“Why is it dangerous?” Even as she asked the question, the threats in the notes from Jonas ran on repeat through Laney’s mind. She touched the spot on her head that had smacked the concrete from her fall in the subway station.
“Don’t you know by now?” Natalie sat down on the couch next to Mark. “It should be clear. I’ve known for five years and I must be a couple of years younger than you.”
“No, I don’t know.” Everyone seemed to be in on her secret except for her.
“A Weaver has the ability to make her creations come to life, not just on the page, but in this world. Picture your worst nightmares stalking you at night, or your hero coming to rescue you.”
“But they’re not real.” Laney gripped her knees. Admitting the truth out loud forced her past her breaking point. “I do spend too much time in their world, but that’s only my writing. My imagination. Not . . .”
“Laney, they’re real. All too real.” David lifted his leg. “I write poems about life. A drug addict from one of my poems did this to me when he was looking for his next hit and a heavy dose of revenge.”
“Revenge for what?”
David shrugged. “Creating him. Making him a monster. Who knows? He blames me.” David peered out the door into the bigger room. “The three of us need to hide from our Enders.”
“Enders?” The word sounded ominous and final, the way a lion’s roar must sound to an antelope a pounce away.
“They come to our world to change our stories.” Natalie stood, moving to the center of the room. “The bad guy knows he isn’t going to win. His only chance is to get the author to end the story to his liking.”
“Then why don’t you stop writing?”
“An unfinished story is a dangerous thing.” Mark peered at her through his glasses. “It’s going to end one way or another, so wouldn’t you rather be in control?”
“Maybe you could write about cheerful things?” There had to be an alternative to their present reality.
“Good stories have problems. That’s writing 101.” Mark shook his head at her. “Do you think people will continue to buy my books if the ax murderer starts handing out roses at nursing homes?”
Laney ignored his question, but understood why she needed to continue writing her book. “What about your heroes? Do they come to our world?” The silence amplified around Laney.
David put his arm around Natalie and she laid her head on his shoulder, a single tear running down her cheek.
Mark cleared his throat. “In our world, heroes are called Watchers. A Watcher comes after an Ender to protect his author. David and I don’t have Watchers. Like he said, David writes about the harsh realities of life. I write horror stories. My monsters are my heroes. They bring life to my writing. They also chase me in this world, hunting me.”
Laney shivered. Her lion scenario wasn’t so off base for an Ender. Sitting down on the edge of the chair, she looked Mark and David in the eyes, searching for the punch line. When she didn’t find it, she took in a deep breath. “I think I saw a character from my book in Boston.”
David’s eyes grew wider, so Laney continued. “His name is Jonas. Back in August, a stranger attacked me in the subway station and sent me to the hospital. He left a note in my bag telling me to be afraid.”
“Sounds like your Ender is here.” Mark stood up to pace again. “You’ll have to stay with us.”
“But what about her Watcher?” Natalie lifted her head from David’s shoulder. “Maybe he or she is out there with the monster . . . vulnerable.”
David leaned over and whispered into her ear. Natalie responded with a nod.
“Shep, Natalie’s hero, didn’t make it in this world.” Pain crossed David’s face as he held onto Natalie.
“Was it your monster?” Laney didn’t like talking about this. It was like she was playing a game of telephone with too much to be lost in the wires.
Natalie leaned back against the couch. “I write children’s books. I began writing a series about a talking dog and his family. Shep guarded the farm he worked on, becoming the best friend of the farmer’s daughter, Tallie.” She stood up and moved the curtain aside from a window in the back of the room. “They’re still out there, looking for me. That’s why we live here, in isolation.”
“Who’s out there?” What type of evil creature could come from a children’s book?
“The wolf pack. I created a hungry wolf pack that lived in the deep, dark forest near the family farm. They came to this world with Shep. He protected me, and for a while we were on the run. In the end, they found us. He died protecting me.”
Natalie closed the curtain and moved back to the couch. “Have you seen your Watcher?” Her eyes flashed with concern, clearly disturbed by what happened to Shep.
“I’m not sure.” Laney chewed on her bottom lip. In her heart she knew Jonas wasn’t the only one, but she wasn’t ready to say it out loud. “The only character I’ve seen from my book is Jonas.”
David leaned over and whispered again to Natalie. She walked over to a small, rundown bookshelf in the corner of the room. Thirty to forty books lined the shelves, mostly paperback. Picking up one of the books on the bottom shelf, she came back over and sat next to Laney, placing it on her lap.
The cover showed a man and a woman, half-naked, engaged in a torrid embrace — the type of cover that made Laney gag when she browsed in a bookstore.
She handed the book back to Natalie. “It’s a romance novel.”
“Recognize the author?” Natalie slid her finger across the fancy pink letters adorning the top of the book cover.
“Rose Stevens.” Richard’s conversation and the news broadcast came back to her. “Yeah, I’ve heard of her.”
“She had books on the bestsellers list and was probably the most famous romance novelist of our time.” Natalie stood up and put the book on the coffee table. “The whole bottom shelf is dedicated to her. Every single book she wrote is here.”
