Modern Monsters Ch. 11&12

Chapter Eleven:
Travel Companions.

“If you’re on a trip, don’t go alone. With companions it’s easier and more fun. You also don’t have to do all the work!”
— Idiotic Advice That Makes Sense

MATTHEW

I WOKE BEFORE CLAIR AND FOUND THAT it was possible for me to return to my body without killing myself. As quietly and carefully as I could, I gathered what small amount of Magyck I could and slowly trickled back into my own body. I was greeted with a burning thirst and the desire to throw myself at Clair and suck the blood from her.

         I climbed unsteadily to my feet, bracing myself with half-furled wings, and headed for the bubbling stream about a hundred feet away and took a long drink. It curbed my thirst for now and gave me a little extra strength. When I returned, Clair was awake and searching through the packs to see what was in them.

         “What’s this?” she asked holding up jars of various ingredients.

         “Potion ingredients.”

         “For what?”

         “For various things that would take forever to describe,” I answered wearily. Yeah, the water had revived me, but I really wasn’t in any mood to explain complicated things to someone who didn’t even know anything about the Magyck Community.

         Clair seemed to sense I didn’t want to talk about it right now and let it drop as she continued to rootle through the bags. I left her to it and went to explore, make sure nothing was about to attack us, and to put a small shield around us to give me warning if anyone, friend or otherwise was coming.

         After making a full circuit of our campsite, I returned, my stomach growling and my throat burning. Two peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches awaited me on the blanket I’d used to cover my body with the night before.

         “I thought you might be hungry, so I made you a couple of sandwiches. I hope you like peanut-butter-and-jelly. It was the only thing I could make while you were gone,” Clair said shyly, hiding her face as it turned red.

         I sat beside her Indian-style. “It’s fine,” I said. “I like these kinds of sandwiches; it’s why I packed the stuff.” Before I could make her any more uncomfortable then she already seemed for reasons I couldn’t fathom, I contented myself to eating. She ate in silence next to me.

         After my stomach had time to digest the food, I felt a hundred times better, though my throat still insisted it needed blood. With a sigh, I rose to my feet and began pacing. I thought of where we’d go next once we had recovered more and possible people who would be willing to hide and help us. I thought of everything I could instead of my need for blood. Of course I failed miserably.

         “Matthew, what’s wrong?” Clair finally asked.

         I stopped my pacing with another sigh and took my seat next to her once more. “A lot of things,” I replied at last.

         “Like what?” she prodded when I failed to continue.

         “Like the fact that I’m still hungry,” I growled.

         “Do you want me to make you another sandwich?”

         “Not that kind of hunger,” I nearly snapped.

         The light came on. “Oh,” she whispered. She was silent for such a long time I finally had to look at her to make sure she was still there.

         When the sight registered in my brain, I jumped to my feet and backed away. “No Clair. I won’t!”

         She released the collar of her hand-me-down robe and glared at me with her blue eyes. “Now you listen here, Kelzby! I’m not doing this because I feel sorry for you! I’m doing because I have no idea what to do to keep us safe and you do! I —”

         I silenced her as I grabbed her shoulders and drew her closer. I couldn’t handle it anymore. Seeing her neck bared to me had broken what willpower I’d been able to build up. Clair tilted her head to make it easier for me and froze, entrusting her life to me. As my fangs sank into her flesh, I lost my mind. I greedily sucked, filling my mouth with warm liquid.

         As Clair grew weaker, I grew stronger. I could feel my strength returning at a phenomenal rate. With a power I didn’t know how I found, I slowly pulled my fangs out of Clair’s neck and wiped the blood away with my hand. Shamefully, I turned away from her and moved to edge of the campsite. Clair followed me.

         Gently she placed her hand on my shoulder. Though I didn’t want the touch, it was comforting and something I needed.

         “Clair, I —” I began, but she cut me off as she removed the blood from my lips and chin.

         “You don’t need to say anything. And you don’t need to apologize,” she said.

         “But —!”

         “No buts about it! I offered my blood, and you took me up on that offer. So quit trying to say you're sorry!” she snapped.

