Howl under the Moon Ch. 10

Chapter 101

The next Sunday morning always felt hotter than any other day of the week, still despite it being spring. The weather was clear and cloudless. Hilary walked up to her porch and inserted the key, she turned the doorknob and uttered a soft cry of surprise when the door opened with a long teeth grinding creak as Hilary stepped in. The house was dark and felt empty and cold as if all the life that it held was gone. 2

“Hello?” She called. Her voice echoed through the house. Hilary quietly stepped inside. “Hello?” She repeated in a trembling voice. “Grandma, Grandpa are you guys home? Hello?” The house remained silent. Hilary made her way into the living room. The thud of her shoes on the floorboards was the only sound. “Is anyone here?”3

No one was in the house, which led her to a smaller room. Some kind of office, perhaps?, “Hello?” She stepped into a second doorway. Squinting into the dim light, she took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Suddenly a pair of hands clasped over both her eyes and mouth, she wanted to scream though she couldn’t but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to give up on a fight. Hilary struggle, she elbowed the stranger behind her in the stomached. She turned to kick the intruder but was taken aback to realize that it was just Eric, who huddled over his stomach.4

“Hey Hilary.” He muffled then stood up to take in a breath, “Surprise.” He said. She looked at Eric in bewilderment; Eric still wore the same plain dirty T-shirt and a pair of jeans with brown sandals. Surely doesn’t Jason give him new clothes to fit? She closed the distance between them and asked, “What’re you doing in my house and how’d you get in?” Luckily for Eric he made a quick response since he’d been rehearsing all night in case Hilary grew suspicious. “Same as you are, since Jason goes to church in the morning I’d though I’d keep you company until he gets back. You want to play Scrabble while we wait.”5

“But I—“ Still she was not convinced but Eric cut her off and made his way towards the kitchen. “Oh wait you’ll probably hungry that’s okay I’ll make breakfast for the both of us.” He gave a hearty laugh as he shuffle through the cabinets. “Where do you keep the pans, cause I’m in the mood for hash browns right about now.” Hilary watched as he kneeled down under the stove, he pulled out pots and pans in all different sizes with the sounds of metal clapping each other. 6

“Eric stop.” He didn’t hear her over the sounds of pots being thrown on the floor. 7

Eric ignored her as he finally found the suitable pan and set it on top of the stove, the fire clicked then burst a bit under the little pan. “Eric please stops it.” She pleaded but still Eric didn’t paid her any attention as he scavenge through the fridge. He pulled out the eggs, ham and butter. She couldn’t take it any more, Hilary had to find out where were her grandparents; she had a gut twisting feeling that Eric knew about something but was keeping it silent. 8

“Eric where the hell are my grandparents!” Hilary shrieked at the top of her lungs.9

Her new outburst made him stop and turned to star at her. 10

“Stop playing with me Eric.” She raged at him again, “Stop playing these games and tell me where they are!” Eric didn’t say nothing to her at all, he turned away from her not even a side glimpse too. Hilary waited for Eric to explain himself, just when he was about to answer her question the back screen door swung open and then a woman walked in. A tall thin yet attractive woman, wearing a blank tank top with a white lab coat over her while wearing dark blue jeans, her dark hair was tied in a high ponytail. 11

She walked over toward Eric and whispered something in his ear, Eric pointed at the freezer. The lab coat woman didn’t seem to notice Hilary’s presence or acknowledge her in fact. She opened the freezer and pulled out a frozen aging arm. Hilary gasped at the sight in horror but clasped her hand over her mouth to prevent from screaming. As the lad coat pulled the arm out one of its fingers fell off, “Opps sorry didn’t mean that to happen. Excuse me.” She bent down and picked up the finger which strangely enough had a gold wedding ring wrapped around it. The woman left without saying another word and the screen door closed behind her.12

Hilary felt cold and stiffen, she recognized that ring anywhere, it was her grandma’s ring.13

Hilary swallowed her scream down her throat but she couldn’t stop herself from shaking, she was going into shock. She whispered to herself, “No they can’t be! They can’t be!” Repeatedly trying some way to calm down. Hoping in some way it wasn’t true.14

Hilary managed to leaned against a counter for support but her legs were giving in, sliding down to the floor and dissolve into despair.15

Eric watched as Hilary moaned for her lost, she curled up and cried like she never done before. Eric understood how it felt to lose someone close to you whether they died in your hands or not it still the same; it had been awhile since she cried like this. Not since her parents were taken away. Eric who was unmoved by her emotion, he motioned towards Hilary and hugged her. 16

Hugging her wouldn’t solve anything but at least she’d had someone there to comfort her, someone to at least protect her. Humans were different beings than his kind; they were more fragile, more chaotic, more violent race. 17

