by Simone Pond
I didn’t bother standing up to walk him out. I wouldn’t have made it across the yard without tripping over the mountain of shame wedged between us. Instead, he quietly walked around to the side of the house and let himself out the back gate.
Vago came over and licked my hand, then rested his head on my lap.
“Well, that sucked. And we’re no better off than we were this morning.”
Woof.
Vago padded around by my feet.
“I’ll call city hall in a minute. Just let me think. I feel like there’s something else. Something I’m missing …”
Unless a miracle from above came down, the best we had was telling the city manager that there may or may not be a bunch of motorcycle dudes wearing t-shirts that say, Coastview ain’t for sale, getting ready to blow up Coastview City Hall on Monday morning. Most likely he’d laugh me off. I guess we could go stand out there on Monday and ward people off with cattle prods. But I was pretty sure that wouldn’t go over well with Chief Pike and his officers.
A strange chill swept into the back yard, then a loud rumble volleyed across the sky. The ground under my feet reverberated. Louder cracks of thunder clapped. Out of the stillness came a torrential downpour of rain that dropped like buckets from the sky. A voice boomed in my eardrums. The voice of the homeless man I had bumped into on the sidewalk.
The Sons of Cain … Open your eyes. They’re coming … Open your eyes …
Chapter Seventeen
Vago
Sibyl stood up from her chair as the rain poured down from the dark clouds that had swooped across the ocean and landed directly overhead.
“Vago!” she yelled, turning around, looking for me. “I know what we need to do!”
Woof!
“We need to find the Sons of Cain. That’s what the homeless man said to me. It means something. I just know it.”
After her revelation, I was hoping she’d say, let’s go inside. But she just stood there with her arms spread open, welcoming the sheets of rain. She looked nuts still wearing her giant sunglasses in the thunderstorm. But at least she was no longer bummed about Eli leaving.
I skittered off to the back door and barked and barked, hoping to get Aunt Ruthie’s attention. I wasn’t thrilled about getting drenched or the dank smell of my wet fur.
When Aunt Ruthie opened the door, I shot past her into the dry shelter of the kitchen, shaking out my coat.
“Sibyl! What are you doing out there! Get inside!” she yelled.
Sibyl danced her way into the house. Aunt Ruthie made her put on some dry clothes, then had her use a hairdryer to dry my coat so I’d stop shaking everywhere.
“Where’d your friend go?” Aunt Ruthie asked after Sibyl finished drying me off.
“Eli isn’t my friend. We just met for the first time today, so don’t get any ideas.”
Aunt Ruthie pouted a little. Sibyl couldn’t see it, but I’m sure she saw her aunt’s spirit shift. She only wanted the best for Sibyl, which in her mind meant companionship.
“Well, he seemed very interested in you, dear. I could tell by the way he looked at you. Anyway, I won’t pry. If you want to talk about anything, I’m here for you. But at the moment, I need to get ready for my date with Chief Pike.”
“Does he have a first name? Or does he require you to call him that?” Sibyl snapped.
Aunt Ruthie let out a soft whimper and stepped back. “Since this is our first date, I’m not exactly sure what he prefers, so I’m keeping it professional. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
After Aunt Ruthie left Sibyl’s bedroom, I nudged the door with my snout and pressed it closed with my paws. We needed some privacy.
Woof!
“I know. I wasn’t very nice. But I don’t trust Pike. And I was so happy about the Sons of Cain thing. I wish you could shift on command so we could talk about this like normal people. But since we can’t, I’m going to get started on some internet searches. I’m holding off on calling city hall for now. When I find out about the Sons of Cain, I’ll personally go to the city manager’s house over the weekend and have a face-to-face conversation with him. Okay?”
Woof!
We left Sibyl’s bedroom and went to my room. Sibyl situated herself in front of the computer. Aunt Ruthie had spent a lot of money setting everything up so Sibyl could use it. She typed in the keywords: Sons of Cain. The screen reader software began translating the contents into synthetic speech. The list was hopelessly endless. And daunting. I jumped onto the bed and made myself comfortable. It was going to be a long night.
