I yawn, before forcing myself to sit up. I glance over to my window. It’s still dark out… I turn and slide off my bed. Heading over to my lamp, I see that someone has left a note by it. I grab it and turn on the lamp before reading what it says.

Rehn,

I will be gone for the next few weeks. Your birthday is tomorrow, so I know you can handle being by yourself. You’re twelve now!

I left a present for you downstairs, but promise me you won’t open it until the clock strikes twelve. Opening it before then will result in a large stream of bad luck.

I will miss you, but do not worry! When I return we can go hunting!

See you soon,

Love,

Grandpa.

How typical of him to leave right before my birthday. I sigh before heading downstairs, noticing the big box on the counter. I turn away from it, and towards the TV. After turning it on, I notice that gramps left it on the news channel. I was about to change it when a headline catches my eye.

“DEMONS KEEP RAMPAGING IN THE SHEFFIELD AREA. RESIDENTS ARE WARNED TO STAY OUT OF THE WOODS UNTIL THE EXTERMINATORS GET RID OF THE MONSTERS. RESIDENTS OF SHEFFIELD ARE TOLD TO NOT KILL ONE. ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THIS LAW CAN AND WILL BE PROSECUTED BY THE EXTERMINATORS CHOICE.”

Demons… They showed up around five years ago in Hertford, quite suddenly. No one had been prepared for their sudden appearance, and as a result, many people were slaughtered by them as they spread around the globe. Then the Exterminators appeared a year later. No one knows who they are, but they killed a large manifestation that had taken over Etowah. They met with the Prime, who is the leader of our known world.

They said they would continue to exterminate the demons, as long as the Prime allows them to take control of our world. Now we have many ridiculous laws. One thing I had noticed when they first showed up is that not one person has actually seen them kill a demon. Only that they arrive, and the demons are gone when they leave.

But that doesn’t really matter. Now, they were in my town of Sheffield.

Great. I scratch the back of my head as I go back upstairs to get dressed.