"Truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it." -ayn rand

The moment he released his breath was when the time hit 11 pm. He didn't realize he was holding it. He sighed out and glanced over at his grandmother who was staring out the window in the entrance looking out into the streets.

"What was that all about grandmother?" He asked folding his arms. Staring at her back as he watched her look both ways before speaking.

" Do you remember those stories I used to tell you as a kid? Until your mother decided it was time I couldn't tell you any more?" Grandma asked

He nodded willingly to find answers about this crazy town.

"Well, they're true. Here, at least. The reason we had to be quiet was that the officers of the night decide to patrol our streets to make sure everything is fine before calling a night. They want to make sure our town is safe from the Night Crawlers." She said.

Night Crawlers? But you said they weren't right." He said. While furrowing his brows confused on what his grandmother meant by this. He didn't believe her one bit. After knowing that they were only fairy tales ,he decided to think against it, but will further investigate anyway.

"I just said that they were true Carter. They're dangerous creatures. If anyone makes a sound before midnight, then we'll be in trouble or at least while the officers are out. We cannot make a sound. Soon enough I'll teach you our ways at night. But for now, we should go to bed." She said.

He nodded not knowing how to respond to that, and he walked towards the stairs and said goodnight to his grandmother. Tomorrow would be another strange day, but also an interesting one where he discovers everything about this town.

He sighed and entered his room. He glanced around at how old this room looked. The floral bedding and the ugly wallpaper on the walls, Wood floor creaked wherever he stepped. There was only one window in the room. Which faced the neighbors' house, the bed was old and springy, and anything else was old and ugly in this room.

He got ready for bed and turned off the lights for the next day to come. Eventually, he was going to have to make this his room, not having this ugly stuff in it.

*~*~*~*~*

The next day arrived with the sun welcoming him in his face which was making him squint his eyes open. He heard his grandmother knock on the door.

"Carter? Alessia is here to see you." She said her voice muffled through his sleepiness and the door. He yawned loudly and didn't want to get out of bed, even if it was old it was still comfy as ever. Again, he woke up and stretched, swinging his legs over the right side of his bed. Glancing at the fan that was blowing cold air towards him on a hot summer morning.

He shivered from the cold as he hopped out of bed. He looked longingly at the bed but slapped himself to get the sleep out of him and his laziness.

What Am I doing to myself? I feel this strange pull towards Nora. I don't understand why school starts tomorrow, and I'm bound to run into some trouble. I will most definitely go with the wrong crowd as I did last year.

After the incident at home, I felt as though it fitted to do drugs, smoke, drink alcohol. But until my father beat some sense into me, I pulled myself together and had him ship me down to my grandmother's house.

I hated the way I turned out last year, a former football player that the team needed. The football team sucked last year because they didn't have him. He was done with football anyway, and he would find a new path that would lead him somewhere.

When this senior year is done, and when he was done with this town, he would move far away from it. Not knowing where the hell he
is going.

The shower water pounded on his head making his thoughts go away from whatever he was thinking. He glanced at his hands and noticed how wrinkly they were being. Nora must be waiting for him, and he wouldn't blame her if she left because he took too long to avoid her in the shower. He sighed and complied to exiting out of the shower. He would have to face humanity; eventually, he couldn't be alone forever. Though he didn't catch a break when he first got here after the long drive from the airport

He would've thought that they'd give him a break to sleep some more

He eventually got dressed and made his way downstairs to meet Nora for the day. He figured it was going to be a long day. At least with wandering around town again. His nose led him to the kitchen where the fantastic smell of waffles and maple syrup wafted the air. It smelled heavenly and sweet at the same time along with the mixed scent of Vanilla which he assumed it was from Nora. His stomach grumbled as he entered the kitchen and saw Nora eating waffles and drinking orange juice.

"Carter! It's about time you showed your face around here!" Grandma said.

"I do need to look amazing for the day grandma. It's what men do best." He said as he glanced over at Nora, winking at her.

Grandma chuckled "If you say that I would've thought that you were a woman, not a man."

