Chaos and courage

by Willow Rose

  Jazmine nodded. "I'll be fine. Me and BamBam are watching a movie."

  "Sounds good. And Adrian?"

  Adrian had come back the day before, and they had spent the entire evening together and this morning too. But his mom had insisted he'd have to be there for the party. Probably just to show him off to the rest of the neighborhood and brag about his accomplishments at Harvard, he had said. Jazmine was annoyed that he had to go since she wanted to spend the evening with him, but his mom had insisted, and you simply didn't say no to Mrs. Jones. Especially not if you were her child.

  "He's going too, but will be over later, he said. As soon as he can sneak away from the party."

  "He probably won't last long," Aunt Tina said.

  "I hope not. He's going as Mr. Incredible."

  "I bet that's what he is to you, am I right?" she asked, smiling.

  Jazmine nodded. "Yeah."

  "All right, I'll leave you two to your movie. Be good, both of you, will you?" she said and winked.

  "I'll do my best," Jazmine said, petting BamBam with a deep sigh.

  This was surely going to be the least eventful evening of her entire life. At least that's how she felt right now as she leaned back in her bed and started the movie, while BamBam purred lightly in her lap.

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Amy got tired of watching the party and leaned back in her chair, sulking. Then she picked up her phone and called Robyn. Melanie was in the living room watching a movie, but Amy wasn't in the mood for that.

  "How are you holding up over there?" she asked, glancing down at the cul-de-sac once again where all the guests had now arrived, and the music was playing loudly from the hired DJ. Some kids were even dancing.

  Oh, man, I love to dance! And I love that song!

  "I'm okay," she said. "Bored like crazy, but fine."

  "I know, right?" Amy said. "I wanted to be there so bad."

  "Then maybe we should just go?" Robyn said. "What can they do to us if we do?"

  "Uh, ground us for life. Take away our phones and computers. Make your life miserable. I can't believe you'd even suggest that. You have met your own mom, haven't you?"

  "I don't care what she says. She's an idiot anyway," Robyn said.

  "Robyn, that's not nice. Yes, your mom is a little on the wacko side, but she's nice."

  "Who wants nice?" Robyn asked. "I wanna have some fun."

  "Robyn, you're not going down there, you hear me? She'll take you out of school again. Robyn?"

  "I don't care about that," Robyn said. "But I would like to have some of that fun going on down there. They'll never know I’m there…just a quick in and out."

  "How will you avoid being seen, huh?" Amy asked.

  "Duh. It's a Halloween party. I'll dress up. I have this cute vampire costume that my mom gave me. I'll wear that."

  Amy sighed on the other end. "Robyn, please don't do this. It won't end well. Please."

  But it was too late. Robyn was no longer listening. She just brushed her off, then said goodbye and hung up. Amy looked at the phone, her heart beating faster. Why was Robyn suddenly insisting on ruining her own life? This was so unlike her.

  Amy rushed to the window, phone clutched in her hand, and looked outside. It took maybe five minutes before she spotted someone run out from behind the Jones's house and into the street. A small person dressed as a vampire.

  Amy shook her head.

  "Oh, Robyn. What have you done?"

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Dressed as a vampire, Robyn walked into the cul-de-sac and walked directly to the punch table, pouring herself a glass. She drank it, avoiding looking into anyone’s eyes. Then, as a woman came closer to her and stood by the punchbowl, Robyn smelled her. Yes, she was a human. This place was crawling with them.

  Robyn felt a low growl emerge in the back of her throat. The woman next to her turned to look, quite baffled.

  "Excuse me?"

  "Sorry," Robyn said, pressing the growl back. "It went down the wrong pipe."

  "Are you even old enough to be drinking?" she asked, giving Robyn a very suspicious look. "How old are you?"

  "Old enough," Robyn said feeling her claws poke out at the strong smell of human flesh. She turned around and walked away while the woman stared after her, shaking her head, whispering to the woman next to her.

  "What odd behavior."

