The Childe (The Childe Series, #1)

by C. A. Kunz

  “Taylor and Trish. Who would’ve thought that years later after pushing them in their strollers together, they’d fall for each other? I still can’t believe it, even after all these months,” Anna replied, hugging her back.

  “What are you two plotting now?” A voice from behind them had them turning and hugging Grace, another member of their stroller brigade.

  “Just talking about Trish and Taylor and how things have turned out.” Rachel beamed at her son’s best friend’s mother.

  “Yes, they’ve all grown up haven’t they? It seems like yesterday that they were born, and now they’re sophomores in high school.” Grace teared up. Of all their friends she was the most emotional. “I hope they catch this monster soon! Jonathen told me the whole school is on high alert. Those poor parents, I can’t imagine what they must be going through.”

  Rachel reached over and hugged her friend again. “We’ll catch him, I know we will. In fact Aldon has some sort of plan to help the authorities in the search. Oh look, we’re being summoned.” The three friends linked arms and followed the men down the winding stairs to the basement below. Aldon stood in front of a group of chairs, his face grim as he watched everyone take their seats.

  “Thank you for coming. I know it’s a nasty night out, but I felt we had to meet.” Murmurs of agreement went through the small assembly. “The problem our town is facing is getting worse.” After digging through his briefcase Aldon pulled out a stack of papers. “I’ve drawn up maps of where each girl disappeared, and of where the first girl’s body was found. Starting tonight, I think it would be wise if we patrolled these areas, as well as the rest of our town. We need to be vigilant if we are to track this monster.” Aldon gave a big sigh and proceeded to lay out his plan.

  In the front parlor of The Purple Door, Miss Amaya and Gretchen sat with an old rustic table between them. The room was filled with purple candles, casting everything in a violet glow. A bowl, filled with a pale liquid, sat in the middle of the table. Gretchen released a mixture of herbs into the bowl and a brilliant green light emanated from it, illuminating their somber faces. Joining hands, they gazed into it. “We’re here tonight to ask for protection. Not for us, but for the children of our community. We ask for their protection from the beast that is preying on them,” Gretchen’s soft voice commanded. The howling wind blew through the shutters just outside, rattling them violently. They began chanting in unison, asking the universe for its help.

  Across town, a brilliant blue glow emanated from Cat’s dresser. Unseen by the small group, Cat’s moonstone began pulsing with a faint light.

  16

  Spring Fling

  “I’m so glad we’re not going to the dance tomorrow. I mean, having a mega Robert Craven movie-fest instead is totally a better idea,” Amanda said as they strolled through the video store after school.

  “How about this one?” Matt asked, holding up the movie he pulled from the shelf.

  “We just saw Death Becomes Him a couple weeks ago. I don’t want to see it again so soon,” Amanda replied.

  “Okay, don’t whine. Hey, we haven’t seen this one in a while,” Matt announced, holding up the DVD case. They all smiled at him.

  “Perfect,” Julie said. Cat nodded in agreement. Matt put Red Twilight under his arm and walked down the aisle looking for others to go along with it.

  Standing at the checkout, the clerk held up Wolvesbane, “Man, this has some of the best werewolf special effects I’ve ever seen. Robert Craven made them seem so realistic. And he had me believing they do exist. You know, his new movie is coming out soon. I’m going to the premiere, got the night off,” he rambled on for a few more minutes while finalizing their transaction.

  Sitting in the front seat of Matt’s car, Cat turned the heater to the highest it would go. The warmth finally stopped their shivering after being soaked by the afternoon rain.

  “I’ll bring popcorn,” Julie declared.

  “I’ve got drinks,” Elle said.

  “I’ll bring chocolate iced brownies,” Amanda announced with a grin.

  “I love those brownies. You better make a ton!” Matt exclaimed, his mouth beginning to water.

  “Mr. Thomas and I will get the pizza, right, Matt?” Cat added.

  “Yes, we will, I’ll bring a pepperoni, you get an all-cheese.”

  “Great!” Cat exclaimed. “Saturday night here we come!”

