New Plan - Chapter 22 - Hidden Monsters

Photo credit: bdesham / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Jill slammed the door to her bedroom as she made her way downstairs. She wore all black including her nails and lipstick to match her dark mood. After crying herself to sleep the previous night, she'd awakened pissed. Elyen had breakfast laid out but Jill ignored it, settling for coffee, heavy on the cream and sugar and a banana. She plugged her Skullcandy ear buds in and cranked up her playlist of Korn and Seather to drown out any potential for conversation. After downing her breakfast she wrenched open the back door to escape all company. 

 "Don't leave the yard," Vrag yelled to make himself heard. 

Jill gave him a 'Duh, I'm not stupid' look before she slammed the backdoor so hard she thought it would chip and splinter from its hinges. She sat on top of the picnic table and scanned the wooded area surrounding the backyard out of habit. He'd left again, not bothering to tell anyone where he'd gone. No one made a fuss so she didn't either. Her father knew better than to pester her when she was in a bad mood and she hoped the others left her alone too. 

She turned down the music and listened to the earthy sounds around her. She practiced tracking by sound, her keen hearing picked up the softest of steps and scamperings. After honing her skills for the past few months, with joint sessions from her father and Saal, she picked up the sounds of rabbits digging in their burrows and rocks breaking from ledges. She heard a twig snap and a low curse from Vrag who'd snuck out the house to keep and eye on her. She ignored him. A buck scratched its horns on a large tree and a car parked down the hill from their cottage. She focused on it and on the heavy footsteps next as they neared the house and continued around to where she sat. She didn't look back or acknowledge Officer Billy as he approached. She listened to his labored, out of shape breathing. 

"Where are your folks, young lady?" 

She ignored him and continued watching the woods and listening. She smelled blood and noticed the evidence bag from the corner of her eye. She remembered the crazy man and a tremor ran through her. 

"The FBI want to ask you some questions. They know you were up on Vertical Peak. They're mounting an investigation and need you to come to the station to make a statement." 

 Jill gave him her best 'eat shit and die' look before she turned away. Whatever she'd say to the feds, crooked officer Billy would poke holes in it or spin it to keep her in custody. She doubted his story entirely. She felt eyes watching her and looked through the woods, past the larger trees and saw two sets. A brief moment of relief escaped her before her anger burned again. 

Officer Billy snatched an ear bud from her ear. "I have the right to haul your ass in without any parental involvement!" he yelled before he gripped her wrist and wrenched her to her feet. He leaned in and sneered, "I know what you are." 

'Mistake' Jill thought. He released her quickly and grappled with the hand that appeared securely around his throat. Tom dragged Billy several feet away from Jill before he threw the man to the ground. Saal and Vrag both appeared to stand over the stunned officer as Tom raked him with a murderous glare. 

Jill stuffed her ear buds back in as her father walked back to her, leaving Billy to the others, who dragged him into the forest. He sat beside her on the picnic table and leaned his head to hers. 

"I know I scared you, leaving like I did. I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't have gone if I didn't have to." 

Jill wiped a few angry tears away with her fist and said nothing. He gently pulled the ear buds away. 

"Will you at least listen to me instead of Justin Beiber?" he said. Jill scowled and paused her ipod. Of course he'd hear the one guilty pleasure song on her FU playlist. 

"We need to go home," he continued. "I'm going back to confront the King and I'm going to rescue your mother. I have a plan but it'll have to be executed in my world." 

Jill finally broke her silence. "Ok, when do we go? I want to fight too!" 

Tom laughed. "I'm going to go fight the King. You're going back to school!"