Metamorphosis © 2020 Kimberly Smith
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any capacity without written permission by the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction, Names characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual persons living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This adult contemporary romance is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.
March 2020 Edition
Chapter One
Kyla was sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs on the beach, watching the water washing against the shore. There was no one there on the sand, in either direction. She lifted her chin, closing her eyes, letting the sun warm her face. It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear, blue, and it was warm, but there was a cool breeze coming off the water, lifting her long golden curls from her face. “Kyla,” she heard from behind her. The voice was soft at first and then loud. “You’re in danger. Be quiet, make your bed, so it doesn’t look slept in and get into the clothes cupboard, in your bathroom, under the dirty clothes, and stay there, no matter what you hear.” Kyla looked around her.
The ocean faded away, and the golden sand of the beach was gone. She turned back to her mother, who had disappeared. “DO IT NOW!” The urgency of her mother’s voice woke her. Kyla sat up, easing out of her bed. She could see the light under the door. Her mother wasn’t in the room, but Kyla did what she had been told to do, quickly and quietly. Making the bed, just as Kyla entered the adjoining bathroom, she heard two loud popping noises. She froze in place as her mother screamed, “NO!” Again, Kyla listened to her mother’s voice in her head, “Hide baby and don’t come out!” This time, her mother sounded more frantic.
Kyla went into the bathroom, closing the door softly, folding herself into the cramped space at the bottom of the linen closet. She made sure that she was covered with the clothes that were in there. When she was settled, Kyla began thinking that she was crazy. Maybe she was dreaming, and she’d wake up safe and snug in her bed. That would mean that she had been having a dream within a dream. Kyla realized that it couldn’t be when she heard her mother scream again. This time, it was unintelligible, and it sounded like she was in pain. Kyla wanted to go to her mother, but she stayed where she was, praying that her mother and father were okay.
Everything was quiet, and then she heard the door to her room burst open. “Where is the girl?” a deep male voice said.
Her mother yelled, “She’s not here. She’s at a sleepover with a friend.” Kyla could hear the sadness in her voice as well as the anger.
“Check the closet and then in there,” the man said.
Kyla listened to the heavy footsteps moving through her room. She assumed he was checking under the bed and in the closet. Then his footfalls moved in her direction. The door to the bathroom squeaked a bit as it opened. The man must have checked under the sink and in the bathtub. Kyla could hear the doors opening, then closing before hearing the rings holding the curtain scraping against the shower rod. As the door to the cabinet above her opened and closed, she held her breath. Waiting and not moving as the man opened the door to her hiding spot, she said a silent prayer. Please make me invisible to his eyes and ears. Let him close the door and never know that I’m in here.
Kyla couldn’t believe her luck when the cubby door closed, and he walked away from the bathroom. “Nothing.” She heard what sounded like slapping and her mother groan again.
“Search the rest of the house. If she’s here, we will find her.” Then it sounded as if they were leaving her room. Kyla remained in her hiding spot, afraid to move or make a sound. There was more noise coming from various places in the house. They were searching for her, but why? Who were they and what did they want with her?
“Stay where you are,” She heard her mother’s voice in her head again. She couldn’t be hearing her mother for real. This was just her overactive imagination. When the noise within the house faded, she heard a car starting. It sounded as if it were coming from the front of the house. Car doors closed, and then the sound faded as the car moved from the house down the road. Kyla remained in her hiding spot for a few minutes longer before opening the door and crawling out. She sat on the floor in the dark for a minute, listening carefully for any sounds of movement.
When she felt satisfied that she was alone, Kyla stood, going back into her room. Her closet door, and the door to the hall stood open. She quickly slipped on a pair of tennis shoes and then peeked out into the hall. Kyla looked to the left, not seeing anyone, but one of her mother’s slippers lay on the floor, near the entrance to the living room and kitchen. There was no light coming from the front of the house. She looked to the right, nearly screaming as she saw her father lying just inside her parent’s bedroom. She clutched her mouth, “Dad,” Kyla said softly through her fingers. She moved down the hall quickly to get to him. Kyla stopped when she saw the pool of blood around his head and under his chest area.
She was sure that he was dead. That’s what the popping sound was. What the fuck was happening? Fear filled every part of her body. She backed up, turning, and going to the front of the house. She passed her room, slowing down to look at her mother’s shoe before turning the corner. Kyla moved down the hall, afraid that she would find her mother in the same condition. When she reached the kitchen, Kyla looked over the bar, searching the floor for her mother, then she turned to the left, examining the living space. Her mother wasn’t there, and the front door was wide open.
Kyla grabbed the cordless phone to call for help. There was no dial tone, it was dead. She could grab her cell phone from her room, but she didn’t want to go back down the hall. Seeing her father laying there was more than she could handle. Maybe she should go to the neighbor’s house to call for help, but that was down the road. She could get there quickly if she rode her bike. She ran through the living room and out of the house.
