I remember it like it was yesterday. The beautiful pink, purple, and white ballons hanging outside across the cherrywood banister. The streamers wrapped around the edge of the white plastic tables. A large golden number 13 sat on the main table reserved just for me and my friends next to the fishing pond. It was my dream birthday party. The party of all parties. I remember how excited I was to finally be turning thirteen. It meant I was officially a teenager. 

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what it truly meant for me to be turning thirteen. The one thing about my family on both sides, secrets. Dark and dangerous secrets.  The thing about keeping secrets, they always find a way to come to light. And the secrets my grandmother tried to keep hidden, came back to haunt us both. 

My grandmother was never your typical grandmother. She never baked cookies, never had a special Sunday dinner, she never read a normal bedtime story. I guess I was too young at the time to understand why she insisted on reading books about spells and martial art books. As I got older, I had questions she never wanted to answer, but her determination with me taking self-defense classes, studying martial arts, having only the best teachers grew more into an obsession.

It was December 27th, 1983.  Me and all of my friends were laughing, playing games, then came time to open my presents. Darcy Wilkins got me some cool clothes. Jenny Ramage got me arts and crafts. Then my grandmother eventually gave me her gift, but she said I would have to wait till everyone left. She piqued my curiosity, and I was dying to know what her gift was for me. After about an hour, our guests left. 

"Gabriella, come with me, sweetheart," she softly says as she makes her way to the basement. As she flipped the light on, it exposes the strange objects hanging from every wall.

"Granny, what is all of that hanging all over the walls? I question her. She lowers herself in front of me with a soft smile and her hands soon wrap around my shoulders."

"My darling granddaughter, all of this is who you truly are. This is your future. Each and every one of us are born with a destination, a purpose and this yours, Gabriella. When I insisted you learn karate and martial arts at a young age, that was leading to what awaits in your future."

"I don't understand what you're talking about, Granny," I say, and she gently places a soft kiss on my forehead.

"One day you will fully understand, Gabriella. I have to make sure you're strong, ready, and just as determined as have I always been all of the these."

"I still don't understand, Granny," I reply looking up at her. She brings her hands to my face caressing it.

"It's okay.  One day you will," she whispers. She steps back as the doorbell rings.

"Who is that at the door, Granny?" I ask receiving no response. She soon takes a deep breath as she makes her way up the basement steps. 

"Dear God, please," she whispers before her trembling hand opens the front door. 

"Oh wow! Is that birthday gift for me, Granny?"

"Gabriella, no," she shouts as I grab the gift from the cement porch.

"Dear Gabriella, you are turning into such a lovely young lady. You are now officially a teenager and one day, not so far from now, you will be a fully grown woman, a beautiful woman I have no doubt, just like your grandmother. I have this gut feeling your grandmother is preparing you to do what she can no longer do, and I am looking forward to it. Knowing your grandmother like I do, and believe me, I know Lola better than anyone, there is no doubt she has prepared you well. Please accept this birthday gift. You can add it to your grandmother's hunting collection. Yours truly, DRG

"Hunting collection? Granny, they only signed it with their initials. Is that what my gift is from you, all of those weapons hanging on the basement wall? What is going on Granny?

"Oh God, he's not only been stalking me, but you as well, Gabriella.

"What, who is stalking us?"

Someone I tried so hard to make disappear years ago, but now, he is back and I'm guessing with a vengeance."

20 Years Later*


After everyone has left after my birthday party, I open the front door, and a birthday gift is sitting on the white bench. The wrapping paper takes me back twenty years ago. I realize it's the same wrapping paper the box of silver bullets was wrapped in. I slide the small card out from the purple thin ribbon.

"Dear Gabriella, I knew I was right all those years ago about you. You are absolutely beautiful. Your grandmother was also right, we all have a destination, can you guess what yours is? Let the fun begin. I can't wait to see the look on your grandmother's face when she realizes what her granddaughter's destination is, and who it's with." Yours truly, DRG 

"Gabriella, who is that gift from?" 

"Granny, it's time for that long overdue talk. I want answers, truthful answers from you."