I hated the summer. It meant I had to return home to my dysfunctional family. Since middle school, I dreamed of getting away from them, and now that I was in college I could finally get away. Then summer came and ruined it.

I rounded the last corner entering my dorm lobby, with every step I took an overcoming dread took hold of me. I was going home. After being gone for almost a whole year, I was beginning to feel almost normal. I no longer had salt under doors and windows, the knife that was once under my pillow that was no longer needed. I was so close to normal I could almost touch it, but something deep in me knew that I could never be normal. “ Samantha dearie are you ok?!” a voice nearly shrieked in my ear. Jumping at the voice, I quickly replied: “No no I'm fine,” and as I turned to face the familiar voice, I recognised my best and only real friend, Piper. “You know I get worried when you stare off like that,” she said shaking her head, carrying her suitcase and looking at me, her worry edged her face. “ sorry Piper I was just thinking about going home”(That wasn't entirely a lie). “ oh dearie me too!! I can't wait to see me family” her curly red and cheery attitude, her happy look when she speaks of her family. It was something I knew I could never have; it was what made me different, the distinct look that shows I have seen unspeakable things and done much worse.

After a few minutes of sharing her summer plans, Piper said her goodbyes before she ran out the door to catch her early flight home. I gathered my bags and took a deep breath before starting out the door, but nothing could prepare me for home. As I left the dorm room and got on bus 8939, I thought about my family, what they were up to if they were alive if they missed me. Watching the trees and the hills and all the peaceful scenery, I thought about how I missed my family. Even though they were, well, strange, they loved me, and I loved them in a way only family can. As the bus ride ended and I pulled up to my stop, I looked to see my brothers old Plymouth Roadrunner sitting next to the bus stop. As I walked up to the car, I could see the things that made it his car. From the false floor in the back of the nerf bullet stuck between the seats from when we were kids, but as I got closer, I thought about what made it the family car also. The secret compartment had holy water, wooden and silver bullets, a flame thrower, spray paint and that the reason the nerf bullet is stuck there is that we were acting out dad’s latest hunt. I froze in front of the car with no headlights and thought that I tried so hard not to be one of them, but here I am going home to the people I don't want to be but can't help but love. I quickly tried to shake away my thoughts and fears, and I just wanted to be glad to see my family again.
The door opened, and for the first time since I ran away, I saw my younger brother Adam. I could see he is slightly taller than me now with a  and dark circles showing his lack of sleep. The closer I got to him the more I could tell he was in the Business my sweet little brother had the look that all hunters get after their first kill.  “Sis I'm so glad you decided to come home after all this time”. Before I could say a word tears were streaming down my face and as Adam put his arms around me, I couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving him, for leaving my family. As I got into the car, Adem turned to me “ sis I missed you, heck the whole family did. Did you forget about me, about us?’”. I turned to look at him “No of course not! Adam, I don't know how to tell you I'm sorry, but I just wasn't meant for the life”. Adam raised his voice as he started to argue with me “ The life?! We're heroes; we save people how are you not meant for that?” Looking at my brother I could see what me leaving had done to him, the pain I had caused, but I didn't know how to fix it, but I did know I would do anything to fix it. He lowered his voice and grabbed my hands “Sis I know you wanted to be normal, but you have to know that people like us, we don't fit in” he looked at me with such sadness and open eyes I could practically see his pain. He looked at me excitement sparking his eyes “sis if I can prove to you that you were meant for hunting will you be my partner”. I looked at him and nodded. Going on this hunt is how I could help fix his pain, smiling  “ I'm home Adam, and you’ve got me for ONE hunt.”  He looked at me and smiled “ sis, we need to do a proper hunt. I’ll show you that you were meant made for this life” Turning to look at my brother I realised that what I was running straight to what I had always wanted to run from, although everyone knows you never truly leave the family business.  But I promised him one hunt, and I was going to give him one.

(to be continued)