Being Human (24 page)

Find the monster.

****

Lights were spaced at regular intervals, attempting to chase away the darkness. The pavement smelled like fresh tar and the lines of paint glowed. Lawns were manicured, shrubs and bushes trimmed into neat blocks. Shiny cars were parked in the driveways and equally shiny trash cans sat at the end. It was a suburb, a neighborhood where the humans were obsessed with organization. Everything had its place and everything was safe.

Or so these humans thought.

I flitted from shadow to shadow, still following the paint smell. I abandoned it when I caught the two scents from my niece’s school. The scents were potent, telling me I had been right about my guess at the school and was closing in on my prey.

The scents cumulated around a house slightly smaller than the rest, but everything else about it was identical. The well-kept lawn, tended flower beds and the trash can that stank of garbage. The driveway was empty with oil spots marring the otherwise perfect cement.

Dozens of scents hung in the air around the house and I sifted through them for the girl and monster’s, following theirs behind the house and to a small shed. Anticipation filled me as I yanked the door open. I wanted to kill this human, desired it even. Need was barely a thought, my mind set on enjoying the monster’s death. It was the least he deserved for putting my family in fear.

But the shed was empty, only tools hanging on the wall. I turned away and followed the scents back to the house. Both scents disappeared behind an immaculate door. Annoyance welled and I slammed my fist against the door and a jolt rippled up my arm.

I shook the jolt away and lifted my hand again. The energy crackled as I pressed against it again, but it felt weak, giving as I pushed against it. Why?

I glanced at the still dark sky and decided it didn’t matter.

Grabbing the doorknob, I shoved the door open. The energy snapped louder as I continued to push until my hand passed through. I yanked my hand back and examined the damage. Wisps of smoke drifted from my hand and small, shallow cuts covered my skin.

I pushed my hand back through, and for a split second, wondered if the energy would sever my hand if I held there long enough. Bad idea! Pulling my hand back, I lifted my shirt to cover my face and prepared myself. It took some effort, but I jerked my way through the energy and stumbled into the house.

Silence greeted my ears when the crackle of energy faded away. I moved through the house, clinging to walls and shadows as I explored. In the living room were the usual furniture and decorations. In a bedroom, a fan hummed quietly next to a large bed. A few more doors revealed more bedrooms and a bathroom, but nothing out of the ordinary. If another human came to this home, they would assume it was normal.

Yet there were things in the house that weren’t normal. Scents. They filled the house and drifted along like pathways. Lots of humans had been in this house, causing the energy to weaken and allow me to force my way in.

The girl’s scent stood out among the others. It was heavy with fear, turning the otherwise sweet smell almost sour. It led me back through the house and to the living room where it disappeared behind the couch. I pushed the couch aside, my nose grazing the wall as I followed. The scent stopped in the middle, but there was nothing. It was only a wall.

I sat back, puzzled. How did the scent end there?

Think like a human, I reminded myself.

I racked my brain and searched through everything I knew about humans and had learned about the monster. What he was doing was wrong and the other humans wanted him stopped, but were incapable of it. If the other humans knew what the monster was doing was wrong, then so did he. And if he knew it was wrong, he would hide it.

How did he hide the girl so her scent ended at the wall?

“He hid the girl
in
the wall,” I muttered.

I pressed my ear to the wall and faintly made out a rhythm beating on the other side. A couple taps against the wall sounded hollow. The faint rhythm picked up its pace and I heard a frantic scratching. She was there, on the other side.

How did I get her out?

The wall didn’t give when I pushed, too thick to break. I ran my fingers along the wall, examining the wallpaper. My fingers caught the edge of one tattered section and it tore away to reveal a door.

Dust puffed into the air, drywall crumbling as I pulled the door open. The smell of fear hit me hard and the aroma turned my stomach. A voice cried out in terror and feet scrambled to escape. I swatted my hand through the air to rid the dust and scents. A sick feeling filled me when I peered into the wall, my mouth going dry at the human cowering before me.

My niece was in the wall.

****

Every ounce of strength and energy I had drained away. I stumbled back, panic gripping my chest. No, it couldn't be her. She was home. Safe. Not huddled in terror behind a wall!

A few blinks and the horrible vision changed. My niece disappeared, replaced by the girl. She huddled in the corner of the shallow nook that was crudely carved into the wall, staring at me with wide, fear-filled eyes. There wasn't a strip of clothing on her, her thin arms wrapped around her trembling body. A whimper escaped her lips and tears sprung from her eyes when I reached for her. I dropped my hand and retreated as her fear hit me again.

“It's okay, I won't hurt you,” I told her, reaching again.

She whimpered and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I won't hurt you,” I repeated slowly. “I'm here to...” My voice trailed off.

I was here to kill the monster. He was my prey. I hadn't given her any thought. I knew she'd be here, her scent helped me find him, but I never thought about what to do with her once I killed him.

Listening, I glanced over my shoulder at the vacant living room. There were no other sounds in the house, no sounds from outside that indicated a human was near or approaching. It was only me and her. I reached again, not backing down when she cried out and patted her arm. “I won't hurt you.”

I took my hand back and tugged my shirt off. Carefully, I pulled her from the wall and dressed her in my shirt. Her shivering subsided, tiny fists clutching handfuls of fabric. I offered my hand again, letting her come to me. Cautiously, she placed her hand in mine and let me pull her into my arms. I cradled her gently, the fear easing from her scent as I rocked her back and forth.

