“I’m guessing you screwed the wrong girl, metaphorically speaking.”
“Now who’s the comedian?” he chuckled. “Samantha. I don’t like to think about it. It did cost me my stature at school. But it was for the best. I had become someone I despised.”
“All because of me, huh? That’s flattering coming from the son of a psychopath.” She tried to bite her tongue.
“Like I said, he’s not my real father.”
“Look, I don’t care what you did to Samantha. In fact, it delights me that you hurt her in some way. I want to know about us.”
Skylar turned on her side, as did he, and they faced each other.
“You only smell my scent at certain times, right?”
She nodded.
“When I start having feelings for you, in a romantic way, that’s when it happens to me.”
“I never thought of it that way. But you don’t get out of control like I do.”
A faint sound in the distance caused them both to look around.
“You have heightened hearing?”
“Somewhat. That’s really Haley’s specialty.” She was mesmerized by the faraway sound she never could have heard before.
“Each of you has your own special gifted sense. He made sure of that.”
They both quieted and listened to the approach of a distant train.
“How do you control the urges?” Skylar asked.
“Not easily; not with you.” Moving closer, he slid his arm around her.
“I shouldn’t be doing this. I should hate you. I do hate you.” His scent began filtering into her nostrils.
“Go back down the ropes then, I dare you.” His lips brushed hers.
“We need to stop him. Your black book . . .” Their bodies touched and Skylar’s senses went ballistic. “It has answers and . . .”
Skylar’s will broke and became raw and savage as it had before.
“You are my answer.” His voice sounded different, primal.
“How . . .” He kissed her. “Did we . . .” She kissed him back. “Ruin everything?”
As the train closed in and the bridge began to shake, they both lost control. Kissing passionately, they tore at each other’s clothes. A purr-like growl rose in her and she heard the same from Trevor. They rolled around on the metal grate as the train reached the bridge.
They took turns sitting atop each other, kissing. Overhead, the train was thunderous and deafening. They howled loudly like the animals they had become. Primal, lustful desires surged throughout her, and she purged her pent up emotions onto Trevor.
The train passed and another sound replaced the train that at first, she didn’t recognize it. Scattered memories flooded her mind.
She was young, wild and feral. Trevor was her age but didn’t act like her. He would sneak her away from her pack and they would be alone. He would gift to her flowers and chipmunks she loved. Holding hands on a log, he pecked her on the cheek and she pecked him back. Then, the bushes rustled, and Morgan and Haley’s faces emerged, angry and sad at once. They let out loud, piercing howls.
Back to the present, the car alarm sounded. Haley was in trouble.
Skylar panted, shaking her head and pushing Trevor away. As she scrambled, he chased after her, as if it was a game. Skylar kicked him square in the chest.
“No! Stop!” Skylar yelled.
Trevor’s crazed look faded and she rushed to the ropes and began climbing down.
“Skylar, what’s wrong?”
“Haley needs my help!” Halfway down the ropes, she plunged into the water.
She emerged just as Trevor dove in. Swimming to shore, she slipped on her shoes, took the phone and keys and ran for the car.
As the car came into view, she shut the alarm off. The passenger door was open and Haley was gone. Skylar scanned the area, listening for any sounds in the forest.
Trevor’s footsteps approached. “What’s wrong?”
“Haley! She’s not here.”
“Where do you think she went?”
“Maybe someone took her, or something scared her off.” Skylar headed into the forest. “Haley! Where are you?”
“I’ll check over here.”
In a near whisper, she heard a voice. “Skye.”
“Haley?” Skylar circled.
“Up here.”
Skylar craned her neck. She spotted Haley, balanced on a thick tree limb.
“What are you doing, Haley? Was he here? Was he after you?”
Haley descended, limb by limb.
“No.” Haley sat on a limb.
“You tried to run, didn’t you?”
“No. It wasn’t like that.”
“You wanted to climb a tree just because?”
“I—I saw a deer. It walked by the car. The windows were cracked, and . . .” Haley lowered her head. “I couldn’t help myself. I feel ashamed.”
“Did you catch it?”
“No. I’m not that good anymore. Besides, it used to be the three of us.”
“So why strand yourself up a tree?”
“I figured I’d be safer,” Haley said, dropping to the ground. “I’m sorry if I ruined your time with Trevor. Bad timing, I guess.”
Haley’s comment made Skylar wonder how good her hearing really was. If her friend had heard what was happening between her and Trevor, then . . . embarrassment coated her. Maybe Haley’s deer story was just a ruse to break up her time with Trevor.
“It’s all good. We were heading back anyways. You were right, Haley.” They started back to the car.
“About what?”
“Trevor is cool. He’s going to help us.”
“He owes us that,” Haley remarked.
Back at the car, Trevor emerged from the woods. Relief crossed his face when he spotted Haley.
“Is everything alright?”
“I—” Haley began.
“She had to use the little girl’s room,” Skylar interjected. “We should get going.”
“Why are both of your shirts ripped?” Haley asked.
“Gotta go,” Trevor said, climbing onto his motorcycle.
