Karma

 My footsteps seemed to echo as I walked through the nearly empty halls, mindlessly scrolling through various posts on my phone until I got to my locker.

Various other students milled about in their little groups, not even glancing at me when I passed; I should be thankful for that, I guess, it at least means im doing a good job at flying under the radar. Thinking about it, Footsteps are very revealing,  for example, they can reveal things like their home life, or stress levels, even how tired they are. For example, the group of 5 people that just started surrounding me all have very different footsteps, and yet in a group it's hard to tell the difference… wait what? My thoughts were abruptly cut short when a well-manicured hand gripped my shoulder harshly, shoving me into the lockers in front of me.

“What the hell!?” My pained voice cut through the almost silent hallway. Turning around, I lowered my eyes towards the owner of that well-manicured hand on my shoulder and the group of five behind her. She had long curly red hair and a face full of caked-on makeup barely covering the freckles covering her face. 

One of the boys came towards me and the girl as she held me against the locker. "Bee, let me; you don't want to get your hands dirty on this trash," The girl laughed and turned to him, his bulky frame blocking most of my view of the group. "Oh! You're so right! Thank you, Barry!" She giggled in a sickly sweet tone. I winced from the stinging pain that went through my back as Barry took her spot and shoved me even harder into the metal, setting my instincts on fire, clenching my jaw,  I blinked away the anger. More of them got closer to Barry as he threw me to the ground. The guys started joining in, kicking me, laughing at me, holding me down. Until that is one of them spoke up, Dante.

"That's enough, boys. I think he's learned his place on the food chain," one of the few people who stood back and watched as his little friends pinned me down and beat me.

 I scoffed and glared at the petty little humans above me. 

"What are you laughing at fucker?" Dante growled, picking me up off the ground by my collar; I just shook my head. He rolled his eyes and let me go. I fell to the ground, bloody and bruised.

Finally, they started to disperse and leave. I attempted to stand, but it's never that easy. Dante turned around after I got my footing. He walked towards me until he was next to my ear.

 "Stay down, idiot."

 He said as he punched me in the gut, making me double over from the surprise at how fast it happened, I had to suppress the animalistic growl rising in my throat. I looked up and saw him walking towards his friends once again, laughing. I noticed Dante glancing back at me with a look I couldn't place.

I stood up once they left, picking up my glasses.

 "The hell was that for…annoying mother fuckers..,"

 I sighed as I put on the glasses that fell to the ground. Finally putting in the combination to my locker and opening it on the second try, I grabbed my bag and slammed my locker shut. Making my way out of the school, and walked over to my old SUV in the parking lot.

I drove through the mountains 15 minutes away from the school. I reached the first gate about 4 miles into the large gated forest. Pulling up to the intercom.

 "Mayleen, open up, please."  Watching as the gates opened, I pulled forward, parking in the garage and climbing out, and walking into the attached bathhouse. I stripped out of the bloodied clothes, my nails sharpened and extended, allowing them to draw blood at the slightest pressure, my bones shattered and rearranged. Thick, black fur sprouted from my body while my organs rearranged; I could feel the pain of the shift, the sting of a tail sprouting from my back and ears from my head. Opening my eyes and glancing at the reflection in the mirror showed a demon of a wild animal. Leaving the compact building behind, I was ready to run. The wind thrashed through my fur, the trees rushing past me in a blur.

I reached my home fast, maybe too fast, yet I still shifted back and put on a spare set of clothes from the backpack I carried. I walked into my house and greeted my mother, sitting on the couch, cuddling my little sister.

 "Ciao mami." My voice was soft so as not to startle the pregnant woman

 "Hi sweetie, do you think you can go get Nicki out of his crib? It's time for his bottle and diaper change," her thick Russian accent dripping with love.  '' Of course, mami," I said with a smile. Turning towards the stairs and heading up to the nursery. I opened the door to find my dad sitting in the rocking chair, reading a book,

 "Hey, Dad," my voice carried through the small room.

 "Hey, kid, what are you doing?" he asked

 "Mom said to get Nick so she can change and feed him," I said with a grin

 "Oh, tell her not to bother, I've already done it, although it wasn't enjoyable," he let out a chuckle

 "You've done it for 3 other kids, and it was mostly mom doing it too; I don't see how little Nick is any different," I chuckled

 "Yeah, well, he is the most explosive out of all of you kids," he said, shaking his head with a shudder; I chuckled and quickly kissed the pup on his forehead, “I'll head back down and tell her then, papi.” 

“Okay, son,” he looked back to his book and waved his hand, shooing me away

"Dad handled it already, Mamma," I say, slurring between Russian and English. "Oh, that sweet man,  thank you, Karma," My mom said with a small smile. "Could you take Ruk downstairs to Ant so he can watch her, please?"  I walked over to the 5-year-old, picking her up. "Let's go see Anthony, sweetheart!" "Ok!" Her voice was calm but sweet. Walking out of the living room with her in my arms, I crossed the house, walking towards the small staircase that leads to our basement and to my brother's room.

Knocking softly, I opened the door to his room. "Hey, little brother, Mom wants you to watch the hell spawn," I say with a smile. The small girl giggles and wiggles out of my arms. While he just rolls his eyes, “Im surprised your eyes aren't stuck in your head with how much you roll them.”   "Ha ha very funny, Karma, and im not your little brother, we're T-W-I-N-S, you know how much I hate you calling me that,”  "Hey, you're a few minutes younger than me and your superrrr short compared to me, so you are technically my little brother,” my laugh filling the room while he just grumbled "ok, Karm let her in then," he said as he waved the girls into his room  "Aye aye then captain, im going out for a bit," I told him before retreating up the stairs and out the back door.