***ATTENTION***

MOBILE READERS, DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE CUSTOM BACKGROUND I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE MOBILE TEMPLATE TO A DIFFERENT PICTURE. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE LAST POST. HOPEFULLY I HAVE FIXED IT. I WILL BE POSTING THIS MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS AND COLORED IN CASE THE MOBILE SITE IS NOT FIXED. EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS AT Jayfeather1997@aol.com    

The Hunt: Claire's Tale (Claire's Vs. Cassidy)

Claire’s Tale

(Claire’s POV)

            I woke up with my head on Joey’s arm. He was asleep; some of his black curls had fallen in front of his eyes. He looked so…peaceful. I stared for a minute at his face. It wasn’t the hard line of high cheekbones and jawbones like Michael’s face, but softer around the edges though still very defined features.

             I got up slowly trying not to disturb Joey. The bed creaked at I stood up. I winced at the sound of the metal springs, which Joey thankfully ignored. I walked to the door and prayed that the floor and door didn’t creak to loud. It didn’t; at least not until I got outside the room.

            Michael was setting in the kitchen. I walked in, and got a cup of coffee. “ What’s up, babe?” 

            “Not now, Michael. Not ever.” I said. That awful jerk thinks I will just forget what happened. Any way, I’m with Joey now. Ish. “So. Cassidy huh?”  I asked. Michael took another sip of coffee, “What about her?” I almost expected sympathy, but he wouldn’t know what had happened. I grabbed my coffee and walked back down the hall. I opened Joey’s door.  He was setting on the bed his hair was ruffled. He looked so…adorable. I smiled and so did he. My brain instantly reacted to compare him and Michael. He was easy to be around while Michael was so intimidating. “ Morning,” he said drowsily, “I thought you left.”

            “Nah, just went to get coffee.” I sat down on the bed beside him. It was silent for a few minutes, but it was a comfortable silence. “Mind if I turn the radio on?” I asked. “What radio?” he said looking around.  I pulled a small portable mp3 out and turned it on. “Well?” I inquired. He looked at me, “ Oh, ya sure.”  I turned it on and tuned a station. ‘Rockstar’ by Nickleback came over the speakers. “I love this song,” I said. I stood up and dance around. Joey watched me and I stuck my hand out. “ Wanna dance?!” He took my hand and I pulled him up. After a while of twirling and laughing, we plopped down on the bed. As we tried to catch our breath Joey managed to say, “ So, why do you hate Cassidy? If you don’t mind me asking.”

            I sighed. Might as well tell him right? “ Well mostly because she’s to… two-faced.”  Joey looked confused ( typical Cassidy. Make everyone think she is a nice incredible person. I thought) “ Well , when John started hunting he was only around 17. He was an inexperienced novice. Well after a while he got better but still was an amateur, as was I. Well not long after we ran into each other about a year or two after he started hunting. We had been hunting together for a few months now, best of friends. Then one night a demon showed up. Me and John tried everything we could think of to fight it. Then Cassidy showed up. Out of nowhere dirty, sweaty, and bloody. She looked at the demon just as it had pick John up without touching him. ‘Hey ugly! Over here!’ The demon turned and dropped John. She exercised it. John thanked her and offered her a place to stay for the night. I liked her at first, she stayed awhile so we were like sisters.” I paused.

            “So what was the problem?” Joey asked. “John. She ...I …we view him differently. I seen him as like a brother or maybe even fatherly. However Cassidy liked him as well a boyfriend. So she was extremely jealous. I mean me and John were very close. We’d been living together for months now. Well Cassidy thought we were more than friends. So she decided to put an end to it.”

            “She would do little things at first. Like hide silly things. Things that I was in charge of and that I should have known where they were. Like one time I was in charge of the knife sharpener. I had put it in the hall closet- don’t ask- and when I went back it was gone. John was upset, but not mad mad. Then Cassidy came in and opened the kitchen cabinet and there it was! I knew I hadn’t put it there, so when the same thing happened with some holy water during a hunt I was suspicious. Especially when Cassidy happened to have a bottle handy. My bottle. Well it kept happening, I tried to ignore it.  By now Cassidy and John were a thing. I didn’t know it though, not until I seen them kissing in the kitchen one morning. They didn’t know I was there and they were making out on the counter. I was only like 15 so I just stood there and stared. They kissed for about five minutes and then broke apart. That’s when Cassidy seen me. She looked in my eyes and scowled. I could tell I was blushing, and then John turned around and seen me. His face turned tomato red.”

