I remember a childhood tale, and thought about how pulling the story was to me. "There once was an Evernight Forest, where the trees were black. The bark was black, the leaves were black, on every one of these trees. This forest was home to the Evernight Elves. Beautiful, scary, compelling creatures. And they feasted on poisen, and evil that got caught in the Evernight Trees' branches. And once every 20 years, they would take a new human child who was 16 and turn them into an Evernight Elf." That part was when the teller grabbbed the child, and tickled them. But there was a darker poem that I'd found about them years later, in a dusty old book.

                      Blood and lust is not their taste,

                    Shadows and darkness they eat,

                   Filled with fear and hate,

                   Evernight elves with tainted souls,

                   Evenight trees with evil means,

                   With new thieves,  

                   Every 20 years,

                  But none has yet to face the curse,

                  And leave the darkness for the light,

                  Purifying their souls,

                  Out of the dark. Into the light.                                                

        I always loved that story in the strangest way. I felt connected with it. I felt like it was real, oddly. But then again, I am always told how strange I am, with my crystal blue eyes, and the blue streaks I dyed in my white blond hair. With my black jeans, and my floaty tees, always either barefoot, or wearing flip flops. I'm a quiet person, the one in the corner of the room, watching everyone. Although, if you could read my mind, it's so full of magic and monsters, and things people don't believe in, you would be overwhelmed.      

       "There's a new boy in our class, come on up here, Cadin, please." A skinny, pale boy came up to the front of the room. His hair seemed darker than black, and so did his eyes, strangely. He wore a gray shirt with a picture of a black tree on the back of it, and had on black jeans. The first thought that popped in my head was: Evernight Elf! He did look just like one, oddly.       

       "There is a free seat right next to Lilabell." She said,pointing. Everyone snickered, nobody wants to be stuck with me, the weird, quiet girl. But Cadin sat right next to me, flashing me a smile. I doodled in my notebook for the rest of my classes "Happy Birthday To Me" With little candles and cakes. After school, Cadin stopped me before I began walking home.

             "Hey, I noticed it was your birthday today." He said, smiling again. It looked very fake.   

           I hugged my notebook to my chest. "So?"   

           "Are you celebrating?"       

            "No."  

            "No cake? No ice cream? No presents?!"      

          "No, no, and no." I started to walk away, I didn't like him.

             "How bout we go get ice cream, there's some at my house."         

            "No."          

           "Please?"   

           "No!" I was highly irratated by now.    

          "What if—"         

        "Goodbye." I said walking faster. Cadin grabbed my wrist, and a strange willing sensation came over me. I tried to scream, or pull out of his grasp, but I couldn't.  

             "Let's try this again," His voice was as smooth as melting chocolate, "Would you like to come have ice cream at my house?"       

             "Yes." Words that were not my own spilled out my lips.   

              "Let's go." And I unwillingly followed him to his home. The house was a rich purple, very pretty, and very expensive looking. Inside, it was deathly quiet. Every room was black, plain, with purple drapes at the windows and various sitting items. I wanted to leave, badly, for sure I was not going to get a happy birthday. But something was keeping me unable to do as I wish.   

               "Stay here. I'll be right back."       

              I stood still, waiting. Then I heard his conversation in the hall.      

              "Did you get her?" A man with a gruff low voice asked.

                "Yes. She's going to be a hard one." Said Cadin.   

               "I'll be the judge of that. Is she in the windowless room that locks?" Asked gruff voice.

                 "Yes, sir."          

                "Go back, boy. I'll do the rest." A couple of scuffles, and a very tall man arrived at the door.

                  "Hello child, what is your name?" And I suddenly was normal again. I could do as I wished. I eyed the doorway. Maybe I could get past him...