He rolled his eyes and grabbed a plate from the cupboard and put a waffle and some strawberry and butter along with freshly made syrup that drizzled from the glass that was warm and nice. He watched the syrup drip on to his waffle forming a puddle in the middle of it and falling off of the edges onto his plate. The butter is floating and the strawberries covered in brown thickness. After long preparation, he grabbed some orange juice and let it flow into his glass.

"Carter that waffle looks like a work of art," Grandma said making Nora almost spit out her orange juice.

"Food is art grandmother. I don't know what you're talking about" he said as he cut a piece of the squares and let the gooeyness dive in his mouth. It is making him almost moan of happiness that he's finally had a good meal that tasted divine. His grandmother's cooking was always the best. She's had plenty of years to perfect her dish and which she has done so wonderfully.

"So, how was your first night here Carter? Did you sleep alright?" Nora asked watching him dive into his waffle.

"Yeah it was fine, the bed wasn't that comfy, but I didn't want to get out of it." He said once he swallowed his waffle bite.

"Well that's good. What plans do you two have today?" She asked glancing between him and Nora.

" Not really. I think Nora might have something planned for us." He said while chewing with his mouth open.

"Carter please chew with your mouth closed. It's not how a human should eat. And my name is not Nora." Nora said.

"I'll call you Nora however I like. It's cute." He said winking at her.

She scoffed at him while making a face at him and got up to put her dishes in the dishwasher. Humming to herself. Carter eyed her while she did that, he didn't know why he was felling a pull towards her. He wondered if she felt the same way about him. Or if it was just a one way thing, he felt jealousy when he saw her with Valerio yesterday, it seemed like Valerio really wanted to protect her. But somehow he couldn't because of the hold that Zara had on him, he would like to find out what it is between them was. Once he finished his thoughts and his waffle he noticed that Nora was gone. He blinked twice and looked around only to find her sitting on the swing set in the backyard.

He remembered playing on that swing set with his twin sister. The thought of it made him almost tear up, he never wanted to do anything with out his twin sister. She was the only person he would ever love, he wasn't ready for commitment with someone he found attractive. He also never did anything that he and his sister used to do because it would bring back terrible memories of the night they passed. He shook his head before he could dive back into that hole, he was terrified of going back there. When he was in his darkest days, he did some terrible things which is why he ended up landing here, at his grandmothers house.

"My sister and I used to play on this swing set." He said once he was in her hearing range. She was gazing out into the forest, as if searching for something that was stirring out there. But the fence blocked any sight or any being from entering.

"Your sister?" She asked as he came up to the other swing.

"Yeah, it was fun playing around with her when we were little. I miss her a lot." He said. As he sat down holding on to the swings chains.

"Where is she now?" She asked looking over at him, he shook his head not wanting to get deep into the conversation. He wanted to forget about his past, but keep her memory alive, and he didn't know how to do that yet. Maybe... No, not even that could help him. Carla will always be his other half, she will always be apart of him no matter what he tried to do.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it... I understand because, you don't know me very well yet..." She said clearing her throat at the end of her sentence and awkwardly looking away. He nodded but didn't say anything else. Other than enjoying the peace and the quiet of birds chirping and the wind blowing the trees in the southern direction, making some leaves flutter off and land at his feet. He knew that autumn was bound to come once the summer cycle ended. He wasn't excited about winter, but he did love autumn. The beautiful colors the smell of freshly baked pie, the smell of pine and maple from the trees... His thoughts trailed off as he heard something coming from the forest.

"Did you hear that sound?" He asked Sitting up at the sound of a twig being snapped.

"No, it must be the wind." She said, Clearly lying through her teeth. He hated when people lied to him. It was easy to spot out the liars if you paid enough attention to it.

"I'm sure I heard something. Like a twig snapped." He said standing up from his swing he looked around passed the small fence that lined the yard. Looking for any sign that someone was watching them. Or something. A sudden growl erupted from the forest making Alessia shudder for some reason that he didn't know why.

"I know you felt that. And heard that. There is something out there, and I'm going to find out." Carter said determined to prove that he's not crazy. Determined to prove to her that he can find out things on his own. He walked over towards the fences gate and opened it.