            Joey broke in, “You caught John  and Cassidy making out on the counter?! Ew! I get food off of that!” He was laughing. He had a nice laugh that made me laugh too. Michael’s laugh was cold and always sounded fake. I liked Joey’s better. I shifted my position to continue the story, “ Cassidy looked at me and said, ‘Do you mind?’       I shook my head, spun around and went back to my room. Thst when they officially became a couple. About a month later we were hunting a Djinn and needed silver dipped in lambs blood. Gross I know. We got the knifes and went in, knifes with the blood in the sheaths. See we cover them in blood so the blood will stay on when we pull them out of the holders. Any way we got in there and were looking around. Well me and Cassidy went one way and John went another. Well Cassidy was looking under the stairs and the Djinn came up behind her in the dark. He grabbed her and his hand turned blueish-green and he tried to touch her head. She screamed and started to fight it. ‘Claire. Don’t just stand there help me!’ She yelled. I reached for my knife only to find it wasn’t there. So I stood there not sure what to do. That’s when John ran in and stabbed it. He shoved the dead Djinn off of her and pulled a shaking Cassidy in to his lap. He looked at me…” I broke off and realized I was crying. So had Joey, and he pulled me closer to him and I laid my head on his shoulder. “ His eyes were filled with worry and fear for Cassidy and hatred for me. I stood there thinking about how did I lose my knife. When we walked out Cassidy bumped into me and yelled, ‘get away from me!’ When we got outside John said, ‘Claire! What was that, you could have got her killed!’ I told them I didn’t have my knife that I must have dropped it. John’s face got so… angry and pointed to my sheath ‘ what is that then?!’ I gave him a look that said what? I felt for the knife and sure enough it was there. When we got home Cassidy and John stayed in the kitchen and talked. I heard bits and pieces about me but I was crying so I didn’t pick up much. The next morning John woke me up and said let’s go for a ride. He looked… upset, but determined. We drove down the road then pulled up near my mom’s house. ‘what are we doing here’ I asked. John looked at me and said, ‘Claire… I … We… Cassidy and I think  that you should go home. You’re only fifteen and your hardly trained enough to take care of yourself let alone help on a hunt. I’m sorry, but you’re just too young for this. Go home live a life.’ I started crying, ‘but… John.. I –‘  but he broke me off and said, ‘Claire , just go. Get out of the car. Don’t make this hard for yourself. Okay? Bye.’ I got out and stood there. When I walked in the door my mom asked me what the bleep was I doing back? I just shook my head and walked past her up the stair and in to my old room.” I told Joey. I was still sobbing, but not much. “What happened then?” he asked. “ I was there for about three weeks before one day as I was walking home from school, and I seen John parked outside, I walked over and said ‘What are you doing here.’ He said, ‘Claire I need you to come back. Cassidy left and I need my buddy back.’  I couldn’t believe his nerve. I almost punched him in the face. ‘and why would I want to come back John. You told me I was useless. That I weigh you down!’ He told me he didn’t mean all that.  I decided to go back because I didn’t want to go home and he told me Cassidy had left but not why. I didn’t care. She had turned John against me. And that’s why I don’t like her.”

            Joey was so quiet I thought he was asleep. “ Joey?” I asked. “I’m here Claire. I just can’t believe John would do that, I mean…”

            “ I know it doesn’t sound like him, but it was.” I told him. We laid back down and just laid there.  I was glad to get that one problem off my chest but there were still problems on the list. “Joey, what are we going to do about Michael?”

            “ Um… I don’t know Claire. I really don’t know.”

The Hunt

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.

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.”

 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?”

“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.

            “ 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.

            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.”

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?”

She sighed, “ Um..”
“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  

The Hunt

Chapter Eleven

A Big Gamble

           The leg was flying at me face fast. I just barely ducked in time. I was getting better, but not good enough. Michael brought his knee up and hit me in the forehead. I fell over and grabbed my head. “ FUDGE!” I yelled. It was the seventh time Michael had gotten the better of me in a fight. John stood by the apple tree. Though he didn’t say anything, but the disappointment was in his face. I gritted my teeth. I prepared for another spare with Michael. He too got ready, his face was grim. The first few time he won he had laughed and even mocked me, but it was becoming obvious I wasn’t winning any of these matches. “ Okay,” Michael said. “ I’m a demon and I am about to attack you. What is your first move?”