“Somebody told me that she has a pendant like mine.” Laney finally connected the dots. Her eyes widened. “She’s a Weaver, too.”
“She was.” Mark picked up Rose’s book. “Now the only thing this is good for is a bonfire in the back alley.”
“You’re such an idiot, Mark.” Natalie grabbed a handful of books from the top shelf and threw them on the coffee table in front of Laney before plopping back down. She picked up the first book — Licking Chops. The cover showed the mouth of a lion, blood dripping from its large front teeth. Mark’s name was typed across the top of the cover in larger letters than the title. Putting it aside, she picked up a second book, a large picture book with beautiful watercolors. The title On the Ranch with Shep was highlighted across the illustrations.
“I didn’t know you were both published.” Laney looked first at Natalie and then at Mark.
“I’m self-published.” Natalie frowned. “Too many rejections. Mark is as well-known in the horror world as Rose was in romance.”
“You were close to Rose Stevens?” Laney picked up Torched by Tuesday.
“She was a founding member of the Golden Recluse. She helped Mark find us when we were still in middle school. She knew about you, until . . . ”
“What happened?”
Rose had disappeared in August, and according to Missy, the police followed several false leads, but never found her.
“We think her Ender caught up with her. When Torched by Tuesday came out, Damien Shoemaker got what he wanted. Rose’s first book where the bad guy wins. He kills his twin brother and marries the girl, living happily ever after. We think he killed Rose after the book was finished.”
Laney took it that Mark was a guy who had no trouble talking about the gory details. “I’m so sorry.” She directed her attention to Natalie.
“It just reminds us to be vigilant, you know, always looking over our shoulders. We need to be there for each other.” David lifted his leg onto the coffee table.
“But what about your families? Do
n’t they wonder where you are?” Natalie and David were only teenagers. Laney pictured her father searching every corner of the state three times over trying to find her if she ever went missing.
“We’re considered runaways. Living the life of a recluse keeps our families safe. I don’t know what I’d do if someone I cared about was hurt by a monster I created.”
Natalie’s words cut deep. Jonas had threatened to hurt Laney’s friends. Maybe she was putting them in more danger by staying at school.
A loud crash interrupted her thoughts.
Chapter 13
“What the hell was that?” Mark bolted to a cabinet near the bookshelf in the back of the room. He reached for a rifle and slapped at the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. Laney’s heart felt like it might jump out of her chest. Was it a mistake to come to the Weaver meeting?
She lifted herself up, but a cold hand stopped her.
“Stay here.” Natalie’s eyes were wide and staring at the back door. She heard the click of another gun, its image just visible in the younger girl’s hand in the moonlight.
“No.” Laney grabbed Natalie’s arm this time.
Natalie never turned her eyes away from the back door. “Don’t worry, I know how to handle myself.” She shook herself free from Laney’s grip.
* * *
David hobbled over and reached for Laney’s hand. In the front room, they peeked through the curtain. The teenagers across the street were gone, leaving a lone streetlight shining on a black motorcycle.
The crash of glass in the back of the building forced David to move faster than the cast should have allowed, but a loud roar stopped him in his tracks. Laney now stood right behind David, gripping his arm. He didn’t make a sound, but a large vein in his neck pulsated.
A large beast — half man, half lion — had Mark cornered in the back room. The man part was as big as a professional wrestler. A golden mane circled his face, long enough to cover his upper back and chest. His face had a feline quality with its snout and catlike eyes. Claws extended out where his hands should have been. Even with his gun at his side, Mark’s eyes were large circles behind his glasses and his mouth hung open.
When Laney dared to scan the room, she couldn’t find Natalie.
The lion man’s claws lifted, ready to take Mark out with one swipe. “I’ll teach you to fear me!” The thing growled in a voice that sounded like thunder directly over the building. He moved closer to Mark.
Laney thought she heard the older man whimper, his hand limp on the rifle. Shoot him . . . shoot him! she thought.
A large rock held the door open between the two rooms. If Laney could get over to the rock without being noticed, perhaps she could distract the beast long enough for Mark to snap out of his trance. David gave her a nervous glance as she inched toward the door. Lifting the rock, she raced toward the lion just as he turned in her direction. She threw the rock and hit him on the foot. This only pissed him off and he came after her.
“Get out of here.” Laney pushed David, placing herself between the boy and the beast. She knew that if she ran, the lion would pounce, so she stood there and prayed he’d show mercy.
Just then, she heard a loud bang. The creature made one last effort in her direction before collapsing to the floor in a heap at her feet.
In the doorway, William stood holding a gun. He crossed the room in three large strides, hesitating for a moment, before pulling Laney into an embrace. Her heart still beat erratically, leaving her unsure if it was still fear, or the strong arms around her that caused the abnormal pulse.
“Well, I guess I was wrong about the Bible study.” He smoothed her hair with his hand as she kept her head against his chest. “What was that thing?”
Natalie came in through the back door and helped Mark to the couch.