  Later that evening, Cat, Julie, and Linda were having their biweekly hangout to catch each other up on the latest gossip. Sitting on Cat’s bed, Linda was going on about her date for the junior prom. “I can’t believe John asked me!” she squealed.

  “I know! And he’s quite the looker, too,” Cat said, looking at his picture from Linda’s page on Teenspace, an online social network for teens.

  “Well, all I have to say is he has great taste, my friend,” Julie assured her.

  “I’m still on the hunt for my prom dress. I think I’m going to need your help, guys. You’re my best friends, and I know we can find something perfect! So, will you go with me?” Linda asked.

  “OMG, of course we will! We should make a day of it next weekend!” Cat exclaimed.

  “Sounds like fun. Oh, I can’t wait. It’s been ages since I last went shopping,” Julie replied. While looking at the computer screen, Cat noticed that Becca, one of the missing girls, was a friend of Linda’s on Teenspace.

  “You’re friends with Becca?” Cat inquired.

  “Kind of. She’s friends with Mindy. They swam against each other,” Linda explained somberly.

  “I don’t remember swimming against her this year.”

  “Well, she quit the swim team last season after losing badly to Kirsten. Kirsten kind of cheated and stole the regional meet right out from under her. She was so broken up about it that she just quit. Mindy tried to talk her out of it, but it didn’t help. She really was, I mean is, an amazing swimmer.”

  “And here I thought Miss Leader of the Trifecta couldn’t stoop any lower,” Cat said, shaking her head.

  “Anyway, Cat, didn’t you get your license recently? So where’s the new car?” Linda asked.

  “No car yet, unfortunately. But Matt drives us around, so I guess it’s better than having Taylor complain about having to take us everywhere.”

  “Hey, Linda, do you still walk home from school through those woods?” Julie asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little dangerous, especially with all the disappearances recently?” Julie asked.

  “Doesn’t your mother or brother pick you up?” Cat queried right after.

  “No. But I’ve been walking to and from school for years now, since it’s so close to my house and all. Besides, the disappearances have all been far from Madison and we have no curfew like there is here,” she explained.

  “But Linda, it’s still not safe!” Julie expressed with a worried look in her eyes.

  “Oh Julie, you always will be the mother of our group,” Linda stated, smiling. “But I can handle myself. Plus I don’t always walk home alone. Bonnie tags along every now and then.”

  “If you ever find yourself in trouble or you need anything, you call, okay?” Julie said with Cat nodding in agreement.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Linda replied jokingly and all three girls smiled.

  “We really miss you. Not Madison Prep of course, but you,” Cat playfully whined.

  “I miss you guys, too! It’s just not the same without you guys there. I mean, I still have Bonnie, but I miss our little group. I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s true.”

  “Yeah, we had some great times, that’s for sure. But I had to get out of there, I mean, you know that,” Cat said, focusing on Linda.

  “And where Cat goes, so goes my nation,” Julie interjected.

  “Well, I wish it was that easy for me to leave. But my mother insists on me being ‘protected’ from the outside world. She has it in her head that a private school education is bette
r than public. I don’t know.”

  “So, she wants you to be protected, but she lets you walk home alone from school?” Julie asked pointedly.

  “I’ve really missed your motherly ways, Julie. You always have the best intentions for us.” Linda smiled.

  “I try,” Julie replied, returning her smile.

  Saturday afternoon dragged by. Cat spent the morning cleaning her room and helping her mom with chores. At noon she had taken a shower and then nothing. Nothing to do until five. She tried to study for a test she had on Monday, but kept reading the same paragraph over and over until she threw herself on her bed in frustration. After opening her mini fridge and taking out her medicine bottle, she laid back on her bed deep in thought, staring at it. “I wonder if these pills were the answer to my problems. I haven’t had one episode since taking them. I guess all that craziness from before was just some wild side effects of my disorder. Wow, Cat, you’re definitely making yourself sound insane! But I can’t deny that since taking these things, my life’s been pretty normal. And everyone says that the old Cat’s back. But I don’t feel like the old Cat, I feel different somehow. But different how?” she asked aloud as her cell phone rang. She grabbed it off her nightstand and saw that it was Linda. “Hey Linda, what’s up?” She grinned as her old friend replied, “the sky.” “Really corny, can’t you think of a better one?” Cat asked.