“Where are you staying?” Skylar asked, avoiding Haley’s question.
“In a safe place. I’ll see you at school tomorrow. We can talk then.” He started the motorcycle and pulled alongside her.
“The journal?” Skylar inquired.
“I’ll bring it. But don’t expect all the answers you’re searching for.”
As he revved the engine, Skylar touched his arm. “Thank you.”
Trevor only nodded.
“Nice seeing you again, Haley.” His words made Haley grin like a girl with a crush.
For a moment, Skylar felt jealousy. Maybe Haley was just embarrassed and didn’t know how to act. Skylar didn’t want Haley having any feelings for Trevor.
Trevor took off down the gravel road and vanished as Skylar and Haley got into the car. Skylar checked her messages; there was one from her dad.
Back at the hospital with your mom. She’s doing great. I may have accidentally poisoned your mom while camping. She’s calling me a worrywart and told me to fix the lock on the sliding door. Even sick, your mom’s still giving me chores. Love, dad.
She started the car and texted back.
I was worried about where you were. I’m good. See you soon.
“How is she?”
“Better, thankfully.”
Haley read while Skylar drove. Back home, Haley read all the way inside and down into the basement. It was her way of coping.
Not seeing Morgan, Skylar looked to the corners of the ceiling in case she had decided to have another one of her moments.
She wasn’t there.
“Try the bathroom,” Haley said, walking by as she turned a page.
Skylar knocked on the closed door. “Morgan?” She knocked again and tried turning the doorknob, but it was locked.
“Morgan, I know how you’re feeling. Please come out.” She rested her ear against t
he door.
Three knocks from the other side caused Skylar to jump back. She answered with three knocks of her own. Next came one loud knock, followed by a quieter one. Again, she copied the sequence, not sure what Morgan was doing.
“She’s playing with you, like the tall hairy ones taught us,” Haley said.
“Huh?”
Four quick knocks, one loud one, followed by four more quiet knocks. She repeated it and waited for another set to copy, but no more came. The toilet flushed. The lock clicked and the door opened.
“Even in these boxes, a girl can’t get privacies.” Morgan playfully knocked on Skylar’s forehead. “There’s my Haley.”
Morgan followed Haley to the bedding and Haley finally closed her book as they rubbed the sides of their heads together.
“That’s enough, you two.” Skylar separated them.
“That wasn’t nice of you, Skye,” Haley frowned.
“Our Skye is only jellos,” Morgan roughed Skylar’s damp hair. “Bathing?”
“I’m not jealous, and yes, I bathed,” Skylar lied.
“She swam with him,” Haley interjected.
“I knew I smelled him on you before,” Morgan sniffed, looked Skylar up and down. “Clean. That chipmunk fought you good, I see.”
Skylar glanced at the rips in her shirt that Trevor had caused.
“Trevor’s with us. He’s going to help.”
“She got caught on branches searching for me,” Haley said, protecting Skylar.
“Were you losted?”
Haley smiled. “Just exploring, I was bored.”
“Can you take me somewhere?” Morgan asked.
“Sure, where to?” Skylar asked, intrigued.
“My closet.”
Skylar and Haley glanced at each other with surprise.
“No one’s lived there for a very long time, Morgan. I’ve been unable to track down your parents. Are you sure you want to do this?”
Morgan scratched her chin. “Yes. Pleases. I need to see before I never return.”
“All right. I’ll take you,” Skylar answered.
They headed upstairs and Haley followed, her nose buried in her book once again.
Outside the car, Skylar peeked inside at Morgan in the passenger seat while Haley sat in the back. Getting in, she realized they formed a perfect triangle, just like the ones on the trees around the cabin. Driving to Morgan’s first home, a realization hit Skylar’s with one single, focused thought.
What would they find inside of Morgan’s bedroom closet?
Chapter Eighteen
They stood in front of the small square house, the exterior covered with graffiti and peeling paint. The moss-covered roof covered matched the yard, overgrown with weeds. The windows and doors were boarded, though a portion of boards was missing, leaving a gap large enough for a person to fit through.
Morgan looked indifferent as she stood before the home she had been abducted from.
“You don’t have to come in, Morgan. Haley can stay with you.”
“Yeah, let Skye check it out.” Haley laid a hand on Morgan’s shoulder.
“I’m coming,” Morgan said and followed.
“Are you really . . .” Haley began.
“Yes,” Morgan said, commanding.
At the front door, Skylar aimed the flashlight through the gap. A whiff of decay and feces nearly sent her running for the car. Covering her face, she stepped through the boards into the house. Morgan and Haley followed, both gagging. Shining the light around the room, she could imagine a horror film being made here. From the corner, several large rats the size of poodles stared with red eyes.
“Which way?”
Morgan scooted past Skylar and headed down a narrow hallway.
When Skylar caught up, Morgan had already slipped inside a small bedroom with a shattered, frameless window. Rotted wood housed an aged, ripped mattress against the back wall, and a dresser lay on its side, the drawers strewn across the room. Tatters of colored fabric and children’s clothing littered the floor.
