Monster

by Yolanda Olson

  Little did my dearest sister know, that even though she kept me barricaded inside my home, I had snuck out the night before while she slept. I had been able to get there and back in the course of a night because of my new speed.

  I hadn’t been able to stay long but I was able to gather enough information.

  The crazed one had made a group of pure evil that she kept calling her children. Most of them seemed to be writhing in pain, save but one.

  I watched from behind a decayed tree trunk. The one that was in control of his hunger was showing the others how to fight. How to channel their hunger and insatiable thirst into the enemy in front of them.

  He was skilled, fast, and precise. If he was in the battle, which I assumed him to be, there were going to be many casualties on our side. And there weren’t that many of us to begin with.

  When their skirmish had ended I had carefully hid behind the dead tree and watched as they all went past back into some underground dwelling. The burned one and the one that had attacked me walked together to the iron door, speaking of what was to come. As they reached the door, he put a hand on her shoulder and told her that he would see in her in a few days and that it would all be over soon. She nodded and disappeared into the death hole of walking corpses, sealing the door behind her.

  I waited there until he left.

  I emerged from behind the tree when I heard nothing but silence and turned to run back to Devils Lake to my gypsies.

  Instead I came face to face with the one that was leading the others in the skirmishes, the one who I knew could kill us all.

  “Don’t be afraid of me,” he said.

  His voice was surprisingly deep for someone who looked not much older than I.

  For some reason, there was something vaguely familiar about him. He turned his face and ran a hand through his short spiky black hair.

  His profile ... it reminds me of someone.

  I stared at him.

  “I want to help you,” he continued. “I’m sick of her games. I didn’t want to be this. She tells them all that she picked me because I was the best. She picked me as a way to play mind games with Finnegan.”

  I raised an eyebrow at him, “She speaks of Finnegan?”

  “What do you think this whole band of rejects is for?” he snapped irritably.

  I glanced at the door again.

  “They can’t hear us,” he scoffed. “If they could then we’d be able to hear their whining and screaming and crying over not being fed.”

  I listened closely and realized that he was telling me the truth. I turned my attention back to him and he motioned for me to follow him. I couldn’t explain it, but for some reason I knew I could trust him.

  Quietly and quickly, we walked up the trail that leads past the gravel pit and into the hills that surrounded the area. He led the way into a small cave that was lost in the wilderness. In the middle of the cave was a pile of burnt wood. He reached into his pocket and grabbed a lighter.

  The wood ignited casting an eerie glow that danced across his face. I watched him walk over to one of the cave walls and sit down, leaning his head back against it.

  He glanced out the cave opening then back at me.

  “Stay near the fire. It’ll keep you from getting hungry; that’s how I survive,” he said.

  I sat as close to the fire as possible. “How does it quench the hunger?”

  “You’ll feel it dying away with the heat,” he responded with a grim smile.

  We sat there in silence for a few moments. I noticed that he was right. It felt like the flames were fanning the hunger away and I was starting to feel less hungry.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “No problem,” he said with a nod.

  I cleared my throat, “So you were saying something about Ava using you to mentally get to Finnegan?”

  He turned to look back at me with those vicious cold eyes. My body tensed up. I felt myself ready for a fight that didn’t come. I felt myself calm down when he looked out the cave opening again.

  “Yeah. She said she smelled Finn on me. She said that she knew I could be a good distraction. That’s why she picked me you know. She probably thinks I’m an old boyfriend or something. In fact, I’m almost sure that’s what she thinks.”

  He rolled his eyes in disgust.

  “There’s a reason I smell like Finnegan. I smell like Kendall too. But Ava’s hasn’t been near Kendall lately. Anyway if she had been she’s too dense to figure it out.

  That’s why I rearranged her entire battle strategy. I made it look like the perfect fight to be won. But she doesn’t know...”

  His voice trailed off and I saw a sinister smile on his face. I got up and walked over to the cave opening, gauging by the moon in the sky I wouldn’t have much time to get back to Devils Lake without being noticed.

  “I have to go,” I said glancing back at him.

  “I’ll see you up there,” he replied.

  I stepped out onto the hill and hesitated. Turning to look back at him, I saw that he had his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest.

  “I’m Ryker,” I said.

  “Quinn.”

  I shook the memory from last night away and rolled over again to my other side. My stomach rumbled louder and I felt the pain surging through me like a bolt of lightning. If Remy would just let me sit by the campfire, then I’d be fine.

  But she didn’t trust me to explain anything to her. Even though she acted like she believed what I would tell her, I know she didn’t based on her actions. Keeping me locked in my home like a caged animal.

  I pushed myself to my feet and made me way to the door. I put my hand on the small metal handle and pulled. It didn’t budge.

  “Go to sleep Ryker,” she said from the outside.

  “Open the door, Remy,” I replied through clenched teeth.

  “No. You know I won’t. Go back to your room,” she insisted, peeking through one of the small shanty windows.

  I took a deep breath and grabbed the handle again. I wasn’t going to sit here in pain again tonight because she felt that I would kill and attack the people I loved so much. With one hard pull, I yanked the door of the wagon and stepped out into the camp.

