Chapter 5: A Burnt Home

Sawn kept asking me weird questions during the fifteen minute walk towards the compound. What was my favorite color, my favorite food and hobbies. I was aware he was trying to break the awkward silence but the truth was I felt even more awkward having to be interviewed while I was heading to my destroyed home.

It kind of helped a bit too to be honest. His unstoppable rumbling took my nervousness away and I wasn't thinking that much. I don't know if he did it on purpose, if he was that considerate actually or if he simply never stopped talking.

"And then I remembered that I had placed my shoe…" Sawn said, talking about a lost shoe he had to go on some quest to find. I didn't focus on the rest of the sentence though as I saw the entrance of the compound. A huge wooden fence once surrounded the premises with a double door as the only entrance point. Now though it was burned, only a few pieces remained, a bitter reminder of what used to be the entrance to home, to a peaceful place where I could be myself, where I didn't have to hide.

I stopped, unable to walk inside even though my eyes could clearly see the destruction before me. There was a veil in front of me, if I walked in the nightmare would come true and the ghosts of my people would cuss at me.

Why are you the only one alive? They would ask with hollow cheeks and bloody eyes. Burned skin and melted flesh.

"I can't go…" I whispered, cold sweat dripping on my neck and down to my chest. I could feel my heart race, I could feel tears gather in my eyes and Sawn's palm resting on my shoulder.

"You want to know who did this…right?" He asked me.

"Of course I do!" I exclaimed. "I just…"

"It must be horrible, I know. Losing everything so abruptly. But if you walk inside there might be a chance to help their souls rest in peace, give them justice. You can offer the council info, so they can find who did this and punish him."

"I want to find him. I want to find who they are and simply rip their throats. I want to…"

"You won't be able to do any of that if you are not able to take just one step. So.etines the truth is we are the ones that limit ourselves. You survived, you made it and even had the strength to come here. That's admirable but now it's time to take this even further. Become stronger by overcoming an obstacle." He told me, completely serious and for a second I was stunned. Five minutes ago he was talking about his shoes and now he was giving me the best pep talk I had heard. He was right, even though I felt like the earth would swallow me if I took that step inside I knew that Sawn was right and only by going there I would become stronger and to find who did this and take my revenge I needed to be a lot stronger than I am now.

"Okay." I answered hastily and swallowed the lump that had formed on my throat. It was now or never.

Walking was easy for most people. It was a task that you learned from so early it came naturally but all I could say is that this was the hardest step of my life.

When I walked inside it was as if I could smell the smoke again, in my lungs. I heard the burning of my home. The polished wood crumbling and the heat on my skin. I even felt the blade rip my back. It hurt.

"Are you alright?" He asked me and I nodded, not knowing if I was able to talk at the moment. I took a few steps forward, my eyes scanning the place and Sawn left me behind beginning his investigation.

I was flooded by my memories. Not dark ones, not even a glimpse of what happened that night. I could see everything fixed. My house, the medical center, the library, all of it was like it used to be and I was ten again, running around playing with my friends while my mum called my name. It was one of the most picturesque memories I had, so peaceful, so pure.

A bitter smile was on my face as I realized that that was all it was. A memory. Taking another deep breath I let go. I needed to think, have my brain work, and open my eyes. I wasn't here to reminisce about the past. I was here to find clues and obviously I wouldn't leave the council to beat me to it.

Sadly though it happened.

"Alice!" Sawn called me and I watched him run outside of one of the burnt houses. "I found something" He said and I looked at him.

"What?" I asked and he waved. He was holding something in his palm. Something red. "What is it?" I asked him and grabbed whatever he was holding without a second thought. It was just a piece of red fabric. "That's all?"

"Isn't there something weird about it?" He asked me and I examined it better. It was silk, a deep red color. It was probably ripped from someone's shirt but I couldn't really see what he meant by something weird.

"I don't get it" I mumbled feeling slightly embarrassed that I couldn't see what he saw.

"It is in perfect condition. Apart from being ripped there are no signs of burning. I think this fabric is enchanted." He stated.

"Why would…the killer. Of course. He enchanted the fabric so he wouldn't get burned in case something went wrong. That didn't stop it from being ripped though…that means that if we take this to a witch then we could trace it back to the owner!"

"Witches hate us." Sawn said. "They despise werewolves."

"Doesn't matter! Someone will do it for the right amount of money. We need to find one, now!" I told him. Just like that we had found our first clue. I believed this was going to be different. I was scared I would find nothing but it was right in my hand. The clue I wanted so badly.

"You need to calm down for a second we…"

I wasn't listening though. I was happy for the first time thinking that my life had taken an easy turn.

I was so wrong.

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