Enders

Enders (18)

I refused to think about Dex as I trekked on. I knew that if I got lost in my thoughts, I would never be able to focus. I had one last stop and then I could finally go back to the DAU.

The address Margaret had given me led me to a lone house hidden by trees and shrubbery. It was so easy to miss that I almost did; I walked right by and only noticed something was off when I saw footprints in the dirt beside me. I then turned around and saw the small house peaking out from behind a few trees.

Scraping the footprints away with my foot just in case, I made my way over to the house. Though it didn't snow here, the air was still chilly as I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck. My duffle bag felt heavy over my shoulder as I knocked on the front door, not even thinking twice about it.

It took a moment for me to get any response. I wasn't very surprised, because they were supposed to be in hiding and no one should have come to the door unexpected. I was starting to think this was a bad idea, but that didn't stop me from ringing the doorbell again.

It took a few more seconds before the door slowly squeaked open, surprising me as I froze with my hands raised up to knock. I was now face-to-face with a man who was young, but still obviously older than me. He stared back at me with wide eyes.

The man had the same E-shaped birthmark as I did, except his was on its side so it looked like a W as it rested above his left eyebrow.

I realized then I didn't know what to say. I was going to so many different places without telling the people who lived there that I was coming, and since I'd never met them before I was nothing more than a strange person coming into their house.

"Um... hello," the blonde man behind the door greeted awkwardly, and I didn't blame him. He didn't know why I was there, and honestly, I didn't know either.

Suddenly, the sideways E above his eyebrow began to flash a vibrant red. My jaw slacked open, but I was only able to stare for a moment before a pulsating rhythm shot through my shoulder, where my own birthmark was.

The man's brown eyes were wide. "You're a..."

I gulped as I gripped at my pulsing shoulder. "Yeah."

Looking around to make sure no one else was around, he ushered me inside, closing the door behind us the second I came through.

I was surprised; I wasn't expecting to be let in so easily. I wasn't complaining, though, since I was finally able to get out of that cold weather.

I shrugged my backpack off, dropping it along with my duffle bag next to the door. The blonde man beside me was tall, well-built, and handsome. I would've felt uncomfortable if he didn't have such a calming aura about him.

"Stephen!" a new voice suddenly whispered hoarsely, and I looked over to see a redheaded woman peeking through the doorway of the next room. "What are you doing, bringing a stranger in here?"

Stephen beckoned the woman over to us. "It's alright. She's one of us."

The woman's eyes widened, and it took her a moment but she slowly made her way over to us. The second she was within arm's reach of me, the pulsing feeling in my shoulder started again.

The woman clutched onto her hip, and I only assumed that that was where her E birthmark resided, though since she was covered by clothing I couldn't see if it was glowing red or not. I pulled my sleeve down just enough to see that my birthmark was also flashing red.

"What the heck is going on in here?" a new voice asked from the same doorway, and I turned again to see a boy who looked around my age with dark brown hair, a little boy with blonde hair clutching his hand in tow behind him. He bounded over to us without a second though, practically dragging the child behind him, but stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening when he saw me.