"Carter wait! You don't know what you're getting yourself into." Alessia called out as he stepped passed the fence and almost into the forest.

"I knew the moment I stepped into this town that there is something going on. But everyone won't tell me." He said as he took one step closer towards the first tree. The thing that was watching them growled again making him shudder this time. He winced as he saw the thing that was a wolf glare at him with its golden eyes. Eyes that looked a lot like Nathan's. 

"What the hell is going on here." He whispered out.

"Something that you don't need to know." Alessia said from behind him. Making him almost jump out of his skin.

"Tell me what's going on. Or I'm going to find out myself." He said stubbornly.

"I can't. You know I can't." She said her eyes pleading sadly. The wolf growled at them as a warning to go back.

"It's alright little wolf. I'll take care of him. You go on." She said meeting the wolf's eyes. Daring him to challenge her.

The wolf growled again not leaving. Not meeting her warning. The wolf was too dark to see its full form. But he could tell it was a big one.

"Wolf, I'm not going to say it again. If you don't go now. Shit will go down. You're walking on someone's territory right now, someone who you don't want to mess with. And you know that." Alessia said making her statement stern

The wolf hissed at her and started to back away. He knew that it wasn't over with the wolf. He also knew that it wasn't any normal wolf that would linger around the forests town. What else could they be hiding in this forest? What other creature could be hiding like that wolf.

"The wolves territories lay near your house in the forest. It was just a patrolling wolf curious of us. The wolves are like our officers they hide in the forest but will only step in in cases of an emergency. Or if we really need them. If you really want to find out more. Go to the library, do not enter this forest because you'll be stepping on territory. It's forbidden for the rest of the town too."  Alessia explained to him.

Finally some answers to some of his questions. Still it didn't help why they want the forest to be kept hidden. But he will listen to Nora's word and go to the library to find out more about these mythical creatures lingering in their forest.

"Let's go back then. Grandma Finch must be worried about us." She said.

~*~*~*~*~*

After telling grandma Finch that he would be going to the library alone he didn't want anyone with him. So Alessia went back to the piers. Where she lives. He arrived on the steps of the library and stepped in to it. He didn't know where to start. He might just start with the history of the town, when this town was made what happened in the past. How this town came to be.  What dark secret are they holding.

"Good afternoon young man. How can I help you?" A elderly voice sounded from the sight of him making him jump a bit.

"I would just like to look up at some town history. Newspapers or anything would help." He said

"Ah yes. A curious one I see. Very well, Valerio!" The woman called. And In came Valerio on cue.

"Yes mrs.Moore? What can I help you with." Valerio didn't seem to notice him in the moment he was called.

" I would like you to help this young man with finding newspapers on the town. If that's alright with you." Mrs. Moore said

Valerio's gaze landed on Carter surprise laced his eyes, yet he covered it quickly with some emotion he couldn't pinpoint. Valerio just nodded and he led him to the left of the library dodging tables that littered the library. Only to come across a stand with very few articles and newspapers. He was surprised to find so little, it's as though they wanted to keep this town non existent.

"I thought they would have more than this." He said.

" Well, you have come to a disappointment Finch. You have to realize how discreet we have to keep our town safe. Secure from prying outsiders like you. Alessia doesn't deserve someone like you, she was supposed to be mine. But I'm sure she hasn't even told you how much you mean to her." Valerio hissed out, clear anger in his gaze.

"You're right she hasn't told me anything. But I promise to find out why I feel this connection with her. The need to protect her, the need to jump in front of a bullet for her. To be there for her. Something I know she won't feel with you." Carter said.

"Then don't break that fucking promise. Or I swear to god if something happens to her, I will kill you with my bare hands." Valerio growled out.

"You know I will do anything for her. Even if I just known her for a day. Something stronger is pushing me towards her. I've only met her just once and I already have death threats." He said.

"You didn't met her once. You know her. You just don't remember. If you think hard enough I'm sure you'll know." Valerio said ending our conversation with him leaving. Carter was dumbfounded at the notion that he knew her from his past. But when?

A/N

I hope you all appreciate this long chapter.  Find out the secrets in the next chapter ;) thanks for reading.

-Hannah.