by Holly Hook
A breeze whistled through the air as Gary’s guardian smiled wider and clapped her hands together. Her suit flapped against her, but she didn't seem to notice. “Janelle,” she spoke with relish. “I know that’s who you are. I’ve been waiting for you for years. I thought I’d lost you yesterday. You’ve got no idea how happy this makes me.”
“You know my name?” She let go of the rail. “What’s going on here?”
“Oh, you don’t know? How typical.” The woman twisted her features into a look of mock concern. “And your time has almost come. I can tell everything you want to know, Janelle. I know you have lots of questions. It'll be my pleasure to answer them for you. A girl your age should definitely know the truth by now."
“Run,” Gary said. He looked very small next to this woman. “Get out of here! Don’t listen to her.”
The woman waited. She was dangling bait right in front of her, waiting for Janelle to take it. Another gust of wind whistled through the air, trying to push her closer.
“She’s evil. Just go!” Pure panic had taken over Gary.
Something about his voice made her move. She ran back for the truck.
“Janelle! Are you really going to go back to not knowing anything?” The woman’s high heels clicked against the concrete behind her.
Yes, she was. Something was very, very wrong here.
The wind picked up more, but Janelle climbed into the truck, locked the door, and started it up. She hated to leave Gary, but she had no choice. “Oh, god.”
Gary’s guardian hadn’t been joking. She sauntered right at the truck, patience lost. Her voice deepened into a growl that rolled right over her. “Get out. Now. That’s an order.”
Janelle pulled out of the space. The woman ran closer, feet away. Wind screamed over the truck. Who was she to tell her what to do? Janelle gunned it and made for the roundabout, but the woman in gray jumped right in front of her. Janelle slammed the brakes.
“I mean it, Janelle!”
Her lips moved, and her voice turned into a roar that whipped over the truck with the wind. Was that seriously her voice?
Gary appeared, grabbed his guardian’s arm, and pulled her out of the way. The road was clear.
Janelle took the chance and gunned it onto the street, tires squealing. She dared one look back, to see Gary and his guardian struggling against each other in the parking lot, while the scary woman’s assistant ran over to break it up.
