Prologue

It was a stormy night in Pennsylvania as a girl was walking home from dance practice. Her brown hair kept blowing into her face, the wind stinging her eyes, she was furious. She didn't seem to notice the footsteps that followed her. It was thundering, and she could hear the crack of lightening in the distance,

She stopped and looked behind her after two blocks. No one was there, but she had the feeling she was being watched. The girl turned and started to walk faster, afraid. She walked by a park and heard a scream. The girl stopped, she reached into her bag and felt for her pepper spray.

"Hello?" she called out into the park, "My name is Ara! Can I help you?" Then she heard the scream again, but it came from right over her head this time. She looked up.

In a branch over her head was a screech owl. Ara laughed at her stupidity and kept walking. Humming to herself, the footsteps were closer this time. Ara stopped and so did the footsteps. she turned her head slightly and saw red eyes looking at her from the darkness of an alley. Ara screamed and started to run.

Her breath came in hard gasps as she turned a corner. She was almost there. Her house was right there, she could make it. Her foot got caught on a loose bit of sidewalk and tripped. Ara fell to her hands and knees, causing them to bleed. She heard a growl in her ear, she put her arm up and it was sliced to ribbons. Blood started to gush from the wound.

Ara heard a gulp and then a moan, she kicked at the creature and her foot connected. She ground her teeth and pushed, the creature fell off of her. Ara got up and ran, she tried to close the gate but couldn't, she forgot it was broken. Ara ran up the steps and fumbled with the keys, she finally got the key in the door. She pushed on it, LOCKED! "Are you kidding me?!" Ara yelled in anger, she forgot the deadbolt. Then it hit her, her window was unlocked.

Then she screamed in frustration, her room was on the second floor. She would have to climb but her arm was bleeding badly. then the moon went dark. Ara looked up and saw the creature blocking the moon with it's body. Ara gasped and noticed wings that looked to be ten feet across and twelve feet wide.

Ara screamed and tried to unlock the deadbolt. her hands started to shake and she dropped the keys. The moon started to shine again and Ara knew the monster was coming, she bent down and snatched up the keys.

"Open up! Please!" She yelled as she put the key in the deadbolt, she heard the lock slide home. She rushed in and shut the door, locking it behind her. Ara called out, "Mama? Are you here?" Ara went into the kitchen and found no one there. They must still be at my brother's cello recital She thought to herself.