Masquerade

by Cambria Hebert

  “Want to stay with you.” I yawned, snuggling closer; he was deliciously warm.

  “How am I supposed to leave now?” He groaned.

  “Don’t.”

  “You know I have to.”

  “Yeah.” I sat up, rubbing a hand over my eyes. “Thanks for coming. I would probably still be in that dumpster.”

  “I’m beginning to think I should drive you everywhere.”

  “I would like that.”

  “So would I.”

  “Will you text me when you get home?” The thought of him leaving made my stomach hurt.

  “Sure.” For the first time that night I looked into his eyes. They were angry and hard.

  “You’re angry.”

  “At that animal that scared you.” He brushed a hand through my hair.

  I didn’t bother to tell him there was more than one. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I looked out at the walk. It seemed like a twenty mile hike to the front door. In the dark.

  “Come on,” Sam said, getting out of the truck and coming around to get me. He led me to the front door, his eyes scanning the yard as we walked. Instead of feeling reassured I felt frightened all over again. At the church he seemed confident that whatever had been there was gone, and his confidence calmed me. But here – he made it seem that he needed to protect me. That something might be watching. Like maybe whatever I imagined being out here all those nights was real and not a fragment of my imagination and bad dreams. It made me wonder if I was safe in my home.

  “I’ll see you first thing at school,” he told me.

  I nodded.

  He leaned in and pressed his lips to my forehead. “Sweet dreams tonight.”

  “Bye.”

  He waited until I was in the house with the door closed and locked before he left. Once upstairs I did my nightly routine, pausing in front of a mirror before getting in bed. I stared hard at the jagged scars on the side of my face. Scars that could have been made by an animal…I searched every corner of my mind for a memory from that night, even a brief one. There was nothing. It was like the accident had never happened, except it had, and I wore the proof on my face. Did the same animal that attacked me then come back tonight to finish the job? As I climbed into bed I told myself that I was being silly and paranoid and that it was just a coincidence. But, I lay there awake and tense, willing myself to remember, until I gave up – exhausted. Yet I still couldn’t relax. Only after I received Sam’s text that he was safely home was I able to fall asleep.

  The Hate

  Come out to play little girl.

  She was hiding like the coward I knew she was and whimpering like a baby. I thought about jumping into the dumpster, ripping her apart and leaving her to rot with yesterday’s trash. The idea had some merit.

  But that wasn’t why I was here, and there wasn’t enough time. As much as I wanted the little bitch to die, I had another agenda tonight. I had a point to prove. He was pushing me too far, not doing what I told him to do. I had to show him who was in control.

  And just like I knew he would, he showed up. I made sure that the show was in full swing when he got there so he could see that she was mine whenever I decided to take her. She was just so easy to take advantage of. And his rage was exactly what I wanted to see. He thinks he’s so much better than the rest of us. But he isn’t. He tried to hold back but one gash to the side and he let go of his control.

  He fought better than I anticipated. His anger gave him an advantage. But no matter. By the time I am done taunting him he will be half-crazed, and then I will make my move.

  Until then I want him to worry every time he isn’t with her to worry that she could be gasping for her last breath. I want him to wonder if one day he will be too late.

  One day very soon he will be.

  The Hope

  “You should have come to me.”

  I understood his turmoil and I sympathized. “It wouldn’t have changed anything.”

  “We need to do something, she is in danger.”

  “She is safe now.” It appeared that he was special, that their love might be enough.

  I turned at the sound of his bitter laugh. Bitterness had no place here. “You can’t possibly believe that the sinner will protect her.”

  “He has been.”

  “He isn’t suitable for her.”

  “Your anger is understandable, but it is misplaced.”

  “She wasn’t supposed to be involved.”

  “You know as well as I that we have no control over these things.”

  He gave a curt nod.

  I held out my hand, and he came forward and took it. “Let us pray.”

  Heven

  After my scare the night before, I was feeling a little unsure of my decision to change my wardrobe. Staying hidden was easier, and it called less attention to myself. When I tried to get out of our shopping trip, Kimber wasn’t having it.

  “Clearly your inconspicuous wardrobe didn’t help you last night,” she pointed out.

  “I should never have told you about last night,” I murmured, shoving a book into my locker.

  “Too late.” She smiled. “Come on, Heven, it will be fun. You need this.”

  “Fine.” I gave in. I really did want something to wear tomorrow night when I went out with Sam.

  I closed my locker door and found his handsome face staring at me. With unreadable eyes he appraised me. When he was satisfied he smiled. “Hey, Beautiful.”

  He was the beautiful one, from the top of his messy dark blond head right down past his ripped up jeans to the black boots on his oversized feet. “Hey, yourself.”

  His fingers wrapped around mine, and the three of us moved down the hall toward the doors. Cole rounded the corner, his eyes fastening on Kimber. “I’ll be right back,” Kimber said, jogging to his side. Sam and I continued outside. When I smiled up at him, I noticed his eyes scanning the campus.

  “You all right?” I tugged his hand.

  “Yeah.” He pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around me. It felt good, and I leaned in giving him all my weight.