  Robyn continued to the food and started to fill her plate. Then she ate. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what she craved at this moment. She could still taste the flesh of the newly engaged couple she had the other night. The meat had been so fresh and juicy—nothing like this old chicken leg she was holding right now. Still, she ripped off the meat, snarling, when Caleb came up to her.

  "It's not a very good disguise," he said.

  Robyn smiled when she saw him. "It's worked so far," she said. "No one has noticed me yet."

  Caleb looked at her. "There's something different about you. I can't quite figure out what it is, but I like it. It's naughty and not the goody-two-shoes you usually are."

  "People are allowed to change, aren't they?" she asked. "It happens from time to time."

  "They sure are. And as I said, I like it."

  She let out a low growl as another human walked past. The smell made her mouth water. She couldn't stay here. It was too tempting and would blow her cover if she attacked someone now while people were still sober. Maybe later when they were drunk, and no one would notice someone was missing or even care if someone screamed. There were enough of them here for an entire feast. She wouldn't have to kill for weeks…maybe even months. But not now. Now, it was too early.

  "You wanna go somewhere a little more private?" she asked, as a man walked by and she smelled him.

  Human again.

  Robyn didn't really understand why she had this extreme craving tonight. Usually, when she had fed on humans, she could go days, weeks even, before she had to kill again. It was like the more she killed, the more she craved, and right now she craved it a lot. Maybe it was because there were so many of them in one place.

  "Oh, you coming onto me. Even better than me running after you constantly. What were you thinking?" he asked.

  She looked around, then grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the party. They went into Jayden's front yard, and she found a tree that she pushed him up against, then threw herself at him.

  Chapter Sixty

  "Robyn's here."

  Camille turned to look at her mother, a drink in her hand. "Robyn? Nonsense. She's back in her room."

  Her mother shook her head. "I saw her. Here. Dressed as a vampire."

  "A vampire?" Camille wheezed. "Why that little…"

  Her mother grabbed her arm. "Wait. There is something…"

  "What?"

  "Are we sure that it is Robyn?"

  "What do you mean?" Camille said.

  Her mother looked up, and as Wonder Woman's eyes met those of Darth Vader, they both knew what she was talking about.

  Camille nodded. "Again with that?"

  Her mother nodded. "Yes. Something is definitely off with her. But is it what I think it is? I can't be certain."

  "How can anyone know?" Camille asked. "It's not like there's a tell. She could also just be acting out. She is a teenager, after all."

  "And she sure is right now," her mother said and pointed toward the Smiths’ house.

  In the front yard, leaned against a tree was a vampire, looking like it had jumped a cat.

  "Robyn!" Camille snorted. "Have I taught you nothing?"

  Her mother shook her head. "That is not our Robyn."

  "I'll go tell her off right away," Camille said and stepped forward, the black cape waving in the wind behind her. "No, don't," her mother said, grabbing her arm and stopping her in her tracks.

  "Why not? If that is that beast and it has taken my daughter, then…"

  "It could be dangerous. We need to kill it, once and for all."

  Chapter Sixty-One
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  Jayden had kept away from the window so far. He didn't really care much what was going on in the cul-de-sac; he just hoped his parents were having fun. They deserved a night out, a carefree night together where they didn't have to think about all that had been going on over the past ten months. They needed it more than anyone here.

  Yet, after a couple of hours, Jayden could no longer control his curiosity. He had to take a peek at what they were doing down there, so he walked to the window and looked out.

  Then he froze.

  Is that…is that…Robyn? And…Caleb?

  Completely paralyzed, he stared at his girlfriend crawling on top of another boy. She was all over him, kissing him and tearing his catsuit off. In his own yard of all places.

  It just about broke his heart.

  "R-Robyn?"

  Jayden stared at the two of them, his jaw dropped, his eyes watering. How could she do this to him? Why would she do this? Why now when they had finally found each other again? And with that nasty vampire? Duncan, he could understand, maybe, since he was actually a pretty decent guy, for a vampire, but Caleb? That snake? Robyn hated him. Didn't she?

