Chapter
Twelve
Serious
Jokes
“Let me get this straight,” John
said while pacing in the kitchen, “ You and Claire were here in the kitchen –”
“No
I was in the kitchen and Claire was in her room. Do you want me to start from
the beginning again?”
He
nodded, so I took a deep breath and began, “ Okay Claire was eating dinner when
I got out of the shower. I came in to find out where you guys were. She told me
you had went out on a hunt. Then she went to bed. I few hours later I heard
something in the kitchen. I came in and it was Claire getting some water.” I
looked over at Claire. Both of us were still on the floor against the cabinets.
The others had only been home about ten minutes.
“Then she went back to bed. I looked
out the window, and seen something move at the edge of the trees. That’s when
the demons walked out.”
“Wait, Demons? Plural?” Michael asked.
“Wait, Demons? Plural?” Michael asked.
I nodded. “ Plural.
Three. Anyway, Amy talked at me for a few seconds. I yelled for Claire and she
came down possessed as a demon. Flung me across the room. Claire took over for
a second. I ran into the living room. She came in same drill different room.
Then Claire took over again and told me about the exorcism paper. I ran in, the
demon followed, trapped me against the counter, but I could still see the
paper. The demon ranted about how stupid hunters are and then I exercised it.”
Michael laughed, “Wonder what you’d have looked like is she didn’t fight the demon.”
Michael laughed, “Wonder what you’d have looked like is she didn’t fight the demon.”
I just rolled my eyes at him, and stood up.
“Well I’m going to bed.”
“Me too.” Claire
said. She got up and Michael went over to her, “ Let me help you.” She shook him off and walked away. “ You did good, Joey.” John praised. “Michael
do me a favor. Clean up this mess.”
“I didn’t make it!”
Michael complained.
“ I don’t care. Clean
it. Now.” John said. “Please.”
“Hold up, Joey.” Claire said outside my door,
“ Let me check your head.”
I had forgotten
about hitting my head on the fridge and again on the wall. I still hurt, but I
had ignored it. Now it was throbbing bad. I turned around and Claire parted my
hair. “ Wow, you have dark hair.” She felt around my head. Once she touched a
sore spot I winced and pulled away. “Ouch.”
“ Did that hurt?”
“ No, it tickled,”
I said sourly.
“Well it looks like
you just have a bump and a cut. You’ll live.”
I went into my room
and sat on the bed. I looked out the window. Nothing, no demons, just nothing.
I pulled back the thick blanket and laid down. The last thing I remember was
looking at the clock. 12:58.
(Later that
night…)
Cackling… That’s
what woke me up. I was having a peaceful dream about a family cook out with my
parents when I was awoken by a loud, freaky cackling. I jumped out of bed and
checked the window and door for salt lines. All were in place so I breathed a
sigh of relief. I looked at the clock
again. 3:27. I wanted to lay back down but I was wide awake. I decided to go
outside for some air.
I walked out of my
room and went to the kitchen. I grabbed salt and a silver knife – just in case
– and walked out to set on the broken
wooden bench out front. It was nice out.
Well nice for Mid-October. I sat there quietly looking out into the woods.
“It’s a little
chilly out here tonight, isn’t it?”
I jumped up, knife
and salt in hand. Ready for whatever was behind me. Claire was standing there in forest green
flannel pants and a black jacket. Her blonde hair was tied up into a messy bun.
I put the knife away and sat back down. “Not really it’s kind of nice out
here.”
“ Couldn’t sleep?” She asked.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“No not really.
It’s just I couldn’t sleep and I seen you out here so…”
I nodded. “Did you
hear the cackling.”
She was quiet for
so long I thought she had snuck back in. I was about to turn around and look
when she said. “ Ya. Oh and by the way iron, salt and silver won’t protect you
against a demon.”
I laughed bitterly,
“ Ah, well. Worth a try right?”
“ If you say so. I
guess.”
She sat down beside
me and handed me a necklace. “Here it’s an anti-possession charm.”
“A what?” I asked
holding the thin gold chain in my hands.
“ It’s a necklace
with a pendant charm that stops a demon from entering your body.”
I undid the clasp
and put it around my neck. I tried to re-hook it but the tiny hook slipped from
my hands. “ Here let me help you,” Claire
offered taking the necklace. I turned slightly so she could put it on. She
moved my hair back out of the way with her cool hands. Her soft touch made my
hairs stand on end and I shivered. “Sorry, it’s kinda cold out here.” She
mumbled.
