Chapter 68 #2
My parents can never find out what happened here tonight. They will never let me leave the house and if they get their way, I'll spend the last few months of my life wishfully staring out of my bedroom window.
Laken slows as we reach the platform marking the starting of the hiking trail, made up of stone steps carved into the earth and barricaded by wooden rails separating wild brush from the path. It lords over the main building and the open parking lot, rising up like a wall of stone and earth.
Down in the parking lot where Dale's GLS SUV, Sky's SUV, Carter's Chevy, and Ezra Camaro are parked to one side, the rest of the space is occupied by black S.W.A.T vans, green lights flashing from their tops, and an ambulance with flashing amber lights.
People in tactical gear armed with rifles move about the lot.
I recognize Mayor Hayes among uniformed men and women in jeans and a black jersey, a S.W.A.T body armor vest strapped around his torso.
His left arm is wrapped in gauze. If he's in pain, he doesn't show it as he speaks with the armed men and women.
Sky's dad is in the back of the ambulance. A body armor vest is draped over a knee, and he looks off to the side with a blank stare, tracking the commotion of the lot. He's receiving treatment for wounds that mar his cheek, arm, and side.
My breathing almost stops when I spot my father's BMW. The driver's side is opened, one leg poking out and planted firmly on the ground. Mom leans against the opened door, speaking with him, and as if sensing I'm nearby, she turns and looks up.
Mom's face contorts, fresh tears glistening in her eyes. She waves to dad frantically. Her lips move and then she's running in my direction with Dad a step behind.
"Mom! Dad!"
At the moment, I don't care if I seem inappropriate or too childish for my age. My parents are the only things that make sense, and they're what feels safe.
I go bounding down the steps, not caring whether Laken follows or not. I reach flat ground before they make it to the base of the stone steps and I sprint to them, crashing into my mother's open arms. They circle and hold me tight.
Mom is crying, tears trekking down her cheeks in uncontrollable fits. Dad is more reserved, but I still catch the mist glistening in his eyes, his hold a little too tight around my shoulders.
"Thank god you're okay!" Mom cries. Her arms tighten round my waist, giving me a squeeze before she's able to let go. Her hands cup the sides of my face as she looks me over for injuries.
"You've no idea how worried your mother and I were when Mayor Hayes called," Dad says. I'm pulled away from Mom's inspection and into an enveloping hug from him, the moment of reunion shattered by his admission.
"Mayor Hayes called you?"
"I'm still livid with that man," Mom mutters, shooting a glare in Mayor Hayes' direction. Their eyes meet across the lot, and he returns a sheepish smile. "He knew," she continues with a shake of her head. "He knew what was happening. The truth, and he let us believe it was some burglary ring."
"In his defense," Dad starts, stuttering into brief silence when Mom turns her sharp stare to him. He smiles guiltily and holds up his hands. "All I was going to say is that we're partly to blame. We knew the truth too, Kat. Jace should've heard it from us first."
Chills erupt along my skin, goosebumps exploding across my arms and over my neck. It crawls up my spine, snaking through my scalp. My chest rises and falls with short, shallow puffs of air and I swallow hard, the implication of their words making it feel like the ground is breaking beneath my feet.
Sky told me the burglary ring story was a cover-up.
And my parents knew all along.
"What – uhm – Mom, Dad...what're you talking about? What truth did you know that you should've told me?"
My parents exchange furtive glances. They're quiet for a long time, more than what seems appropriate.
"Well?"
Mom's jaw moves. She opens her mouth but before she can utter a single word, a new commotion arises, stealing the lot's attention.
Voices raise.
"Over there!"
"Got one of them!"
"Steven!"
"He made it back!"
My heart leaps into my throat, gaze following the frenzy of uniformed men and women running toward the tree line to the far-left side of the lot where the ground is flatter. Beams of light zigzag, flashing across the dirt and concrete and grass and wooden barriers coming up against the tree line.
My breathing catches as the men and women circle a shadowy figure lumbering from out of the trees. Bright blue eyes flash, the creature staggering forward on four legs until its completely surrounded.
Is that...
Did that creature Laken shoot make it out alive?
"Get him to the ambulance!" Steven Daniels' voice rises above the chaos. I tear my gaze away from the creature clambering over the wooden barrier. Sky's father is sprinting across to the group of uniformed men and women. Their rifles are aimed but not at the creature.
Half of them keep their guns trained on the tree line while the other half keep their flashlights on the creature as it staggers on four legs on the grass.
The beams of light illuminate the glistening crimson that matts its black fur, jagged tears in the flesh across its side making for a stomach-turning image.
The creature sways, shakes its head. Blue eyes illuminate from light beams locking onto me.
Chills sweep over my skin and I involuntarily step back.
It sways again and then slowly, its limbs begin twisting and cracking, breaking and rearranging at unnatural angles, shortening and straightening.
My head spins watching black fur receding beneath pale, sweat-coated skin with muscles and sinew rippling beneath it.
A head full of black hair comes into view.
Then piercing, familiar eyes, sharp cheekbones, a nose I've traced countless times while he slept and full lips I've kissed even more times.
My breathing hollows and I sway. My knees give out and I crash to the ground hard, wind knocking out of me.
Sky's intense stare locks on me from across the distance and he crashes to his knees as well.
And then, everything goes black.