         “That’s not what I’m trying to say!” I interjected before she could continue. “I want to thank you. My kind can’t live off animal blood, though many of us have tried it before, including myself. We just puke it up and crave humanoid blood even more. Many of my kind have also tried blood pills that dissolve on the tongue, but that did nothing as well.”

         After a lengthy silence, Clair finally said something. “Matthew, what do you think this will do to me?” she asked quietly.

         “I don’t know.” Her question brought back all my fears of what would happen to Clair as my venom traveled through her system.

         “I wish I knew what it would do. I don’t like being left in the dark worrying about it,” she whispered.

         We fell silent again as I contemplated what we were going to do later. As my mind wandered, I began pacing restlessly, Clair, Jha’nae, and Kallen following silently.

         “What is that?” Clair inquired coming to an abrupt stop.

         I looked in the direction she pointed. “My old home,” I answered staring at the rundown building.

         “You used to live here? When?”

         Staring off into the distance I lost myself in my memories as I told Clair. “I was born here in 1929 after my Father built this small house for my Mother, Eileen, so we’d be able to live on the same plane as the non-Magyck users,” I said gazing at my old home.

         “1929?” Clair whispered disbelieving as she looked at me with incredulous eyes.

         “My kind live for many centuries. It’s why I still look eighteen even though I’m eighty years old.”

         Clair sat hard on the ground. “I can’t believe it. You’re eighty years old.” She was silent for a time as she took it in. Finally she said something. “So, why did you choose this place as one of our hideouts?”

         “It’s the only place I’ve ever been that’s not in a large city. I didn’t know how well you’d do in a big place like that, and I thought you might like to rest in peace and quiet for a while. I also ... wanted to come to terms with myself,” I murmured sitting next to her again.

         “What happened?” Clair inquired softly.

         “My little sister was killed here when three hunters foolishly entered our land seeking a buck they’d shot. My sister went mad when she scented them coming toward us. She’d never been around humans before and didn’t know it was against the law to attack one and partake of their blood without their consent. She was too young to understand that concept. She was only at the level of a three year old after all.” I paused for a moment to steel myself for the rest of the telling. “I was supposed to be watching her making sure she didn’t get into any trouble. But I easily got sidetracked by little things. I smelled the blood of the wounded deer and went in search of it. I thought Ruth was right behind me. I had no idea she’d left my side and was heading toward the hunters.

         “That’s when I smelled the new blood. It was the best thing I’d ever scented. I’d never known human blood could smell so good. I went faster; I couldn’t help myself from staying away from the scent of blood. I wanted it, and I wanted it bad.” I stopped again and looked away from Clair and back at my old home. It was a quiet moment before I could continue.

         “More blood filled the air with its intoxicating scent. I moved faster than I’d ever gone before. There was nothing that could’ve stopped me from going to those humans and sucking their bodies dry. It was the gunshot that finally brought me to a halt. And the scent of blood from my own kind. I knew it was my sister the instant the smell hit my nose. As if in a haze, I moved on toward where I’d been so eager to go before. What I saw still wakes me at night. I’ll never forget my sister’s crumbled, bleeding body lying next to the camouflaged men twice her size covered in their blood. I knew immediately one of the hunters was dead and the other slowly dieing.”

         I stopped again, brushing wetness from my eyes. Clair silently returned her hand to my shoulder. At last I was able to go on. I felt telling her this was important. I’d kept it buried for so long I knew I felt I needed to tell someone about it.

         “Then the last hunter holding the gun that had killed Ruth aimed it at me. I couldn’t do anything but stare at the nozzle of the shotgun. I’d never been faced with death until that moment. I found I didn’t like it very much. I snapped. Before I could do more than take a couple of steps forward though, my parents arrived on the scene. They snapped even faster than I had.

         “My parents acted quicker then I ever could. My Dad had the gun in his possession before the guy even knew they were there. And my Mom had him around the throat and killed the next moment. The human only had enough time to scream three words, ‘Demons do exist!’ before he died. I will always remember the gurgle of air as he tried to suck in a breath, but was unable to and the look of fear on his face.”

