ALIVE , legacies

ONE

this is the part where you run

ATLANTA , GEORGIA

"Rafael, seriously, it's not right." Landon argues.

Our best friend, our foster brother, shrugs Landon off. "It is what it is, Landon."

I shake my head. "You're not Catholic. You shouldn't have to confess your sins." I explain. "Wouldn't it only make your sins worse? Cause you know, no faith or whatever?" I try to reason. This wasn't right. It couldn't be. Forcing someone to confess their non-existent sins? It's not okay.

"I tossed a lawnmower through the patio doors, guys." Rafael retorts. "If apologizing to God gets Hector and Maria off of my back, so be it." I purse my lips, looking up at Rafael.

Landon sighs in defeat. "We'll be here. Every step of the way." I look down, not wanting to give in to this madness. "Come on, Lena. Let's just get it over with." I watch Landon reach his hand out to me. I give a weak smile, taking it. The Kirby twins. Inseparable since birth.

We follow Rafael into the small Church. A priest holds a handful of rosary beads, while our foster parents stare at us in disgust.

"Buena's tardes, Father Pietro." Rafael says politely

Father Pietro nods. "Buena's tardes, Rafael. Por favor, pray with me." Rafael reluctantly nods, getting on his knees.

Hector looks up at us. "You two can leave now." Landon frowns. "It's okay, we can take it from here."

"I'm good, Hector." I say coldly, crossing my arms over my chest.

Maria steps in front of me and Hector. "Madeline, this is between your foster brother and God, okay?"

I snarl, but Rafael calms me down. "Hey, I got it. Just wait outside." Landon nudges me, over the conversation.

The two of us walk outside. Landon lets out a loud sigh. He grabs his phone out of his pocket; the headphones attached tangle out as well, nots all along it. "You're seriously going to ignore me for music?" I ask him, slightly offended.  He raises a brow, as if saying yeah. I scoff, rolling my eyes at my brother. "I'm going for a walk."

It's a warm late summer night, a slight breeze cooling it down. Its weird, not a single person on the streets. The occasional car passes, cutting my thoughts off every now and then. This part Atlanta was funky lit by small street lights. I look back in the direction I came from, half expecting to see Landon and Raf running after me. Nothing.

Landon and I have been side by side since birth, as expected. We were dropped off at a church in a set of two. They made sure we were actually related, and we ended up being twins. Since then, they've tried a handful of times to separate us in the system. I ended up stabbing my at the time foster father in the hand with a spoon, and Landon was practically borderline suicidal. Our mental state's were off the rails until we were together again.

We haven't been apart since.

I hear a car zooming by, pulling to a stop in front of me. The passenger window rolls down, revealing a girl with reddish brown hair. "Hey! You know where the church is?"

I nod. "A few streets down." I say bluntly. "My brothers are there."

The girl looks back at the driver. "Thanks." She says, the car speeding off again. I raise a brow, the urgency in her voice was concerning. I look around, spotting an alley that will get me there before they do. I sigh, running as fast as I can.

Landon looks at me confused. "Lena? What's going on?" Before I can answer, the car pulls up. The girl hops out, strutting towards the door.

She barely acknowledges us until she reaches the stairs. "Landon." She says to my brother.

His red headphones fall onto his lap. "Hope?"

I look between them. "You two know each other?" I ask. The driver comes towards us, carrying a bow type contraption and a bag. He looks confused as well, looking at Hope for an answer.

"Long story." The girl says to the man. Thoughts are cut off as we hear Rafael screaming in agony. Landon stands up, I grab onto his sleeve. "Dr. Saltzman." Hope calls time the driver.

The man, who's name is Dr. Saltzman nods. "Yeah, I'm on it." He approaches the doors, shaking them. "Doors are locked."

Hope holds up her hands, "Dissera Portus!" The doors to the church swing open, the chains snapping like twigs. She looks at my brother and I. "You're gonna want to stay out here, Landon, trust me." She says before walking in.

Landon and I stare at eachother, wide eyed. "She just opened a door with her mind!" My brother shouts.

"I noticed." I retort. I jog up the steps. "Come on."

"They just said don't go in there." Landon utters.

I pause, looking back at him. "And since when have I ever listened to anybody?" I hiss, heading for the doors. I hear him let out a strangled grunt before following me inside.

Father Pierto talks in Latin as Rafael screams in pain. It's like his bones are snapping out of place. It was like an exorcism.  "Shut down the exorcist, would you?" Says Dr. Saltzman.

"Silencio." We watch from the doors as Father's mouth suddenly disappears. Maria and Hector look confused, scared even. "Ad somnum." The priest drops his cross as they all pass out, collapsing to the ground.

The walk around Rafael, Dr. Saltzman doing who knows what. Rafael makes eye contact with Landon and I. "Help me." He grunts our. His fingers elongate, his nails turning into claws. His body changed form as Landon and I watch in horror

"What's happening to him?" I screech. Hope looks back at me for a moment, but focuses on Raf.

Landon's eyes are wide. "Oh my god."

Rafael's ears point, his knuckles shifting under his skin. His shirt breaks as we see the bones in his back change shape. "Alright, easy does it. Easy does it, now." Dr. Saltzman says as he and Hope connect chains around Rafael. Raf lets out a few more yelps and shouts before taking full form.

He's a wolf.

Hope looks at us, giving us a sympathetic look before sighing, staring back at Rafael.

I stare at the scene in front of me. Father Pietro with a missing mouth. The man with the freaking arrow gun. The girl with psychic abilities. The fact that my best friend just turned into a wolf.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." I grumble, covering my mouth before vomiting in the row if seats next to me.