“It’s okay,” I
replied. I turned back around so I could face her. We looked at each other for
a few minutes.
I seen a tear slide
down her cheek. “What’s wrong Claire?”
“I… It’s just…” Her
voice faltered, “Everything is… slipping right out of my…my hands.”
She started sobbing and shaking. I grabbed the jacket I had brought out
and put it around her shoulders. “Hah, hard to believe I’m the same girl who
pinned you against a wall a few days ago, huh?”
“ Maybe, Well not
really I mean then you didn’t know me. I guess you don’t know me real well now,
but I’m not a complete stranger anymore.”
She nodded and
wiped her eyes on her sleeves, “ True very true.”
Claire, big, bad,
scary, hard, mean, Claire. Wearing my high school baseball jacket and sobbing
in the middle of the night. I never thought I’d see her break down… again. She
looked at me, “ Do you get what I’m mean? Probably not, no one does.”
“ I think”, I said
as I reached over and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. “ That Michael can be a
real arse to you sometimes.”
“ Ya. Sometimes.
You know he didn’t even ask me if I was okay. He just wanted to walk me to my
room and… never mind.”
I raised an eyebrow
and said, “ Uhhh…”
She smiled and
shoved my arm, “ Not that pervert.”
I laughed. At least
she was done crying, hopefully. “ What you said it not me.”
Smiling slightly
she looked away. After she looked into the woods she said, “ It doesn’t make
sense. Why didn’t the demon let the others in. It’s like it was afraid of them,
me, mostly you.”
“ Nah, it had to be afraid of you. Not little ol’ scrawny me.” I said. I didn’t really want to talk about the demons. “ No, Joey. It was afraid of you.” We sat there for a while longer. Eventually, rays of bright sun shine broke through the deep blue black sky.
“ Nah, it had to be afraid of you. Not little ol’ scrawny me.” I said. I didn’t really want to talk about the demons. “ No, Joey. It was afraid of you.” We sat there for a while longer. Eventually, rays of bright sun shine broke through the deep blue black sky.
“ Well we better go in.” Claire said
breaking the peaceful silence. “Ya probably.” I agreed. We both stood up.
“ Oh… ah…Joey. Thank you for.. um..
saving me.”
“Ah… ya no
problem.” I ran my fingers threw my hair, a nervous habit. She hugged me and
said, “ I mean it.”
She leaned back, but didn’t let go of me. “ Uh, Clai – ” She leaned forward and her lips met mine. For a minute I was shocked, but if she noticed she didn’t care. I closed my eyes and put my hands on her shoulders. Almost as fast as it had happened she pulled back. She was blushing around her cheeks and then she ran in the house.
She leaned back, but didn’t let go of me. “ Uh, Clai – ” She leaned forward and her lips met mine. For a minute I was shocked, but if she noticed she didn’t care. I closed my eyes and put my hands on her shoulders. Almost as fast as it had happened she pulled back. She was blushing around her cheeks and then she ran in the house.
A cold burst of wind blew through
and felt like needles on my bare arms. I turned around to grab my jacket. Only
to remember Claire still had it on. I shook myself and walked back toward the
house. What the heck just happened, I
thought as I walked in to door. No one was to be seen so I went up stairs and
fell back asleep.
The next two weeks
passed without incident. I trained with Michael every day. I was getting good
to. I could hold my own in a fight and then some. Only problem I had was,
Claire. Here lately since that night outside, she has been finding reason and
excuses for us to be alone for a few minutes. The first time after that night I
hadn’t thought anything of it. We were In the storage building looking for some
arrow fixing equipment, when she walked over and grabbed my face. Before I
could say ‘wtf’ she had pressed her lips to mine. Then grabbed the tools and
ran out when I just stood there. After a few more awkward encounters I quit
trying to avoid it.
“ Claire what is going on with you?”
I had asked. “Nothing it’s just a kiss.
No biggie.”
“No biggie? Claire,
no biggie? It’s kind of a biggie!” I snapped. “ Don’t pretend you didn’t like
it.” She spat at me with her same old fury she had the first night I had
arrived. “So what IF I DID like it!?”
“Uh...well… I ..uh
then well…” she sputtered.
“
What, no come back Claire.”
“No
‘Michael junior’,” she sniffled, “ No
come back.”