         Clair’s grip tightened on my shoulder helping me go on. “When the Council learned of what my parents had done, they took them into their custody and sentenced them to death as it’s against the law to kill a human for any reason even if they’re threatening the life of one of your own. They deemed me too young to be killed with them and sent me to live with my uncle in London.” My story being finished, I got to my feet and began pacing. Clair joined me, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.

         “Oh, Matthew. I had no idea you’d been through something like that,” she whispered. Placing a gentle hand on my arm, she halted me.

         I turned to look at her not even realizing the tears that fell. Wordlessly, I wiped a silver droplet from her cheek and stared at it. Slowly, my eyes came up to meet hers. I was struck with the urge to kiss her. I dropped my hand and gaze hoping she hadn’t been able to sense my blush. Clearing my throat, I said the first thing that came to mind. “Want to see my old house?”

         “Umm, sure,” she said somewhat uncertainly.

         Stupid, stupid, stupid! I shouted at myself. It had been the perfect opportunity to show my long felt feelings toward her and yet I was too chicken to tell her! I’m such an idiot! I should have kissed her! And with my luck that’s the only chance I’ll ever get.

Chapter Twelve:
Travel Complications.

“Sometimes things just never go your way.”
— Words to the Wise

CLAIRYSSAH

I WAS STILL LOST IN HIS TALE. I couldn’t believe he’d been holding back something like that, and all by himself. Matthew had no one left except himself, and even that wasn’t enough to keep someone going. I turned my attention to him and watched as he led me toward his old home. From here I could tell it was rundown building with the roof beginning to fall in and plants growing up the sides. Inside were remnants of things left forgotten when the Council took Matthew and his parents. It had once been a two-story building with a large front entrance and four bedrooms.

         “Well, this is where I used to live,” Matthew said coming to a stop next to the front door. “What do you think?”

         I bet it was pretty in its prime, I replied placing a hand on the moss covered stone wall. We were silent as I tried to imagine what this place looked like back when Matthew’s parents were still alive.

         “Mama! Where are you?!” a scared voice cried quietly.

         My head turned in the direction of the well where the wood cover had rotted away from disuse.

         “What is it?” Matthew asked as I headed toward the well at a quick pace.

         There’s something in there, I answered, pointing.

         “Well, let’s get it out before it gets dark.”

         When I got to the edge of the deep hole, I sent a sliver of my senses to the bottom. The first thing I noticed was the well was devoid of water. The next thing I sensed was a small creature that looked like a dog with large, pointed ears. A moment later I realized there was a fox stuck at the bottom of the well. There’s a fox down there.

         “Kallen!” Matthew called. A few seconds passed before the leopard joined us.

         —“Yes Master?”—

         “Think you can go down there and get the fox that’s stuck? Clair says she can hear it calling.”

         Is that a bad thing? I asked worried.

         “No, it’s not. It means Magyck users can finally bond with their companion for the first time since the last Lumenancer was around.”

         What do you mean by ‘bond’?

         Matthew was about to answer when Kallen crashed into the wood still left on top of the well and climbed down to rescue the fox. A minute later, the Superior Kaemyn lifted a young fox out of the hole in his mouth. Quickly and gently, I went forward and took the animal from Kallen. The fox shivered against my chest and buried her head into the loose cloth of my robe.

         “Where’s Mama? I want Mama!” the fox screeched in my mind.

         It’s all right, I murmured softly stroking her. She was skin and bones in my hands. Matthew, bring me some food for her, please, I asked.

         He hurried toward where we’d slept to retrieve what I’d asked for. While he was away, I checked the fox to make sure she wasn’t injured. Thankfully, she wasn’t.

         “Where’s Mama?” she asked again, this time in a quieter voice.

         I don’t know little one. I can’t sense her anywhere nearby.

         “Then the bad men must have got her.”

         What bad men?

         “Mama called them S’vahkin,” the fox answered.

         S’vahkin? What does that mean?

         “I don’t know. I just know they have really loud voices and boom-sticks that kill something when they go off.”

         Well, you don’t need to worry about the S’vahkin any longer. You’re safe with me.

         “Who are you anyway?” she asked.

         Just call me Clair, I replied. What should I call you?

