Her brow creased. “Wolfy?”
“Well, that’s what we call him since he refuses to remove his mask and show us who he really is.” Fog winked. “But maybe he’ll tell you. What’s ya name darlin’?”
One corner of her mouth lifted. “Red’s fine.”
He looked at each of them in turn. “Really?” Neither of them replied. Fog dismissed them with the wave of his hand. “Fine. Have your secrets — see if I care. Red and Wolfy it is.”
Izy turned to Adam. “Hi, I’m…Red.”
“A — ” He cleared his throat. “Wolfy, they call me Wolfy.”
He froze as she flicked the nose of his mask. “Who’d have guessed?”
An awkward silence stretched between them.
Dude, say something.
“Would — uh — ” Adam reached inside his cloak. “Would you like some treats? We scored pretty big this year.”
“Sure, I’d love — oh, that’s beautiful.” Adam followed her gaze to the rose. “Someone gave me one just like it a long time ago. It had the most exquisite smell.”
“Here.” He unfastened the clasp and handed her the rose.
“Are you sure?” Her fingers stroked the petals. “Feels like velvet.” She lifted it to her nose and breathed deep. “Yes — I remember that smell.”
“Wolf, mate it’s your birthday, not hers. You’re not supposed to be the one dishing out gifts.”
Izy stared wide-eyed. “It’s your birthday?” She fumbled through her basket. “I don’t think I have anything suitable for a gift — ”
“Give him a kiss. Sweet sixteen and never been kissed. Ain’t that right, Wolfy?”
“Jaq,” Adam growled.
Fog whooped. “Haha — he only calls me by my real name when I’m in trouble. I’m quaking in my boots, Wolfy.”
Cheers and whistles followed as Adam led Izy a short distance away. “What are you doing here — Red?”
Her hands twisted on the handle of her basket. “I — I was looking for someone, but they weren’t home. There were lights in the distance, and what sounded like people laughing so…”
“So, what? You just thought you’d show up?”
“It sounded like everyone was having fun. What’s going on? Are they all here for you?”
Adam shook his head. “No, it’s Halloween, but you shouldn’t be here.”
Hands on hips she narrowed her eyes. “And why not?”
He lifted a golden lock of hair. “Because your kind isn’t exactly welcome here.”
Izy’s cheeks turned from white to the shade of her cloak. “So, just because the majority of — my kind are idiots — it’s assumed we all are?”
“Can you blame them?”
She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. “No, I guess not. But we aren’t all like that, you know.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Firelight danced in Izy’s eyes. ¬Then she smiled, and Adam forgot how to breathe. “So, why the — ”
“Dude, you can’t kiss a pretty girl wearing that ugly thing.”
Transfixed on Izy, Adam hadn’t heard Fog’s approach. The sides of the mask brushed his face as Fog ripped it from his head. His hands grasped desperately for it, but he wasn’t fast enough.
Adam froze. Unmasked.
Izy’s eyes darted to Fog, then back to him. She blinked. Once. Twice, then her eyes widened and her hand flew to her open mouth as if to hold back her screams.
Fog didn’t notice. “Shit. I figured the hair was part of — ”
Adam fled as a thousand knives cut his insides to shreds. What was I thinking? He’d let Hal fill his head with the crazy idea that he wasn’t a monster. That people would see past how he looked if he gave them a chance.
And Izy — she’s just like the rest of them. Despite all of her protests — I saw her face. The way her eyes filled with terror.
Adam burst through the door and fell to his knees. Hands braced on the ground, he fought for breath. Perfumed roses filled his nose, his lungs and he choked on it. He wanted it gone. He wanted them all gone.
Adam screeched as he ripped the garden apart. The rose bushes sliced a million tiny cuts into his skin as they fought against his destruction. Blood flowed but he didn’t stop. One by one, he ripped the bushes from the ground and hurled them at the walls. Blooms exploded and petals fell like rain. Adam saw only red as he tore through every inch of the garden.
And then —
There were none.
Bent double, Adam sucked back air. Adrenalin filled his veins, but the fight was gone.
“H-hello?”
Shit. I didn’t close the damn door.
Each of those tiny cuts stung as Adam scrambled up the tree. Izy would no doubt see where he’d gone, but better that than face her on the ground. Once was enough.
Hidden amongst the foliage, he sought her out. If she’d noticed his mad scramble it hadn’t registered. Izy stood amidst the devastation, mouth agape.
“Kid, you — ” Hal rushed through the open door and skidded to a stop behind Izy. “What the hell? — Who are you, girlie?”
“I — this — ” she swept her hands wide. “I made a mistake. I didn’t — ”
Hal peered into the tree where Adam hid.
How does he do that?
“Okay, we need to go.”
Izy resisted. “But — ”
“Yeah, I know, but now is not the time. The sun will be up soon and you need to be far away from here.”
Tears filled her eyes. “This is all my fault.”
Hal patted her back and led her from the garden. “Yours and mine both. Come on.”
Adam stayed in the tree until he no longer heard their footsteps. He ignored the pain that radiated over his body as he climbed down and slammed the door closed.