Kyla had barely made it down the stairs from the porch when arms came around her body, lifting her off the ground. She screamed even though no one would hear her. A hand covered her mouth as she struggled to get free. Kyla realized that the man was taking her toward the trees that lined the property. She could see a car hidden there. Kyla struggled against his hold, turning her head back and forth until his hand slipped. Kyla bit down as hard as she could. The man yelped and released her. She kept her mouth clamped on his hand, taking a chunk of his flesh with her as she hit the ground with a thud.
Kyla quickly spit and got to her feet. The man was bent over cursing and groaning in pain. She turned, running away from him. Maybe she could lose him in the woods behind the house. Kyla could hear him growling and threatening her as came after her.
“Come here, you bitch! You’re gonna pay for that!” Kyla was fast, and she thought she had a chance, but she had only taken a few steps when this guy caught hold of her hair, yanking her backward. Kyla felt a burst of pain at the back of her head, and everything went black.
Chapter Two
Car oil, she could smell car oil, and her head hurt. She opened her eyes to complete darkness, and as the car rolled over a pothole in the road, Kyla realized that she was in the trunk of a car. Probably the one belonging to the man that had been carrying her. He hadn’t tied her up. They were moving, and she could tell from the smoothness of the car’s movement, that they were no longer on her parent’s property. They were on a paved road, probably in town or heading towards it. Kyla re
ached her hand out, feeling the space around her, hoping to find something she could use as a weapon. Her hand touched something. It felt like a plastic handle. She pulled it close to her body, using her hand to determine what it was, a Philip head screwdriver.
The man who had taken her was a big guy, she wasn’t sure how much damage she’d be able to do to him with a screwdriver, but it was better than nothing. She listened carefully, realizing that she could hear a cow mooing in the distance. A few seconds later, she heard a train. It was close and sounded as if it were coming closer. She reached above her head. Most modern cars had a latch that would open the trunk from the inside. Kyla had only seen the car for a few seconds, but it had looked like a newer model. Something hit the back of her hand. Kyla had found it. If he slowed or stopped, she would have the opportunity to get out and make a run for it. With the sound of the train, she suspected that they would be coming to a crossing soon.
The train sounded again, and it was louder. Her body moved, rolling her slightly away from the back of the trunk. He was slowing down. Kyla pulled on the handle, opening the trunk. The minute it popped open, she got out as fast as she could, taking a quick look around. Kyla hadn’t seen any buildings close by. There was nowhere for her to go. Screaming would do no good. The sound of the train running along the track in front of the car would drown out her voice. She had to move away from the vehicle. With nowhere to go, she ran towards the wooded area just off the road. Kyla could hear the man as he got out to come after her. He yelled and slammed the trunk lid closed, and within a few minutes, his footfalls were coming fast behind her. She wasn’t going to get far, but she had to try.
Darting between the densely packed trees, Kyla noticed a large tree ahead of her on the right. She ran to it and hid behind it. As the man ran past her, she eased around the tree and then went back the way she had come. Kyla would have a head start on him by the time he realized what she had done. At the road, she saw that the trunk lid was closed, and the car was still running. The caboose of the train was passing as she ran to the vehicle.
Kyla hopped into the driver’s seat, dropping the weapon she’d held onto in the seat beside her. She put the car in drive and took off. Kyla glanced back in time to see the man come out of the trees. Kyla was far enough away and going fast enough that he couldn’t catch her, but she was scared out of her mind as she heard him firing his gun. Kyla crouched down and prayed that he wasn’t a good shot.
When she was far enough away that she felt safe, she sat up in the seat. Kyla had planned to go to a neighbor’s place, but they were well past the one neighbor she would feel okay with. As she neared the town, an image of her uncle entered her mind. That’s where she should go. Her father’s brother was an ex-marine. If there was anyone that she would feel safe with, it was him. She sped along the road towards Bolivar, not worrying about being caught by police. That was the advantage of living in a smaller town. There were fewer cops than you would find in a larger town or big city. They were probably asleep with their feet on their desk or snug in their beds at home. She wanted to put as much distance as she could, between her and the man she had left on the road behind her.
Inside the city limits, she slowed down to obey the laws. No one was on the street, leaving the town’s streets quiet except for the occasional dog howling or barking. Kyla turned the car into an apartment complex approximately a mile from her uncle’s house. She didn’t think it would be a good idea to drive it any closer than that. If the man had contacted anyone for help, they would be looking for the car, and her. She took the side roads instead of walking along the main streets. It only took her half an hour before she got to her uncle’s street.
Suddenly, she had an eerie feeling. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she felt sick to her stomach. She was so close to a safe place, but she thought that she should take this feeling seriously. She made a quick decision not to go to the front of the house. He usually kept his back door open wide enough for his two large dogs to go in and out at night. She crept through the alleyway until she reached the house next to her uncle’s.