  “Put your toy away,” I told her when she reached for her whip.

  “This isn't a game, Ryker,” she said unraveling it.

  “Put it away,” I repeated emphasizing each word.

  She hesitated for a moment, then in her sudden fear she looped it back up and hitched it to the belt on her skirt. I took a step forward but she didn’t move. She stood there in front of me blocking my path.

  I sighed loudly.

  “I only want to get to the fire,” I said to her.

  “Why?”

  “Because it will keep me from being hungry,” I practically shouted.

  “How do you know that?” she asked me suspiciously.

  I sighed and rolled my eyes. She wasn't going to let me near the fire. I wasn't going to be able to control this hunger much longer and unless she went to get me food, I was going to attack one of my gypsies. I didn't want to do that. But I knew that she wasn't going to leave me alone with them now since I had ripped the door off of the caravan.

  “Remy, bring me an animal.”

  She stared at me. I watched impatiently and hungrily as she continued to stare.

  “I need you to know that you can trust me, and this is the only way. Bring me an animal so that I may quench my thirst. When you come back they will all be unharmed and as you left them. Please, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hold on.”

  I saw her wavering. I knew she wouldn’t let her brother starve regardless of if I was human or this. Nodding she turned to walk away then hesitated.

  “Ryker, if I come back and any of them are harmed ...”

  “Then you have every right to kill me and I will not put up a fight,” I said to ease her mind.

  She held my gaze for a moment then ran off into the woo
ds. As I made my way to the campfire I hoped that she would be back soon. I didn’t want to gorge on an animal but I really think that I wouldn’t have much of a choice.

  As I settled by the fire, the same little girl that had told Cody that he was “pretty” came over to me. I looked up at her and smiled. I knew that in the dancing flames I looked like what Quinn had looked like to me.

  She wasn’t scared though. She put her small arms around my shoulders and her cheek on top of my head. In our language she told me not to be afraid, that everything would work itself out in the end.

  The innocence of a child. Such a precious thing.

  As I sat there waiting for Remy to bring me an animal I closed my eyes and held the hand of the little girl that was filled with so much hope.

  Part VI

  Finnegan

  26. Preparations

  (Day 27)

  It was a relief to know that Drake wasn't a turncoat. I would've missed him if I had to kill him, but I wasn't going to let anyone hurt my friends. Not even if they turned into former friends.

  We were sitting on the shore of Mirror Lake staring at the water. The moonlight was making it dance and it was bringing a smile to my face. A sincere smile that I hadn't felt in a while.

  It seemed like everything was going to be okay for once.

  I let that false sense of hope sink in and take me to a happy place. I wasn't going to have it much longer. Three more days and this whole thing would finally be done and over with.

  “What are you thinking about kid?”

  I looked over at Drake who was glancing at me with a curious smile on his face.

  “Nothing really. Just that it's nice to be out for once and not have to worry about someone or something trying to kill me,” I replied with a laugh.

  “Yeah I guess I can see where that's nice,” he said laughing too.

  “I bet everyone thinks I abandoned them.”

  “Probably.”

  “It's getting close to the end.”

  “I know. And before you say it, I'm not leaving. I'm going to see this through to the end with you,” he said patting me on the back.

  I grinned at him. I knew that he could multiply but I wondered if he could read my mind like Kaeden could. I really was about to ask him to leave and get to a safe place.

  He looked at me and I stuck my tongue out at him. Laughing, he scooped up a handful of dirt and chucked it at me. I sat there shocked for a moment, then I stood up with my own handful of dirt and chased him down the length of the shore.

  “Stop multiplying! That's cheating,” I shouted from behind him.

  With a laugh, he continued to multiply. His clones kept stopping in front of me, making me dodge them to the left and to the right. I laughed and stopped chasing him. This was a no win situation.

  Stopping he grinned as his clones all ran back into him.

  “Give up?”

  “Yeah, yeah I give,” I said secretly holding a handful of sand behind my back.

  “Good. I was too fast for you anyway,” he teased as he got closer.

  “I guess so,” I said building up his pride.

  Come a little closer... Now!

  I heaved the handful of dirt I had directly into his face. Swatting the dirt out of his eyes he started to laugh hysterically. I stood there grinning while he got all of the dirt off of his face.

  “Truce?” I asked extending a hand.

  Still laughing, he took my hand and shook it.

  I walked back to the shore and left Drake standing there. I looked over my shoulder and saw him watching the waves with a grin. I waved him back over to where I was and he sat down next to me again.

  I put my head on his shoulder. I really was going to miss having some quiet time with my friends.

  I closed my eyes thinking of how I doubted Drake. I knew that Cody meant well, but he was so convinced that Drake meant to hurt me that I believed it. I mean it wasn’t all that farfetched if you think about it. He ‘fixes’ a tattoo and next thing you know my motor skills are shot. I can’t talk. My eyes change color and I can walk in the sun without burning to death.

  Eventually I would ask him what he put in the ink.

  Maybe he would help Ryker too.

  Oh yeah. Maybe I should tell him.