It vanished almost as soon as he did.
Good riddance.
Anger still heated his skin as he stalked back towards the hut. Hal had finally gotten one thing right. This was all their fault. Both of them.
Chapter 4
Sixteen
A figure wandered into Adam’s small hut. He might have recognised her if not for the smoke that filled the room. The woman rushed through the room and filled a bucket with water.
“What’s the matter with you? Help me.” She rushed off before he could respond.
“Rita?”
“Help me. Now!”
Surprised by her command he jumped from the bed. He followed her outside. With her nose and mouth covered, she motioned for him to grab more buckets to douse the fire.
He did as she asked though he couldn’t say why.
With the fire extinguished, Rita rounded on him. “What were you thinking? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
Am I? Adam chose not to think too hard about the answer. “Well hello, Rita, nice to see you too.” A tiny spark of satisfaction flickered in his chest at her wide-eyed and slack-jawed expression. Well, what had she expected? He wandered back into the hut and flopped on the bed. Smoke burned his nose. Funny…he hadn’t noticed it until now.
Rita fanned the air as she entered, and averted her eyes to look anywhere but directly at him. “Want to explain to me what that was all about? And why there’s a week’s worth of food rotting in the basement?”
“What do you care, Rita? This is the first time I’ve laid eyes on you in fourteen years. Fourteen years. Though if I’d known starting a fire was a way to get your attention, I might have started one sooner. Considering I was still a baby when you locked me away, I’m a tad surprised I’ve survived as long as I have.”
She made a show of straightening her dress, but Adam caught the colour that flared on her pale cheeks. “I don’t expect you to understand — ”
“Understand? What’s to understand? You
locked me away so no one would learn your dirty little secret.” He sat as something clicked. “That’s why you were so freaked about the fire. You were worried someone would see it and come poking their nose where it wasn’t wanted.” He laughed as every inch of Rita’s skin glowed red. “Imagine the shame and embarrassment that would rain down upon you…and your sons.”
Her jaw dropped. “How — ”
“How do I know about them? Well, I’ve seen them…duh.”
Rita’s skin turned from red to something less than white in a matter of moments. “I don’t — how?”
Adam smirked. “Perhaps you should ask them that.” He laughed at her obvious discomfort. “Poor old Rita. Did you honestly think locking me in here was enough to keep your secret safe?” Adam stood.
Rita trembled from head to toe but held her ground.
“Shall I let you in on a little secret of my own?” He bent close to her ear and whispered. “I’ve been outside the walls Rita, many… many times.”
Her eyes whipped to his face. Perhaps she needed to see for herself the truth of Adam’s words. “Then why? Why would you come back?”
He winked. “What better place to hide the bodies.”
“B-bodies?”
“Of course. You didn’t think those paltry meals were enough to satisfy my appetite, did you? Wasn’t like I could wander down to the kitchen and help myself to a snack, now could I? But why would I bother with all the tasty morsels just ripe for the taking on the other side of the walls?”
Rita’s breath came in short gasps. “What — what did — ”
Adam cocked his head. “Do you really want to know?”
She pressed her hand against her mouth and shrank away. “You’re a monster.” Rita raced for the basement stairs.
Adam blocked her way. “What did you think would happen when you locked a little boy away, deprived him of love, attention, and the company of others? Most people treat their animals better than you’ve treated me. If I am a monster, then I am one of your own making.” He flung his arms wide and towered over her. “Are you pleased with your creation?”
Rita shrieked.
Adam laughed as she shoved him from the doorway and he landed on the bed. “And send me over a decent meal. I’m starving all of a sudden.” He laughed harder at her frantic efforts to close the basement door. Tears slid from the corner of his eyes. He didn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard.
Adam rose and headed into the basement. The stench of his uneaten meals greeted him. He salvaged what he could for Gus and buried the rest in the garden. Apart from a good laugh, Rita’s visit had dragged him from his funk. He was done living life on other people’s terms. Life would be what he wanted, no one else.
Hands fisted on his hips, he surveyed what remained of the garden. I made one helluva mess. It will take weeks, if not months to fix. Adam rolled his shoulders. “Best get started.”
Chapter 5
Eighteen
The hairs rose on Adam’s neck and he tensed. After last Halloween, he’d had serious doubts he’d see Hal again. At least he’d had the good sense to keep the doorway clear this time. Not like last year.
Adam ducked as the door in the wall burst open and all manner of things flew across the garden. Several in the direction of his head.
“Gonna have to do better than that if you wanna keep me out, kid.”
“No shit. I was hoping you’d take the hint, but clearly, I was wrong.” In the past year, Adam had thought he’d put Izy’s rejection behind him, but given the sting, in his chest, he hadn’t succeeded. “What do you want, Hal? I’m busy.”
Hal glanced around the garden. “Yeah, I can see that. Looks better than the last time I saw it.”
The sting in his chest grew. Thanks for the reminder.
“So, last year — ”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Look, kid — ”
“What part of that last sentence wasn’t clear to you?”
“So she freaked out for a second — big deal. Face it, kid — it was going to happen no matter what. Don’t you think I was taken aback the first time? The point is, you didn’t even give her a chance to get used to the idea.”