“I need to narrow the search,” she said.
Woof.
She added a few more keywords, but the list remained too broad. It’d take hours—if we were lucky—to weed through the amount of information that came up. So engrossed was Sibyl in her keyword concentration, she hadn’t noticed when Aunt Ruthie entered the room wearing a purple robe and matching round rollers in her brown hair.
“Goodness gracious, Sibyl!” Aunt Ruthie came up from behind, causing Sibyl to jump.
“Don’t sneak up on blind people! You scared the shit out of me!” Sibyl shouted.
“Sibyl! Language! And what on God’s green earth are you searching for? The Sons of Cain? Why would you be interested in that dive bar?” Aunt Ruthie asked.
“Dive bar?” Sibyl turned away from the computer toward her aunt.
I cocked my head and gave a soft chuff. This sounded like good news and too perfect to be a coincidence. Besides, Sibyl and I no longer believed in those anyway.
“Yes, yes. That horrible grungy place on the outskirts of town where all of those sleazy men go to drink and who knows what else. You’re not thinking of going there, are you? Is that the type of place Eli Townsend frequents?” Aunt Ruthie sounded mortified.
Sibyl let out a laugh of relief. “Eli? What? No. He has nothing to do with this. I was looking up a band I overheard someone mention at the coffee shop today. I probably won’t be hitting up dive bars until my birthday next week. Still getting acclimated to people and all.”
Aunt Ruthie squinted suspiciously, then realized Sibyl was teasing. “Oh, you!” She gave her a hug.
Sibyl smiled, stroking Aunt Ruthie’s arm. “Sorry I snapped at you about Chief Pike. I’m just a little overwhelmed with everything from the last couple days. It’s gonna take some getting used to. But I think chilling out with Vago tonight while you’re out on your hot date with Chief Pike will help.”
Aunt Ruthie clapped her hands together. “Good to hear! I’m going back upstairs to finish getting ready. When he gets here, let’s make him wait a little bit. Don’t want to appear too anxious.”
Sibyl kissed her aunt on the cheek. “Sounds like a plan. And you’re worth the wait.”
Just then the doorbell rang.
Aunt Ruthie patted her head of rollers. “Oh, dear! He’s here early. I’ll be upstairs. Give me at least another ten minutes. My hair is still setting. I still need to get dressed! And take off your sunglasses—you’re inside!”
Aunt Ruthie rushed upstairs to finish getting ready. Sibyl kept the sunglasses on and took her time getting to the front door, pausing a moment and staring off to inspect the area.
“Still nothing, buddy. Just can’t get a read on this guy.”
She opened the door and stood back to let Chief Pike inside.
“Hello again, Sibyl,” he said politely.
“My aunt is still getting ready, should be another few minutes. Do you want something to drink?”
He pushed past her and made his way into the living room. “I’m fine for now.”
“Make yourself comfortable,” Sibyl said, gesturing toward the couch.
She started back to the computer to continue the internet search. Now that we had new information—thanks to Aunt Ruthie—all we needed was the address to the dive bar. We could take a cab after I shifted at midnight.
“Wait,” Chief Pike called out. “I actually wanted to chat with you for a few minutes.”
Sh
e paused, then turned around. “It’s not about that homeless guy is it? I told you, he didn’t do anything to me. I hope you aren’t holding him in jail or anything.”
“Actually, this has to do with you,” he said.
“Really?” she said, moving closer into the living room.
“You and your dog are causing quite an uproar around town.”
Silence.
Then the jingle of those damn keys. Did he wear them even during personal visits?
“Can’t a blind girl walk around town?” Sibyl asked.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way. People think it’s great you’re getting out. You’ve been missed.” He paused. “But I did get a call from the city manager. Something about you inquiring at the front desk about changing the big vote on Monday. Apparently you caused quite a ruckus in the lobby.”
“Hmm.” Though I couldn’t see Sibyl’s eyes, I sensed the seething glare behind her sunglasses.