The feeling and nausea that she felt earlier intensified as she climbed the fence into her uncle’s back yard. Kyla was surprised that lights were shining through the window on the main floor. Her uncle was a man who lived in his habits. He woke at the same time every day, and he went to bed at the same time every night. His routine through the day rarely varied, so it was strange to see lights shining through the windows of his house. Even though he was no longer on active duty in the military, he still lived as though he were.
The basement windows were dark. This late at night, she expected him to be sleeping. She crossed the incline of the yard quickly and quietly. A wave of nausea hit Kyla hard as she reached the stairs leading to the deck. She stopped and bent over, holding onto the railing. What was wrong with her? Kyla started to go up the steps and stopped midway when she heard her mother’s voice. It was slurred as though she were drunk. “Your brother is dead. How could you do this? What about Kyla, she’s your blood, your family?”
“You and your offspring are not my family, not my blood. If my brother is dead, it’s because of you, because of what you are. Do you think that I would stand by and do nothing? We aren’t going to just let you come in and take over or exterminate us all! You should never have come here. My brother made his choice, and I’ve made mine. I knew there was something off about you from the moment we met. I told him that, but he didn’t want to see it. You had him fooled, but not me.”
Kyla couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her uncle was behind everything that had happened to her family tonight. She backed down the stairs slowly, but before she reached the bottom, Biscuit, her uncle’s golden-brown pitbull, appeared at the top of the stairs. She didn’t bark, she trotted down the steps to Kyla, who rubbed her head and scratched behind her ears. Kyla knew that Gravy, Biscuit’s companion wouldn’t be far behind.
Her uncle was still talking. “I’m done talking to you, nothing is going to change. Your daughter will be joining you soon. Bobby had to knock her out, but she’s still breathing if that makes you feel better. Lucky for you, you are wanted alive. If I had my way, you’d both be dead already.”
Biscuit licked her hand and then continued down the stairs and out to the yard to do her business. Kyla had reached the bottom of the stairs when Gravy finally came out of the house. She prayed that the dog wouldn’t bark at her, as she usually did. Today it seemed that she and the dog were in sync. Gravy trotted down the stairs without her customary barking. Kyla petted her the same way she had done the other dog.
“Lucky for me, the two of you are worth more alive than dead. Someone is on the way to get you. They should be here soon.”
Kyla realized that she had to get out of the yard, but she didn’t want to leave her mother. She struggled with the decision to hide, but in the end, she crossed the yard and climbed back over the fence. Kyla rested against it for just a moment. Then, she went back down the alley to the main street. If someone were coming for her mother, they would have to come in from that direction. The other end of the block was a dead end with no other way in or out. She made it to the street, checking for any signs of traffic. Nothing was moving in either direction. Kyla raced up the side of the road and then crossed to the other side. She hid behind some unruly bushes between two houses, making sure that she could see the front of her uncle’s place.
Kyla knew that she wouldn’t be able to follow whoever it was that came for her mother, but she thought that if she got the license plate number, maybe then, she would be able to find out who owned the car. That might help her find out where her mother was being taken. She had no idea what time it was, but it was still dark outside. There was no hint of color in the sky. Kyla remained crouched in her hiding place, trying to stay warm. Now that she wasn’t moving, the cool night air had permeated her thin pajamas, and she started to shiver. Kyla rubbed her hands together and blew on them to keep her fingers from
growing numb. Her eyelids felt heavy as she folded her arms over her chest. Sticking her fingers under her arms, she bent her head to bury her chin in her top to keep warm.
Her head jerked up as she heard a vehicle approaching. She pushed the branches of the bush out of the way to get a clear view of the street. Kayla watched as a dark-colored SUV with the darkest tinted windows she had ever seen, passed by, followed by an ominous-looking van. She crept around the bush to get a better view. The SUV parked at the curb, while the van backed into the garage of her uncle’s house.
Kyla was cautious as she watched a group of men get out of both vehicles. They were dressed like the men from the cable show SWAT. All their clothing was black, and they were armed with powerful weapons. Their haircuts were all similar, buzz cut at the sides and back, and short on top. Even though the vests covering their chest had no signifying logos or letters, Kyla guessed that they worked for some government agency. Why would the government be interested in her and her mother?
From her vantage point, she could see her uncle as he opened the front door for them. A few went inside, while some men stayed near the van. One was at the back, he opened the cargo doors, waiting. Two others got in, and when they came out, they had a gurney. They took it inside. The other man stood near the front of the car, glancing at the houses on the other end of the street. Kyla backed up, sliding behind the bush out of view just as his gaze swung in her direction.
She could still see, but her view was limited by the bush. After a few minutes, the door to the house opened again. Kyla watched as her mother, strapped to the gurney, was carried out of the house by two of them. She wasn’t moving, and she was covered by a sheet, even her head. They only did that when the person was dead. Had they killed her? Kyla’s eyes filled with tears at the thought. Not only had she lost both her parents tonight, but Kyla had also lost the only other family she had, her uncle. She had lost her entire family in the span of a few hours.
Metamorphosis: Science Fiction Adventure: Book 1 Page 1