Monster

by Yolanda Olson

  “Hello?” I called impatiently from the window. “What about Paige and Kendall?”

  “Give me a sec, Finn,” Cody called back.

  “No,” I said walking over to them. I shoved him out of the way and backed Drake into a wall. “What about my sister and her friend?”

  Drake looked from me to Cody somewhat frantically who put an arm around my shoulder and backed me away from him. I turned and shoved him off of me.

  “Whoa, take it easy,” he said holding up his hands.

  “I will not take it easy,” I said stopping my foot like an impatient child. “What about Kendall?” I practically screamed.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  “Finn, are you okay?”

  “Great, just great,” I muttered angrily to myself. It was Kaeden and I knew it was going to take a lot of focus to be nice to him since he’s been keeping important secrets from me.

  “Gimme a sec,” I barked through the door. I walked over to one of the drawers against the wall and pulled out a pair of denim shorts. I put them on and zipped them up, I didn’t feel like wresting with the button right now.

  I went back to the door and yanked it open, “What do you want?”

  He took a step back and looked a little taken back. “Um, I heard screaming, so I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “I’m fine,” I said slamming the door in his face.

  I heard him catch it with his hand, “No you’re not.”

  He gently moved me out of the way and walked past me into the room. “What are you doing down here?”

  “Sorry boss, I was just making sure she wasn’t hungry or anything,” I heard Drake say.

  Looking around Kaeden I noticed that Cody was gone. I looked around the room to see if maybe he was hiding in a corner somewhere, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found. For someone who seemed to lack common sense, he was awfully smart when it counted.

  “If she was, I’m sure she would’ve asked us if we all wanted to hunt,” Kae said eyeing him suspiciously.

  “Yeah, if she hadn’t slept for almost a week,” Drake said with a chuckle.

  Coming over to me he gave me a quick hug, “You know where to find us when you do get hungry.” I felt him slide something into the back pocket of my shorts.

  After he walked out I turned to look at Kaeden who was standing at the window with his arms clasped behind his back.

  “Why did you tear this apart?” he asked.

  “Oh. I wanted to get a breeze in the room. Been feeling really hot lately,” I lied.

  “There are other ways to do it without being destructive,” he said laughing.

  I rubbed the back of my neck and forced a smile. I was dying to find out what Drake had slipped me and if Kaeden didn’t get out of the room in the next five minutes, I was afraid that my rage was going to make me throw him through the door.

  He leaned out the window frame and looked around the premises. I watched as he looked up into the trees, then turned himself on his back on the windowsill and looked up toward the roof of the house. Sliding himself back in, he looked around the room then back at me.

  “I’ll see you later then,” he said with his kind smile.

  “Sure thing. I’ll be up soon. I’m pretty sure you guys are hungry.”

  With a nod he was off. I ran over to the door and decided that locking it wasn’t going to be enough. I decided to drag my desk against the door and secure it there until I had the chance to inspect Drake’s ‘present’. Finally satisfied that no one could get through the door, I went back to my mattress and sat down it crossing my legs underneath myself. I reached back into my shorts pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded four times. Curiously I opened it and smoothed it out, not recognizing the handwriting, but after I read the first couple of lines, I laughed because I knew immediately who the note was from.

  Sorry about leaving without saying good-bye, but I thought I should leave before the strong silent type there decided to try to have a go at me. Of course if he did, I would’ve just set off a volcanic eruption or something. ’ Now that you’re laughing, let me get to the point. You’re pretty. Sorry again. I kind of have a one track mind sometimes. Do you know that cemetery near the edge of town? The big creepy one that looks like it stretches into the next state? Go there. Find the mausoleum in the center and knock on the door three times. -C.

  Laughing still, I folded the note back up and went over to my desk. I pulled out the drawer all the way and opened a square patch of loose wood in the back and slid the paper in. I gave the square a quick punch to make sure it was in place then I slid the drawer back in.

  Shaking my head with amusement, I jumped through the window frame and started to jog across the front lawn toward the iron gate that guarded my property. I had the feeling that I was being watched and when I quickly glanced back at the house I saw Drake smirking in the upstairs window. I gave him a wave, and he turned slightly looking like he was talking to someone and closed the curtains with a snap. I noticed a bicycle was leaned against a tree down the street from my house. Looking around I walked over to it and saw that a piece of paper was attached to the handlebars. I ripped it off and laughed when I saw the simple “C” that was written on it. I hopped onto it and started to pedal toward the cemetery. It was nice to feel the wind blowing through my hair but a pain to navigate the snow that had melted in the past few days.

  About thirty minutes later I came to the huge gated cemetery. I leaned the bike against the sign that read “Devils Lake Cemetery.” I hopped the fence and started straight down the walkway into the cemetery trying my best not to let all the headstones watching me bother me.

  Off in the distance I saw a mausoleum standing on a hill. I decided to walk faster and then maybe have a little chat with Cody to let him know that I'm a little sensitive to cemeteries. When I finally reached the bottom of the hill I ran up it.

