by Ann McCune
“That was a good movie.” I rolled onto the floor, landing gracefully on my knees before getting up and starting to pick up the mess we made.
“I agree.” Jo jumped to her feet and started to help me clean up while the boys stared at the credits.
With our arms loaded we went into the kitchen and threw everything away. “Are you having fun with Billy?” I asked, pulling the now full trash bag out of the can.
“Yeah, he’s really nice. I just don’t know if will be worth it to get too invested in him.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked, then remembered my conversation with Shawn earlier in the day. “Never mind Shawn told me about the rules.” I went into the laundry room to get a new trash bag. When I came back Jo was staring at me with her mouth ajar. Oops, forgot Jo didn’t know I knew about them, I thought to myself.
“What did Shawn tell you?” she asked, taking a step closer to me. I thought she was going to hit me for a second.
“I know everything. My dad was one of you.” I saw no point lying to her.
“He was? Wait, you mean Dr. Lawson was a Knight Flyer?”
“No, he’s my stepdad. My biological dad was Victor Robinson, he died in his sleep before I was born.”
“Victor?” She looked at me sideways like she was trying to believe me.
“Yeah.” I cocked an eyebrow. “You knew him?”
“No, he was friends with my dad. He used to talk about Victor all the time, and I have seen pictures of him. You look like him, but then do you have the gift?” She put her hands on her hips.
“What is taking you guys so long?” Billy asked, walking into the room, and standing next to Jo.
“Just girl talk.” I smiled brightly and fluttered my eyelashes at him. “You know the stuff you didn’t want me to talk about in front of you.”
“Gross, well come on let’s start the next movie before your parents come down and kick us out.”
“Actually, I better get home, Billy, tomorrow is going to be a big day.” Jo left the kitchen with Billy following her like a lost puppy. Crap, she wasn’t taking the news very well, I thought to myself.
“What’s going on?” Shawn asked, standing up from the couch when Jo went to the closet to get her coat.
“I need to get home, tomorrow is going to be a long day.” With her coat on she went to her shoes and started shoving her feet into them.
“Yeah, we will all get to hang out tomorrow night.” Billy put his shoes on and went to the door with Jo.
“Yeah, see you guys tomorrow.” I shot a look to Shawn trying to say, shit is about to hit the fan, but I didn’t think he got what I was trying to say.
When the door closed I let out a breath. “We might have a problem,” I said, locking eyes with Shawn.
“What would that be?” Dad asked, coming out of the man cave. “You didn’t get in another fight with Billy did you”?
“No, Dad,” I rolled my eyes, perfect timing as always. “I don’t think Jo is as into Billy as he is into her. I have a feeling there could be some drama tomorrow night.”
“There is always drama on prom night.” Dad smiled at me then looked at his watch. “Would you look at the time? Don’t you think you should let Shawn get home, so you can get your beauty rest for tomorrow?”
“I was just leaving,” Shawn said, putting his shoes on, and going to the closet to get his coat.
“Good.” Dad turned and stalked back to the man cave.
“I accidently told Jo I knew about you all,” I whispered.
He straightened and looked straight into my eyes. “Did you tell her about your training?”
“No, but I told her who my biological father was.” I shrugged.
Shawn ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll handle her. I’m on duty tonight with Heather so you are going to be on your own, but you have your rune, so you will be good. Right?” He put his hand on the doorknob.
“It should be a good test if my stalker shows up,” I whispered.
“If you need me, you know how to find me.” He planted his lips on mine for too brief a moment before pulling away and opening the door. “See you tomorrow night.”
I shut the door after him, called a goodnight to my parents, and went to my room, wanting to be alone and avoid their incessant questions. Knowing I would be on my own in my dreams, I didn’t want to go to sleep. I had my rune, and it was supposed to protect me, but I didn’t know how to use it.
I read until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer, then I turned out the light, and snuggled into my comforter. My fingers found their way to the stone around my neck. I rubbed it, praying the goblin would leave me alone, before tucking it under my shirt and falling asleep.
