by Willow Rose
He sighed, annoyed. "That was a wolf, Kimmie. Do you really think a wolf is going to walk up to our car and knock on the window? I swear, sometimes you're just so…"
He continued to roll down the window, and Kimmie put on her shirt.
"Yes?" he asked. "Can we help you with anything?"
The sound of low growling made Kimmie lift her head and look just as a hand with very long nails reached in through the window and ripped Jack's chest open. Kimmie let out a scream when the woman poked her head inside the car, her blazing red eyes staring at Kimmie, then lifted her hand with the bloody claw-like nails once again and swung it at her. Kimmie felt the claws as they pierced through her flesh and then she never felt anything again.
Chapter Twenty
20.
It was a nightmare. An absolute nightmare. Jazmine sat on the collar of her mother's shirt while she ripped those two kids open, and there was nothing Jazmine could do about it.
Nothing.
She cried and screamed for her to stop, completely paralyzed in shock as her mother continued the massacre, blood spurting everywhere, drops of it hitting Jazmine. But her screaming did nothing to help. Her mother killed those two kids right there in the car, in cold blood, without as much as being sad about it. On the contrary—and that was the worst part of it all—it seemed like she enjoyed it. Like she truly enjoyed killing those two kids that Jazmine knew from her school.
My mom?
Her own mother? A killer? The same woman who wouldn't hurt a roach even if it had sneaked into her bedroom and hidden in her bed sheets. The same woman who had cared for Jazmine while growing up, who had placed Band-Aids on her knees and kissed her boo-boos away?
How was that possible?
Jazmine tried to keep her eyes closed, to see as little of what was going on as possible. As her mother ran out of energy and finally stopped the slaughter and pulled her head out of the car, panting and wheezing, Jazmine lifted off from her collar and flew away from her, rushing to get away as quickly as possible.
She could hardly fly straight, as she was crying so hard, so she sat on a leaf on a nearby tree and cried while watching her mother snort, satisfied, almost rejoicing over her kill. She walked around the car, where she found a container of gasoline in the back. She poured its contents over the car, then ignited the gas with just her eyes. Flames soon engulfed the entire car, covering up her atrocities.
Jazmine couldn't stop crying.
As the car burned, her mother giggled loudly, then grabbed her broom and took off, soaring into the air. Jazmine sat on the leaf for a very long time, unable to move, fear and anxiety paralyzing her when she felt the change approaching, and she slowly turned human again. She fell to the ground with a loud thud and scraped her arm on a small rock peeking out of the soil. She felt the blood on her finger as she touched it, but she didn't care.
Jazmine stared at the burning car, panting in fear. She heard sirens wailing in the distance and decided she had to get out of there before the place was crawling with police and firefighters. She thought for a second about staying and telling them what she had seen, but how could she? They wouldn't believe any of it.
Shoulders slumped, sobbing and bawling her eyes out, Jazmine walked back toward town while cars rushed past her.
Once again, just a few months since the last time, her world had completely crashed. She was alone now. Completely on her own. Who could she trust if not her own mother?
Who?
Chapter Twenty-One
"What's going on?"
I came down the stairs the next morning feeling pretty excited about spending the entire day with my grandmother at the circus, filming her day. They were all standing like they were paralyzed inside the kitchen, staring at the TV on the wall. My parents, my brother, my grandmother, even the triplets were there. Renata, our dog, was watching them from her bed, wagging her tail when she saw me. I was the only one in the house she dared to hang out with these days. I had a feeling she didn't like the coldness the rest of my family came with.
"Shh," my mom said. "We're trying to hear this."
"The police are having some sort of press conference?" I asked, ignoring my mom. "Is that Ben standing next to them? Jayden's dad?" I gasped. "And is that…is that…Mom, why is Mr. Aran standing next to the chief of police?"
"That's what we're trying to find out," my mom said, shushing me again. "Do try and pay attention."
My grandmother was the one to turn and explain things to me. "They found two bodies. Halfway up in the mountains at that make-out spot."
"Make-out Mountain?" I asked. I had never been there myself, but everyone knew about it.
"Yes, that one," Grandma said. "They called it that too when I went to school, ha-ha. Many years ago."
"W-what happened?"
"Two kids were found inside of a burning car," Grandma said.
"A burning car…but…"
"That's not all," she continued. "Once they managed to take control of the fire and had the bodies pulled out, they could tell they had been ripped open first. By something big."
I swallowed while images of the wolf attacking me in the cul-de-sac rushed before my eyes.
"A…a wolf?"
"They don't know, they say."
"Shh," my mother said again just as Mr. Aran took the podium as the chief of police introduced him as a special investigative agent.
"We think we might be dealing with a creature unlike anything you huma…I mean anything we have ever seen before. A vicious beast terrorizing innocent citizens. Just the other day, I had the chance to stand face to face with this beast myself as it crashed in through the window of my house and tried to kill me."
The crowd of journalists gasped.
"We believe it might look something like this," he said and showed a drawing.
That's Amy! That drawing looks exactly like Amy's dragon!
Another gasp went through the crowd. A reporter asked a question.
"What kind of creature are we talking about? Is it a bigfoot?"
