The Silver Hope

Mirasol and Jim It was a stormy night. Loud thunder and the torrents of rain pouring on the roof of the house can be heard overhead. The dark sky illuminated repeatedly by the constant flickering of lightning. Odd. The weather forecaster said it would be good weather for the week. I felt the house shake as the thunder rumbled. A moment ago, the full moon was shining, glistening so beautifully. Then, all of sudden, dark clouds appeared, covering the moon and releasing an angry burst of rain. I was washing the dishes while Jim, my husband, went around the house making sure the windows were all shut tight. The wind was howling outside. Good thing the animals were all safe in the barn. Jim and I have been married for quite some time. We tried to conceive but it never happened. I decided to get a fertility check-up by the local doctor a few years back. After the results of the series of tests came out, the doctor called me to come see her. I sat in the middle of her office like I was a dartboard. First dart..."Mrs. Alarie, you are diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS." Second dart..."I can put you on fertility medication for the meantime so we can induce ovulation and see if you can conceive." Third dart... "If all fails, we can try IVF." I tried fertility medication for a year. It didn't work. I discussed the IVF procedure to Jim and he told me, "If it is God's will, He'll give us a baby. For now, Mirasol, let's just be happy and content with what we have." I looked down at my flat stomach. So many women out there getting pregnant without even trying, leaving their babies or either having them aborted and here I am willing to offer my life to another human being, but will never be given the opportunity of the gift of life. Life's little ironies. I sighed as I looked out the window. I saw a pair of car lights from the distance. Seemed the car was parked out in front of our yard. The lights of the car suddenly turned off. "Jim," I called. "Honey, there's a car parked in front of our yard." "You sure?" He asked me, looking through the window. "I can't see a d*mn thing outside." "Yes. I just saw the lights turn off. Maybe it's the neighbors. They might need some help." Jim goes to the closet and takes out his rifle. "I'll go check. I hear the dogs barking. If that were Sam, they wouldn't be growling like that. Heard over the news, there's been a number of break-ins. Better safe than sorry." Jim looks into the barrel to make sure its loaded and heads to the front door. I hear him open the door and yell "Hey you!" All of a sudden, I hear the car screech away without even turning their headlights on. I frantically wipe my hands and head to the door when Jim calls me. "Mirasol come here quick. It's a baby." With a look of confusion, I peek from behind him and see a basket on our doorstep. _________ The Hooded Strangers It was raining like it was a Category 5 Hurricane. The Moon Goddess was angry and released her anger through the elements. She should be. Her favorite Priestess and her Alpha mate were just murdered by The Rogue Lord. Goddess, please have mercy on us all. I tried to get to my sister, but it was too late. The Rogue Lord had pulled her head off from her body, her golden eyes still open as her head rolled away from her body. Then I heard her...My sister's pup! I went to the other room, picked her up and ran out as fast as I could. I saw the locket on the chest drawer near the foyer and grabbed it. Covering the pup, I ran and jumped through the window. I mind linked my mate that I had my niece and the locket. He mind linked me to meet at our car. The moon followed my every step, lighting my path until I reached the car. That was when the storm began. I looked down at the pup sleeping in my arms. She didn't know it yet, but she is destined for great things. I sniffle, holding back my tears. I couldn't keep her. I wanted to. It would've been what my sister had wanted. But we had a pack of murderous wolves on our tail and I know if they caught up with us, this little angel would be dead in a snap of a finger. "I think the safest thing to do is to leave her with humans," my mate said, his face hidden under his hood. "If we keep her, it's like giving her her death sentence." "Who will take her? I just can't leave her on someone's doorstep." "I know of a nice couple. I've traded with them a few times on my visit to the towns trying to get information. No one knows I know them. They don't have children and I know the woman has been praying to get pregnant. I know they will love and protect her like their own daughter. Don't worry. They're good people. I'm heading toward their house now." After thirty minutes, he suddenly parks the car and points at the farmhouse on our side. I could see a woman doing dishes through the window. "Here, put the pup in the basket so she won't get wet and leave her on their porch." After making sure the pup was comfortable in the basket, I placed her mother's locket on her neck and whispered an incantation to keep her safe until her coming of age. I kissed her one last time and fixed the hood of my coat over my head and made sure it covered my face. I sprung out of the car and ran as fast as I could to the front of the house. The dogs could sense me and started to bark and growl. I hurried and set the basket on the porch. I turned around and ran back to the car when I heard a man yell, "Hey you!" I jumped into the car and said, "Drive!" We screeched through the darkness without even looking back.

(Hope POV) I sat on the fence of the farm looking out through the horizon. I just loved how the orange and red sky would meet the mountains as it sets and the sky turns dark. Not a lot of people like the dusk. I just loved it. Tomorrow is my 18th birthday. The day of the full moon of the Summer Solstice when the moon was lowest in the sky. I just graduated high school as the class valedictorian and have been accepted to University. My mother and father are so proud. Especially my mother. You could always hear her tell people how proud she is of her baby. We live in a small town of Chelan in Washington State. For eighteen wonderful years, this is the place I call home. My family and I live in a red farm house with white shutters. A two story house filled with all the happy memories of my childhood. I remember the day I learned how to ride a bike. I was able to ride it on my own on the path that leads to my Dad's apple farm. I stayed on my pink bike for two whole min