As she cried with sorrow a sudden deep rage overcame her and Hilary began to hitting her closed fist at Eric’s chest, then yelled, “You monster, how could you!” She smacked him across the face. “This is your entire fault! We should have left back there, how could you.” She cursed and yelled in fit telling Eric that he shouldn’t have come back to them. But Eric stood silent and endured it all. 18

He only hugged her more tightly as Hilary continued to cry. Eric held back his tears, all he could do now was to stay silent and take it. After awhile Hilary calmed down and muttered, “Leave.” Eric looked down with a worried expression but Hilary repeated again with a growl. “Leave, I want to be alone. Now!” 19

Her voiced echoed through the walls. 20

He obeyed saying nothing and walked out through the back door, when he reached outside he took two side steps, hiding in the shadows while listening inside.21

Clasping her hands quietly together Hilary made her own small church and began praying to herself. “God please, please help my grandparents make it to your gate. Please.” 22

That was enough for Eric, he turned and disappeared not bothering to look back. He stopped for a minute and thought it over though he shook the idea out of his mind and kept walking down the street on a sunny Sunday morning. 23

****24

The Overnight Stay was quiet and dead as a graveyard since it was a Sunday. It was the only day off that Roy would allow. He sat in a chair alone, squeezing a lime and dousing some salt in his Corona beer while listening to Santana being played in the jute box. Sipping his drink, savoring the sourly yet salty taste if it on his lips. He was sitting patiently when there was a light knock from the entrance door. Roy scooted back his seat and walked over across the restaurant to open the door. 25

“Took you awhile to get here, glad to see you got my message though.” He said opening the door wider. A man entered in, but as he humbly entered there was a fierce presence about the way he walked and accompanied Roy to a table. 26

“I do apologize for not personally answering the phone but there had been things that turned up.” He seated himself while Roy went into the kitchen and shuffled through the cabinets until he found what he been looking for. 27

“No kidding. By the way you’re wearing casual street clothes instead of your priest garment, it’s kind of weird. No offense.” He poured some hot water into a cup. The priest dozed off not paying attention as reality and daydream fought for control. When Roy came back with a cup in his hand and handed it to him. He gracefully accepted it as Roy sat and drank another sip of his beer. 28

“None taken old friend.” He answered politely settling his cup of Green tea on the table as steamed formed from it. 29

“Zolano, you probably don’t know the reason why’d I called you. But...” He trailed off when Zolano finished his sentence. 30

“It’s about Eric isn’t?” Roy nodded as Zolano blew his tea a bit. Zolano had long dark brown hair that he wore loose around his shoulders while wearing a pair of jeans with a white T-shirt decorated with roses and skulls. Zolano despite his young appearance was somewhere in his mid-twenties. He was actually a century’s year older than Roy. “I knew something like this would happen but not this soon.”31

“Considering that the Pure Tribe despises us they’ll do anything in their power to eliminate us. Even if innocent bystanders are involved they’ll most likely suffer as well.” Zolano took another sip of his tea. 32

Then he stared at Roy with a stoic look and said, “By the way, exactly where Eric did ran off to. That boy is so hyperactive he can’t sit in one place in that matter.” Roy sat back crossing both his arms and legs. He pondered at the thought and gave in a breath. 33

“Not sure exactly. But I’m thinking he went back to the kids.”34

“Kids.” The priest was baffled at the answered Kids? I know Eric was a father before but, no he couldn’t had gotten married and had a family? He leaned forward, sounding more curious “Tell me more. He’s married?”35

He took his glasses out from his pocket with a cloth and began wiping the lens before he set them on the bridge of his nose. Hearing this from Zolano, Roy burst into laughter as he slammed his fist against the table making the cups rattle. 36

“What no of course not! He isn’t married he just went back to the kid’s house to make sure nothing happens to them.” He explained. Zolano still seem confuse but dropped the subject and drank his tea. However Roy stared at the priest eyes. They were grey-blue; he looked away before Zolano caught him staring. 37

The room was awkwardly quietly along the music in the back until Zolano spoke. His voice calm yet firm, “So tell me exactly what is going on, so I can inform the rest of the Counsel and the North American leader. They need to know what’s happening and what the Pure tribe’s plot is.” Roy was about to speak when the kitchen door opened, “Dad, we have a problem.”38

Both men turned and stared at a boy, “What problem?” He asked in Spanish.39

“There’s a guy at the back door and I asked for his name but he won’t answer.” Roy already knew who it was at the back door. 40

“I bet he does and he’s coming back for help. Am I right Eric.” He rested his head on his knuckles with a curvy grin plastered on his face. 41

“I despise you old man, y’know that.” Eric led himself in; the boy didn’t seem startle one bit. He acted as if Eric had been there the whole time. The boy shrugged and walked back into the kitchen. Eric walked towards them and took a seat with them. He noticed Zolano and bowed his head. “Father.” He said. 42

Zolano returned the gesture and gave him a smile. “Eric is there something you want to tell us.” 43