Chapter 1

Thomas Pov. ♤

Mornings are never a pleasant time.

I don't know what it is they just annoy me beyond reasoning. Maybe it is the fact that I'm not alive enough in the morning to make food, or the fact that I need to use all my mental willpower to get out of bed.

They just suck.

Just as I am about to snap out of my thoughts about mornings, my alarm clock started to go off on my phone. Not even a second later I hear my father yelling at the nieghbors for leaving their fucking wind chimes up on their front patio all night.

My papa was in his 30s with bright blue eyes, and sandy blonde hair. He had no tan from the fact he rarely went outside (allergies) and was about 5'6.

He and my dad adopted me at age 10 in their 20s after they heard about how low adoption rates were for kids 10 and over.

"That's my cue." I mutter and get dressed before heading downstairs to face the day.

" ........my umbrella to shield your satanic breeze bells.......No I will not give you any sugar you crazed she devil!!" I heard my papa scream in a "very manly" way.

I was outside the kitchen when I asked "Whatcha yelling about pops?" like I was completely oblivious to the situation. I knew it would make him feel better if he thought I didn't know he was cursing out the elderly couple next door.

My dad was wildly waving a rolling pin at my neighbors, screaching out the window in his boxers and t-shirt, while throwing stir sticks at the fucking windchimes. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to enter the kitchen in the mornings. This happened everyday from seven till nine A.M. At least this daily occurrence was a good distraction from what was happening in our world.

The Fae just let us know that they not just something out of a fairytale. Well they didn't let us know per say. It was more like they were forced to announce they were a thing by some hikers in Canada. And, let me tell you, the governments were not happy about it.

They went on hold for roughly a month before they came up with the "perfect" solution to our problems. They announced that the Fae would work as slaves till further notice.

Personally I believe this decision was made out of fear. Something about the Fae scare them. This "solution" was most likely just a means to slow them down.

Like every choice made out of fear, it came with a price. It caused about 150 million people, in the U.S. alone, to lose their jobs. This made the great depression look like a minor bump in the road. 10 million people starved to death, 20 million lost to winter and disease, these aren't even counting all the countries in Europe and Asia; they had the most casualties.

However, a balance was made after a few months. People went into the slavery business. Since slaves were in such high demand by big companies, the pay was good. You just had to have good hunters.

Along with these new jobs came information about the Fae. It wasn't much since scientists weren't allowed to study them, but it was something.

Few people will ever actually come in contact with the Fae. The only way to legally be able to see one on a daily basis, to undergo a special training program and then get a certification of being qualified.

All we know is...

#1

They can shapeshift and whatnot, but we/the general public weren't exactly informed about what or how they do this.

#2

We were also told that Iron burns them, so we should always wear some form of Iron for safety. I've never actually seen a Fae so to me this seemed like a bit of a hassle but whatever that's just me.

I snapped my thoughts back to my father, who was waving his hand in my face because I zoned out so long.  On instinct I snapped my teeth at it, in warning.

"Are you alive in there sport?" He questioned me in a slightly babyish tone.

"No I'm dead but my body arose up from bed inorder to give you a little look see into my brain before I am fully d-d-deceased." I said with a mournful voice, and took a bow. Then fell to the floor and started flailing about and choking in a very fake looking manner that would make Shakespearean actors jealous.

"Argh"  I groaned when my hand hit the wall.  It really fucking hurt. By the time I received a response from my father I was on my back cradling my hand to my chest.

" Oh, please come back Thomas! Oh please, oh please, oh please! What'll I do without your sarcastic words everyday for the rest of my life?!" My father paused dramatically for effect.  I could tell he was trying to hold back his laughter. Sometimes I wonder how I ended up with these people. But, it doesn't matter since I love them anyway.

Then he continued after gazing into the distance with a look of great distress. A smile threatening to breakthrough the morbid vibe he was trying to portray.   "I know, I shall fight everyday, with every charity I can find, and make sure no smartass child ever dies of smartassery ever again." He declared in a superior manner.