Haley latched onto Skylar’s arm.
Skylar shone the light into the open closet, illuminating a black box and the grouse carving. Morgan gathered the items and set them on the bed, gently caressing what was left of the bed frame before sniffing at the carving and box. Skylar expected Morgan to tear the box open and eat the Grouse. Instead, Morgan tossed both items out of the open window, then found a piece of wood, brushed it off and held it up to the lone ray of sunlight that streamed through the window.
Without warning, she threw it across the room, hitting the closet door. Skylar picked up the wooden plaque and read the inscription.
Morgan Brood
Our sweet, lovely, daughter
You are our life. Our reason for living.
Love, Mom and Dad
Though Morgan still hadn’t mastered the skill of reading, Skylar knew she understood the meaning. Handing the plaque to Haley, Skylar tried to fully open the warped closet door. She yanked hard, but the door moved only a few inches. Skylar wedged herself inside and looked around. Nothing was out of the ordinary besides there being no nightlight as there had been in her and Haley’s closets. As she was about to leave, something glimmered in the light. A pair of baby rattles hung from the closet rod. On each rattle, a number had been written—one and eight.
Skylar tried to think what the number could mean when Haley spoke up.
“One and eight. It’s the day, the anniversary.”
Skylar understood now what the message on Trevor’s window had meant. “Sunday will be the eighteenth. The Father wants to recreate that night.”
She turned to a crash from behind. Morgan was kicking boxes, throwing old, worn books, flipping what remained of the bed against the wall. She looked lost as if she were searching for something she would never find.
Skylar led Haley from the bedroom. “Let her grieve.”
As Skylar and Haley walked through the bedroom door, a crash sounded behind them. Morgan threw the remnants of old dolls and toys, stomping on them as she grew increasingly violent.
Skylar rushed Haley out of the house to the car.
“I’ll be back, stay here.”
Skylar ran through the front yard that was thick with weeds. She recovered the box and miniature grouse and raced back inside.
Morgan growled, wiping her face, and ran from the bedroom.
Deciding to wait it out, Skylar returned to the car.
It would be nearly an hour before Morgan finally walked outside with a snarky grin and her usual tough persona.
On the ride back to Skylar’s house, she told Morgan about the date and The Father’s plan, even while Morgan still referred to him as it and the thing with no scent, refusing any other name. They decided to take a couple days off to clear their minds and come up with a plausible plan. Skylar could tell neither Morgan nor Haley weren’t entirely on board with Trevor, but he had answers they needed.
Of course, Morgan thought the best plan was to dispose of it. She wouldn’t tell how exactly, but it was a matter Skylar would need to quickly resolve.
Minutes before Haley’s parents were due to arrive from work, Skylar dropped a frightened Haley off at her house, reassuring her more than once that nothing was going to happen until their five-day reprieve was up.
“Take me home,” Morgan said.
“We were just there.”
“Take me to the cabin.”
Skylar slowed and parked alongside a curb
“Why? We can spend some time together in the basement before you go home—if that’s what you still really want.”
Morgan sighed. “It’s hard enoughs already Skye.”
“I want you here. I miss you.”
“Don’t lie. I’m not dumbs, we both can’t lead. This is your home. Not mine. I won’t take it away from you.” She patted Skylar’s leg.
“Like I did to you and Haley?”
Making a U-turn, Skylar drove for the storage shed.
“Yes Morgan, I understand.”
“Will miss my wild ones . . . my families.”
Skylar patted Morgan and they drove on in silence.
Switching vehicles, they made our way into the mountains. They sat together on the clawed hood of the truck. Skylar stared into the vast green of trees and rugged mountains. It seemed odd to her that a place so unforgiving, yet full of life, was once her home.
“Morgan, I need to ask you a favor.”
“I won’t take Haley,” Morgan answered.
“Thanks. It’s going to take some convincing. She really misses you and still dreams of living that way. She’s torn, and I think she’d miss what she has now more than she realizes.”
Morgan hopped from the hood and walked to the trailhead. She stopped, but didn’t look back. “I’ll makes sure she never sees me again when this is over.” She walked into the trees.
Skylar almost followed but decided against it. Morgan had been through a lot today and needed some space. That Morgan was willing to live her life alone and give up Haley was shocking.
As Morgan vanished into the wilderness, Skylar knew it was time to prepare for the rest of the week. She and Haley would both see Morgan after school, but instead of teaching her how to be civilized, they would plan one final hunt together.
They would be hunting The Father as a pack, making him their prey.
Chapter Nineteen
During the drive home, Skylar decided it was time to face her fear of hospitals. If Morgan could muster enough courage for her and Haley, she could do the same for her mom.
Her dad led her through the hospital. The smells of cleaning solution burned her nose and she felt claustrophobic. Queasy, her throat swelled with bile but she swallowed it back. Finally, they arrived at her mom’s room.
After a pleasant chat amid assurances that her mom would be going home tomorrow, Skylar sat alone as her mom drifted off to sleep. Her dad had left to find dinner, leaving Skylar to her own thoughts.
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