Monster

by Yolanda Olson

  “Deep breaths, Finnegan,” Kaeden said coming over to me.

  “I’m ... okay. Just startled,” I said pushing away from Ryker.

  The voice that had spoken before was laughing now.

  I whipped around and saw someone I hadn’t seen in so long.

  Someone I loved so dearly.

  Someone who wasn’t himself.

  Not anymore.

  Not with those evil eyes and fair skin.

  He took a step toward me and I took two steps back.

  “I haven’t seen you since your wake, and this how you act with me?”

  I could tell he was clearly offended and hurt.

  I just didn’t know what to say. I never talked about him with anyone.

  “I’m sorry,” I stammered.

  “Can I at least have a hug? I’m not going to hurt you. You should know better than that.”

  “But ... what are you?” I blurted out.

  “Half you, half him,” he said pointing at Kaeden.

  “What? How? Who? WHY?”

  I knew I was asking too many questions but I was so confused right now that I didn’t know what to expect anymore.

  “What: Half you, half him. How: One of you bit me, and then one of him bit me again. Who: Some guy named Brian. That’s what Ava calls him anyway. Why: To kill you.”

  I laughed. Hard. Even though he was now some kind of evil creature he hadn’t lost his sarcastic sense of humor.

  I walked over to him and wrapped my arms tightly around him. Laughing, he returned the hug and the two of us just stood there trying to crush each other like we used to do when we were kids.

  “Okay, stop,” I said pulling away. “We’re a lot stronger now. Don’t want to break anything we don’t have to.”

  “Yeah that’s true,” he said with a smile.

  I walked over to the old wooden ladder and sat down.

  “So you went to my wake?”

  “And your funeral too. Mom and Dad were so angry that I was there. Kennie too,” he said thoughtfully. “They weren’t going to keep me away though. They weren’t the only ones that were hurt that we couldn’t find you.”

  “I’m sorry, did you say ‘Mom and Dad’?” Charlie asked incredulously.

  “Hm? Oh yeah. Sorry about that guys. This is Quinn. He’s my brother. I’m assuming that Ryker and Remy already knew that though.”

  Ryker shook his head, “Only a feeling I had. I spoke to Remy about it and she insisted we not say anything until we were sure. I guess we’re sure now,” he said glancing at her.

  “You know now that I see you two standing side by side, the resemblance is pretty blatant,” Drake said.

  I watched as he walked past all the other monsters that were eyeing Quinn wearily and hold out his hand to him.

  “Welcome to the fight, my name’s Drake.”

  Smiling, Quinn took his hand and shook it firmly.

  “So is this everyone? Because I know she was going on and on about some angel guy,” Quinn said looking back at me.

  “No it’s not everyone. And I’m pretty sure he’s not coming.”

  “Who is he?” Quinn asked curiously.

  “Um. He’s ah ... my friend?”

  “No I don’t think so. The way Ava ranted about him, I’m pretty sure he’s your boyfriend. It’s okay Finn, you’re old enough to have one now.”

  I smiled at him and he grinned. Resting an arm above my head, he placed a foot next to me and looked at everyone.

  “Do you trust him Finnegan?” Kaeden asked staring hard at Quinn.

  “Yes. He’s my brother. I trust him more than I trust Kendall. And she’s human.”

  Kaeden nodded and I watched his body relax. Then he introduced himself and the rest of everyone in our little group. He also told Quinn what each of them were and what they could do.

  “I’m impressed,” Quinn said looking down at me. “You guys are in for the fight of your lives just so you know. She had me train her “children” so I had to do my best. If I knew from the start it was against you, Finnie, I would’ve completely confused them from the start. On the plus side I did get to mess up her battle plan.

  But we’ll talk about that later. I’m just glad to see you’re still safe.”

  He ruffled my hair.

  I pushed myself off of the ladder and grinned at him.

  “Into the water big brother,” I said heading into the rocky creek next to us.

  “We going for a swim?” he asked laughing.

  “No. I just want to see something,” I responded with a mischievous grin.

