Under a Blood Moon

by Zoë Fox

  “Are you serious? I’ll just rearrange them, ok?” She started to reorganize the top rack as she spoke.

  “No!” He snapped. “I told you to take them all out and that’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to load and unload this dishwasher until I’m sure you know how to do it right.”

  Alex glared at him. He’d been on edge all night. “And exactly how many times do you think that will take?”

  “Are you sassing me, young lady? Because your mother may take that from you, but I won’t. Now start working.” He took a seat at the table where he could more easily watch her.

  Alex, her back to him, rolled her eyes. “I’m not sassing you. I’m asking a question.”

  “Well, don’t! Just do what you’re told.”

  “Look, I have to go to work. I’m just trying to figure out how long this is going to take.” She stacked the plates on the cabinet as she talked.

  “Till you get it right and I’m sure you won’t forget how to do it again.” He stared intently as she carefully began to slide the dishes back into the rack.

  “And if I’m late?” Originally, she didn’t like Kirk, but she was beginning to loathe him.

  “They you should have gotten it right in the first place. It’s your own fault that I’m having to do this.” His eyes followed the motion of her hand. “Stop, you’re doing it wrong again. Take them all out and start over.”

  Alex sighed. “I put it in exactly how you said.!”

  “I don’t like your tone. Now do what I say!”

  “Fine. Fine. Whatever,” Alex mumbled to herself. She wished her mother was home to see this. This time she was sure she’d been loading the stupid thing just like he’d told her to. He was being a pain on purpose.

  “Toad wants to watch the news.” Her little brother said as he padded into the kitchen. “Things are happening and Toad needs to know.”

  “You’re not allowed to watch the news and you know it.” Kirk snapped. “Watch cartoons or something.”

  “But cartoons are for kids. Toad likes news.”

  “If you’re going to stay in here, you need to sit down and be quiet. I’m teaching your sister how a proper woman does things.” The smirk on Kirk’s face was driving Alex crazy. She kept thinking about throwing a glass at his head. He probably wouldn’t be so smug with blood trailing down his face.

  “But I want to watch news!” Toad stomped his tiny foot and stared up at their mother’s boyfriend.

  “I told you to sit down and shut up!” Kirk grabbed Toad’s arm, wrapping his large hand around the entire width of it and squeezed.

  “Ow! You’re hurting me!”

  The plate in Alex’s hand fell to the floor. It shattered, sending pieces everywhere. “Let go of him,” She said through gritted teeth.

  “Now look what you’ve done,” Kirk yelled, his hand still wrapped around Toad’s arm. Alex could see the marks from where he was cutting off her brother’s circulation. “Get down there and pick it up.”

  Toad whimpered.

  “Not until you let go of my brother.”

  “You’ll do what you’re told,” His face was bright red with rage. “Neither of you know how to listen. I’m going to change that. From now on—”

  Alex interrupted him by throwing a plastic mug at his head. In an attempt to dodge the projectile, Kirk released Toad’s arm.

  The second he was free, Toad ran to Alex, who scooped him up in her arms.

  “Don’t you EVER touch my little brother again,” Alex yelled at Kirk, running toward the front door.

  “Yeah!” Toad echoed.

  “Get back here,” Kirk called after them. “You’re not done.”

  “Load the damn dishwasher yourself,” She screamed as the door slammed behind her.

  Alex didn’t slow down until she’d reached the end of their street. Then she sat Toad on his feet.

  “Are you okay?” She asked, examining the red marks on his arm.

  Toad nodded. “He scares me.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Aside from being a little shaken up, Toad seemed to be okay, so she took his hand in hers and continued walking towards Lucas’ home. “I’m going to talk to mom about him when she gets home.”

  “She’s not going to believe you,” Toad said softly.

  “How do you know?”

  “Toad just knows. She’s going to be upset, and she’s going to wonder, but she won’t make him go away.”