  Jayden didn't understand a thing.

  He kept looking at them, his fists clenched, a tear running down his cheek. Then he decided there was no way he was just going to stand there and watch them. He grabbed his jacket and rushed down the stairs and ran into the yard. With angry steps and his fists still clenched, he walked toward them, grabbed Robyn, and pulled her off Caleb, then swung his fist at him. The punch fell straight on Caleb's nose, and he cried out.

  Startled, Jayden stumbled backward and fell to the grass, his hand—especially his knuckles—pounding. Caleb was screaming and holding a hand to his nose, which was crooked and leaning a lot to the left side of his face. It looked broken.

  "What the heck?" Caleb yelled, throwing out his arms. As he did, his nose slowly slipped back into place like some invisible force was pulling it. Soon, he looked just like himself again, except for the anger. Jayden had never seen him angry before.

  Jayden stared at Caleb in fear, then turned his head to look at Robyn, but she wasn't there anymore. She had run off.

  Caleb approached him, then grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him into the air, his eyes glowing. A low growl emerged, coming from the back of his throat, and Jayden braced himself for what would happen next. He closed his eyes, thinking only about Robyn and feeling deep down how his heart had been crushed when a voice interrupted them.

  "Caleb, let that thing go. I need you."

  Jayden fell to the grass again, then opened his eyes and spotted Robyn's mom in her Darth Vader costume, the cape fluttering in the wind behind her. A second later, the two of them left, walking toward someone else who was also wearing a cat costume very similar to Caleb's.

  Chapter Sixty-Two

  "I need you to kill Robyn."

  Camille was still wearing her Darth Vader mask as she spoke to Duncan and Caleb. Two sets of eyes stared at her. She had taken them inside her house.

  "R-Robyn?" Duncan said. "Why?"

  "You want us to turn her, don't you?" Caleb said with a smirk.

  "NO!" Camille wheezed behind the black mask. "You idiot. If you turn her, she'll live forever as that beast."

  "Wait…what are you talking about?" Duncan said. "What beast?"

  Camille snorted. "The beast. It's Robyn."

  Caleb lifted both eyebrows, then touched his lips, pensively. "You…you mean…?"

  "Yes," Camille said. "You two got to keep up here. Can't keep repeating myself."

  "I still don't understand; you want us to kill Robyn, why?" Duncan said.

  Camille grumbled behind the mask, causing both boys to recoil. "Because it's not her."

  "S-she's the…?" Caleb asked.

  Camille sighed. "Finally. Yes, she's the beast. It must have taken her at some point and hidden her somewhere."

  "But…but are you sure?" Duncan asked. "What if you're wrong?"

  Darth Vader's black face turned and stared at him. "Am I usually wrong…about anything?"

  Duncan bit his lip. "I guess not, but…"

  "Look at her. She's out there dressed as a vampire, kissing Caleb. Does that sound like the Robyn you know? She would rather be caught dead than dress like a vampire and kissing…"

  Duncan looked flabbergasted. "Kissing…?"

  "Yes, she was kissing Caleb; get over it. It wasn't her, remember?" Camille said.

  Duncan swallowed, then sighed. "All right." He glanced at Caleb. "We can do that, right?"

  Caleb shrugged. "Sure."

  Darth Vader handed him a knife. "Here. Do it swiftly. Don't let anyone see you. Take her to the lake and do it."

  The two boys left, and Camille looked after them, then heard a sound coming from the stairs. She turned her head and spotted the little girl that Robyn was so fond of standing at the top of the stairs.

  "Go to your room, little girl," Camille said.

  The girl nodded, then turned around and left. Camille looked after her. She knew that Robyn thought that she didn't care much about that little creature, but she did. She knew her name, Veronika, but pretended not to. It wasn't because she was cold and didn't care about her, on the contrary. She was afraid to get too close to her, to be too fond of her and then lose her. A girl like Veronika didn't belong to this world or any world. She was constantly between worlds, and you never knew how long you would have her. It was going to break Robyn's heart the day she traveled and never returned.