  “Heven, are you ready to go?” Kimber asked from behind.

  “No.” My voice was muffled against his chest.

  I felt the subtle tightening of Sam’s body. “You’re not going to your grandma’s?”

  I tipped my chin up to see him. “Kimber and I are going shopping at the mall.”

  He didn’t seem pleased by this, but he slowly nodded. “I’ll drive you.”

  “She can ride with me,” Kimber protested.

  I stepped out of Sam’s hold and turned. I was surprised to see Cole standing silently beside her. I hadn’t known he was there. “Hey, Cole.”

  “Hey, Hev.” He gave me a smile.

  “I’m going to ride with Sam. I’ll meet you there,” I told Kimber.

  She rolled her eyes but grinned. “Are you going to shop with us too, Sam?”

  Judging from the way that he snorted and rolled his eyes Cole didn’t like this idea. Behind me Sam chuckled, clearly amused that he annoyed Cole. “I have to work.”

  “Looks like the girls are shopping while the boys are working,” she chimed and started off toward the parking lot.

  We all followed, with Cole grabbing my arm and towing me backward. “Hey,” he whispered.

  “Yes?” I whispered back, smiling. I noticed that Sam stopped walking, took a step closer to me and was staring at us.

  “Her birthday is next week. I need help,” Cole pleaded with blue puppy-dog eyes. It would have worked better if they were gold.

  Still, I giggled. “Let me think about it. I’ll get back to you.”

  “Call me.”

  Sam reached over to gently pull my arm out of Cole’s grasp, his hand sliding down into mine. Cole’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll call you this weekend,” I promised, towing Sam away hoping to diffuse whatever testosterone was flowing.

  In the truck Sam started the engine. “I don’t like that guy.”


  “Cole?”

  He nodded, and I let go of my seatbelt, sending it flinging backwards. “He’s my friend.”

  “Is he?”

  I gasped. “Yes! He and Kimber were the only people who treated me normal and didn’t whisper behind my back when I came back to school like this!” I gestured at my face.

  “Calm down.” He reached across me and buckled my seatbelt.

  I stuttered at the feel of his warm hands brushing across my skin. His hand pulled away, but he was still close. “I’m sorry.” His breath brushed over me. It smelled like peppermint.

  I nodded, dumbly. He smiled and leaned closer to kiss me, but stopped short, mere inches from my lips. I made a sound and he smiled, the corners of his lips tilting up, then he brushed his lips across mine. When he pulled away he chuckled and kissed the tip of my nose before pulling the truck out into traffic.

  My skin tingled for a few moments before fading away. “You did that on purpose, trying to make me forget I was angry.”

  “Did it work?” His eyes twinkled.

  “Maybe.” I smiled. “But–” My smile disappeared. “–it upsets me that you two don’t get along.”

  “We’re never going to be friends, Heven.”

  “Could you try to get along?”

  A muscle worked in his jaw and I thought he would say no. But then he sighed. “Okay.”

  “Oh, thank you!” I unclasped the seatbelt and flung myself over and hugged his neck.

  He laughed. “Put your seat belt on!”

  I used the lap belt in the middle to stay closer to him. The parking lot at the mall was crowded, making me nervous as to what would be inside. I was beginning to feel more comfortable at school and in more familiar places, but this was a large place with a lot of people.

  My anxiety must have shown because Sam said, “Want me to take you to your grandma’s instead?”

  Kimber was already waiting at the entrance. “No. I’ll be okay.”

  He seemed disappointed. “I got you something.”

  “You did?”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out something on a black cord. “I thought you could wear it.”

  “What is it?” I took his hand and flipped it up. He opened his fingers and revealed something small and shiny in his palm.

  “A whistle?”

  He smiled. “It’s a special whistle. It makes a sound so high that only animals can hear it.”

  “Like a dog whistle?” I thought back to last night.

  “Kind of. The sound is so piercing it will give you a chance to get away.”

  “Is this because of last night?”

  He nodded, his eyes searching mine.

  “I don’t think I’ll get attacked by a dog at the mall,” I said lightly.

  “I didn’t like seeing you like that last night. I felt…helpless. The thought of you like that again…I just want to you to be safe.”

  I put a finger to his lips. “I’ll wear it.” Anything to take away the look of pain on his face.

  He quickly slipped the cord over my head. The whistle was small and light and I tucked it beneath my shirt. “Thank you,” he said, resting his forehead against mine.

  I touched my lips to his. “Can’t wait ‘til tomorrow,” I said, pulling back.

  “Me neither,” he agreed, kissing me again.

  “I have to go,” I said against his lips.

  He made a sound in his throat but released me. “I’ll call you later.” He seemed worried all over again.

  “Bye.” I ran across the pavement toward Kimber, the cold metal of the whistle against me the entire way.

  Chapter Ten

  Sam

  I looked out over the lake, watching the couple row clumsily away in their little boat. I hoped they figured out how to paddle sooner rather than later because I didn’t much feel like fishing them out of the water. I watched as the boat rocked unsteadily, and the girl squealed. At the last moment the man righted the boat and smiled. He sunk the oar into the water and pushed off, sending the boat gliding forward. I guess he had been paying attention to me after all as I explained how to row. Maybe he had been teasing his date with the thought of falling into the water.