“Oh come on I am
not like Michael.” I said. Claire wiped
her eyes and said, “ fine whatever.” She walked toward the door. “
Claire…wait…I’m sorry.” She walked over.
“Do you like me? Honestly.”
“Claire… I… well..
your beautiful and all...” She looked at me with big vulnerable eyes. “ Yes,
Claire, okay yes.” And then again an
ambush of kisses, but his time was different. I kissed her back. Michael will skin me alive, I thought, then again I don’t really care.
After
we broke apart our tangle mess of arms, lips, and hair, we stood there trying
to catch our breath. “Claire …uh,” I
breathed. “No Joey, don’t… even… say a…word. If you say anything I swear to god
I will kill you myself.”
We stood there holding each other in
an easy hug. I heard, or thought I heard, a bush rustle. We broke apart and I
looked around. Empty. We went our separate ways looking over our shoulders. I checked my watch 11:43
. Time to practice
more with Michael.
I walked through the house, and out
to the front yard. Michael was setting on a mat by the car. “Morning,” I
greeted him. He had been warming up when
I walked over. “ Morning,” he said while standing up. I got on the mats he had
laid out. “ What are we doing today?”
“ Two on one Defensive.
Warm up.” Michael ordered while walking to get him a bottle of water. I did the
stretches Michael taught me the first week I got there. Once I was loosened up,
Michael came over and started talking. “
Okay, so as you know Demons and Monsters don’t always play fair. In fact they hardly
ever play fair one on one fights.” He paused, “ Often demon team up in groups of
two to four and attack a hunter or two… So today we will try your defensive training
against two ‘demons’ Which will be me and John.” “ Remember which parts of the
body do you want to protect most?”
“The face and stomach.”
I answered. Michael nodded indicating I was right. “Okay so no Dirty Fighting which
mean no biting, spitting, eye poking, or between the leg kicking. Understood?” I
nodded and John came closer. I was nervous. I wasn’t too gifted with fighting,
I had gotten better. But it’s not like I was good enough to take on Claire let alone
a Demon. Claire. I thought, Jeez, she sure is different than from when we
first met. She hated me. Now she can’t get enough of me…
Michaels fist connected
with my jaw and my head snapped painfully to my side. “Ouch!”
“Earth to Joey! We’re
kind of in the middle of something here in case you forgot.”
“Sorry. Okay I’m ready.”
Michael ran at me
and I dodged to the side. Luckily I seen Johns leap at me and I hit the mat flattening
myself in to it. John soared over me and landed on outstretched arms and gracefully
rolled to an upright position. Michael did a front flip and prepared to bring his
elbow down on my side. I rolled quickly and kicked out at him when he landed. My
foot connected with his chest, but not hard enough to cause damage, and he lay winded
for a moment. John hopped over him and came at me lie a linebacker. I waited a second
and stuck my leg out to trip him. As he fell he grabbed my arm and pulled me down
with him. I landed on all fours and tried to stand. John grabbed my ankle and yanked
it so I fell to the side. Michael stood over me and slammed a foot down on my chest.
“ Oof,” I said as the air was shoved out of by lungs. “Not bad,” he smiled. “ I
am an awesome teacher,” he boasted. I quickly grabbed his leg and twisted it
inward. Michael grunted in surprise and fell face forward in to the mat. I tried
to twist my way out from under John who was pinning me by my legs to the mat, but
he just tightened his grip on me.
We were still wrestling
on the mat when a sleek black ford mustang pulled in to the drive way. We all stood
up. Michael and I stood tense behind a surprisingly relaxed John. “ No way,” John
said to himself. Michael and I exchanged looks that said, who the h-e- double hockey
sticks, is that. The car stopped. I girl, maybe nineteen stepped out. She had brown
hair that seemed bronze in the hot sunlight. She wore a plain green t-shirt and
dark wash jeans. She had strong build which made me think of Claire. Not now Joey ,I chided myself. I could
daydream about her later.
John ran over and the girl squealed,
“OMG it’s been for ever John! How have you been?!” She yelled while hugging him
tight. We stood there staring at John quietly.
Finally he turned around and said, Guys meet my old hunting friend, Cassidy Edmund.”
We all went into
the house. Claire was setting at the table, but when she seen Cassidy she frowned
and walked away upstairs. Cassidy just rolled her eyes and sat down. Michael at
down across from her and I sat beside him. John sat beside Cassidy and said, “ God
Cassie where have you been.”