I was in the auto shop working on my engine. I was trying to pull the carburetor out and the nuts refused to loosen. I stood and stretched my back out. Shawn would be there soon, maybe he would get them started for me. I started to check the hoses on the radiator when I heard the door open and close. I stood, expecting to see Shawn, but it was only my stalker. I shrugged, I was dreaming, and since Shawn and Heather were busy it wasn’t a surprise the goblin showed up.
“You are kind of a chicken,” I said, preparing myself for the struggle the rest of the night was going to be.
“No, I’m not.” He looked down at his nails then polished them on the outside of the coveralls he was wearing.
“Yes, you are. You only show up when I am alone in my dreams. You know I can’t touch you and you can’t touch me. If you weren’t scared, you would show up when my friends were here.” I wiped my hands off on a rag then stuck them in my pockets. I wondered if I could get to him now that I was wearing the stone.
“I just don’t want to lose any more power than I already have. When your boyfriend killed me the night we met, it was the first time in almost two decades since someone had killed me. Do you understand how much power I lost?” He walked around me, poking at the invisible barrier that kept us from killing each other.
“Not enough if you are still here bothering me.” I pulled my hand out of my pocket and rubbed the rune under my shirt. How was it supposed to work? If it was a weapon did I need to activate it?
“Silly girl, nothing on this plane will kill me. It may weaken me, but all I have to do is find a soul and eat it. You will never be rid of me.” His head jerked up as the door to the shop opened. “Oh good, now we can play.”
“Hey, Liz, what are you doing in here? The party is in the gym,” dream Billy said, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the goblin.
“Billy, run,” I yelled. I wanted to jump and tackle the goblin, but I knew I would just bounce off the barrier. I knew it wasn’t the real Billy, but I didn’t want to watch the goblin torture him. I thought of the grenade launcher I had been looking at the day before and it materialized in my hands. I checked to make sure it was loaded then rested it on my shoulder. Billy’s eyes grew huge and he turned to run for the door, but he wasn’t quick enough. The goblin jumped, landing on Billy’s back as he screamed in pain.
“Hey, you piece of crap.” I sighted down the barrel and waited until the goblin looked up from where he was chewing on Billy’s neck before I pulled the trigger. The grenade launched toward him and the black holes where his eyes should have been seemed to grow as the grenade flew at him.
I dropped the launcher ready to celebrate when the grenade hit the barrier between me and the goblin and exploded. The shock wave pulled me off my feet and I flew a couple of feet through the air before I fell hard on the concrete floor. I groaned as every part of my body exploded in pain.
I rolled to my side and looked up when a pair of feet entered my field of vision. I looked up to see the goblin grabbing his sides as he laughed, or I was guessing he was laughing, I couldn’t hear anything after the explosion. The rune didn’t do squat.
CHAPTER 30
I sat up in my bed and checked myself for injuries, it felt like I broke every bone in my body when I hit the concrete floor. After se
arching my body and not noticing any shooting pain I let out a breath. I took a shower and tried not to this of my dream from the night before. It was going to take hours for my hair to dry and mom wanted to put it in curlers to set.
When I was cleaned up and dressed in a button-up shirt and capris-leggings, I pulled the rune out from under my shirt and looked at it. Whatever book Heather had found the information about it in was lying, it didn’t help me at all with the mare. Part of me wanted to put it back in the tin with my dad’s stuff, but the other part of me wanted to keep it close by. It was one of the only reminders of him I had. I ended up leaving it on and I went downstairs in search of breakfast.
Dad was cooking bacon and eggs when I went into the kitchen. “Morning, Dad,” I said as I went to the coffee pot and poured myself a cup.
“Morning, sweetheart. It’s going to be a big day.” He started moving the bacon to a plate covered in paper towels.
“It’s just prom, what’s the big deal?” I asked, taking a sip of coffee.