         “My name’s Kii-harrah.”

         Well, Kii-harrah, that’s a very pretty name, I commented, scratching her head.

         Matthew interrupted when he handed me a few slices of beef jerky. Kii-harrah wolfed them down in hardly any time at all.

         “So has it said what its name is yet?” Matthew inquired as he looked her over.

         Yes, her name is Kii-harrah. Kii-harrah nudged my hand with her nose as she searched for more food. I’m sorry girl, but you shouldn’t eat anymore. You’ll get sick.

         After nudging my hand once more, Kii-harrah sighed. She investigated my robe for a place to stay and found an oversized pocket just right for her. She curled up inside it and went right to sleep. I realized I was tired as well. It seemed the day’s events were finally catching up.

         Hey Matthew?

         “Yes?”

         What time is it? I asked.

         “Afternoon. Why?”

         Just wondering. I can’t see the sun after all.

         “Oh,” he said sounding ashamed.

         Don’t worry about it, I interjected before he could apologize. I covered a huge yawn as I turned and went to the blanket spread out on the ground I’d used for a bed last night. I’m going to sleep for a while, I announced. Wake me if you need me or if something happens.

         “All right.”

         I laid down on my left side and fell instantly asleep.

MATTHEW
I

I WATCHED CLAIR AS SHE FELL INTO a deep sleep. I began to worry about her. It was the same thing every day. The instant she was asleep, I started worrying about her. Something in the back of my mind was making me edging about that necklace I’d given to Clair. There seemed to be something off about it, yet every time I tried to pinpoint the problem, I got a splitting headache and was unable to think about it any longer. I sighed. I needed to think of other things before a migraine began. Getting silently to my feet, I did a perimeter walk of the camp, adding Magyck to the shield since I had gained some more of my strength. Kallen and Jha’nae joined me in my pacing. I ignored them. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone at the moment.

         After I walked around the camp a couple more times I decided I’d go for a flight. It’d been too long since I’d last stretched my wings. Sending my Magyck out to make sure nothing would cause any problems, I unfurled my wings and soared into the air for a long needed break.

KURO
II

“KURO, SEND FOR DAMIKA. I wish to make a viewing of what we are dealing with. I think it’s time to put a fire under Lumena’s feet and see how well this Clair can do in a tight pinch. What do you think?” Nekarro inquired as he gazed into my eyes.

         My eyes brightened with anticipation. Though Bellynda had brought me close to Clair and Lumena, I had actually never really gotten the chance to see her. Or make her squirm. “Can I do something? I’ve been wanting to try my fire element ever since I first came into this body. Bellynda never used it to its full capacity.

         “Of course my daughter, do whatever you want to her, but please try not to kill her, we’re only wanting to harass them.”

         “As you wish, Father,” I said with a lowered head.

CLAIRYSSAH
III

I WOKE WITH A DRY THROAT AND a growling stomach. Searching through the bags, I collected a couple of slices of beef jerky and gnawed on them until my hunger pangs went away. Of course with all the salt in the jerky, I became even more thirsty. I looked through the packs once more but found there was no water. That’s what happens when a man is left to do the packing. They forget important things sometimes.

         Getting to my feet, I headed toward the stream with cup in hand. I kneeled next to the sluggish water and dipped the cup into it. Raising it to my lips, I drained it in one go.

         Suddenly, the wind picked up throwing dust into my face. I raised my arms to protect my eyes and threw my senses into the air. It was only Matthew. When the dust settled, I lowered my hands and picked up the cup I’d dropped in my fright.

         So where have you been? I asked bending to fill the cup. Without a word, I handed it to him.

         “I wanted to stretch my wings. If I’d known you’d be up so soon, I would have stayed.”

         So that’s why I still feel tired. How long was I out anyway?

         “About twenty minutes.”

         That’s when the burst of heat appeared in the air between us and our campsite. The raging inferno raced toward us, eating the dead leaves and grass of mid-fall. I did the only thing that came to mind. I pulled Matthew toward the stream.

         A woman emerged from the fire, her hair streaming behind her in a wild mess. She was the same person who’d been there with us at the burning school. Yet she didn’t seem to be two people at the same time anymore. She seemed to have only one soul within.

