Chapter 3. He’s Coming

She woke up on wet grass to the clear dark sky that twinkled of stars as she breathe in fresh air of the night. She watched the clouds drift away thus displaying the glory of the full moon. She stood up as a quadruped unnoticed but she did feel bigger and powerful as she felt energy surge through her. She walked over to a lake and saw the monster’s reflection in the unstill waters, her eyes shone yellowish gold like a million suns were crammed in them, her limbs holding claws.

“Kiddo, you a’ight?” a voice asked.

“You,” Natasha said trying to recollect what exactly happened that got her into a fight with it. “Are you here to kill me?”

“No, I’m here to help, kid,” it started. “You weren’t yourself a while ago. I’m here to help you.”

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Call me Bane,” it approached after a period of silence. “Can you hear it?”

The night was quiet but her ears caught a lot of things. The crashing waters, the whistling trees, the chirping crickets, the hooting owls. Everything the nocturnal world of nature offered could be heard from distances with absolute clarity.

“Come,” Bane instructed whooshing into the trees. She followed suit feeling alive as she moved past trees and jumped over fallen logs and rocks with incredible speed.

***

The crowd roared when Fabrizio entered the pitch. He clapped his hands running energetically across the field to where his teammates warmed up all kit up for the game. He blew a kiss to Cara who sat with her friends. She obviously was proud of her boyfriend. He jogged some more and spotted Natasha. He paused and smiled then kissed his hand and waved. She waved back smiling as Maeve squealed with excitement that Raynor noticed her sister.

Natasha’s eyes met Cara’s. Cara gave her a warning look shaking her head sideways then looked away. Natasha had always been scared of her but not after what happened few nights ago.

Among the crowd she saw Petyr wave, she waved back reluctantly. He was always wherever she was for some reason. She saw Jessa but she didn’t see her. She looked so calm and seemed to be enjoying herself alone and at that moment Natasha thought it would be nice to be friends with someone like that.

The game began. The boys from Edgewater were doing fine as the audience still cheered on. Minutes passed and the home team weren’t doing well as Fabrizio could be seen yelling instructions and clapping for morale boosting.

“Mae,” Natasha tapped her sister’s thigh. “That guy. He’s hot,” she says loudly amidst all the noise.

“Who?” Maeve asked grinning leaning sideways to Natasha.

“Him,” she answered pointing to a messy haired brunet.

“Who? Him?” Maeve asked again trying hard to see what her sister saw in this person.

Natasha nodded as they both giggled like little girls.

The crowd cheering got louder as Fabrizio swept past and dribbled the away team swiftly. The stadium erupted. Fabrizio had won points for Edgewater High in the dying seconds of the end to the game. This was why students and staff loved Fabrizio. This was why he was popular at Edgewater High.

***

“You need to leave,” they heard their mom’s voice as they approached home. “They’ll be here soon. You need to leave.”

“Mom?” Maeve called gently standing at the entrance with Natasha feet away from the man their mom was talking to. Stephanie also kept her distance away from the tall man as everyone were still.

“Who gave him our address?” Natasha asked defensively to no one in particular. “What are you doing here?”

“Natasha, Maeve,” the man started in a hoarse voice. “I’ve missed you, girls. I’ve missed my girls,” he said teary eyed.

“Grant, stop. Don’t touch my girls,” Stephanie warned, her jaws clenched the moment the man took a step towards her children.

“Maeve,” he turned to Maeve. “You remember Daddy, yes?”

She was mute. She nodded in affirmation.

“Oh you were so little the last time I remember you,” he took another step extending a hand forcing Natasha to stand in front of Maeve.

“Mom said you need to leave,” Natasha said keeping a straight face.

“You still have your mother’s fierceness,” he said ignoring her. “I’ve come to take Maeve home,” he gestured to Maeve who sniffled behind her big sister. “You want to come with Daddy, yes?”

She nodded in affirmation again.

“No, she doesn’t want to come with you,” Natasha said firmly. “You need to leave this instant or I’m going to call the police.”

“Grant, please leave,” Stephanie begged. “Please.”

He froze, eyes fixated on Maeve who was sobbing quietly.

“I’ll leave,” he said pointing at Stephanie, his hands quivering. “But I’ll be back for my daughters. I’m coming back to take them home with me and you can’t stop me.”

He turned to her and smiled as he took gentle steps to the door. Natasha shielded Maeve from him while spacing from him. He stopped, looking Natasha dead in the eye, then at their mother who looked so terrified, then gave Maeve an assuring smile before leaving.

“How did he get in?” Natasha reached for the door to secure it with bolts. “How did he get our address?”

“I dunno,” Stephanie answered shakily taking a seat at the dining table with a mix of relief and dread.

“Who let him out?” Natasha questioned to no one in particular as she made sure he left watching him drive off in a red Chevrolet.

Maeve collapsed to the floor bursting into tears.

“Shhh,” Natasha shushed as she knelt down embracing Maeve who now wept uncontrollably. “You’ll be okay I promise. We’ll all be fine.”

“But why?” Maeve wept, her face all wet.

“I don’t know, Mae,” Natasha patted. “But I do know we’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Did you let him in?” Natasha turned to her mother who was lost staring at the ceiling. She nodded saying yes.

“Why?” she asked again patting Maeve’s face laying on her shoulder.

Stephanie shook her head sideways to say she didn’t know.

“But he’s coming, Tash,” she said, looking at Natasha. “He’s coming back for you both.”