  Shrugging off his leather jacket, he tossed it to the ground and stepped into the creek with me. I took a deep breath and knocked him backwards into the freezing water. As quickly as I could, I turned him on his stomach and made myself as heavy as a stone. I held his face underwater until he stopped struggling.

  I got off of him.

  “Help me get him out,” I shouted.

  Drake ran over and grabbed Quinn by his shoulders and hauled him out of the water.

  His eyes were closed and his body was limp.

  Oh God, I didn’t mean to kill him. I just wanted to see.

  I started to shake him violently by the shoulders screaming at him to wake up.

  His head was flopping back and forth with each shake.

  “Let him go, Finn,” Kaeden said quietly.

  “No! Quinn!”

  “What?”

  I looked down at him. He had a big smile on his face and started to shake me as violently as I shook him.

  “Finn! FINN!” he mimicked.

  “Oh ha ha, very funny,” I said angrily.

  Kaeden pulled me up by my arm and Drake helped Quinn off of the dirt ridden shore.

  “I don’t need to breathe like you do, cave girl,” he said laughing.

  “I was just curious, you didn’t need to scare me like that!”

  “Sorry, I thought it was funny. I get more of the perks of the last bite I guess. I have very little drawbacks. I mean I haven’t tried going out in the sun yet but I’m pretty sure if she ever let us out of that underground hellhole I’d be fine.”

  “What underground hellhole?” Kaeden asked curiously.

  Quinn shifted uneasily.

  “I want to tell you. I really do, but I don’t think that’s fair to the others. And ... I kind of like everyone else. When they’re not screaming and whining that is.”

  “Think nothing of it,” I said to him.

  Grinning, he put an arm around my shoulder and gave me a quick squeeze.

  “Well now. What’s all this?”

  Before I had a chance to turn around and face the voice, Kaeden had changed into a snarling monster. He had flown past me so quickly that my hair blew in his gale force wind.

  I heard a yelp.

  “What are you doing here with her?” he snarled.

  “Wow he’s fast,” Quinn whispered.

  I craned my neck past him to see who Kaeden had attacked and saw that he had Billie by the neck. And Billie had obviously been standing next to Cody.

  Why are Billie and Cody together?

  I felt something inside me snap. First he didn’t want to come to the final showdown; that would take my chance away to say good-bye to him. Now he shows up with Billie and blows our entire campsite out of the water?

  That did it.

  In a manic, infuriated state I ran straight for him.

  I felt myself finally controlling my rage within me and calling it up because I wanted too, not because I couldn’t control it.

  “Whoa, Dolly!”

  Cody caught me two inches away from him. His grip was like a vice. I knew I was chomping at him like an animal with rabies but if I could get a bite off, he’d be dead or close to it.

  “Hey, get off!”

  Quinn knocked into both of us with a force so strong that I wondered if he’d be able to knock down Kaeden when he turned into a brick wall.

  Somehow, my brother had managed to
get a grip on me and pull me back while Cody hit the floor hard. He shoved me behind him and stood over Cody ready to fight to the death.

  I guess he feels guilty for not being around for most of my life.

  Quinn kept a hand on me. I don’t know how he managed to do it but he did.

  Cody immediately got to his feet, his eyes full of angry demonic power. He circled slowly around Quinn and I taking in the scene.

  “Get the hell away from her,” Quinn growled.

  Wordlessly, Cody walked over to Quinn until he was an inch from his face. Even though I could tell that my brother was uncomfortable, he wasn’t letting it show.

  Slowly and deliberately, Cody tilted his head to the right and stared deep into Quinn’s eyes.

  “What are you? Some kind of freak?” Quinn asked.

  Cody smiled slightly and around him. He reached for my arm to pull me close to him, but Quinn mistook this adoring demonic gesture as an attack. He pulled back and hit Cody with everything that he had.

  The smile never left his lips. Cody didn’t even budge him; he didn’t flinch. Instead, in his slow deliberate way, he turned his attention back to Quinn. I knew whatever he was going to do next wasn’t going to be good.