  “Nope, all out today. So have you cleaned your room for your big movie marathon tonight?”

  “Yes, I just finished! And if you weren’t such a wuss, you could join us. But no! Little Miss Linda doesn’t like the scary stuff.”

  “I don’t see how you can enjoy being scared. Life is scary enough without making up weird creatures to scare us more. Mr. Jerkins, my biology teacher, is weird enough for me,” Linda answered.

  “It’s your loss, but seriously, we’ve got to get together next weekend to go dress shopping.”

  “Totally, I’ve already picked out three stores we definitely have to hit up,” Linda said excitedly. “So, get this, my mom and dad mentioned last night when I got home that we’re renting a lodge this summer. They asked if you guys would like to come and stay for a few weeks. They said they’re going to call your parents later. So, how about it? Sound like fun?” she asked, finally taking a breath.

  “That would be awesome! I know my parents would be fine with it! Oh, I can’t wait!”

  “It’ll be in July, probably some time after the Founder’s Day celebration. I’ll let you know the exact dates as soon as they tell me. Hope you guys have fun tonight.”

  “I’ll talk to you later. Can’t wait until dress hunting!” Cat exclaimed.

  Sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, watching the grandfather clock slowly tick away the seconds, Cat rested her chin in her hand while waiting for the next half hour to go by. She heard voices coming from outside the door and rushed to open it, thinking some of her friends had come early. While inserting his key, Taylor was startled as the door flew open. “Hey, Red Freak! Trying to give me a heart attack?” he asked, staring at her.

  Her smile turned to a frown. “Oh, it’s just you. And look you brought the people who you pay to be your friends,” Cat quipped, smiling at the crowd behind him. She liked Taylor’s friends. They always treated her like she was their sister too, and even came to her defense when her brother gave her a hard time.

  “Good one, Cat,” Trish said, laughing at Taylor’s sullen expression. “You asked for that one, babe!” she said and grabbed Taylor’s arm and pulled him toward her. Cat stood aside to allow the group to enter. Devin grabbed Cat around the waist and started swaying with her, humming the tune to What’s New PussyCat.

  “Hey, little Cat, what do you say you and I go to the dance tonight?” Cat danced for a minute with the jokester of the bunch, and then gently pushed him away.

  “I told you, I’m not your type, Dev. Anyway, you and I could never be, as my big bad wolf of a brother would not allow it,” Cat said dramatically, putting her hand to her forehead. Taylor scowled at her as she batted her eyelashes at him. “See him scowling. I’m sooo afraid, as you should be too, Sir Devin, my darling knight.” She curtsied as he bowed low, causing the foyer to be engulfed with laughter.

  “That’s enough, you dorks. Don’t encourage her, Dev,” Taylor said, rolling his eyes. “Let’s go into the kitchen and start the feast!” he announced and continued to walk down the hallway with Trish on his arm, and Jonathen and the rest of their group in tow.

  “Until we meet again, my sweet fire-haired lady,” Devin said, bending down and kissing Cat’s hand. With a wink he followed the laughing group through the kitchen door. Cat could hear them greeting her parents and commenting on the food Rachel had laid out for them. Taylor and his friends decided to forego the dance as well to spend the night hanging out, eating, and watching movies in their dad’s enormous study. Cat knew it made her mom happy when the house was filled with her kids and their friends.

  “I definitely don’t get tired of watching that one. When he turns into a werewolf it looks so real!” Matt piped up while standing up to remove the DVD. Saturday night started out great. So far they had watched two movies, and had left Wolvesbane until last. Cat stretched and groaned.

  “Way too much food!” she complained out loud.

  “If I eat another thing, someone please punch me in the face,” Amanda whined. Elle laughed and got up to get a drink. The sight of her werewolf slippers made the others start giggling like they did when they first saw them.

  “I just love those slippers, Elle!” Cat said, grinning. Elle did a model pose, pirouetted, and then curtsied.