Before she could say anything, Aunt Ruthie sashayed into the living room with her big, bouncy hair and frilly summer dress. Sibyl kept quiet.
Chief Pike took her hand and kissed her cheek. “You look lovely, Ruth.”
“Thank you, Chief Pike.”
“You can call me Reggie,” he said.
“Well, thank you, Reggie,” Aunt Ruthie said, in Sibyl’s direction.
“I was thinking with this sudden thunderstorm it’d be safer to stay in for the night. I brought some movies and thought we could order some takeout. Is that okay?” Pike asked Aunt Ruthie.
“That sounds like fun!” she sang out.
Sibyl groaned under her breath. “Well, I’m going back to the computer. You two have fun,” she said.
“More research on that band?” Aunt Ruthie asked.
“Actually, I was thinking about checking out classes at Hillside,” Sibyl said, which I figured she was just saying to distract Aunt Ruthie.
“Oh, Sibby! That’s wonderful. This is the best news!” Aunt Ruthie said.
Sibyl smiled and waved, then the two of us went back to the computer.
I jumped up onto the bed.
Woof!
“What? The comment about taking classes at Hillside?”
Woof!
“Well, don’t get your hopes up. I just said that to get her off my back. Now that they’re staying home, getting out of the house with those two watchdogs in the living room won’t be easy. We might have to sneak out the window.”
After she found the address for the bar, Sibyl got up and joined me on the bed, nestling her head against mine.
“We should take a nap. I have a feeling it’s going to be a late night.”
Our slumber was short-lived when her watch chimed. It wasn’t an alarm, but a text message from Eli that she played aloud.
“Did some thinking. Want to talk.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sibyl
I felt around the desk for my headphones so I could call Eli without the rest of the house hearing our conversation. But I couldn’t find them anywhere in Vago’s room or mine. I wasn’t about to venture into the house and risk another encounter with Pike or possibly walk in on the deplorable act of him kissing my dear, innocent Aunt Ruthie. Instead I did what most people do. I texted.
“Can talk at midnight. Wait for me in your car a few houses down.”
“Are we running away together?”
“Bring one of your grandmother’s ‘crazy’ books on supernatural warfare.”
“Sounds like a promising night …”
“Just get over here at midnight!”
My plan was for Eli to show up at midnight and drive the three of us to the dive bar on the outskirts of town. We’d check out the Sons of Cain and see if we could pick up any clues or recognize any faces from the vision. Or any other supernatural weirdness for that matter. Until then, I needed to sleep, otherwise I’d be worthless the rest of the night. I hopped into bed, with Vago curled up next to me, and set my alarm for a little before midnight. Hopefully by then, Aunt Ruthie would be fast asleep and we could slip out the front door. I closed my eyes.
The alarm went off after what seemed like a yawn. Ten till midnight. I rolled out of bed and put on a pair of sneakers and my sunglasses, then set out Vago’s clothes—a pair of jeans, a plain black t-shirt and Converses—and waited for him to shift.
A text came in from Eli.
“You still coming?”
“Give us a few minutes.”
“Us?”
“Vago and me.”
Vago finished lacing up his Converses and I opened my bedroom door. We entered the hallway and immediately froze. Aunt Ruthie’s soft laughter coupled with Pike’s low banter emanated from the living room. Dammit! Vago brushed his hand through his chocolate brown hair nervously. I pulled him into my bedroom.
“Plan B,” I said, shoving some pillows under my comforter just in case Aunt Ruthie decided to check on me before she went to bed.
“Window?” he asked, snickering a bit.
“Yeah.”
“Second thoughts?” he asked.
“It’s the getting back inside part I’m worried about.”
“We’ll figure it out. But we should go, Eli’s waiting.”
Vago walked over to the window. I followed behind, feeling the onshore flow coming in through the opening. The drop to the ground below wasn’t far, but suddenly I didn’t feel so good. Something about Pike being in the living room was making me jumpy. But before I could stop Vago, he disappeared into the blackness. I stood there listening to the house creak and the wind rustle through the trees. We were onto something. I could sense it. Something that didn’t want to be discovered.