  I shoved my way in between them.

  “Cody. Cody stop. Come back. Shove the demon aside, Cody,” I said softly.

  He looked down at me, his eyes unfocused.

  “That’s right. It’s me; Dolly. Come back Cody, I need you here.”

  Everybody was watching us with bated breath.

  If I couldn’t bring Cody back from his possession now, I’d never be able to save my brother.

  I snaked an arm back and shoved Quinn out of the way.

  “Cody? Please. For me. For your Finnegan,” I pleaded, running a hand over his face.

  He let his breath out in a cold puff of air and shook his head.

  “Thanks Finn,” he whispered pulling me in for a hug.

  “You’ve got to learn to stop doing that,” I replied with a relieved laugh.

  He shrugged, “It happens. Can’t change nature. Who is this guy by the way?”

  I looked up and saw that he was looking at Quinn. I wanted to walk over to my brother but Cody had such a possessive hold on me, that I was only able to turn my head.

  “That’s Quinn, my brother. Quinn, this is Cody, my angel ... er demon ... um both.”

  Everyone laughed but Quinn and Cody.

  They stood there staring at each other.

  Suddenly Cody snapped his fingers, “You’re the one that was always by her crib when she was a baby, aren’t you?”

  Quinn looked stunned.

  “How’d you know that?”

  “Long story,” I intervened. “Anyway the point is now that we’re all here and we’re all going to get along and we all have work to do.”

  “Um, Finn? What about her?” Charlie asked.

  “Who?”

  She pointed and I saw that Kaeden still had Billie by the throat, slowly squeezing the life out of her.

  God, she looks purple.

  I attempted to take a step toward them, but Cody kept his grip on me firm.

  “Hello?” I said impatiently.

  “Hm? Oh, sorry Finn,” he said with a laugh. He let go of me and continued to stare at Quinn who was staring right back at him. I didn’t know if those two were going to get a long and it kind of made me nervous.

  It’s not like they have to get along much longer anyway, I thought as I ran over to Kaeden.

  The closer I got to Kae and Billie, the harder he seemed to squeeze. I was almost afraid to go near him. I wanted Billie at the end though. I wanted her to suffer for the way she used Jazz and the others to bait me outside, I wanted her to know what pain was like.

  “Kaeden?” I asked cautiously.

  “What?” he growled.

  “Hey, it’s me,” I said sharply.

  Even though I knew he wasn’t in his right frame of mind, I still didn’t like the fact that he was snapping at me like that.

  “I know it’s you. What do you want?”

  I stared at him in shock.

  “Kaeden, what’s your problem?”

  “My problem is that your boyfriend brought this with him,” he said lifting Billie higher up off the ground. “I told you from the very beginning that I didn’t trust him and to be perfectly honest, I still don’t. I put up with him for you, Finnegan.”

  “You know what? I’m sick of you,” Cody started angrily from behind us. “All you do is talk, talk, talk, and never any action. Why don’t we dance and get this over with now?”

  Kaeden immediately threw Billie at Charlie who got a firm grip on her.

  Cody took of his jacket and threw it on the floor.

  Drake multiplied a ring of clones around them.

  Remy and Ryker climbed a couple of boulders to get a good view of the fight.

  Quinn ran over to me and dragged up the wooden ladder and into the doorframe to watch.

  Why does everyone think this is a joke?

  Those two are going to kill each other.

  If Cody can even die that is.

  I pushed Quinn aside and slid down the ladder. It made a low creaking noise on my way down and I realized I’d have to find a different way to get in there soon.

  I ran over to Drake’s clones and shoved my way through. Much to my dismay, Drake multiplied another group of clones in front of the ones I had shoved through.

  Apparently, they all wanted to see this fight.

  I threw him a nasty look and started to push my way through the inner circle. Just past them I could hear Kaeden and Cody grunting with effort.

  They’re fighting already?

  “Drake, stop it!” I screamed when he multiplied a third ring of clones.