Nothing Hal said was new to Adam. It doesn’t matter. We’re from two different worlds, it would never have worked. Or at least that’s the lie he told himself. Truth was…he’d never forget the way she —
He turned on Hal. “Get used to the idea? Those first few days I was terrified. I’d convinced myself angry mobs would show up at any second, smash through the walls, and burn this place to the ground. Whatever kind of favour you thought you were doing for me, it failed. So, you can take your bullshit ideas of tolerance in a better world and shove them where the sun don’t shine.” Adam hurled his shovel at the ground, stalked inside his house, and slammed the door.
Given that Hal didn’t barge through his door, or show up unannounced before dawn the next morning, Adam assumed Hal had taken his words to heart.
Izy too.
She’d tried to make contact with him. At first, she’d sent letter after letter over the wall. He’d returned them unopened and ripped to shreds. Next, she climbed the tree and sat there for hours, but he’d managed to out wait her every time.
Eventually, he figured a way over the wall. In the dead of night, he clambered over and cut all the lower limbs from the tree Izy had used. So, she resorted to letters once more. They arrived less frequently than before, but again, he returned them unopened and torn.
After a while, they stopped.
The sense of disappointment from their absence was unexpected. Okay, sure, he’d tossed them back unopened, but still.
He’d assumed he’d seen the last of both of them.
“No barricade this year?
He ignored Hal as he strolled further into the garden.
“Still giving me the silent treatment, hey kid?”
Gee, what gave you that idea?
Hal rested his hip against Adam’s workbench. “You know, sooner or later, you’re going to have to forgive us, not that either of us did anything wrong.”
He snorted.
“Well, I guess that’s something.”
Adam worked in silence. If he held out, like with Izy, maybe Hal would get the message, once and for all.
Is that what you really want? He stabbed his knife into a pumpkin. What difference does it make? Hal doesn’t get it. He can come and go as he pleases. No one looks at him and runs screaming in terror.
“Fine.” Hal threw up his hands. “Have it your way. Don’t say I didn’t try.” He pushed off the bench and left.
The knife clattered from Adam’s hand. He left. Hal actually left. Hands braced on the bench, the same sense of sadness filled him as it had when Izy’s letters stopped. It didn’t make sense. He had what he wanted, but instead of relieved, he felt completely alone and it sucked. Be careful what you wish for moron.
Voices interrupted Adam’s pity party.
“No.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I’m not a child you can boss around.”
“Well, you’re acting like one so…”
He’s still here. Adam stole towards the door as he slid on his glasses and bandanna to cover his face. With each step, he tried to place the second voice. Izy?
“Whatever. I’m not — ”
Two faces whipped in his direction as he appeared in the doorway. A girl, at least he thought it was a girl, dressed in a dark grey robe, with the hood lifted, stood opposite Hal. But it wasn’t the sight of a new face that held him transfixed, rather the mask that covered close to half.
“Anyone ever tell you it’s rude to stare?”
Adam jerked. Normally the one to keep his eyes averted, he’d never been accused of staring before. Her g
olden eyes bored into him. Behind his sunglasses, he blinked several times, convinced she could see right through them.
She stared straight at him.
Right at him.
She is looking right…at…me.
“Adam meet Elle. She’s here ‘cos I promised a friend to take the brat trick or treating. A promise I’m already regretting. Elle meet Adam. He’s as stubborn and pissed at the world as you are. Sounds like the makings of a beautiful friendship don’t you think? See you kids at sunrise.”
Instinct made Adam reach for the girl as Hal shoved her towards him and closed the door. Neither of them moved. The sensation of Elle in his arms was … odd. He’d never hugged someone before.
“Do you mind?” Her golden eyes stared at him once more.
His arms flew open and he backed away.
Elle stalked to the wall and slammed her palms in the place the door had stood. “Hal, you son-of-a-bitch, open the door.”
Hal’s voiced sailed over the wall. “No can do, my pet. The door won’t open again till sunrise. If you kids are good, I’ll bring you back some Halloween treats. Toodles.”
“Hal — Hal — this isn’t funny. Hal!”
“He’s gone.”
“No shit, Sherlock.” She pressed her head to the wall. “Arsehole.”
Adam retreated to his workbench. He should be freaked out about Elle’s presence yet he wasn’t. You’re probably in shock. You’ll start freaking out the second it wears off. He grabbed his knife and went back to work. Besides, this was his home. She was the intruder. He’d pretend she wasn’t there.
“What are you doing?”
He tensed. Of course, that only works if the other person cooperates.
“Is that a pumpkin? What are you — oh, is that — ”
“A wolf. I’m carving a wolf.”
“You’ve carved a dozen of those things, and what’s with all the creepy decorations?”
“What difference does that make?” He set the knife on the bench. “Look, who are you? And what are you even doing here?”
Elle flinched. “Geez. Hal said you were a bit of a beast, but he never said what an arsehole you are.” She huffed and sat in the dirt by the wall.
Tricks or Treats: An Anthology for Charity Page 20
