“Hey, mom! I’m on my way to school! Might be out for a while, today is band practice.” Eric said, hitching his backpack up and kissing his mom goodbye.
“Okay, hon. Don’t be late out!” She replied, drying her hands on her apron. She was coffee-skinned, like her son, and had a strong, angular yet beautiful face. The hands that she dried were weathered and rough: the hands of a working single mother.
“Eric?” She called him back. He turned, frowning as he saw the worried look on his mother’s face. She smiled worriedly at him and he turned his face to the side, squinting his eyes scrutinizing her “Mom, I have my spare keys.” He said uncertainly.
“No, It’s not that.”
“My homework’s in my backpack…”
“I know, I trust you.”
“I definitely didn’t take weed this morning.”
“Eric!” She hit him with a napkin “You wouldn’t, anyway. I’ll kill you if I smell a whiff of that stuff in this house.” She said, but her heart wasn’t in the jokes.
“So what then? Why do you look so worried?” He asked, folding his arms.
“It’s just… Have you been hearing from Lauren? As in, lately?” She asked. “I know, I know, it’s none of my business, but…”
“No, mom. It’s okay. Lauren and I are just… We’ve been drifting apart these past couple weeks.” He said, not meeting her eyes.
“Why? Is it-did you tell her you like her?”
“Mom! Jeez!” He exclaimed “Shouldn’t have told you anything about that.”
“Yeah, but still. You should check up on her or something. See if she’s all right. You can give her a call if you feel you don’t want to see her. And if you feel you’re ready to see her, you can invite her over to dinner tonight.”
Eric threw his hands up. “Fine! I’ll call her today.” He said.
“Yeah, I know you would. And tell her hi from me.”
☆
Eric stepped out of their house and closed the door securely behind him. He looked up at the darkening sky, wondering how fast he could get to school before the clouds unleashed their content. He knew his mother would bring up Lauren sooner or later, and she hadn’t disappointed. Lauren was a regular guest at their house and most times she ate dinner or slept over, much to his mom’s delight. And although he’d actually been avoiding her, he couldn’t help but betray the feeling that he was truly missing his best friend.
He sighed with resolution, dipping his hand into his jacket pocket and bringing out his cellphone. He dialed her number and put the phone to his ear, the beep-beep sound making him even more nervous than he already was. After a few seconds, the call went to voicemail. He heard her flippant voice in the voice note and frowned. Lauren almost always never missed a call from him.
He began to walk down his street slowly as he continued trying her number, to no avail. Dread was beginning to bloom in his chest and he swallowed painfully, wondering what had happened to her.
Soon he reached their bus stop, the place where he waited for the school bus with Lauren. She usually got there earlier than him and often teased him for it. Eric looked around, hoping he might catch a glimpse of her tall frame or her dark hair, but the bus stop was empty, save for two of his classmates standing a few feet from him.
He folded his arms, tapping his elbows anxiously as the school bus pulled up in front of him. He watched as his classmates clambered into the bus, but stood there in hesitation, until the bus driver honked in annoyance. He climbed up the steps to the bus, then stopped and came back down as he made a last-minute decision, turning his back to the school bus and heading towards Lauren’s house.
☆
Lauren’s house was just up the street from their bus stop, the last house in a row of detached buildings. Jogging up the street toward her house, Eric saw that the living room windows were lit, the usual sign that Beth or Lauren was home. Okay, he told himself. Everything’s fine. But his heart lurched as he stepped into the entryway. There were whispers that seemed to emanate from the house itself and the shadows seemed full of secret movement.
Pushing his glasses up his nose, he moved from the front door and around the house to the back, crouching below the level of the windows. He reached the back door that led to the kitchen and pressed his ear to the door as the whispers became louder.
“Lim should be back from the truck by now. How long does it take to pour gas into a car?” He heard Beth say.
“Who knows with these werewolves?” A man answered “She’s probably chasing rabbits behind the house. No offence, Mike.” He added, and a dog-like chuckle answered him.
Werewolves? What were they talking about?
Eric stepped back, not sure if he should go in or leave. Suddenly he heard a soft gasp. He turned slowly to see a short girl standing behind him, with choppy black hair and a can of gas in her hand. He blinked in surprise as the girl regarded him.
“Who the heck are you?” She asked.
“A friend of Lauren’s. Who are you?”
“A friend of Lauren’s too.” She replied, raising an eyebrow. “Lauren’s not home.”
“I’ll see that for myself.” He said and moved to the door.