My lazy ass can't come up with a classy retort. Maybe that's just the morning. I never can function right in the morning.

" Ha Ha, very funny. Can you please feed me now so I can go to s-school." I pouted and had a whiny voice at the end that I'm not proud of. Stupid puberty.

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The sidewalk on the way to school is crumbling, they need to replace it. The crunching under my feet in annoying me.

Something jumped on my back not even a second after I walked onto school grounds. I spent the next few fleeting moments of panic clawing at my back-

It was only Grace.

"What the fuck!" I screech, sounding like a small dog.

"You'd think that from me doing this every day you would learn that it's me and not the druggy down the street." My best friend Grace replied.

Grace was a small brunette, with Heterochromia eyes one chocolate brown and the other a bright green. She always wore her hair in an Elsa style braid. She had glasses that were a tad bit big on her face, but it doesn't seem like she cares. Then lastly was her dark sarcastic sense of humor.

"I beg to d-differ. I am not scared of Dale. I was having a perfectly normal human reaction after being jumped" I told her before lowering myself to the ground so she could hop off. I didn't need to considering I'm also extremely short, but it helped my ego to do so.

Grace laughed " I didn't jump you, I jumped on you. There's a difference." It's hard to believe that she is the shy girl in our class, but after you get to know her she is actually insane. It's okay though, because she's one of the best people I know.

"We should probably get to c-class," I suggested. I didn't want to be here after warning bell rang, that's when people start to crowd, right now I'm "allergic" to the stupid that the sound will bring. I don't think I'll ever grow out of it.

Grace agreed and we just went on out mirthful way. I should stop reading old timey books, I'm starting to think in their terms.

When we got to English class I sat down next to Axel (since assigned seats are a thing here). He's so mysterious, he's quiet and doesn't talk to anyone other than his best friend Tyler. He always sits alone in class, and if he answers questions about himself, it's always a vague "yes" or "no". Not to mention he has that bad boy type thing going on that just scares everyone away.

He's been missing for a while, and everyone thought he moved.  He just got back this week, with some shitty story about having a long mental health break.  I understand if you need time to relax every once in a while, but a few weeks is a bit much.

The thing that scares me most about the guy, is the way he's been acting since he got back.

Right now Axel is just staring at me like a I'm a precious jewel. His not glare is kinda freaking me out.

I guess people can change, but not in the span of three weeks.  It's not like we are lovers who haven't seen each other in years.  Heck, I barely even know the guy.

Looking away I bury my hands in my long sleeves and use them to cover my face. I don't want him looking at me, so hiding in clothing is the best thing I got.  If my parents would let me grow out my thick black hair, I would hide under that as well.

His starring went on for the whole period.

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I was walking up to my locker when I saw hunters in the hallway. You know they're hunters because of the trademark patch they wear on their clothes. It's two detailed, almost oval type, leaves that meet at the bottom of the circle.

It was a strange sight considering there was supposed to be a law against hunters going in areas made for kids. Even looking at all the other students and teachers, you could just feel an uneasiness. People know the laws about hunters, because that is one of the few things our government actually told us.

Rule #1

Hunters are not allowed to hurt humans, for any reason. (This rule was put in place to keep people from worrying.)

Rule #2

Hunters can take a Fae into custody under any circumstances, other than the Fae already has an owner. (This rule was put in place because some crazy people who knew a Fae before the hunters were a thing, tried to fight off hunters in order to save the Fae.)

Rule #3

The hunters were not allowed to hunt in places were gatherings are a normal appearance or are having a gathering of some sort. This includes places of worship, schools, town hall, and places being used for protesting at that moment. The last rule was to ensure that the general public was kept unaware of how the Fae were apprehended.

There must be a very special reason as to why the hunters are here.

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AN:

1st chapter it done! :)

I will try to update the story every week.

Please do not copy my work.

Helpful criticism is always allowed, as is grammar police.

Also this is kind of an introduction chapter, so I apologize if it's a bit on the boring side.

I hope y'all are having a wonderful day, and thanks for reading :)