“That's right, everything's all right.” It was something my brother and Rissa always told my niece after bad dreams. I figured if my brother and Rissa said it to my niece, it was okay to say to her.

Gears creaked as a car pulled into the driveway, lights glowing through the curtains. The lights died, the car engine falling silent. Footsteps clomped on cement, a whistled tune drifted over the air and a key turned in the lock.

Her body turned rigid, head buried against my shoulder and she whimpered in terror. Curling back into the wall, I pried her fingers from my neck and pushed her behind me. I pressed my finger to my lips, then turned away to wait.

My prey had entered the house.

Lights flooded the living room, the footsteps stopped and the whistle died. A breath inhaled sharply, panic joining the smell of fear. He took one step, then another, making his way towards the couch.

I gave him a second to see me, a second for realization to hit and fear set in.

He whirled away, attempting to reach the door, but I grabbed his leg and jerked him back. Only to release him and allow him to scramble to his feet. I blocked him before he reached the door, forcing him to change direction. He slammed against the wall, sweat shining on his face as he panted for breath. With a cry, he reached into the wall, dragging her out. He shoved her at me, then struggled to his feet and raced down the hall.

I caught and set her on the couch, then took off after him. In the kitchen, I grabbed him again, knocking his feet out from under him. His head cracked against the counter, and he fell to the floor, crying in pain.

His fear filled the air, mingling with the fear of the children he hid in the wall. Their scents saturated the house, telling me a story of how their lives ended. He brought them here, terrified them, hurt them, and then killed them before throwing their bodies away like trash.

I didn't understand why, but I didn't have to. I circled around him and hissed one word, “Monster.”

“No, I'm sick and need help!” he pleaded, crawling on his knees.

I threw him across the room, red seeping into my vision as I followed and pounced. Flesh tore and bones popped as he screamed in pain. I ripped into him, tearing and jerking until there was nothing left but red in front of me.

The fury drained out of me with his death and I stumbled back. I felt his sticky blood cooling on my skin, embedded under my nails. It covered the floor, flowing like a river to where she stood in the doorway.

Feet slipping through the blood, I swept her up. Her eyes were wide as she stared and I turned her head away knowing she shouldn’t see any of that. She clung to my neck as I carried her away, leaving the fear and what was left of the monster behind.

Once home, I set her on the doorstep and unlocked the door. I knelt down, looking in her eyes, my hands on her shoulders. “I welcome you in.”

She followed me inside, wide eyes following my movements. A growl rumbled in her stomach, her hand moving to it.

I crouched in front of her, tilting my head. “Are you hungry?”

She nodded once, her stomach growling again.

I led her to the kitchen, shifting through the food. I never paid much attention to what my niece ate. I knew she liked candy and cake, but Rissa always said she needed more than sugar to eat.

Finding the bread and a kind of dead meat, I made her a sandwich. If not for my brother’s midnight snacks in college, I wouldn’t know how to make one. She devoured the sandwich as I cleaned the blood off myself. She hiccupped a few times, so I filled a glass with water. She drank that quickly as well. When she finished, she yawned widely and blinked sleepily at me.

“Are you tired?”

She nodded, rubbing an eye with her fist.

I carried her to the basement, curling up with her in my corner. Her skin felt warm and uncomfortable as the sun rose, but I endured the pain. My family was safe and the monster was dead. The girl was in my arms, fast asleep and free of fear.

****

Each time the girl moved, I woke. And she moved a lot. One moment her arms were around my neck, the next her head against my chest, then she’d roll over onto her back, legs sprawled across mine only to roll back onto her stomach and curl up. Finally, I had to move her. As much as I didn't want to, the pain of her skin against mine was too much for me to bear. She didn't wake as I slowly worked on moving her from my lap to the floor. Once her body was no longer touching mine, I worked on reining in my need that had swirled to life from being touched during the day.

When the sun set, she stirred and softly moaned. I moved to her side and brushed the hair out of her face. My movement startled her, causing a whimper of fear.

“It's okay, just me,” I assured her.

She stared with wide and uncertain eyes. I stared back, just as uncertain. She obviously needed care and protection. I could do the protection part, but caring for a human child. I barely had a clue.

“I don't know what to do,” I informed her. “I need to go upstairs, my family will be wondering if I don't. Stay here and I'll be back.”

She stayed silent, huddling against the wall and fear filling her scent.

I crouched down. “You're safe with me; I won't let any monsters get you again.”

She nodded and the fear started to fade. I darted up the stairs and peeked through the door. My brother and Rissa were on the couch, watching a news report about a murder in a suburb. My niece was playing with her toys on the floor, absently humming. I slid through, racing up to the spare room for a shirt. Once it was on, I descended the steps at a slower pace.

Delight filled my niece’s eyes when she saw me and she threw herself into my arms. “Uncle, acrobat!”

“Later.” I set her down and disappointment filled her eyes.

“You don't need to get riled up before bed.” My brother picked her up and swung her around.

“And that's not helping.” Rissa plucked my niece from him. She looked at me. “You're awfully late coming up. It didn't get too warm down there today, did it?”

“I'm fine,” I casually replied.

My brother turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “What emotion was that? You sounded like someone was squeezing your–”

“Dan!” Rissa cut him off, growling through her teeth. “Not in front of Mackenzie.”

“What?” my niece asked. “What was Daddy talking about? I want to know.”

“No, you don't,” Rissa replied.

I inched back towards the basement, trying to look normal. A noise below had caught my attention, a weak whimper. Something upset her and she needed me. I had to get down there and make sure she was okay.