“Sibyl!” Vago’s harsh whisper came up through the window.
After a short prayer, I slid my right foot through the window and let it dangle over the side of the house. I straddled the house, my stomach scraping against the pane. When I made an attempt to pull my other leg through, my foot hit something on my nightstand, causing a clatter that seemed to resonate throughout the entire neighborhood.
“Shhhiiiit!” I whispered.
Vago chuckled as he held onto my ankle. I thought I heard Aunt Ruthie call out my name, which launched my nerves into a full-blown frenzy mode and I lost my grip. On the descent, Vago made a clumsy assist as we became a tangled mess of arms and legs. My head hit the side of the house, causing an even louder commotion. Vago helped me up, laughing the whole time, and we darted across the yard and ducked behind some bushes.
“They really awarded you MVP?” he joked.
I punched his arm. “Not funny. And we’re pretty much busted.”
“Eli’s just a few houses down. We’ll just dodge behind the trees. You ready?”
I nodded.
I couldn’t see a thing, except for Vago. Like always I trusted him to lead the way. He held my hand, and we dashed over to the next set of trees.
“Are we close?” I whispered.
“Shhh …”
But I had already given away our hiding spot.
“Freeze!” Chief Pike shouted.
“Whoa! Don’t shoot. I’m with Sibyl,” Vago yelled.
“Come out!” Pike ordered.
I came out from behind the tree. “Hey.”
“What are you doing running around in the dark with … who the hell are you?”
“He’s my friend,” I said.
“Is everything okay, Reggie?” Aunt Ruthie’s voice called out from the front porch.
“It’s fine, Ruth. It’s just Sibyl,” he shouted back.
“Sibyl? Good heavens!” Aunt Ruthie clambered down toward us, her pinkish lavender spirit glowing in the darkness.
Pike yanked my arm. “You wanna explain what’s going on?”
I pulled out of his grip. “Ouch!”
“You scared the spit out of your aunt,” he said.
Aunt Ruthie panted as she joined up. “What’s going on? Sibyl, why are you outside?” Her spirit flickered in and out in
shades of pink. “And who in heaven’s name is this?”
“This is, um, my friend …”
“Why are you gallivanting in the night with someone I’ve never met?”
“I was going to a party,” I lied.
“A party?” she asked, her curiosity raising her pitch at least three octaves.
“Mm hmm.”
“Well, why didn’t you just go out the front door?”
“I didn’t want to disturb you guys,” I lied again.
Pike stepped closer in. “Sibyl, you realize how this looks, don’t you? Sneaking off in the middle of the night with a strange boy? One that I’ve never seen before. Where are you from, son?”
A pressure of seismic proportions erupted in my frontal lobe. How was this any of Pike’s damn business?
“He’s with me, sir,” a familiar voice said from behind.
Eli Townsend. He must’ve witnessed the fiasco from his car and come to save the day, or night. He stood a few feet back with his arms folded across his vintage short-sleeved shirt—a powder blue button-up, which complemented his blond hair and blue eyes quite nicely in the radiant moonlight.
“Aren’t you Esther’s grandson?” Pike asked with sourness.
“Yes, sir.”
“This is Sibyl’s new friend!” Aunt Ruthie trilled.
“And this fine fellow is my cousin, Bruno,” Eli said, patting Vago’s shoulder.
Chief Pike cleared his throat. “So you boys thought it’d be okay to come by after midnight and sneak Sibyl out of the house to go to a party?”
I waved my hands. “First of all, I’m nineteen and old enough to make my own decisions. Second of all, I already established I didn’t want to disturb the two of you, so nobody’s sneaking off anywhere. Let’s just drop it. Okay?”
“She’s right, Reggie,” Aunt Ruthie said. “She was trying to be considerate.”
“Well, you’re lucky I didn’t use lethal force,” Pike said, tapping his pistol.
Eli stepped forward. “I sure hope you don’t go firing that thing at every sound that goes bump in the night.”
Though Chief Pike chuckled lightly, I felt an icy chill settle around the group. He didn’t like being shown up by an outsider.