“Where do you think you’re going? Hey!” Lim yelled and in two seconds she was beside him, her arms around him in a tight arm lock. Eric struggled and cursed, trying to free himself and wondering how such a small girl could have such a firm grip.
“Let-me-go.” He said through gritted teeth, and the girl knocked his knees with hers, making the both of them stagger and fall to the ground. She swiftly straddled him and gripped his neck, bringing her face close to his.
“What do you want? You’re another spy for Dr Makovsky, aren’t you?” She snarled, her fangs protruded and her claws extended.
“Spy for who now? What the heck?!” He managed to splutter with her hand around his throat. Their noise had brought Axel and Beth to the door, with Mike in wolf form at their heels.
“What in the world is going on here?” Beth asked, then saw Eric and Lim on the floor and slapped her forehead “Oh, dear Lord.”
Mike, on seeing what was happening, pushed Lim away from Eric with his shoulder and pinned the boy down with his paws, his fangs just inches from the boy’s face. Paralyzed by fear, Eric stayed still, his chest heaving.
“Let him go, Mike. It’s just Lauren’s best friend.” Beth said, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. Mike stepped down from Eric’s chest and he staggered to his feet.
“What,” he said, panting “Is that massive dog?”
☆
Lim was on her feet, dusting her body and muttering murderously. Mike was staring at Eric with glowing eyes, his tongue out. And Beth was looking at him like he was the last person she wanted to see now.
“Eric, what are you doing here?” She asked, arms akimbo.
“I should be asking the questions. Who are these people? Why is that dog so big? And where, in God’s green earth, is Lauren? I haven’t seen her in days!” Eric blurted, but Beth shook her head, her red locks flying every which way.
“Eric, just go home, please. I have a lot on my plate.”
“He doesn’t know?” Axel asked from behind Beth but she ignored him.
“Know what?” Eric asked Beth.
“Never mind him, Eric. Shouldn’t you be in school?” Beth asked, trying to steer the boy away from the kitchen door.
“I skipped school to see Lauren. She wasn’t picking my calls and I was worried.” He said, not budging. “The last time I saw her, we were in Science class and we were having an argument, and then after that she just… disappeared. I’ll admit I was being mean to her and a little unfair, but then I called her severally this morning and she never picked up her phone, and then I came here to check up on her and see these weird-looking people and a massive dog with you.” He finished, glancing nervously at Lim as she gave him dagger stares.
“I’m sorry.” Beth said “Lauren is… she’s-”
“See, that’s the problem.” Eric cut in “You never give me solid reasons for Lauren’s periodic disappearances. Am I being too forward by asking about my friend?”
“No you’re not, Eric. It’s really kind of you to check up on her like this.” Beth said.
“Then tell me!”
Beth sighed and looked at Axel for support, but he shrugged helplessly. Then she turned to Mike and nodded subtly. Mike turned to Eric and growled, a low rumble that made the boy’s legs shake in fear. The werewolf bounded towards him and pushed him to the ground again, his paws on Eric’s chest.
“I’m sorry, Eric. It’s for your safety.” He heard Beth say before the animal on his chest hit his face with a heavy paw and he slipped into unconsciousness.
☆
Eric woke up several hours later to the sound of rain beating the windows. He was lying on Beth’s kitchen floor with a wooly blanket around him; he’d been dragged inside by the looks of it. His glasses were by his side: he picked them up and placed them gingerly on his nose. He touched the cheek where the dog had hit him and winced in pain, remembering the way Beth had communicated with the beast, like it was a human that could understand her.
Throwing the blanket aside, he stood up and staggered as a wave of vertigo hit him. The pain on his cheek was much more acute than what he’d thought. He grimaced and licked his inner cheek, tasting blood. He looked around: the kitchen was dark, only illuminated by the scanty sunlight from the window.
“Beth?” He called feebly but silence answered him.
He walked to the kitchen door and opened it, feeling droplets of rain hit his face. The sky was dark, only letting a few rays of sunlight escape. He checked his watch and grimaced again. It was 5:45. How had he spent the whole day being knocked out?
He squinted through the rain and saw that Beth’s truck was not in the driveway. They’d gone and left him here with more questions than he’d come with.
Eric closed the door and came back to the kitchen. He opened his phone and went straight to Google Maps, finding Beth’s profile. Thankfully she usually shared her location with him and Lauren, whenever she needed to know where they were and vice versa. He saw the glowing light that indicated where she was. It was on the outskirts of Perkins, one town away from Beacontown.
He put his phone in his trouser pocket and walked out resolutely, hoping he would be able to hitch a ride to Perkins. Something was up, and he would find out what it was.