  I wondered what it would be like to be so carefree. To be innocent to the real dangers that lurked out there. I hadn’t known a moment like that in years. I turned away from the boaters and glanced over at the rental shack to make sure that no one else waited. For the moment I was alone.

  I glanced down at my watch. I had two hours until I got off. Two hours until I would see her. I itched to see her, to know that she was safe. I hated having to work so much, I often worried that one day my jobs would get in the way of her safety. It was all the more reason that I get rid of the threat.

  My dark thoughts got the best of me and I pulled out my prepaid cell and typed up a quick text message. Are we still on for 2nite?

  Sharp relief and then happiness washed over me when my phone beeped just seconds later. Yes. C u tonight.

  I tucked the phone into my pocket and looked back at the boaters. They were far out now but I could still hear their laughter. Maybe tonight I would try and capture some of that. I never thought that I would get the chance to go on a date with her. I felt a little guilty because I had to lie to get the date. I have to lie about everything. Except for my feelings. Those were true. And they were the one thing I could say out loud.

  It made me wonder…

  If I could make her love me. Maybe then my secrets wouldn’t matter as much. Maybe then she would understand.

  I shook my head. She couldn’t love me. And if by some chance she did, how could I admit what I am and the part I played in her torment? It would wipe out whatever feelings she had.

  But we had tonight.

  All I had to do was figure out a way to make it special.

  Another couple pulled up and walked to the rental shack. I rented them a boat and gave them a run-down of safety and how-tos. They were nice people, and I was in a good mood because I was looking forward to tonight, so I took the time to explain a few tips and tricks when out in the water.

  I helped the man at the shoreline and held the boat as they climbed in. Once they were settled the man looked up at me. “Do you have someone special, son?”

  His words sent a pang of longing through me. No one has called me son for a long time.

  “Yes.”

  “I thought you might,” he said, grinning like we shared a secret.

  He could only imagine my secrets.

  “I own a big lake house across the lake. We are having a big party tonight, and I am setting off fireworks. If you follow the little road there,” he said, pointing to the dirt road that went past the boat rental parking lot. “You’ll find a nice clearing on the water. Perfect view for watching fireworks.”

  “Thanks.” I grinned, thrilled with the idea. It was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. “I might take you up on that.”

  The man smiled, and I gave the boat a push out into the water.

  Excitement coursed through my body, making my limbs shake in anticipation. My skin felt tight over my muscles, and I sighed. Sometimes living in this body was a burden. It felt as though I walked around pumped full of adrenaline at all times, and when anything happened that actually excited me – good or not – my body responded by trying to change. I guess it was its way of trying to expel some of that excess energy, but it wasn’t always practical and sometimes I felt like a caged animal. Most times I could control it, but lately, I had to work harder. Knowing that Heven was in danger, knowing I was the only one to keep her safe…I could never let down my guard and because of that I was in a constant state of battle. I got tired of battling with myself.

  But it wasn’t all bad. I had awesome reflexes and my hearing was unparalleled to anyone else. My eyes could pick up even the smallest detail and could take in an entire room in mere seconds. Running was always a rush because I was fast and breaking a sweat always ma
de me feel better. More in control. I think that’s why I liked my job at Planet Fitness so much. Working out was an outlet for all that excess energy.

  Then there was the really cool stuff. I smiled up at the sky, thinking of all the awesome stuff I could do. I was waterproof. I could never drown, and I could swim like an Olympic medalist. I was fireproof too. I could stand in the middle of a raging fire, and I would hardly break a sweat.

  Yes, sometimes living in my body had its benefits. I wondered if Heven would see it that way too?

  When my shift finally ended, I took the truck back down the dirt road that the man from earlier told me about. I wanted to make sure that there really was a clearing and that there were houses across the lake. I wasn’t about to look like an idiot in front of Heven, taking her out into the dark and then have nothing happen.

  The clearing was there, and it appeared that I wasn’t the only one who had ever been there. I smiled and turned my truck in the opposite direction. On the short drive back into town I passed a few fruit stands and another stand that wasn’t there earlier when I drove to work. On impulse I pulled the truck over and got out, walking over to see what the woman was selling.

  It was a small table, with a white cloth covering the top. Jewelry and trinkets were lined up in rows and there were some earrings on some kind of stand. My eye caught on a locket, heart shaped, off to the side. I reached out my fingers to pick it up when a voice beside me froze my hand.

  “You don’t want that.”

  I turned and lifted an eyebrow. “No?” What kind of sales lady was this? Was she trying to talk me out of buying something?

  “No.” She shook her head. She had very dark hair and her face was shaded by a hat.

  “Why not?”

  She flipped the price tag up and I felt my mouth drop open. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I said. There was no way that little necklace was worth that much money.

  “Nope.” The woman said.

  I turned my attention to another necklace, this one not a locket.