         The fire grew higher, filling the air with heat that scorched the skin. It moved faster, spreading to form a wall between us and Kallen and Jha’nae who were trying to get near us.

         Matthew, get us out of here, now! I cried.

         He reluctantly followed my pulling arm.

         Matthew! There was something bad about that woman slowly trailing us. I felt that if we gave her the chance, she could cause some major problems.

         I grabbed Matthew around the middle away from the sight of the woman and threw him into the water before me. I tried to remember the sequence of how to teleport since it seemed Matthew was incapable of doing it. Even if it caused me problems, I had to get us away from that woman. As I reached for my link to the Magyck, Matthew finally broke out of his surprise.

         “No Clair! Don’t do it!” he cried.

         It was too late. I felt the Magyck fill my being with burning heat that left me breathless. In a flash, we vanished from the stream.

MATTHEW
IV

WE WERE SUSPENDED IN A TUNNEL OF white that stretched on as far as the eye could see. Slowly, we floated in the light, Clair holding me tightly around the middle.

         “Where are we?” Clair inquired. “This doesn’t feel like we’re teleporting.”

         “I have no idea. I’ve never heard of this place before,” I replied quietly as I looked around in wonder. Mixed in the blinding white light pinpoints of colors swirled in lazy circles. “What place were you thinking of when you teleported?”

         “I really didn’t have a place in mind. I just wanted to get us away from that woman. Something about her wasn’t right.”

         “Then we’re stuck.” Clair wasn’t listening. She was staring at a space of the blank whiteness with a strange look on her face.

         “I can see color,” she said softly.

         “What?”

         “There are points of red, blue, and green but most of the tunnel is white. Right?”

         “Yeah,” I replied, stunned. She shouldn’t be able to see this, yet, maybe, because it was her power that had brought us here she was able to see the colors here.

         Clair released one of her arms from around my waist and slowly reached out her hand to one of the green lights.

         “Clair, I don’t think--!”

         It was too late. When her skin made contact with the green sphere, it felt as if we’d entered the world’s scariest slide. Twisting and turning in the green tube, we screamed together. Abruptly, the slide ended.

         Panting, I helped Clair to her feet and looked around.

         “Where are we?” she asked.

         “I don’t know. I’ve never seen this place before.” I glanced at the sky between the sky scrapers and gazed at a cloud strewn night sky.

         Clair was silent for a time with her eyes closed. They snapped open. “We’re in New York,” she whispered.

         I stared at her in disbelief. New York. She’d teleported, or whatever she’d done to us, to New York on her first try.

         Looking around, I realized we were surrounded by people going about their daily lives without glancing at us. Hearing feet behind me, I turned on my heel, and came face to face with a Hispanic woman carrying a suitcase. Before I was able to move out of her way, she walked right through me. I realized I was on the first plane yet I could still see the humans on theirs. Normally, a Magyck user could only see the same thing that was on their plane, not multiple ones. What kind of power was Clair using?

         Another human, this time a white male with black hair, was heading straight toward Clair his ear glued to his cell phone. He bumped into her and continued on as if he hadn’t run into someone. Clair was on the same plane as the humans it seemed.

         “Matthew, what day was it when we left the school?” Clair suddenly asked.

         “Wednesday. Why?”

         “Because according to these people, it’s Monday night.”

         “What?!” I cried. “Why are you saying it’s Monday, when it’s Thursday?”

         “Listen,” she commanded. Voices filled my mind as she took my arm.

         “Thank goodness Monday is finally over. I can go home to my wife.” “I hate Mondays. Thankfully it’s over.” Other random snatches of conversation echoed in the back of my mind until Clair released me.

         “But … how can it be Monday?”

         “I think the slide we went on took us to Monday.”

         “But is it in the future, or the past?” I asked.

         “The past. But only a couple of days before the school burned down,” she said with such surety I couldn’t not believe her.

         “How do we get back?”

         “I don’t know,” she whispered looking down at her hands.

Next Chapters: Chapter 13: Gathering Friends, & Chapter 14: Gathering Fright.