Highway to Somewhere
“Hey, Phoebe!” I look up from my place in the passenger seat, away from my phone and toward Dave, my adoptive father, who's apparently been trying to get my attention for a while. I give a gesture of acknowledgement, by nodding my head and lifting my right hand in an awkward wave.
“Why don’t you take your earbuds out? You know, look around, a city girl like you probably hasn’t seen such mountains before.” Smiling a carefree smile, he gives way to his joy over this recent move. Unlike me, who is still set on this being the worst idea. I pull a bud out and push my hood back some before answering.
“That’s okay, I accidentally packed my sunglasses in one of the boxes, and the direct sunlight will just hurt my eye. Plus, I can see the scenery through you, if I really want to see the Mountains. You have been singing road songs for the last hour, Mr. Highway to hell, can I make a request?” We both laugh at the joke, but a frown still overtakes his features, as a wall quickly goes back up in his mind.
“I’m sorry, kiddo. I know it isn’t a good excuse, but it’s hard to maintain the block when my enthusiasm with you attending the academy has divided my focus.” His guilt-ridden expression is plenty enough to have me nodding my understanding. Besides, how can I be upset, with everything he has done to help me over the last few years. I look down at the geumganggo style bracelet Dave had forged, its purpose is to dampen my powers, I just wish it would dampen the harmless magic nearly as well as it does my more extreme magic.
“Speaking of your eyes, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen your true face. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always stayed morphed. Strangely that's the one area of your powers you seem to excel at. Practice makes perfect huh. Maybe one day you'll let your guard down enough to show me.” He looks at me curiously, as if imagining what I look like. A grim expression befalls me in remembrance of just why I stay morphed. If I'm being a hundred percent with myself, I haven't looked upon my true self since I was five. It's a sad thought not to even remember what I look like anymore but that's probably a good thing. Letting out a breath I decide a major subject change is needed.
“What’s the Academy like? I saw in the brochure that Vampires are now being accepted, how is that even possible?” All the vampires I’ve come across have been rampaging bloodthirsty savages. They kind of remind me in a weird way of zombies, you know from the movies, where they go around attacking random people repeating ‘want brains’, except they repeat ‘want blood’.
“Phoebe, believe it or not, not every vampire is bloodthirsty. In fact, most are quite tame after they’ve lived a few centuries.” That’s beyond insane. I have always figured as they age, they grow more insane with bloodlust more uncontrolled. Not that I am one who should be judging on oneself control.
“However, there are a rare few before that age that strangely gain control. Most call them master vamps. I call them miracles. After all that’s one less newborn to keep contained. While we are on the subject of containment, I hope you haven’t forgotten your promise?” Shit, there goes hoping he forgot. Should I play dumb, and act like I did forget?
“Which promise was that again? There were so many, before setting out.” I say nonchalantly. Please for once in your life let it go.
“You know exactly which promise I’m talking about, young lady. You promised to give this a try, but that doesn’t mean the others aren’t still to be kept.” He gives me a pointed look, as if that will force me to agree with him.
“I remember. I said I’ll give it a try, and I will. I also remember telling you I am not a group person. I just don’t see the evaluation going well. It’s not as if I have control over this, any of it. Heck, I just found out what I was and yes, these powers can pack a punch once in a while, but I am nowhere near soldier material.” Dave gives me a chest fallen look. I can tell he is disappointed in what I said. Considering that if Dave hadn’t been an Elite Soldier, he never would have been able to save me from the Mortal world.
“I know being part of the Elite isn’t how you wanted to start off at the academy, but it is in your best interest. It’s not easy getting into the academy, in fact it’s rare for a new supernatural to join our world so you add that to being my daughter they wanted you. Honestly, regardless of whether or not you are chosen to join the Elite, the academy will teach you to have a grasp of control, better than anyone else in our world ever could. You could finally take off the geumganggo without worrying. Plus, you do need to learn to play nice with others, making friends won’t kill you.” He adds the last part with a chuckle. Don’t get me wrong I completely see his point, but I’m hundred percent sure I’ve fought enough in my life that I don’t need to do it for a world that I used to believe only resided in the pages of books.
Knowing I can’t convince him to get me out of this evaluation, I turn away, I return the ear bud to my ear and gaze back out the passenger window to watch the rolling hills and valleys I’ve only recently come to live in pass by luring me into the depths of sleep and all the demons held there.
