Monster

by Yolanda Olson

  “Come here, Finn. It’s not going to hurt you. I won’t let it,” he said holding out his hand.

  Holding on to the side of the wall, I started to slowly inch my way out into the cemetery. I felt warmth on my arm and instinctively pulled back. Cody’s good-natured laugh somehow gave me the courage to try again.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened my eyes I looked at him. I took a step out into the retreating sunlight, a hand over my brow shielding my eyes from the light. I took another step, and another watching the sky changing colors. I was so taken in by it that I didn’t realize I that I had walked right past him until he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

  “You look like a little kid,” he whispered into my ear.

  “I feel like a little kid,” I replied in awe. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Not after I died anyway.”

  He grabbed my hand, firmly intertwining our fingers together, and gave me a gentle pull. I looked at him and he smiled which caused me to suddenly feel very shy. I smiled back and let him lead me up a larger hill in the cemetery. I hadn’t remembered seeing it previously. Of course since the furthest he had me go was the center, I wasn’t surprised that I never saw it.

  As we walked he leaned down and picked a pretty pink flower from the grass and handed it to me with a smile. I took it and kissed him on the cheek. He was such a good guy sometimes. I glanced up at him and saw that he was looking around casually. Then his face lit up and he gave my arm another tug and ran up the hill with me racing to keep up. When he got to the summit of the hill, he sat down next to the lone willow tree and pulled me down in front of him. I shimmied back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. Together we sat there and watched dusk turn to night.

  16. Surprise, Surprise

  (Day 20)

  It took forever to get Cody to give me some privacy so I could eat in peace. He kept saying that he didn’t want to go anywhere in case Phoebe or Billie showed up.

  But I wasn’t going to go into a feeding frenzy in front of him and finally managed to out stubborn him. True to his word, he hadn’t given me complete privacy. I heard his reaction from a few rows away as I fed off the human that Kaeden had just drained of blood. It was a pretty sweet deal really. One human fed two monsters.

  I had giggled when Cody reappeared and kicked the body. He had said he was just making sure and Kae and myself shared a look. We knew what he meant; he wanted to make sure that the Brian situation didn’t happen again.

  “Only ten days left,” Kaeden said quietly as the three of us walked down the street.

  “Yep,” was my only reply.

  “Have you decided yet?”

  I didn’t answer. I walked quietly with my hands shoved into my pockets in between the two of them. I wasn’t going to answer, because truth be told I was a procrastinator. Maybe the night before I met Skiles I’d have an answer; maybe I’d sit down and think about it. I wasn’t even sure about that.

  Kae chuckled softly. I stole a glance at him and saw that he was watching me with an amused look on his face.

  “What?”

  “I was just thinking that in any other case, procrastination wouldn’t be an issue, but your life and your sister’s life hangs in the balance.”

  “The whole town, too,” Cody added.

  “Procrastination, huh? I think now would be a good time for you to stop dodging the ‘can you read minds’ question, Kae,” I said stopping.

  “Why would you think that?” he asked looking even more amused.

  “Because I was thinking that exact word. You seem to be able to pick out a lot of things I’ve been thinking of. I mean if you can that’s fine and everything, I just want to know.”

  “Hm,” he said looking off into the distance with a smile on his face. “I think we should go to the fairgrounds, don’t you?”

  “See? You avoided the question again,” I said angrily stomping my foot. “Answer!”

  “Dolly, I think if he wanted you to know, he would’ve told you,” Cody said putting a hand on my shoulder. “And if he wants you to know eventually, he’ll say it.

  I mean he doesn’t ask you about your secrets. Let him have his.”

  I turned slowly and deliberately to face Cody. How was it possible that suddenly he was Kaeden’s head cheerleader when after they first met, they pretty much couldn’t be within a few feet of each other.

  Cody must’ve noticed the ire in my eyes because he took a step back and held up his hands. “Whoa there. There’s no reason to get upset. I’m just stating a fact. I mean if you know everything there is to know about someone, you get bored and move on. Not knowing everything about all of us keeps you around. So we’re going to keep our secrets, even if you think you know them all or not.”