She smirked, “ Oh
you know, here and there.” John smiled and sighed happily.
Michael being Michael,
looked at her and said, “ are you a hunter?”
She turned her feather gray eyes on him and said, “ Ex – Hunter.”
She turned her feather gray eyes on him and said, “ Ex – Hunter.”
Michael frowned, “ No
such thing. Once you start hunting you never stop.”
“You poor naïve boy.
It’s very possible just not probable. John have you taught him nothing.”
“ Info is on a need
to know basis.” John replied.
She rolled her eyes,
“ Anyway ya’ll want to hear about John’s first hunt…”
A few hours later Cassidy
said, “Well it’s getting late I better go check into a hotel.”
John stood and said, “ Okay but just wondering, why are you here?”
John stood and said, “ Okay but just wondering, why are you here?”
She sighed, “ Um..”
“Don’t lie to me Cassie,” John warned.
“Don’t lie to me Cassie,” John warned.
“Fine. I caught wind
of a hunt. A jokester to be exact.”
“What’s a jokester?”
I asked.
Michael furrowed his
eye brows, “ They’re demi-gods who like to give jerks there just deserts right?”
John shook his head,
“ Close but no.That would be a Trickster. A jokester usually is part demon and
likes to mess with people for others entertainment. They are usually born out of
or summoned for revenge.”
“See a Trickster will
play some messed up sometimes fatal jokes. But usually they only target jackarses.
Jokesters on the other hand like to mess with any one. Everyone is fair game, you,
me, anyone.”
“ So basically they
are just bullies?” I suggested. “ Exactlly big ol’ giant bullies who like to play
some seriously bad jokes on normally innocent people.” John said.
“So anyways,” Cassidy
said, “ I figured maybe we could hunt it together. Like old times.”
Michael smirked, “
Thought you were retired.”
Cassidy met his smirk
with one of her own, “ I was. But you know what they say once you start hunting..
you can never Really stop.” She then got up, brown waves
of hair bouncing around her cheek bones, and walked out the door got in her car
and drove off.
John turned to me, “ Well Joey get some
rest you start your first official hunt tomorrow…”
Oh
joy, I get to fight a bully that happens to be part demon. What could possibly
go wrong with that, I thought sarcastically. Well I got myself into
this. Time to see it through. I then went up to bed. When I went up to bed, Claire
was sitting on the edge of the bed facing the window. “Is it gone?” She asked. “
Um… Cassidy? Ya she just left.”
“ Good.” Claire said
crossing her arms.
“ So what’s up?”
“ Nothing just…uh… relaxing.”
She said laying down to look at me.
“In my bed?” I raised
an eye brow.
She blushed faintly,
but said, “ Yes. In your bed. By the way your bed is comfy and smells nice.”
I smiled and sat beside
her. “ So what’s up with you and Cassidy?” “ Long story.” I knew that was code for, I don’t wanna talk
about it now…maybe later… So I dropped it and laid beside her. “So apparently we
are hunting a jokester.”
“We?... as in they are
letting you hunt now to.” She said with mock astonishment. “Don’t sound so surprised.
I totally kicked Michaels butt today...sorta.” She rolled over to face me, “ You did what?”
“Beat Michael in a
training fight.” Claire growled, “ Urgh, and I missed it! I always miss the good
part of training. Crap.” I smiled. My eyes were heavy. I tried to yawn and talk
at the same time, “you know, ooo ud’ve um to traying,” Is what it sounded like.
Claire smiled, “ Good
night Joey.” She kissed me and then laid her head on the spare pillow. I was going
to say something but I fell asleep with the words on the tip of my tounge.
Oh
well, I thought, tomorrow is a new day.
***************************Authors
Note************************
Dear
Readers,
Thank you for the time you spend reading my
story. I really appreciate it. The main reason I am righting this note is
because I feel I have a few loose ends to tie up.
1.)
Joey no longer attends regular school. He is homeschooled by
John.
2.)
Kay is still alive, but in a coma.
3.)
They are still looking for the Shtriga
4.)
They action will get better I just want to write a smooth transition
from normal teen to Demon Hunter
5.)
Sam and John are still important characters. I just haven’t
wrote parts much with them yet.
6.)
I want to hear
your suggestions so please E-mail me or comment it.
If
you have any questions please feel free to comment then on a post or email me
at Jayfeather1997@aol.com. Or check the Contact Me page.
Carry on,
~ Jayfeather1997
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