“Has your mom told you what you are in for yet? She has the entire day planned.”
“You’re kidding? Where is she anyway?” I looked around the room realizing for the first time she wasn’t there.
“Getting supplies, and Shawn’s boutonniere.” Dad put some scrambled eggs and bacon on a plate then handed it to me. “I was chosen to make you breakfast. Your mom doesn’t want any accidents today. She doesn’t want you to get nervous and back out.” He filled his plate then joined me at the bar.
“I would only back out if Shawn did, and I think he is more excited than most of the girls at school.” I took a bite of my eggs. “Thanks, this is really good.”
“You’re welcome. I was also deemed fit to give you the ‘prom talk.’” He made air quotes as he said, ‘prom talk.’
“I will not be having sex with Shawn tonight if you mean the sex talk when you say, ‘prom talk.’ I’ve only been dating him for what, two weeks? It’s way too soon.” I bit off a piece of bacon and chewed noisily.
“But what if he wants it and won’t take no for an answer?” Dad pushed his eggs around on his plate refusing to meet my eyes.
“He won’t, but if he does I’ll kick him in the balls. You taught me how to defend myself, I take that stuff seriously.” I finished my eggs and took my plate to the sink. I turned around to find Dad with his head in his hands. “Dad, what’s wrong?” I ran around the bar to his side and put my hand on his shoulder.
He looked up with red eyes brimming with tears. “When did you grow up? Yesterday you were playing Tonka trucks with Billy in the driveway now you’re dating and going to prom with a boy we barely know.”
“Dad, Billy and I haven’t played with Tonkas since last summer at least.” He laughed and wrapped me in a hug. “I’ll always be your little girl. Just because I’m going to prom doesn’t mean I’m not the same girl you raised.”
He hugged me back and we stood there until we heard the front door open and Mom yelled for help. I let go of Dad and ran down the hallway to help Mom with the dozen or so bags she was bringing in.
“Mom, what is all this?” I asked, taking half the bags from her.
“Makeup, hair products, perfume. We are going to make you even more beautiful than you already are.” I followed her into the living room where she deposited the bags.
“Dad made breakfast if you’re hungry,” I said, no longer looking forward to this prom thing.
“I already ate, come on let’s start working on your hair, getting it in rollers is going to take forever.”
I stopped by my room before the fun began, grabbing my phone and found a new message from Shawn.
I talked to Jo, she understands now.
I let out a breath and text back. Did you explain everything?
Yes, she wants to help us.
Sweet, glad she is good with it.
Me too. I can’t wait for tonight.
I smiled. If I survive the torture my mother is putting me through, it will be fun.
I have to go help my dad. Pick you up at six.
Bummed I didn’t have anyone to text with while my mom blew dry my hair I looked through my contacts. I was going to whine to Billy about it, but then I found Jo’s number. I wondered if she was going through hell too.
Is your mother torturing you like mine is me?
“Relax, Liz, this should feel good,” Mom yelled over the blow dryer.
I tried but she was yanking the hair out of my head with her brush. My phone buzzed, it was a picture from Jo. She was sitting in a beauty chair with her hair wrapped in tinfoil and what looked like marshmallow spread all over her face. Maybe I didn’t have it so bad after all. I took a photo of my mom blow drying my hair and a pained expression on my face. I sent back to her. My mom says it should feel good.
My mom said it’s the price of beauty. See you later! Jo sent back to me.
When my hair was almost dry, Mom put the rollers in, then she doused it with enough hair spray that I needed a warning label that said, ‘Caution Flammable.’
I spent the rest of the day getting fluffed and buffed. I was surprised she let me eat anything when lunchtime came around. I finally found the courage to ask my mom about my bio-dad’s stuff while she was applying foundation to my face.
“Mom, what did you do with the rest of Victor’s stuff when he died?”
She froze and looked down at me before catching me watching her face and resuming. “Why does that matter?” she asked.