  His response was laughter. Apparently he was enjoying it a little too much. I suddenly came to a decision in my mind. Letting out an enraged scream I started fighting my way through his clones. But not straight through, I was taking them out as I ran through the circle. I knew eventually I’d hit Drake and at the speed I was going if I hit him hard enough, he’d be in too much pain to keep multiplying.

  “Ugh!”

  The wall of clones seemed to immediately retreat. I looked behind me and saw the real Drake crumpled on the floor holding the side of his head.

  Looks like it worked after all, I thought to myself proudly.

  Turning my attention back to the center of the ‘ring’ I saw that Kaeden had Cody on his back. It looked like he had definitely overpowered him. But as I ran closer I saw that Cody’s eyes were normal again. It almost seemed like he didn’t want to defend himself.

  Taking a deep breath and two steps back, I shot forward like a cannon ball and tackled Kaeden around the waist.

  We tumbled and rolled for quite some time until we landed in a small ditch near the mill site.

  I blinked my eyes a couple of times. The impact of that had really hurt but there didn’t seem to be anyway to get those two to stop fighting.

  Groaning I pushed myself to my feet and leaned down to help Kaeden up. He took my hand to stand, and then pulled himself out of the grave we were standing in.

  Wait.

  A grave?

  I lost it.

  I started screaming and crying hysterically.

  “Get me out! Get me out!”

  My fingers scraped the edges of the ground above me. I couldn’t quite get a good enough grip to pull myself up. The more I tried and failed the more frantic I became.

  Kaeden had been trying to calm me down and reach for me but I was moving with some manic movements that he couldn’t seem to get a grip on me.

  I became even more panicked when pieces of dirt started to fall in on me.

  Why won’t Kaeden help me? I’m going to be buried alive!

  Suddenly I felt a strong pair of hands gripping my arms. A voice that seemed so far away was telling me to calm down, that it was alright, and that they were going to help me
out of there.

  My eyes were losing focus and I felt the world starting to spin.

  Don’t be such a baby; this is where you belong anyway, I scolded myself.

  I blinked one more time and looked into the eyes of Quinn.

  I smiled faintly.

  My brother was always braver than me.

  Before I lost consciousness from the fear that had overpowered me, I looked up and saw Cody leaning down far into the grave with his arms outstretched.

  I don’t know how long I was out for.

  I do know however that it had to have been at least an hour or so because when I looked up into the sky I saw the moon had shifted position again.

  I groaned slightly and shifted.

  “Hey babe,” Cody said softly.

  A small smile crept across my face as I felt his fingertips running over my forehead gently.

  “Hi,” I responded weakly.

  “I’m sorry about all that. I shouldn’t have egged him on. Are you mad at me?” he asked sadly.

  “Huh? No.”

  I coughed.

  “The grave ... it scared me,” I said.

  Closing my eyes again, I felt him slide me up into his arms and realized I must’ve been laid out on the floor. Gently he kissed my forehead and held me close to him.

  “Don’t worry about that. You’ll never have to go in another one of those again. You don’t belong there. No matter what you think.”

  He gave me another squeeze.

  “Um, can I borrow my sister for a second?”

  “Huh? Yeah,” Cody replied sniffling. He stood up and pulled me to his feet with him.

  As he handed me off to Quinn, I saw him turn his face slightly and wipe the tears from his eyes.

  I never thought I’d see an angel cry or a demon feel an emotion the same as a human would. I wondered if he was spending too much time with us and losing touch with what he really was. I hoped not but in two days this would all be over with anyway and Cody would be able to go home. Wherever that was.

  I let my brother lead me away from everyone.

  I could feel their watchful eyes on us as if they still didn’t trust him.

  He walked me around to the ditch that Kaeden and I had fallen into.

  I let out a horrified scream and tried to run.

  Quinn caught me.

  “Calm down, Finnegan. I need you to be able to see this and not be scared. It’s important.”

  He held me in his protective arms until my body stopped shaking. I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to see the graves. Not now. Not ever.