  Camille sighed, then corrected her mask before leaving the house to go back out to the party, preparing herself to see her own daughter get murdered. As she walked out to the driveway and into the cul-de-sac, she once again spotted Veronika rushing toward her.

  "Didn't I just tell you to go back to your room?"

  Veronika stopped and stared at her, then nodded. "Okay."

  The girl flickered a few times, then rushed past Camille. As Camille turned around and looked after her, the girl was gone. Camille shook her head. "Always between worlds. Never knowing if you're coming or going."

  Camille turned back to face the party when turmoil broke out. Someone was yelling, and then an ear-piercing scream followed.

  Camille spotted Duncan holding the bloody knife in his hand, a startled look on his face. Caleb was right next to him, his face torn in anguish, and Robyn was lying lifeless on the ground in a pool of blood. Right next to him stood Veronika, holding both hands to her face, staring at Robyn on the asphalt. She flickered a couple of times, then disappeared out of sight again.

  As the realization slowly sunk in to the partygoers, panic erupted, and soon everyone around Camille was screaming. Camille rushed to the boys.

  "I told you to do it somewhere where no one could see you."

  "We tried," Caleb said. "But she got aggressive and attacked Duncan, like she wanted to hurt him, so he stabbed her."

  "We have to get her out of here," Camille said, then hurried to her daughter's body and leaned over her. Blood was gushing out from the wound in her chest. People were running around her like chickens, screaming in fear. She had to hurry.

  She opened her daughter's eyes to make sure she was dead and felt for a pulse. It was the strangest thing in the world to be standing bent over your daughter like this and not feel a thing. As she lifted her eyelids and looked inside, something else happened, something very unexpected. The glaring red eyes suddenly opened and stared directly into hers. After that, there was nothing but blackness.

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  "ROBYYYYN!"

  Amy was screaming at the top of her lungs. She couldn't believe what she had seen. They had killed Robyn. Stabbed her in cold blood. Her entire body was shaking heavily as she looked at Robyn's mother bent over her daughter's body, lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the cul-de-sac.

  Is she dead?

  Even though her fingers could barely stop trembling, she managed to send a text to the group in Snapchat, using
their code-word for danger.

  RUN.

  She looked down at the street again, then spotted Kipp, dressed as the dragon as he jumped one of the cats that had killed Robyn and punched him, hard. The cat flew backward across the asphalt. Kipp was quickly on top of him and punched him again when the entire ground underneath the neighborhood started to shake heavily. The windows were trembling, and the vase on Amy's dresser fell to the carpet.

  An earthquake?

  Amy looked out the window again as the partygoers too had realized the shaking. Each and every one of them stood completely still, fear struck in their faces. They were all staring in one direction, the end of the street, and as Amy leaned forward, she realized this was no earthquake. This was no natural catastrophe; no, this was a lot worse.

  It was spiders. Tons of them. Running toward their neighborhood.

  Oh, dear God.

  It took them only seconds before they were all there, attacking. Amy saw them throw themselves at Kipp and the cat. As the spider who had grabbed Kipp pulled out his vacuum thingy, Amy's heart stopped. She felt such anger rise in her so fast, she jumped right out of the window, shattering the glass in doing so, then slid down the roof and landed in a bush below. She grumbled angrily at her dragon for not appearing when she needed it, then decided there was no time and ran for the cul-de-sac, trying to will the dragon out.

  Come on, come on. Come on out!

  How could it let her down in her hour of need? It used to be that she couldn't get it to stay inside. Why was this happening to her now?

  Kipp was trying to get away from the spider, but it had spewed out a web, and he could no longer move. Now, it was dragging him closer.

  Stupid dragon, Show yourself. Now!

  Amy was staring at her boyfriend as he was dragged across the ground toward the spider and remembered being inside one of those webs herself several times. It was the most claustrophobic feeling ever. Not being able to move a muscle.