"We don't know what to call it just yet," the chief of police took over. "It might be a yeti, a bigfoot, or even a dinosaur-type of creature. I personally think it is a big crocodile or a giant wolf, but…" The chief of police looked tired. "Yes…well…if anyone sees this…creature—whatever it is—don't try and capture it yourself. Please call for help, and we'll come to apprehend it."
Mr. Aran came up to the microphone again, pushing the chief of police aside.
"There is a reward to anyone who brings information that will lead to this creature's whereabouts. A reward of ten thousand dollars."
Chapter Twenty-Two
"So, what can I get you two?"
It was his second day on the job, and finally, Amy and Jazmine had come down to eat and hang out. He had been looking forward to having them visit him, to make the day seem less long, but had to admit they both seemed pretty depressed and it was bumming him out.
"I'll have a burger," Amy said with a sigh. "Cheese and bacon. No healthy stuff. And a strawberry milkshake. No, make that chocolate. I’m in the mood for chocolate. I'll start my diet tomorrow. I need to live a little first."
He wrote it down, then looked at Jazmine, who was staring out the window.
"Jazzy?"
She turned and looked at him. Her eyes were red. She had been crying and seemed out of it. It was like she was back to being depressed like she had been right after her dad died.
"What?"
Jayden smiled. "What can I get you?"
It seemed almost like she was in pain. Jayden didn't like the look in her eyes.
"To eat, Jazmine," Amy said slightly aggressively.
"Amy," Jayden said.
He sat down in the booth next to Jazmine. They were the only costumers in the diner right now, so he had time to talk.
"Don't be so harsh; something is obviously wrong. What's going on, Jazmine? What happened?"
Jazmine lifted her head, a tear escaping the co
rner of her eye.
"Talk to us, Jazmine," Amy said.
She shook her head, biting her lip.
"Is it Adrian?" Amy asked. "Has he been an idiot again?"
Jayden remembered his brother's threat and secretly hoped it was that. It would be easier to persuade her to date Logan if she wasn't with Adrian. He had to find a way to prevent Logan from telling on them.
Jazmine shook her head. "No…it's not him."
"Is it your father?" Jayden asked. "You miss him?"
Jazmine stared at him with her big purple eyes, then threw her arms around him and cried. He exchanged a look with Amy and shrugged.
"It takes time," Amy said. "To get over such a loss."
Jazmine finished crying, then let go of Jayden. He smiled at her, trying to cheer her up.
Say something about Logan.
"Hey, you know who is good at cheering people up? Or…well, at least good at beating idiots up for you if anyone hurt you?"
She shook her head. "No?"
"Logan," he said.
"Logan…as in Logan, your brother?" Amy said, lifting one eyebrow.
Jayden nodded.
"Why are you talking about your idiot brother when trying to comfort her?" Amy asked.
Jayden exhaled. "No reason. I'll make you a burger," he said. "I know how you like it."
She nodded. "Thanks."
"Can I get one of those beautiful smiles? Look there…a stray dog that followed you here. It's sitting by the door waiting for you to come out."
"There's an opossum next to it," Amy said as she looked out as well. "Yuck, ugly creatures. There's a reason they usually stay out of the daylight. Shoo," she said at the window, but the animal didn't move.
It made Jazmine chuckle.
"There's my smile," Jayden said and got up. "I'll go make you that burger."
Chapter Twenty-Three
She used a ladder to get to the top of the shed in her backyard. Amy crawled all the way up and then sat there, looking around her to make sure no one could see her. All the neighboring yards were empty; it was in the middle of the day, and people were at work.
Bending forward and holding onto the middle of the metal roof, Amy pushed her behind up and stretched her legs, then stood up straight, balancing carefully. In the yard below her, Billie Jean was barking at her while the puppies were running around, acting crazy, tumbling in the tall grass.
"It's okay, Billie Jean," she said to the dog, who looked up at her, concerned. "I'm gonna be fine. I can fly, remember?"
The dog tilted its head like it wanted to ask her Are you sure about that?
She wasn't. She wasn't sure she could fly at all because she hadn't done it so far and, frankly, she doubted she was able to. It sounded so strange that she—little chubby Amy—should be able to do something as spectacular as to fly, to soar above the rooftops. It simply seemed impossible. She couldn't help feeling like the universe somehow had to have her mixed up with someone else, someone prettier, someone smaller, someone lighter and more…well more suitable for such a gift. It didn't seem like something Amy would be good at. She was good at other things, like cooking and well…eating. She was really good at that part. She had many other good qualities. She was kind, and a good friend, and she was known to take care of everyone and always have a free shoulder for someone to cry on, but flying?
It just didn't seem like something she would do.
Still, she had decided to learn. If her mother believed she could, then she was going to give it all she had. All she needed was a little more practice was what her mother had told her repeatedly. So, that was what she wanted to do now. Practice.
Amy looked down at the ground beneath her and felt a tickle behind her knees. She never liked being in high places since heights frightened her. The thought of falling from the top of the shed made her anxious.
"You better move away, Billie Jean," she said. "I don't want to crush you."
The dog answered with a worried whimper.
