I stared at my house. My eyes were burning from the smoke and my breathing was a little labored. I couldn't breathe, not because of the smoke, but because everything I had ever loved, burned down. My entire house was down to the ground in shambles. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at the smoke lingering around what was left of my childhood home. I looked at everything and felt my shoulders sag because this was it. This was the beginning of the end.

I felt a cold hand on my shoulder which made my jump. "Everything is going to be alright, Bailey. All that matters is that everyone is safe, and no one got hurt."

I turned around and let a few tears slip down my cheeks. Nothing was ever going to be right again. My house was on the ground with everything I've ever owned inside, burned with it. All of my money, clothes, makeup, shoes, and everything I collected over the years was gone. My mom was wrong, nothing was ever going to be right again.

"Bailey, sweetie, please. Look at me."

I turned around and looked at my mom. She wiped away some of the tears that fell from my eyes and I sniffed. "Everything won't be alright, nothing will ever be the same."

My hand automatically went up to my neck where my favorite necklace lived. My grandparents gave it to me for my birthday when I was thirteen. They had told me that magic lies within the necklace and whenever I'm wearing it, nothing bad will ever happen to me. I was young when they gave it to me so of course I believed them, but I know now that magic isn't real. The necklace, however, makes me feel safe and I've never taken it off. I wore the necklace every day since they gave it to me.

My mom was still staring at me and I know there were a million thoughts running through her head right now. I sighed and gave her a small smile. "Mom, I'm fine. Can we just go now?"

My mom nodded her head. She looked back at the rubble that was once our home and sighed. She turned back to me and put her arm around my shoulder and guided me to the car where my dad and two dogs were waiting. "I think that's a good idea. The drive will be long, about six hours. Your grandparents are excited to see you. It's been so long. Why don't you get some sleep in the car? Everything will be alright, Bails, I promise."

I wanted to believe my mom, that everything was going to be alright, but I knew it wasn't ever going to be the same. I'm almost twenty and haven't seen my grandparents since my thirteenth birthday. Things were going to be awkward and nothing was ever going to be the same.

***

I awoke a few hours later, my dad and mom talking quietly in the front seat. Whatever they were talking about, I wasn't supposed to here and honestly, I don't really care at this point. Going to live with my grandparents at Black Wolves County was going to be torture. I don't have enough money to go buy my own house or rent an apartment since I'm still in college, but I would rather go anywhere but the small town they live in where there isn't anything fun to do.

Black Wolves County is a small town on the outskirts of Oregon. No one really knows about it since less than one thousand people live there. The town was a creepy place, at least that's how I remember it. I just remember wolves howling at night, a curfew that was ass, and that the woods behind my grandparent's house was off limits. I haven't been there in over seven years, but I doubt much has changed.

I felt the car come to a stop and looked out the window to see a giant white house. Two people stood on the front porch and began waving frantically to us. My dad turned around and smiled, "Oh, you're awake. We're here. Why don't we let the dogs out first, so they can run around and stretch their legs."

I nodded at opened my door, letting Lucy and Lucky out. They were our two golden retrievers that we found in the woods behind our old house a couple of months ago. I begged my parents to let us keep them and one look into their puppy dog eyes, my dad was sold.

I stepped out of the car next and was attacked with kisses by my grandparents' dog, Rusty. He's and old hunting dog that now just lays around the house. Last time I saw him, he was a puppy.

My dad bent down and pet Rusty on the head and stood back up once my grandparents came to meet us. "I can't believe how much you have grown since I've last seen you," My grandma said to me, crushing me in a bear hug, "You are gorgeous. You must have all the boys chasing after you."

I smiled, "Well, it's been seven years since I've seen you guys, Grandma."

"I know, honey, it has been too long and I'm sorry for that. You're coming to live here now until all of you can get back on your feet. We have all the time in the world to catch up now."

I nodded, "Can't wait, I really did miss you guys."

Grandma and I walked up to the porch where everyone else was. My grandpa gave me a hug and a kiss on the head, "It's been too long, you've grown up so much."

I nodded and smiled because what was I supposed to say? Obviously, I grew up, it's been seven years. Did they expect me to stay thirteen forever?

"I made lemon pie, its cooling in the fridge. I made two and there is some steak cooking on the grill right now. I figured you three would be hungry after that long ride here."

My dad nodded, "It wasn't too bad. We didn't even hit any traffic at all."

"That's good. Why don't we head inside? It's beginning to get dark out there."

My dad and I carried some of the bags of clothes that we brought with us that was left over from the fire. It wasn't much but it was something. My grandma took me upstairs and showed me the room I would be staying in. My parents were right next to me in my dad's old room. I unpacked what I had and then we downstairs to get a piece of the lemon pie.

My grandma was setting up for dinner and when she heard me come down, she turned around smiled. "I know you're going to be twenty soon, but we just ask that you please stay out of the woods. You can do whatever you please around here but the woods behind us are private property and there are lots of creatures in there like wolves that aren't safe."

I drank a few sips of the milk that was sitting on the counter "It's your house and your rules. That's fine by me."

My grandma smiled softly. "Thank you, sweetie. The woods are a dangerous place to wander alone in at night and even during the day. We just want you to be safe."

I nodded my head, knowing damn well that I wasn't going to listen to her rules.

___