, forcing a smile on my face.

Daisy was already shoving her feet into her boots and putting on her coats. “Come on, Daphne, let’s go!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I chuckled, hurrying after her. We linked arms together, walking as we always did to the theatre.

Daisy told me all about her university. She spoke about her roommate and all the parties she’d been through, the lectures and the library and then she talked about this Beta who she was interested in. They’d gone on a date once and thing seemed to be picking up well.

I listened carefully, smiling as she spoke. I was happy that at least one of us was having fun in another state, in a new school. No one had to know what I’d gone through. Back here in Louiseville, I was the sweet Daphne Curtis who stayed out of trouble and was always at the theatre.

It took us about ten minutes and we made it there.

Daisy and I exchanged a look and giggled, rushing to the front door. The doorman and part security, Benson, grinned. He’s been working here for as long as I could remember.

He grinned, holding the door open. “The Curtis girls are back in Louiseville.”

I waved at him as we rushed in. My mom was behind the counter, going through the books while one of the newer girls was making popcorn and working the slushie machine.

“Mom,” Daisy said, lifting the counter top and going to hug our mother. I joined in, inhaling her scent.

“My babies, you’re back,” she looked tired but her face lit up. “It finally feels like Christmas.”

We talked for a few minutes before Daisy went over to set up the next movie. I went to the ticket booth.

There was a long line in front of the closed ticket booth. I took a seat, turned on the small heater on the counter, cracked my knuckles and opened the small square space at the bottom of the glass window facing the crowd.

“Form an orderly line, please,” I instructed as I began to sell the tickets. I smiled, seeing couples in matching hats, coats or scarves. Even families. Christmas was my favourite season. The people, the love, the kindness and this theatre. It was all so perfect.

“I’d like a ticket for the next movie, please,” a voice said, through the glass

“That would be five ninety-nine,” I said, arranging the notes and coins in cash register.

The guy slipped a ten dollar note through the space at the bottom of the glass window. I took it, fishing out his change and ripping a ticket free. I looked up, “Thank you. Enjoy your –”

The rest of the words died in my throat as I recognized who it is. My heart raced in my chest and my hands started to shake. It was impossible. When I left Bateview for Christmas, I believed that I would be safe.

But, monsters never leave their prey alone. They hunted them down to the ends of the earth.

My monster had come to find me. Zachary Ackerman was here.