I Walk Amongst You

I'm gonna let you in on another secret; I walk amongst you.

I could sit next to you on the bus, or stand behind you in line....I could be the pretty girl you hit on at the bar last week, the one with the dark eyes that seemed to pierce your soul....

You'd be none the wiser. I can be inconspicuous. I can blend into the crowd when I choose to.

I am a shape-shifter, & I can wear a human form.

Usually, it will be that of a young, tattooed female, crowned with ebony hair, twin water snakes twisting around both arms. This shape pleases me, but I am not limited to it. Don't think that for even a minute.

I can shift at will to alter my appearance; the conversion can be drastic, or it may be subtle. I can become a water moccasin, a black cat, or a raven...Or I could simply shift the bones in my face to alter my visage. I am an expert in the art of human camouflage.

There is one thing, however, that I cannot change; I am marred by a crescent shaped scar that curls around my left eye. It was given to me by an Enforcer Behemoth; these are the hulking monstrosities that guard the gates of the Ciudad de Monstruos. Magical wounds don't heal up so well, so the scar follows me, regardless of the form I take...

The Behemoths keep unwelcome visitors from slipping into the city should they find it, unusual as that may be. They also keep us monsters in; it is frowned upon by the Olde Ones to mingle with the humans. Our existence is to remain a secret at all costs.

I myself, have always enjoyed a wander in your world. Whenever I needed to clear my head, I'd shift, & slip through a forgotten gate, to walk your streets in the dark of night. How I love the soft glow of your neon signs, or the aroma of fresh brewed coffee...

The times are changing. There are dark forces at work, & they are much stronger than even the creatures of the Ciudad, or the fiercest army of humans. We will all need allies soon enough.

What I've neglected to tell you, is that I am also a Dreamweaver. One of the last. We were hunted nearly to extinction for our ability to navigate the Realms of Slumber, & for our knack of glimpsing into the future.

Upon being exposed as such, the Enforcers were set upon me. They tried to claw out my eyes. They hunt me now, even as I write this.

When word of this monologue gets out, their efforts will double...triple even.


Lucky for me, I am resourceful & quick-witted. I have my doubts about them...