Amy closed her eyes and gathered courage. She took in a deep breath and looked down one more time, then forced herself to look up at the sky and the clouds instead.
"Focus on where you're going, Amy," she mumbled with an exhale, then walked to the edge. She willed her dragon out and felt the wings pop out and braced herself for what she was about to do. She took in another deep breath, focused her mind on the very act of flying, imagined herself soaring above the entire neighborhood. Then, as she was about to let go of the edge and let herself drop, she heard a voice cut through the air.
"Don't jump!"
Startled, Amy turned back into her human shape and then fell, headfirst. She tumbled onto the grass.
"Oh, no!" She heard the voice say and, as she opened her eyes and looked up, she spotted Kipp standing bent over her.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded, then sat up. "I'm fine. The grass is pretty soft."
"Phew," he said. "You had me scared there for a second."
He looked into her eyes and Amy suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. Had he seen her? Had he seen the dragon? He had to have, didn't he?
"Why would you yell at me like that?" Amy asked.
"What do you mean? I thought you were about to kill yourself."
"You made me slip and fall, you…you…" she got up on her feet and wiped grass and dirt off her clothes.
He chuckled.
"What? What's so funny?"
He pointed at her nose. "Smoke."
Amy held her mouth and nose, startled. It had been so long since it had happened last that she had totally forgotten to be careful. What was it about this guy that made her so angry all the time?
"Are you all right?" he asked with a smirk. "It was a pretty bad fall. You need me to get you some ice for your head?"
"I don't need your help," she snorted, then turned around and stormed inside, blushing. Of all the people in the world, Kipp was the last one she wanted to see her dragon.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Why are we stopping here?"
I looked out the window of the limo and saw the sign for Sophie's Diner.
"They have coffee, don't they?" Duncan asked.
He had come to my desk when I was about to leave the TV station. He had asked if he could invite me out for a cup of coffee. I had said yes, thinking I could do with a proper cup after drinking the bad stuff they had in the newsroom. All day, I had been out with Jimmy and a cameraman, making recordings of my grandmother while she showed us around at the circus. It had been really great. Grandma had been dressed in her clown outfit and was unrecognizable behind all the make-up. No one could tell she looked like she was eighteen without the mask. I wondered if that was part of why she had chosen this job. This way, she could be out among humans without anyone wondering why she didn't grow older. We had gotten a lot of great stuff for the report, and I was very happy. Olivia had pushed the deadline another day since they knew they would be filling the newscasts with stories about the double murder and the strange beast lurking in the area for the coming days. It suited me just fine. I didn't want us to rush it. I wanted it to be perfect.
"Sure. But I hardly think it is any good. Maybe we should find someplace better," I said as he held the door to the limo open for me.
"Nonsense. This is just fine. There are no other places around here. Come," Duncan said.
We walked up to the door, and I just hoped that Jayden had gone home for the day, but of course—as I realized when Duncan held the door for me again—he was still there.
"Robyn?" he said, then spotted Duncan and let out a growl.
"Ah…I see," Duncan said when he saw him. "That's why you wanted to go somewhere else. I should have known."
"We can go somewhere else," I said addressed to them both.
"No, no, by all means," Jayden said and pointed at a booth. "Sit down."
I looked at Duncan, who shrugged. "Fine with me. As long as the coffee is good."
Duncan put a hand on my back, a
nd we walked past Jayden and sat down. I felt terrible and kept glancing at Jayden.
"So, tell me everything. How was your day?" Duncan asked.
"It was good. Yeah, it was…fine…" I shook my head and took my eyes off Jayden. "No, that's not true. It was great. It was amazing. I had so much fun. I know now that this is what I want to be. I’ve always known, but you know…now I feel certain I want to be a reporter. Seeing Jimmy in action was so inspiring."
"That's wonderful. I’m sure it's going to be a great piece. I’m looking forward to seeing it."
Jayden was observing our every move, and it made me feel very uncomfortable. I kept telling myself he was also dating Ruelle and that he had no right to be jealous, but I couldn't stand being the one making him feel this way. I knew exactly what it felt like since I felt the same when he took her out. It was the worst feeling in the world. It could eat you alive, tear you up, and consume you.
Jayden brought us both coffees without saying a word. Duncan leaned across the table.
"Is this making you uncomfortable?"
"I'm okay."
"Good," he said and leaned back. He stared at me, his eyes piercing me like he was undressing me with them. That made me feel slightly uncomfortable. He was acting strangely, I thought. It was like Jayden's presence made him act like a jerk.
"He shouldn't, you know," he said and sipped his cup.
"He shouldn't what?" I asked and poured milk into my coffee.
"Make you feel bad like this."
"It's fine. He knows we're just friends."
Duncan scoffed. "Friends? Ha! Is that what we are? Do you always kiss your friends?"
I stared at him. I couldn't believe him right now. He said that only because he knew Jayden would hear it. I felt the blood leave my face and turned to look at Jayden. He was standing close enough to be able to hear everything. I could tell that he had. His eyes were glaring at me, looking so angry I could almost feel it all the way to where I was sitting. He stood still for a few seconds, clenching his fists, then turned around and disappeared into the back.