  “When my mom and I went shopping yesterday after school I saw these in the bargain bin and just had to have them. Mom really didn’t want to buy them, but I reminded her that my birthday was coming up soon, so she finally gave in,” Elle said before grabbing a bottle of water from the mini fridge. “I think for Halloween next year, I want to be a werewolf. Yeah, definitely a werewolf. I could wear a tight, long black dress and high heels. I saw the most awesome mask at the Ye Old Costume Shoppe!” she smiled smugly, plopping down on her pillow.

  “Elle! What’s happened to our shy little caterpillar? What will you do next? Ask the most popular guy in school to go exclusive?” Elle picked up the nearest pillow and flung it at Matt.

  “You’re just jealous that I’m coming out of my cocoon and have left you behind, Matthew Ian Thomas,” she replied jokingly.

  The room was quiet as everyone slept. Cat’s eyes suddenly shot open, but she was still asleep. They were glazed over and milky white. Her body suddenly leaned straight up into a standing position, with her feet flat on her bed. After stepping off the bed, Cat made her way through the open bay window and out onto the balcony. She climbed over the railing and gracefully floated to the ground. Oblivious to the cool breeze and cold wet grass, she walked toward the road with her eyes staring straight ahead.

  While driving home from the Spring Fling, Ryan had the sudden urge to drive by Cat’s to check on her. As he approached her house, he noticed a figure walking out into the street. By the light of the lamp post, Ryan saw the figure’s fiery red hair blowing in the breeze. He realized it was Cat. He sped up to see what she was doing outside in her nightgown. As Ryan saw a car in the distance barreling right for her, he threw his car into park, leapt out, and ran in her direction. He could hear the car’s brakes squealing as he dove, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled out of the way. His body cushioned the fall. Ryan looked at Cat and realized that her eyes were open, but they were rolled back in her head. She was non-responsive. He called out her name and shook her, trying to wake her up, but she wouldn’t. The man from the other car approached them and Ryan assured he would take care of her and to just go on his way. The man didn’t say a word. He turned around, got into his car and drove away, not once looking back at them.

  After picking Cat up off the ground, Ryan ran to her front door. Holding onto her with one arm, he bang
ed on the door with the other. He was relieved to see the foyer light turn on, followed by the porch light. The door opened, revealing Sam in his pajamas. “Ryan, what on earth?” Ryan heard other voices coming from above as he carried Cat into the house.

  “Mr. Colvin! I was driving down the street, and saw Cat walk out in front of a car! I pulled her out of the way. She seemed like she was sleepwalking or something, and wasn’t aware of what was going on,” he explained frantically, holding Cat’s limp body in his arms.

  “Put her in my study, young man.”

  “Oh my God, Cat! Sam what’s wrong with her?” Rachel pushed her way through the crowd. “Sam, she’s burning up! Trish, get me a wet washcloth. Taylor, call Dr. Bane and tell him to meet us at the hospital!” Cat moaned as the cold washcloth was placed on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she gave a weak smile.

  “Why does everyone look so scared?” Cat whispered, confused. No one spoke. “Ryan, what are you doing here?” she asked wearily.

  “Mom, Dr. Bane said he’ll meet us at the ER.” Taylor’s voice came through the door of the study.

  Cat looked at her mom and dad, “What happened? I feel so groggy.”

  “Yes, honey. Just relax, Taylor will go start the car and I’ll carry you,” Sam said.

  “Don’t be silly, I can walk.” Cat struggled to sit up and then immediately fell back on the pillows.

  “Mr. Colvin, I think we’ll go home now, but please call us when you can.” Matt grabbed Cat’s hand, “You hang in there kid, we’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” The other three took turns squeezing her hand, and then they all left the room. Cat saw Julie turn and wave with worry in her eyes.

  “I’ll carry her, dad,” Taylor said.

  “No, son, get the keys to the car and start it up. Rachel, honey, go with Taylor, I’ll carry Cat to the car. Ryan, thank you for your help,” Sam said as he grabbed a blanket from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around Cat. Cat tried to smile at Ryan, but it looked more like a grimace as Sam swept her up in his arms and quickly made his way to the car.