  Alex took a deep breath. Getting used to the fact that her brother somehow knew the future was going to take some time. “Yeah, well, I have to try.”

  “She thinks he’s ‘the one’.” Toad sighed. “She’s going to think the next guy is ‘the one’, too.”

  “Hey, well, at least we know Kirk won’t be around forever then, right?” The thought put a smile on her face. “Tell me he gets hit by a bus or something like that.”

  Toad smiled back at her. “Something like that. It’s going to be messy.” He paused, the corners of his mouth wavering a bit. “But he’s going to be hard to get rid of. You have to be careful.”

  “You keep saying that. What do I need to be careful of?” His constant warnings made her nervous. Not knowing what was coming, but knowing it was bad made her feel like a black cloud hung overhead. Eventually, it would open up and begin to rain, the problem was she didn’t know when. Or what form that rain was going to take. She wondered if this was how Julius Caesar felt when he was told to beware the ides of March.

  He shook his head. “Just be careful.”

  “I will. I promise.” She paused at the steps of Lucas’ front porch. “But until we can get rid of Kirk, I don’t want you staying at the house with him unless mom or me is there, okay?”

  “Where will Toad go?” He cocked his head slightly to the right, awaiting her answer.

  “Well,” She thought for a moment. “I guess you’ll have to come here with me. You like Lucas, don’t you?”

  He nodded enthusiastically. “He’s important.”

  She laughed. “I think so.”

  “Can Toad watch news here?”

  “Yeah, you can watch the news. Just don’t glue yourself to his TV. He’d probably start wanting to investigate the adhesive properties of the stuff and, next thing you know, everything inside the house would be glued to everything else.” She playfully ruffled his hair.

  “No glue.” He said as if taking notes. Toad didn’t know how he was going to keep that promise, but he’d try.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  “Stay in here and watch TV, okay?” Alex told Toad, sitting him on the black leather couch.

  Toad nodded. “No glue.”

  “That’s right. No glue.” She walked into the kitchen and grabbed him a soda from the fridge. Glancing at the clock on the microwave, she hopped Lucas wouldn’t mind that she’d shown up early. It wasn’t even fully dark outside yet, so she guessed he was still sleeping.

  “Here,” she said, handling Toad the can after she popped the top. “Try not to spill it on the carpet.”

  He smiled at her. “Toad likes it here. No stupid Kirk, no spiders, and news!”

  “Good.” She took a seat on the couch, but quickly began to get restless. She kept wondering how Lucas looked in his sleep. It was a strange thought, even to her, but she couldn’t get it out of her mind. She’d shown up at the mausoleum before he woke up, but the coffin lid was firmly in place. It probably was now, but she had to see for herself. “I’ll be back.”

  Toad nodded. “Go and check on him.”

  “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Know that I’m thinking?”

  Toad shrugged. “Toad is special. Like Lucas, but not. Toad drinks syrup, not blood.

  “Have you always known?” She asked.

  He thought for a second. “Yes, but Toad knows more and more as Toad gets bigger.” He paused. “Sometimes, it’s scary and my head hurts.” He took a sip of his soda. “Sweet stuff helps. That’s why Toad likes ca
ndy and frosted flakes and syrup.”

  “Well, that makes sense.” She smiled at him. “I’ve always wondered how you could drink that stuff straight out of a glass.”

  He grinned. “Go wake up Lucas. Give him a big good morning kiss.” He pursed his lips together, making a very loud, sloppy, kissing noise. After which, he began to giggle uncontrollably.

  Alex shook her head. It was odd how one minute he spoke about being able to read minds or tell the future and the next moment he was a normal kid again. She wondered how her mother would react if she found what Toad could do. Or how his teachers would take it. She’d been furious when she found out they’d had him tested, thinking he might belong in a ‘special’ class, like being a little unusual automatically meant he had a learning disability. And now, come to find out, he was thinking on a completely different level from normal six-year-olds. Or anyone for that matter.