  “So? That’s not the point. The point is that I asked a question and I’d like an answer. Wait. What secrets are you hiding?” I asked curiously.

  “More than you know,” he said softly looking away.

  “Argh!” I yelled, putting my hands on either side of my head. The closer it seemed to the final confrontation, the more things seemed to be coming out of the woodwork hindering my thought process.

  “Finnegan, I’ll answer your question,” Kaeden said clearing his throat.

  I looked over at him expectantly. I was happy in a way that I was finally going to get an answer to something that even Drake and Charlie were wondering about.

  “I guess it’s only fair,” he started.

  “Zip it Dracula,” Cody said stopping him short. “Keep that to yourself. She’ll get over not knowing everything. Eventually,” he said with a grin.

  I started to laugh. It wasn’t because I found any kind of humor in what Cody said; it was because I was tired. Tired of the secrets, tired of the arguing, tired of everything. I felt tears falling down my face. They were tears of frustration and anger. Suddenly I wasn’t laughing anymore; I was crying.

  “Dolly?” Cody asked taking a cautious step closer.

  “Wait,” I heard Kaeden whisper to him.

  I looked up at the night sky and cried harder and harder. I thought my heart was going to explode. I thought my bones were going to break. I felt like the world was collapsing around me and no one cared. I was starting to feel surprisingly human.

  “Don’t you miss that?”

  I didn’t even bother to turn around. At this point in the game I wanted to tell him that he won. It was over. I didn’t want to fight anymore. I didn’t want to think anymore. I was done.

  “Back off,” Kaeden snarled in a low, threatening voice.

  “But I’m not here to talk to you. Either of you,” he said in a honey sweet voice.

  “I want to talk to her.” He turned to face me, “Tick tock, Finnegan.”

  “Do you want me to take care of this?”

  I looked at Cody whose eyes were raging with demonic fury, his hands clenching into fists at his side. I knew that if I wanted that, he would definitely rid the world of Skiles Dyson. But I wanted to do that. It was my right after all.

  “No,” I responded wiping the tears from my face.

  “Walking around with bodyguards now?” Skiles asked smiling at me. “What happened to your face?”

  “You said you wouldn’t show up again until the last day. Why are you here?” I asked ignoring his questions.

  “Oh, I just thought you might’ve made up your mind already and we could’ve gotten this over with,” he said walking over to a car that was parked on the side of the street. Leaning against it, he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “You said I have thirty days. You’ll have to wait thirty days.”

  “I gathered as much,” he said chuckling. “Have you seen Paige, by the way? I kind of lost her.”

  My anger was starting to boil deep within me and shooting up rapidly. He mentioned Paige on purpose. He knew that he would be able to bait me with something as cold as mentioning her. I took a deep breath and forced my anger back down. I was
n’t going to let him get the reaction he wanted.

  I rolled my neck from right to left then left to right and cleared my throat. I looked at Kaeden and shook my head. Nodding slightly, his eyes returned to their normal color and he composed himself. I reached over to Cody and pulled him close to me. Smiling up at him provoked a grin and his eyes went back to normal too.

  The three of us then looked at Skiles who was watching me and Cody closely. A slow, malicious smile started to creep across his face.

  “Bad move, Finnegan. Now I know how to really hurt you,” he said in a low whisper.

  Cody threw his head back and laughed. Kaeden even laughed at what Skiles was getting at. I thought it was pretty funny that he assumed he could do something to Cody. Obviously he didn’t know who he was and probably figured him for some kind of, well I’m not sure, but it still made me giggle.

  “I’ll dance whenever you want too,” Cody said grinning at him.

  “Oh come on, Cody,” I said giving him a playful shove, “If you do, they’ll be nothing left. Besides we already know that I called dibs on Skiles that day I woke up in the cemetery in Marble.”