“I’m not sure you’d believe me even if I tried to explain.” Laney’s body shook, and William drew her even closer to him.
David closed and locked the back door, the glass windows lying in shattered pieces across the floor.
“I’m going to check the other rooms.” Natalie grabbed the gun out of Mark’s hand.
Laney hoped the lion man worked solo and that nothing else was out there at the moment. Natalie checked the front room, then came back to sit with Mark. He stared straight ahead, still refusing to move.
“Does he know about us?” David shot a quick nod in William’s direction. He filled a glass with water and brought it over to Mark.
“No.” Laney was sure that David heard the annoyance in her reply. She didn’t like talking about someone when they were in the room.
“I can leave.” William let go of Laney and placed the gun on the table.
“Hey, man, no offense. I mean you just saved our asses. It’s just that this is kind of a closed meeting. Invitation only.” David got Mark to sit up and take a sip of water.
“I get it. I’m leaving.” It was the first time Laney had seen William start to lose his temper.
“I’d better get back to school, too. I have an eight o’clock class. Can you wait outside?” Laney hoped she wouldn’t continue to push William’s patience.
“Sure.” He touched her arm. “I’ll be by the bike.”
David paced the room, shooting glances at the front window. Natalie picked the gun up off the table. William was the least of their worries.
“Just so you know, we can trust him.” Laney felt comforted being part of their group but felt she still needed to prove herself, like an outsider.
“If he lets others know about us, we’ll become a circus act.” David took Mark’s empty glass. “I’m sorry, but that isn’t how I want to live my life.”
“He won’t tell anyone.”
Natalie nestled into the couch, appearing her age more than ever. “When I went into the back alley, I caught a glimpse of the beast. A few seconds later, when he burst through the glass in the door, I froze like Mark. I couldn’t go in after it. Delaney’s friend came around the corner and took the gun from my hands. The determination in his eyes . . . well, I’ve never seen anything like it.” Natalie looked at David. “I agree with Delaney, he can be trusted.”
Their willingness to trust her word amazed Laney. “He goes to school with me. His name is William.”
“Well, I guess you’d better explain to him what happened here tonight.” It was the first time Mark had spoken since the incident.
“I’m sure he won’t push for answers.” Laney directed her focus to Mark. “But he did save our lives, and I owe him some kind of explanation.”
“Will we see you at another meeting?” Natalie handed her a slip of paper with a few dates scrawled on it.
“I’ll let you know.” Laney shoved the paper in her pocket. “I have your number.” She wasn’t sure when, but she knew she’d be back. The Recluse held real answers. They knew what she was going through unlike her friends at school.
“Tell William we’re cool, and thanks.” David helped Mark up, the older man’s hands still visibly shaking. It was easier now to respect their life in hiding, keeping their grim reality away from the ones they loved.
“Keep in touch.” Mark stared at the heap of fur on the floor. He pushed up his glasses in a swift movement. “I’m sorry about Rex.”
“We’re in this together. Remember? I’m sure if Jonas showed up you would’ve helped me.”
Laney was reluctant to leave her new friends as she walked out the door. Although they’d just met, they had a connection that a majority of the world couldn’t understand. As she crossed the street, she chewed her lower lip, wondering what to tell the man in front of her. How could she possibly explain the supernatural beast that now lay on the linoleum floor in a pool of its own blood?
William held her helmet in his hand, flipping it over several times. “You didn’t have to leave. I would’ve waited for you.”
“I know, but I thought you deserved some answers.” She took the helmet and put it on her head. “Let’s get out
of here.”
The pavement glistened from the streetlights reflecting in the puddles. Laney held on to William’s waist even tighter than before. He passed the college and continued toward the ocean, stopping when they reached Manchester-by-the-Sea. From the parking lot, the vast darkness in front of her stretched out for miles to the east. She took a moment and inhaled the salty air, feeling the stinging mist against her cheeks.
They trudged through the sand in silence — the dampness from the earlier rain and the current mist chilled Laney, making her thankful she’d worn her winter coat. Her teeth chattered, so she pulled her ice-cold hands further into the depths of her sleeves. It was too late to hope that William didn’t notice — he put his arm around her waist and drew her close.
“I know it’s cold.” His face was barely visible in the sliver of light provided by the moon. “But I really want you to see something.”
When they neared the water he ran ahead, like a child at a playground, and took in the tiny waves hitting the shore. Laney came up next to him and leaned against his warm body, his heat radiating through her. William reached down, searching for her hand, which he entwined with his own.
“Do you see them?” He pointed at the water, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.
Laney strained her eyes. Floating among the waves were tiny purple lights. Their iridescent nature reminded her of the Creatures of the Deep exhibit at the aquarium, where a dark tank held fish and other animals that glowed in the pit of the ocean, where few humans traveled.
“Are they fish?” Laney couldn’t take her eyes off the tiny creatures.
“See for yourself.” William released her fingers.
She bent down and lowered her hand into the icy water. Although her fingers ached, she lowered them until she scooped one of the glowing, purple creatures into her hand. She poked at it, but it remained still and lifeless in her palm.
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