  “Did I tell you about Ryker?”

  “No. What about him?”

  I straightened myself up and looked at him, “He’s like me now.”

  The look he gave me chilled my bones. It almost seemed like he assumed that I had done it to Ryker.

  “Drake, I didn’t ...”

  I shook my head vehemently.

  I saw him relax a little. He picked me up off the stared and stared at me. Even though he wasn’t asking me the question, I could tell by the look on his face that he wanted an answer.

  “Skiles. At least that’s what Ryker said.”

  He let out his breath. I didn’t realize that he had been holding it. He really thought it was me. I shook my head in disbelief, but I wasn’t angry with him. Hell I thought that he had tried to sabotage me, so even though we were still great friends it seemed like we didn’t completely trust each other yet.

  “I wonder why he’s making those kind of moves now. Something doesn’t seem right,” he said scratching his chin.

  I nodded.

  He was right. Something was obviously wrong, but I couldn’t think of anyone else who would do something like that. The only other option, Paige, was dead. I walked to the water’s edge and let the cool waves splash over my feet. Drake came over to me and smiled.

  “Bet you miss Cody, don’t you?”

  I smiled back at him. I wondered if it was blatantly written on my face. I did miss him. I didn’t even know if he was going to be at the fight, but I hoped that I would be able to see him one last time before I died.

  “A little bit,” I replied making a face.

  “I like watching you guys together. It’s like watching fire and ice trying to coexist,” he said with a chuckle.

  I laughed. He was right. Cody and I were so opposite that I’m surprised things were working the way they were. True we had our fair share of arguments, but who didn’t? And our arguments never lasted long anyway because he always made some kind of joke or found some way to make me laugh.

  I turned and started to walk down the length of the lake, with Drake next to me. I pushed Cody from my mind. Right now I just wanted to be able to enjoy the pretty night without thinking about the inevitable.

  I’m going to miss all of this. I wonder if I’ll even remember anything once I’m dead.

  “You look serious,” Drake observed.

  “I’ve never been one to be anything but serious,” I replied.

  He nodded but didn’t say anything else. I wondered if he had found Ken yet. I wondered if Ken was even still alive. But I decided instead of asking and opening a potential wound to push Ken from my mind too.

  “Let’s run,” I said suddenly.

  “Yeah? You want too?”

  I nodded and smiled.

  “Alright, I promise not to clone myself if you promise to run at a normal pace,” he said with a grin.

  Laughing, I responded simply with, “Deal.”

  Then we were off. The wet dirt would’ve been difficult for a human to run through, but Drake and me weren’t human. We ran easily over the muddy dirt to the other end of the lake.

  I’m sure he was wondering why I suddenly wanted to run, but he didn’t ask. My thoughts were that since the fight was so coming up so quickly, I wanted to remain agile and make sure that I could be as fast as I knew I would need to be.

  Drake kept pace next to me, running as swiftly as I was. Since I had promised him, I wasn't running as quickly as I wanted to be. That wouldn’t be an issue though. I would be able to kick up that speed when the time came.

  We reached the end of the shore and stood there silently. He looked down at me and I saw that grin that I knew meant trouble was coming.

  “
Kick it up, kid. I’m going to clone all around you and make it like an obstacle course. Don’t worry about hurting me, because I’ll stay right here. So if you want to take one of them down in any way go for it, I won’t feel it.”

  I laughed and fished around in my pocket for a hair tie. Once I found it I proceeded to tight my hair up in a ponytail, then loop it around into a tight, secure bun.

  That was enough to let him know that I had accepted his challenge.

  Giving me a sly grin, he said, “Multiply.”

  I knew he didn’t need to say it, but I think he liked to say it. Regardless, that wasn’t something I was concerned about. I took a deep breath and took off like a shot.

  I felt powerful again.

  My arms were pumping and my legs were moving faster than they ever had before.

  I ran so quickly and so confidently that I almost didn’t see the first clone standing directly in front of me. At the last second, I veered to the left and shot past him.

  At the other end of the shore I could hear Drake laughing hysterically. I knew it was a diversion but I had to turn and look over my shoulder regardless. I saw him doubled over in raucous laughter. As I turned back to pay attention the run in front of me, I almost ran straight into another clone. I immediately dropped to my knees, and rolled to the left to avoid him. When I got to my feet to run, I saw that another clone was inches away from me.

  I shot to the right to avoid him, but this one was mobile and made a grab for me. I managed to tear myself out of its grip and keep running. I turned to look and saw that it was right behind me and I had two more clones coming at me from the left and from the right.

  I found myself in an elaborate trap so I had to stop running. I waited until they closed in on me before I made my move.

  I used my advanced sense of hearing to track the clone behind me. At the last possible second, I ducked down and rolled out the way. When I turned around I laughed when I saw all three clones had inadvertently attacked each other and were lying in a heap.

  Drake, who had been observing what happened, gave me a wicked grin. In the moonlight, I saw his eyes fill with pure onyx and he suddenly ran at me with inhuman speeds. As he approached he multiplied an army of clones who were running at his speed. It looked like a wall of impending death coming right for me.