  She hesitated before turning the doorknob. On one hand, she felt like she was about to invade his personal space. On the other, she really wanted to speak to him about what Kirk had done to Toad, and she’d rather do so when her little brother wasn’t in the room. She didn’t want to worry him any more than he probably already was, but she was furious about the whole situation. Sighing, she realized that Toad, more than likely, knew exactly what she was thinking. Still, it was her sisterly duty to protect him.

  Alex pushed the door open, expecting to find a coffin in the middle of the room and the last glittering rays of sunlight streaming through the window. She was surprised to find, instead, that the room was almost pitch black. Lucas had taken thick, dark paper and completely covered the two panes of glass. He’d then hung black velvet for curtains. Together, these blocked almost all light from the room. Rather than the casket she’d seen him sleep in before, there was a large four-post bed against one wall. Squinting, she could just make out a Lucas-sized lump in the middle of it.

  She walked closer to the bed. He lay there on his back, his chest bare, with the blanket pulled up to the middle of his stomach. His long hair lay loose on the pillow beneath his head. She was surprised to see how normal he looked, like a regular man sleeping, except for the fact that his body didn’t contract with the act of breathing. He lay perfectly still. Had she not known what he was, she might have thought him dead.

  Leaning closer, she studied his face. There was something about him that made her breath catch in her throat. How she’d come to feel so strongly for him, she didn’t know, but she had. There was no arguing the fact any longer.

  Last night, right before she left, he’d kissed her softly and she thought she was in danger of melting, like the bones in her spine had liquefied.

  Crawling up on the bed, she lay down on top of the covers and put her head on his chest. His heart wasn’t beating. Although she was sure this should have bothered her, it didn’t. It was something she had come to accept. Some guys liked to watch sports on certain days of the week, some had hobbies women would never understand, hers didn’t always breathe. It was that simple.

  Lucas awoke with an unfamiliar weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he glanced down and was greeted by the auburn top of Alex’s head. He lay there for a few moments, not wanting her to move. Slowly, he brought his hand up and entwined his fingers in her hair. She looked up at him, bringing her face closer to his. He gently brushed his lips against hers. Her mouth was soft and inviting. Wrapping her in his arms, he deepened the kiss, using his tongue to open her to him. She pulled closer to him, pressing herself against the line of his body.

  “Alexa,” he moaned, using her real name instead of the nickname everyone called her. She’d always hated it, insisting on the shortened version, but there was something about the husky sound in his voice that made her like it. There was something personal about it, as if, because no one else used her proper name, it meant more for him to say it.

  “Good morning,” She softly murmured after they’d broken apart.

  “And good evening to you. To what do I owe this pleasure?” He teased, but there was something in her eyes, a sadness, that told him something was wrong. “What happened?”

  She sighed. “My mother’s boyfriend went nuts and grabbed Toad pretty hard. He only let go of him because I tossed a cup at his head, but I picked the kid up and ran over here. I didn’t want him staying there with that jerk. I hope you don’t mind.” She didn’t look at him as she spoke.

  “Of course not. Is he alright?” He sat up, the covers falling to his waist.

  She nodded. “He was a little scared. I think he’s okay now. I put him in the living room and turned on the news. He’ll sit there for hours. He won’t be any trouble, I promise.”

  “Alex,” he turned her fact gently so she faced him. “I said it didn’t bother me. He is your brother and he’s welcome here.”

  “Thanks. He’s a good kid. I hate Kirk. Do you know he actually thinks Toad is stupid?”

  “Many geniuses were believed mad or mentally lacking in their early lives. There’s nothing wrong with Toad.”

  “I know that,” she ran a hand through her hair. “I just can’t stand anyone treating him like there is something wrong with him.”

  “That is because you have a very soft heart,” he said softly.

  “Yeah, okay,” she snickered. “Somebody lied to you.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched in a smile. “Although you are strong, you possess a certain sensitivity. You have many defenses, which I believe you have constructed to protect the softer side of your nature. I, however, see through them.”