  “Actually, I think I can pull rank here,” he replied his voice turning cold. “I should’ve taken you out the moment I saw you there,” he said letting go of me and stepping toward Skiles. “I should’ve torn you limb from limb and burned your body to ashes. I should’ve buried you alive and let the maggots eat you from the inside out.”

  His anger was scary, especially since his eyes were still normal. I guess this what an angel looks like when it’s engulfed in fury. I felt his body shaking even though we weren’t next to each other anymore.

  “You took her from me once. You aren’t taking her from me again!”

  His shout made me jump. Kaeden immediately flanked Cody and put an arm in front of him to keep him from charging Skiles. Kae’s eyes were that beautiful onyx color. Seems like he didn’t think he’d be able to hold Cody back any other way.

  I walked over to him and grabbed his face gently in my hands. I pulled on his face softly to get him to look at me. When our eyes locked, he seemed to snap out of his rage, a look of sadness crossing his face.

  “Sorry about that, kid,” he said quietly.

  “Touching,” Skiles said from behind us. “But I want you to know that I will have things for you to do in these last ten days. Things that will ensure that you make up your mind, Finnegan. Don’t forget that I made you so I have a pretty good idea of what’s running through your head. Enjoy the memory of last night, because as of this moment, your hell will begin.”

  “When exactly did you become such a wordsmith?” I asked tilting my head to the side.

  “I’m a lot of things you don’t know about,” he said smirking. “But you will definitely find out. I’ll leave you to finish your walk in peace. Consider it a gift.”

  I wasn’t sure how to feel. If I should be worried or if I should brush him off. True I had never seen Skiles angry but with Cody, Kaeden, Drake, Charlie, Remy and Ryker, what exactly could happen?

  “What exactly did you see in him again?” Cody asked as Skiles walked away.

  “Nothing. I saw what everyone else saw in him and I wanted to make them jealous because he was interested in me. I was a really stupid kid.”

  “Believe it or not, you’re a hero, kid. You saved a lot of people that night by keeping his attention,” Cody said looking down at me.

  “Yeah and now I’m a walking corpse; it’s not exactly a win, win,” I said dryly.

  “Maybe not, but it’s definitely admirable,” Kaeden said smiling.

  “For a war general,” I said sticking my tongue out at him.

  Laughing he clapped me on the back. Adjusting his glasses he looked over at Cody who was fiddling with the zipper on his jacket, racing it up and down its track.

  “What are you thinking about?” Kaeden asked him curiously.

  As if you don’t know, I thought to myself.

  “I just never liked that guy. I don’t like his idle threat either. Especially since he doesn’t know what hell is. From now on, at all times, I want at least two people with you,” he said looking down at me. I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head, “This isn’t a game anymore, dolly. He’s pissed off and he’s going to make these last few days as miserable and dangerous as possible. I might actually move you to Eden’s while this plays out.”

  “Number one. Eden is the name of the Garden in the story of Genesis. That’s something you should know. Number two. You are not moving me anywhere.

  Number three. I don’t need babysitters!”

  “You know I knew that name sounded familiar for a reason,” he said snapping his fingers. “I guess it was a garden after all. Maybe you’re smarter than I thought,” he said looking at me in mock surprise.

  I swatted at him and he sidestepped me easily. “Secondly if I feel like you need to be moved, you’ll be moved. You can’t overpower me, babe,” he said flexing his muscles. Kaeden chuckled and Cody continued. “And third, don’t think of us as babysitters, think of us as an elite exclusive club that travels in threes.”

  I rolled my eyes and sighed impatiently. It looks like his stubborn side was rearing its ugly head. I looked at Kaeden who shrugged, but had a smirk on his face.

  Apparently he agreed with Cody. I was to be watched at all times. I wondered what the punishment would be for letting me out alone.

  “It won’t happen, so don’t worry about it,” Kae said.

  “That’s really starting to get annoying. Could please just tell me if you can read minds? I won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

  I knew that it sounded like I was a begging, nagging child but I really wanted to know.

