“That isn’t true!” He kicks off the door and steps up to me, getting in my personal space. “I believe in change and growth but I also believe that committing to making a home somewhere is just as good as gallivanting around the Continent. You’re the one always preaching about caring for the land better. Well this is my version of that. My family has lived here for threegenerations. I want tobuildsomething in a place Iloveand I care for it. And yes, Marissa is still young, but have you ever stopped to ask her if maybe she wants to build something here as well? Now get off my back!” he fumes, only inches from my face before shoving past me towards where the others are starting to clean in the kitchen.
I let out a huff at his retreating back and storm upstairs. He never shared those thoughts with me when we were together. I kind of wish he had. I get it, that need to build something and protect it. I guess our only difference is that I don’t consider Easthelm to be that place, and despite what he thinks, I do know what is best for Marissa. She is too wild for this place. Surely she needs more…
When I get to my room I shove one more slice of pizza in my mouth, put on my headphones and flop onto my bed.Everything will be better in the morning.
After what feels like only a few minutes I hear Marissa’s friends call out from downstairs saying they are leaving and sarcastically thanking me for not being a bore.
“Always a pleasure!” I call back, knowing that the house is probably still a train wreck and I will have to get up to do some damage control. First, I lick the greasy goodness from the pizza off my fingers and reach for my phone and notice a bunch of missed texts and calls from Andy. He isn’t usually this persistent and I have a sinking feeling that something is wrong. I click open my messages.
Andy:
6:12 p.m.
Hey Nuri, just reaching out to make sure you still have my number. This is Andy by the way.
6:54 p.m.
Hey we got a few more calls in today about some sort of animal out in the woods stealing pets. Have you noticed anything out there? Maybe that’s what hurt the fawn.
7:15 p.m.
Let me know if you see anything and I can come out there.
8:15 p.m.
There is something or a pack of somethings out there that is seriously hungry. I just got another call from the Martins saying their Doberman got into a fight with something big. The other guys have gone home for the night though so there isn’t anything I can do until morning.
10: 22 p.m.
Hey so we got another call in, not that long ago from the Burgess’, saying they saw something big like a bear headed your way. Maybe stay out of the back yard and keep the gate closed.
I snap the phone shut, my eyes go wide and my heart quickens.I knew I saw something yesterday, but that was no bear! I think in a panic. I haven't heard Marissa come upstairs yet and notice through my bedroom window that the back light is still on. I rush over to my window to see if anyone is back there. Half the backyard is illuminated, leaving the back half in shadows. I can’t tell whether the gate is closed or open.
Shit, did I leave that closed or open? Closed or open!?
I can see Benji walking out, headed to the side of the house holding a full garbage bag when Marissa comes prancing out behind him. She grabs his hand and whispers something in his ear that makes him laugh. He drops the garbage bag and they stumble towards the direction of the back gate and stop just outside of where the light reaches and turn to face each other. All I can see is their feet and judging by their closeness, they are kissing.
My panicked gaze darts to the left side of the yard as the creature emerges, out from under the oak tree, stepping into the full light. Its back is to me but I can see it is easily over six feet tall and has freakishly long arms and dripping nails.No doubt the blood from all those missing pets Andy warned me about. It seems to be sniffing the air, trying to scent Marissa and Benji. I can see its plan is to block their way back into the house so I bolt out of my room and down the stairs to try and intercept it, not thinking twice about how on earth I am going to face something so large.Not my baby sister!Is all I can think as I jump the last four steps feeling a sharp pain shoot up my shins.
I hear a scream and as I run past the living room, I grab my dad’s antique sword that I'd stashed away earlier. Now it’s violence is exactly what I need to face this nightmare.Better to be armed, I rush on to save my sister.
Tentatively, I scan the courtyard – Benji is down, his runners are poking out of the shadows. I’m praying to whatever gods might be out there that he isn’t dead. Gripping the sword harder in my sweat slicked hands, I slowly make my way to where he is lying down, swinging my gaze side to side, looking for Marissa and the beast.
“Benji?” I whisper as I crouch down beside him, “Benji!” I say a bit louder, shaking him with my non-sword wielding hand. I feel something warm and sticky and pull my hand away to see bright red. For a moment, in my confusion, I’m wondering why my paint from earlier is on him before, to my horror, I realize it’s blood.
“Nuri! It took her… into the woods,” he sputters. I wipe my shaking, blood covered hand on the grass.
“Thank fuck you’re alive! Benji, stay still. I'm calling you an ambulance. Where is your phone?” I command, already rummaging in his pockets.
“Back pocket,” he replies as he tries to sit up, groaning at the effort.
“Stay down, It’s ringing!” I say, panic rising in my voice as my eyes adjust to the darkness and I start to see just how torn up his torso is.No, no, no, no!I’m trying to keep those slices of pizza down and have to look away.
“Here, give me the phone,” he says, reaching out with one hand while the other puts pressure on the slash across his front. “You have to go after her, there’s no time to wait for the bloody police Nuri! Bring her back, please…” he says, making a good point that I wish I wasn’t about to listen to. His trust in my skills with a sword should reassure me but still, I falter.
Shit, what am I waiting for? She’s my sister!
“Marissaaaa!”