  Standing in front of the mausoleum I looked at the iron door. If anyone could hear a knock through this then I guess it would be worth it. Nervously I stepped forward and knocked three times like Cody had instructed in the letter.

  “Why are you knocking on the door,” came a whisper over my shoulder.

  I screamed so loudly that I hopped a couple of times in place. Behind me I heard Cody's raucous laughter.

  “What are you screaming for? You're going to wake the dead,” he said glancing around as if he expected a grave to open up.

  “Ha, ha. Very funny,” I said glaring at him. Then I spun on my heel and started walking away.

  “Aw come on! I was just kidding,” he said running behind me.

  I kept walking. I was so angry at his trick and kind of hurt by his joke. If he couldn't act like civil, then I wasn't going to stand around for it. When he caught up to me, he grabbed me by the arm and turned me to face him. After seeing the look on my face, his smile disappeared.

  “I really am sorry,” he said quietly.

  “Whatever,” I said waving my hand. “Why did you make me come all the way out here anyway?”

  “The smell keeps the vamps away,” he said removing his jacket. Holding it up, he walked around me, sliding it onto my shoulders. “You looked cold,” he said.

  Looking down I realized that I hadn't put a shirt on when I left. I rolled my eyes and pulled his jacket tightly around me. This was the first time I truly saw the shape of his body. His waist was thin but his upper body was muscular. I let my eyes travel down and saw that his legs had muscle to them too.

  “Wow, you're kind of big aren't you?”

  “Ha ha ha, yeah I guess.” I could tell he was embarrassed only because his laugh sounded forced.

  “So really, why the cemetery?” I said trying to make him comfortable again.

  “Seriously, cause the vamps get grossed out by the smell here. And also cause I wanted to show you something, come on,” he said bounding ahead of me.

  I knew there had to be something else, I thought to myself as I followed behind him.
He was humming something to himself on the way down. He reached the bottom of the little hill before me and when he did he spun around and held out an arm to me theatrically and started to sing like an opera singer.

  I giggled and hurried down the hill. This kid was really a lot of fun. Maybe when I left Devils Lake I'd have him come with me.

  “Would you stop?” I asked laughing.

  Shaking his head, he continued his song, “Aaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!”

  Somehow he had managed to make his voice sound really deep while he belted whatever it was he was singing about. When I reached the bottom of the hill he stopped in mid song and grinned at me. Then he bowed and held out his arm indicating that he wanted me to take it.

  “You're shaking,” he said while we walked toward a statue in the cemetery.

  “It's not that cold out.”

  “It's not the cold. I'm pretty immune to it. It's being here; it scares me.”

  I couldn't believe I had actually admitted that out loud. Obviously neither did he, because when he looked at me one of his eyebrows was raised. But the look of surprise was quickly replaced by one of his grins.

  The rest of the way through the cemetery we were quiet. I can't wait to get out of here, I thought to myself shuddering. He put an arm around my shoulders and held me close to him as we kept walking. Cody was starting to get a little too cuddly for my taste, but I decided to allow it while we were in the cemetery.

  Dropping his arm he crouched down next to a gravestone. Then I watched as he reached into the soft grass and tilted the gravestone on its side. Looking up, he leaned his hand in and started feeling around for something. I knew when he found it because he got a smile on his face.

  “Aha! There you are,” he muttered to no one in particular.

  “There what is?” I asked curiously.

  “Patience,” he said. Then he gave one hard tug, “Got it!” In his hand was a small black wooden box. Sitting down on the grass he held it up to me, “Open it.”

  I looked at him for a second, the slowly creaked it open. My curiosity turned into anger. I flipped it over and nothing fell out.

  “Cute,” I said throwing the box angrily to the ground. Cody caught it before it had a chance to shatter.

  “Geez,” he said with a laugh, “Give it a sec.” He held the box out to me again. I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. I knew I was acting like a child but this was annoying.

  Reaching up he pulled me down to sit in front of him and held it out again. “Open it.”

  I snatched the box from him impatiently, opened it, set it down on the grass and stared at him.

  “Watch,” he said smiling his face suddenly becoming illuminated.

  I looked down at the box which was now shining brightly. “What the hell,” I murmured.

  “Cool isn't it? Want to know what you're looking at?”

  “That would be nice to know.” I said still staring at the glowing box.

  “Okay. I'll tell you. What you see there is the soul of Skiles Dyson,” he said with a sly grin.

  I almost fell over.

  “I know. How in the hell did I get it right? Well I stole it,” he said with a big grin.

  “Thought you might need it someday.”

  “I don’t understand what I would use it for though?” I said looking curiously at him.

  “Me either, good thing that’s not a soul then, eh?”

  “What?”

  “There’s nothing in the box Finn. When you threw it to the ground and I caught it, I managed to catch a big firefly in there. Thought it was pretty and I know that it would look different to you now,” he said crossing his arms over his legs.

  I started to rub my temples as if I’d just gotten a terrible headache. I heard him chuckling and watched him as he fiddled with the box.

  “It’s pretty though isn’t?” he said holding the box in one hand. “Kind of antiquish.”