  “All in due time,” he said patting me on the top of my head. “For now I say we enjoy this walk. I’d like to speak to Ryker, so let’s get a move on.”

  “You know, on second thought maybe I won’t take you to the jungle. It can get pretty hot there, and well ...” he said trailing off.

  My mouth dropped wide open. I knew exactly what he was insinuating and I felt like he stabbed me in the heart by saying it. I watched him look down next to him, then whip around when he realized that I wasn’t there.

  “It was a joke, dolly,” he said coming over and giving me an exaggerated hug. “Laugh! Giggle! Do something to let me know you’re not mad at that.”

  “I can’t believe you said that,” I said looking up at him. My lower lip was trembling and my eyes were dangerously watery.

  “Dolly, don’t cry. I was kidding. You should be used to it by now. Come on, if it makes you feel any better I’ll go show you what prolonged heat does to me.”

  He gave me a tug but I wouldn’t move. I couldn’t find the humor in what happened to me in elevated levels of heat. That’s why I always stayed in cold climates. I’d never get to see the Pyramids of Giza, or the Coliseum in Rome, and

  I’d never get to see the Parthenon. To me that was a tragedy, not a joke.

  “Finn, are you okay?” Kaeden asked.

  Using the back of my hand, I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Yeah, I’m fine, Kae. Just the usual insensitive comment from this jerk,” I replied pushing past Cody.

  “I’m starting to wonder if this is even worth it,” Cody grumbled catching up to me.

  I stopped and turned to stare at him; that did it. “Fine. If that’s the way you feel then leave me alone and don’t ever contact me again! I mean it!”

  I broke into a run to get away from him. Kaeden was calling my name trying to get me to stop running but I refused to slow down. I did, however, take a look over my shoulder just to see where they were. I must’ve run faster than I thought because I didn’t see anyone.

  Suddenly I ran into what felt like a brick wall and fell backward hard. I landed on my rear and yelped in pain. Looking up I was rather shocked to see Cody and Kaeden standing in front of me.

  Kaeden had an am
used look on his face, and was smoothing his hair back. That’s when it hit me; Kaeden was the brick wall I had run into. Cody was standing next to him shaking his head.

  “You’re so dramatic. What I meant was that it’s not worth going to the fairgrounds since Ryker is at Drac’s house,” he explained. I looked up at him doubtfully. Then I remembered that he was right. Ryker was at Kae’s house.

  Sheepishly I took his outstretched hand and let him pull me off the ground. “Sorry,” I said quietly. Cody just grinned and draped an arm around my shoulders. “How’d you guys get in front of me, anyway?”

  Kaeden smiled and Cody glanced at him. “Told you I have tricks no one’s seen,” he answered and they both laughed.

  I rolled my eyes. If these two were going to work as a team, I knew that I’d be basically untouchable, but it would get to be annoying too. Kaeden didn’t seem as no nonsense as usual once Cody was able to calm him down from the disagreement in the mausoleum. I slid my arm inside Code’s jacket and grabbed on the belt loop of his pants, on the small of his back. I felt his heart race a little faster, which made me smile secretly to myself.

  “So then let’s go back to my home,” Kaeden suggested. “I forgot Ryker was there to be honest, for some reason I’m just drawn to the fairgrounds right now.”

  “That’s not necessarily a good thing,” I said looking up at him.

  “I know. There are many reasons I could be drawn there, and none of them could be good. Let’s just turn around and go home. And let’s take the long way. After all, Skiles did promise us a peaceful walk. I think we should make the most of it.”

  The three of us turned and started to walk past the cemetery and through the streets back to Kae’s place. We deliberately went down unnecessary streets and looped around blocks and homes, to see if Skiles would keep his word. But I knew that even though he was evil he definitely always kept his word. I wasn’t scared of the dark anymore like he promised I wouldn’t be. I wasn’t scared of anything anymore. When you’re the creature lurking in the dark alley or the proverbial monster under the bed or the boogeyman in the closet, nothing scares you.