  “Well, stop looking. It makes me feel naked.” She punched him in the shoulder playfully.

  “Speaking of which, you might wish to turn your head when I stand up,” he said, positioning himself to get out of the bed.

  “Why’s that?”

  “I prefer to slumber without the hindrance of clothing.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, sorry. I had no idea.” She said as he stood up and turned her back to him. “I thought you slept in a coffin.”

  “Only when I plan to be asleep for a long period of time or a more comfortable alternative isn’t available.” He said, walking to the closet. He extracted a pair of jeans and a button up shirt, putting them on quickly. “You may turn around now.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind Toad being here?” She asked once they were face-to-face again.

  “I’m certain.” He leaned down and put a small kiss on the tip of her nose. “In fact, if you wish, I will put aside my work tonight and entertain him.”

  “You don’t have to do that. He tends to entertain himself. He can watch the news for hours.” She smiled up at him.

  “I can understand that inclination. Since you purchased that picture box I have found myself watching such programs in the early hours of the morning.” He opened the door and walked out into the hallway.

  “Really?” She asked, following him. “I figured you’d have to ask me how to work it, and since you haven’t so far, I assumed you hadn’t touched the thing.”

  “Alex, even I can push a button. I might have been born in the year 1614, but I am not, contrary to wat you might believe, an imbecile.” His right eyebrow seemed to crawl up his forehead as he spoke.

  “I didn’t say you were stupid,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’re just mechanically retarded. Stop being all macho. It’s not your fault. A lot of geezers have problems with technology.” The tone of her voice made it evident she was joking.

  He couldn’t help but smile. “I will catch up eventually.”

  “Yeah, in a hundred years or so.”

  “Would it be so bad for you to have to stay around me and explain the advances I missed out on?” He asked playfully.

  “I don’t know. Let me think about that.” The upturned corners of her mouth gave him his answer.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  “Take your shoes off before we walk in,” Alex whispered to Toad. “If we get lucky, they’ll already be asleep.”

>   “They’re not.” He looked up at her solemnly. “They waited up.”

  She stared silently at him for a moment. “Am I ever going to get used to doing that?

  Toad nodded. “On a Tuesday.”

  “Mind telling me which Tuesday? I mean, they come around once a week, so you might want to give me more to go on.”

  He shrugged. “Time isn’t a straight line in here,” he said, pointing to his temple. “Toad knows it’s a Tuesday, but not which Tuesday.”

  “What good is knowing what’s going to happen, if you don’t know when it’s going to happen?” She asked, her hand perched on the doorknob.

  “Why’s it got to be good or bad? Maybe it just is.”

  “Great,” she mumbled, closing the door behind them. “I’m getting a philosophy lesson from a six-year old.”

  “Alex, Toad, get in her!” Their mother’s voice called from the living room. “Kirk and I need to talk to you.”

  Inwardly, Alex groaned. Toad snuck his hand into hers, though she didn’t know if he was seeking reassurance or offering it.

  “What is this about you throwing a cup at Kirk?” Meredith, who sat next to Kirk on the sofa, had her arms crossed over her chest.

  Alex could feel the blood rushing to her face. Her mother was staring at her, waiting for an answer, which meant she couldn’t see the smug look on her boyfriend’s face.

  “Maybe you should ask him why he decided to grab Toad by the arm. He was hurting him,” she said through clenched teeth. Toad squeezed her hand lightly.

  Meredith turned to look at Kirk. “What is she talking about?”

  His expression had quickly shifted to one of shock, but for a moment, Alex had glimpsed how angry he was at her. “Is that what you thought I was trying to do? Your brother slipped out of a chair. I was trying to catch him before he got hurt. Why would you think I would hurt—”

  “Toad didn’t fall.” Alex interrupted.

  “Are you calling me a liar?” His eyes hardened.

  She glared back at him and nodded. “He didn’t fall. He was standing when you grabbed him.”