  Without a word, I stood up and brushed myself off. I took of his jacket, handed it to him, and proceeded to make my way back to the cemetery gates. I wasn’t in the mood or need for any more craziness. As I walked, I felt the cool blades of grass against my feet and smiled for a moment. For a place that was full of such harsh reality for me, it was still awfully pretty in its silence. I looked at statues of angels and of holy figures as I made my way to the gates. To think that this is somewhere I should be, I thought with unexpected sadness.

  I noticed to the far right that there were gravestones that were visibly smaller than the ones I was passing. Pushing away my fear and letting my curiosity get the better of me, I walked over to see what they were.

  Angels Walk. That was what the little granite sign said in front of the first row. I cautiously walked in and looked at the first headstone. Barely able to see it, I crouched down to be able to read it and gasped. Putting my hand to my mouth, I started to read it and realize now what the sign meant. This was the headstone of an infant. I was in the children section of the graveyard.

  I jumped when I felt the weight of Cody’s jacket drop onto me. I pulled it around myself and looked up at him. He wasn’t holding the box anymore and his face was serious now. I noticed that he was looking at the rows of children that we were standing in front of. I stood up and leaned against him. I could tell that being among these angels was bothering him. He brought a hand up and ruffled my hair, but when I looked at him he didn’t smile.

  “Come on, let’s get out of this place,” I said turning to leave. Cody lingered for a moment looking at the rows and rows of innocent lives that were cut short then he turned and followed me.

  “I don’t want to leave. Not yet,” he said.

  With as badly as I wanted to get out of this place I didn’t feel that I could leave here. Not with the way his personality just switched. So instead I just looked at him, waiting for him to talk.

  “Listen,” he started. He rubbed the back of his neck uneasily and for the first time, I had a feeling that I was going to be privileged to speak to no nonsense Cody.

  “I need your help with something.”

  “Sure,” I replied adjusting his jacket around my shoulders.

  “There’s a reason I joke around a lot. I have to. If I let too much affect me or make me angry the demon in me comes out. Now I know how to control it it’s just really, really hard for me to do. I’ve noticed lately that you’re been controlling your rage better and I was kind of hoping you’d help me with my bad side. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but there’s a really bad fight coming at us, dolly. That barbequed chick is really pissed off and she’s starting to try hybrid monsters. So far she’s not succeeding but that doesn’t mean she’ll stop. She’ll just switch back to the kid vamps she was making. She is dying to take you down but it’s not for the reason you think. She just knows that it’ll hurt Kaeden if he loses any friends the way she lost her friend. Little does she know that he’s not dead,” he said looking at me mischievously.

  “Now if I was an honest kind of guy,” he said sitting on one of the headstones, “I’d tell her. But to be honest, she bugs me. That’s the reason I went to the carnival. To see what it was that she was begging me to help her with. Remember when I saw you in the stables and I stopped? It was because I recognized you. I know, I know. We’ve never met before, but remember, old,” he said with a grin. “Anyway that fight there was pretty fun. I enjoyed myself but the point of it was to keep you alive. Er ... you know what I mean. So that’s why you were in the back of the formation. Before you think that I’m just babbling I need you to understand that when battle formations are drawn, that’s how you need to be. You still have to deal with Skiles at the end of this and you’ll need to be in one piece,” he said serious again.

  We sat in silence for a moment. I just wanted to make sure that he was done because I really didn’t know how to tell him that I really can’t control my rage. But then I had a thought.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course.”

&nb
sp; “The angel part of you; can it see things? Like things that are going to happen or have happened?”

  “Both,” he said with a wry smile. “But of course the demon in me can see the same too. Why do you ask?”

  “Because I’m going to need to know how to deal with Skiles. The last time I had a shot at him, I wound up saving him from Kaeden. The time before that he manipulated me into this deal. I need to know what I have to do to defeat him and get Kendall and Paige back in one piece.”

  “How about this. Teach me to control my inner bad boy and I’ll teach you what you’re really capable of,” he said with a wink.

  I held my hand out, “Deal.”

  He shook my hand and grinned. “Told you we’d be great friends.”

  “Yes, well ‘friends’ don’t lip lock so you’re going to have to stop doing that,” I said with a smirk.

  Laughing he put an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. I was pressed so tightly against him that I had to arch back to be able to look at him. He brought his face so close to mine that I could feel his breath on me. He leaned closer until our lips were almost touching.

  “Yeah I guess you’re right,” he said suddenly letting me go.

  I let out a yelp of surprise as I landed on the grass, my head barely missing a granite headstone. Then he swiftly reached down and with a magician’s flourish, stripped me of his jacket. My mouth dropped open and I just stared at him. I couldn’t find the words to tell him calmly that what he just did could’ve severely disfigured me for existence.

  I closed my eyes and started to take steady deep breaths. One, two, three, four, and five. When I reopened my eyes he was crouching curiously in front of me.

  “So that’s how you do it? A series of deep breaths?”

  “Wait a second. You did that on purpose to see if I would get angry? To see how I control my anger? Do you know what could’ve happened to me if I hit my head on that?” I finished with a shout.