I don't own House of Anubis or any characters in the series. Original characters of Nunc Et Semper © TheAwesomeArielle & Participating FanFiction Authors

1 The New Students

Monster
Nina Martin

My eyes are closed but I can see. Clearly, I witness two worlds. Fantasy and reality. Always unsure which is which because in both, anything is possible.

I have awakened-no, have been chosen-into a place where magic and miracles exists. Gods and treasures and curses and ghosts and anything that are deemed as make believe. Abnormal. Monsters.

At some point, a child stops being afraid because he realizes the scares are not inside the closet or underneath his bed. Instead, they are out there. Strangers that offer candy or robbers that offer a gun. But he soon learns the world isn't black and white. The motives that drive the person to their actions aren't always immediately seen. They could have been desperate. Maybe, simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. And there is always an age where his friends become the enemy. The people closest to him, the ones who know him best. Trusting others become a weakness. People aren't always what they seem. They have secrets.

Time passes. Wisdom is gained. The child grows up. He finds who he is and what he can be and he knows he is the threat. The enemy is inside him. He is the most danger to himself. Every step he takes can either make him or break him.

I live with all these. Everyone is the enemy. Strangers, friends, even the monsters under my bed.

As I rest my head against the window, I feel it tremble as the train zooms across endless fields. Passing mountains and cities and towns. I hear the people walking around outside my compartment. Moving from car to car. Exiting and entering the train. From where I lay, I faintly smell the odd mixed scents of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of passengers who previously occupied my seat.

There is a knock on the door and I open my eyes to the conductor as he enters. His lips vanish beneath his scruffy graying mustache, but I could see his smile. "Ticket?" His gentle voice asks. I hand it to him.

"How much longer?" I asked. I should know. I've traveled back and forth many times before. The nerves agitate me, though. Both excitement and worry.

"Five more stops. Have a nice trip Ms. Martin." He hands me back my ticket and he is gone.

Five more stops. Somehow the news soothes me. I'm still decently far from the evils and curses and traps. I have few hours more of peace before I walk right into their hands. Far but at the same time I am so close. A few more hours, a few more miles until I see him. No, don't.

Why am I even coming back? Every year I ride this train excited for a new beginning, thinking all has past and hoping that for once things will be normal. But nothing is ever normal for me. The moment I was born, I was destined to return. Different body, same soul.

I could runaway. Turn my back against all this mess, all my duties. I've done it before. They can choose another and I could chose to be selfish. Just take off and live happily ever after. But even then I won't be ever truly happy because like it or not, its in my blood. I'll always be looking behind my back. Worry they'll catch up to me. And in time, I would just be passing down the curse onto my children and their children and their children... The sons and daughters of Amneris.

I refuse to let that happen. It ends here. With me. I shall be the last. The curse will break with me, dead or alive.

I watch as world flies beneath me. The rolling clouds, the swaying trees. I see my reflection on the glass. Same light brown unkempt curls. Pale skin and lips. My locket glows red, but I ignore it. I push back the flow of memories that haunt me when I dream and when I wake. For the last time, I let myself imagine my happy ever after. Holding him close to me. Staring at his deep blue eyes that speak things that cannot be expressed by simple words. A young girl tugs at my skirt and I look to her. Her tiny hands reach out to me and I carry her, long curly dark brown hair bouncing in their pigtails. I kiss her rosy pink cheeks, just like her dad's. She has my eyes and they look at me sweetly. I find myself in them. Healthy, happy, full of life.

I let it go. I will never have that.

I am pulled back to reality, which is more of a nightmare than a dream. The reality that in this story, I'm not the princess, he is not my prince and I won't get my happily ever after. Because here, I am the monster. I endanger everyone around me. Everyone who gets close enough gets hurt and hurts me. I can't let this go on. I won't be the monster anymore.

I am returning once more for one thing and one thing only: to finish this quest that has been going on for far too long. I'll sacrifice myself if I have to. But I know I can't do this alone. I'm not that naïve or arrogant. I'll enlist my friends' help. The more the quicker I'll get this over with. And that's it. I'll leave. I won't bother them anymore. They deserve to be happy. He deserves to be happy. Without me. It will hurt, but it is best.

I refuse to be the monster. I won't be a danger to anyone but myself.

I feel the train slow down. I lean my head on the window again, close my eyes and gravely smile. One stop down, four more to go.