3. What Is Normal? #3
Before any of them can even react, I've closed the short distance and tackled the big one, eager to make quick work of the boss before the newbies figure out how their new bodies work.
The horror in his eyes grows as he realizes it’s too late.
His eyes bulge as I drive both sets of claws into his chest and pry apart his fish-bone ribs, like unwrapping the world’s bloodiest birthday present.
The moment I see his heart, I sink my teeth in and rip it free, feeling it slide down my throat.
For as much as they smell awful, there's something about cursed hearts that tastes oh so good.
I turn, ready for the next threat, only to see both hench monsters already fleeing.
The moment they saw their invincible boss fall, they ran.
I watch, horrified, as one barely makes it to the door before their skin sloughs off, leaving a steaming, fish-like skeleton.
The same happens to the other, and, I imagine, to every victim this thing has ever turned.
I turn back, and there’s Ann, grinning at me, her white teeth gleaming through a mask of blood and ichor, as if this couldn’t have gone any better.
I finally shift back, both of us still a mess, and I hurry to collect the keys and free her. The entire time she sits, unperturbed, like a goddess on a throne.
The moment she’s free, she leaps from the chair and straddles me, kissing me with the same wild intensity as that first night.
It would be perfect, if not for the sticky blood, the cold floor, and the nagging certainty that I’ve ruined our vacation just by being me.
Even as she straddles me, I can't help but start to sob. She pulls back and strokes my bloody hair, concern painting her face for the first time since she left the consignment shop. “Hey baby, it's okay, I'm okay.”
I shake my head. “No, you’re not. You’ll never be okay as long as you keep following me, chasing monsters.”
She just stares, confused, while my tears keep falling, streaking through the blood on my cheeks. “I know you love me, Ann, but I’m no good for you. I can’t give you a normal life. I couldn’t even give you a normal vacation.”
Ann sits back and goes stone still, eerily mirroring her father from earlier. But unlike him, her stiffness crumbles into an unhinged giggle.
“You idiot! I don’t want normal. I want you. I want monsters, waking up in a van, arguing with Al over whatever wild thing we’ll do next.”
She leans down, her long, bloodied hair becoming a curtain blocking out the world.
“You’ll never get rid of me. Besides, you’re the only one who makes me feel like myself.” She leans in, presses her bloodied forehead to mine, and kisses me. “I love you, you idiot.”
The tears keep coming, but now they’re lighter, less pain, more relief. She takes this as an excuse to kiss me again, still straddling my naked form.
“Stop it!” I say, gently pushing her off me with a laugh. “I get it, you love me.”
She kisses my neck a few more times. “Never doubted you’d come save me—not for a second.”
I turn to survey the shredded remains of my clothes, immediately spotting my mangled debit card and giving a silent curse. She follows my gaze and, with mild astonishment, asks, “Is that the beanie?”
“Yeah,” I smirk.
She digs into the bag they took off her from the consignment shop and pulls out a similar-looking beanie. This time, I kiss her as she starts giggling. “Okay, fine, I see why you wanted me to stop.”
I pull on one of my new outfits, and we sneak out the side door, still bloodied but a few bucks richer.
The dead monsters are someone else’s problem now.
We make it to the truck, and Ann calls Al to share the good news.
Then she just sits there, probably wondering how to explain any of this to her dad.
By the state of us, it doesn't take a lot to guess what happened.
For once, I stop worrying about the future. I don’t need to make promises, I just need to be here, with her, trusting that she loves me as much as I love her. I shift in my seat. “You know he’ll understand. If he can accept us, accept me, knowing what I am, he’ll understand everything else too.”
Her sullen look melts into surprise. “You really think so?”
“Yeah, why else would he want to move? He just wants to be in his daughter’s life.” I take her hand and smile. “Just like I want to be in your life.”
She presses my hand to her face and closes her eyes. “I have no idea how I got so lucky to find you.”
I lean over and rest my head on her shoulder, feeling the same. She pulls away, straightens, and gathers her courage to dial the phone. A moment later, Tom answers.
“Hey Dad, we are on our way home, but there's something I gotta tell you.”
“Did you crash the truck?” he asks in that deflective way they seem to communicate.
“No.”
“I already know you have a monster girlfriend.”
“Dad!”
I shake my head as Ann puts the truck in gear. I take her hand—reminding her I’m here, and that I’ll always be here, because I love her. She nods at me before pulling out of the spot.
“Dad, I just think you should know, we've been hunting monsters.”