“Because he is part of me and I would like to learn more about him.” I needed to learn more about him because of the mares, but I couldn’t tell her that.
“You know Burt is your dad in every way it matters.” She put the beauty sponge down and picked up the blusher.
“I know, Mom, and believe me I love him as my father, but what is so wrong about wanting to learn about the first man you fell in love with and married?”
She huffed out a breath while spreading the blush on my cheeks with a brush. “I don’t have any of it anymore. The tin you found is all that is left.” She was getting irritated at my questions and I didn’t believe her answers.
“What did you do with it? Just throw it away?” I grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at me.
“You don’t understand what I was going through, Liz. We had just moved here, I didn’t know anyone in town. I was pregnant and on my own, I didn’t even have a job. I got evicted from the house Victor and I rented. They locked me out. All I had was the stuff he had left in the car and a few of my things.” She pulled away from me and grabbed a tissue from the counter to blot her eyes. “I didn’t even have enough gas to go to my friends in Denver.”
I had no idea my mom had such a hard time after Victor died. I didn’t know what to say so I put my hand on her shoulder. “Mom, I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”
“All he cared about was his stupid dreams and finding a way to save the people in Twisted Pines from dying in their sleep. It was so stupid, I don’t know why I agreed to help him. If I hadn’t fallen asleep that night, he would probably be here now.”
My jaw went slack, no wonder Mom hated to talk about him. “Mom, it wasn’t your fault. He should have been better prepared for who he was fighting.” I cursed myself as soon as the words left my mouth.
“How do you know?” she asked, turning to face me.
“The same goblin that killed him is stalking me,” I whispered. I didn’t know if she would believe me or not, but I was tired of hiding it.
She burst into tears again and threw her arms around me. “We’ll leave then. As soon as school is over we are going to move far away from here.”
“Mom, we can’t, and besides it’s too late.” I pulled the sleeve of my shirt up and showed her the mark.
She grabbed my hand and turned it around looking at the brand marking my skin. “Jon said I’m marked and it was too late. No matter where I go the goblin will follow me. That is why I need Victor’s stuff. He was trying to clos
e the gate, and we think if we close the gate, and kill the goblin, he won’t come back, and the mark won’t matter anymore.”
“Jon, Shawn’s dad? Is that why they moved here? To close the gate?” She turned back to me looking hopeful.
“No, they came to kill the goblins, but Shawn, Heather, and I want to find a way to close the gate.”
“No, absolutely not. You’re just a kid and I will not risk losing you.” She turned her back on me.
“Mom, I am telling you this because you have a right to know. I’m not asking for permission.” I didn’t like fighting with my mom, but she needed to understand she wasn’t going to stop me from doing this. “If I don’t try then I probably will die within the year. You know how tired I was when Shawn and I were fighting?”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t all because I was heartbroken. The goblin who marked me is tormenting my dreams. If I don’t find a way to get rid of him, I don’t know how long I will be able to go on.”
“I don’t want to lose you like I lost Victor,” she said, turning back to me, and cupping the sides of my face with her hands.
“You won’t, I’m not alone.”
She blinked back tears then looked at her watch then changed the subject. “Well, we had better finish getting you ready if you don’t want to keep Shawn waiting.”
“I love you, Mom,” I said as she started applying my eyeshadow.
“I love you too, please be careful.”
“I will.”
She finished doing my makeup and hair in silence. She was scared for me, heck I was scared for me, but I wasn’t going to let it stop me from living my life on my terms.
Once she was done, and I was dressed, I looked in the full-length mirror and didn’t recognize myself. I looked five years older, with perfect skin and hair. I turned to my mom and gave her a hug. “Thank you so much.” She hugged me back.
“You’re welcome but stop before you wrinkle the dress or mess up your makeup. I haven’t gotten a photo yet.” She pulled away and went in search of the camera. She was acting like everything was normal, but her bloodshot eyes betrayed the truth.