“Um…run?” Michael closed his eyes and shook his head, “ Holy water genius. Followed by a devil’s trap if possible. Then exorcism, If no devil’s trap be ready to fight or go straight to exorcism.” I nodded, “ okay.”

            “ Okay so next surprise attacked then,” Michael said , “ What do you do?”  I was about to answer when someone plowed in to me from behind.  I landed hard on my face and the breath was knocked out of me. There was a huge weight crushing me. I heard Michael breath in and say, “ Well please don’t kill him.” John sighed and climbed off my back.  I gasped and coughed. I looked at John, and thought he was a lot heavier than he looked. I got up and looked at my feet. I was completely useless in a fight.

            We were resting under the apple tree when Michael looked at me and said, “ Is it genetic?” I narrowed my eyes at him, “ Huh?” “ Well you look like you got some muscle. Yet you can’t fight or defend yourself to save your life. So are your muscles genetic?” I chuckled, “ No baseball. Mostly pitching.” “ Ah.”

            We got back up to try again. I actually go some good hits in to is sides and head. I kicked him in the shin and tripped him. He stood up and put his hand out,” Not bad. Not great, but better.” I took his hand. He then grabbed my upper arm and wrist, turned away from me, threw my arm over his shoulder, and flipped me. I landed on my  back and he put his foot on my chest. It hurt, but not bad. I looked up at a laughing Michael. He put his handout and helped me up.

            We went in to the house and John said, “Well?”  Michael started laughing again and said , “ Gooder.”  John scrunched his brows, “ Gooder?” Michael shrugged. Sam – who was in the room – “remember the song, mom taught us?” “ No Sammy please. Enlighten me.” Michael said. Sam rolled her eyes and whispered as if embarrassed, “ Good, better, best. Never let it rest till your good gets better and your better gets best.” Michel raised his eyebrows and left the room talking to himself. I was staring at Sam like she was crazy. “What?” She snapped. I pit my hands up in surrender, “ Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“ Ya that’s what I thought.”

            Later that afternoon Claire and Michael were setting outside. I was with in earshot so I sat there listening. It wasn’t that I was being nosey, but I didn’t want to disturb them by moving. So I sat uncomfortably behind the Camaro bored out of my mind. “So Maybe we could go out and  see a movie or something. I’m sure Sam could find someone to go with.” Michael said. I heard Claire sigh, “ Michael I get Sam is your sister and all, but you don’t have to take her everywhere you go.” ‘I can’t just leave her,” “Well  then you take her and I’ll stay here.” “ Well what about us? We never go out!” Michael complained. Claire sat up and practically hissed, “ Us? There is no us, Michael. It always you, me , and  Sam. As long as Sam is surgically attached at your hip there will NEVER be an us.” She got up and walked away without another word.  I sat there unmoving and unsure of what to do. “ Joey! How long have you been there?” Darn it, I thought. “Um… not long?”  “ So you heard the whole thing then?” I nodded. “So can you do me a favor. After all you owe me one.”  Michael said. “ How do I ‘owe’ you one?” I asked. “ I saved your behind from that demon. You could be dead if it weren’t for me.” He bragged. “: You a little full of yourself today. Aren’t you?” I said. He looked down and shook his head. “ You ungrateful little…” John came walking up and he looked beyond mad. Michael and I stood very still. When John was happy he was scary, imagine him angry. Imagine a rattlesnake before it sees you, scary right? Now imagine that same snake as it prepares to strike. “MICHAEL! Where is it?”  “ Where’s what?” Michael asked. “Where’s what.” John mocked angrily. “ My keys!”  He yelled when Michael didn’t say anything. I walked away not wanting to be there anymore.

            It was getting dark out so I went back to the house. I decided to go take a shower. As I walked down the hall I heard Michael and John laughing so I figured they worked it out. I grabbed so sweatpants and a tee shirt. I walked into the bathroom and got in the shower. I was sore from training. I thought I head someone open the door. “ Hello?” No answer. Maybe not.. I got out and dried off. Then I grabbed my… where was my clothes. “ MICHAEL!” I heard laughing outside the door. But it wasn’t Michael. I wrapped a towel around myself and went to my room. I put on my clothes and went in to the kitchen.  Claire was sitting there eating a sandwich left over from dinner. I knew she didn’t like me but I said, “Hi.” She looked at me swallowed and said , “ hi.”   I looked out the window and seen the Camaro was gone. “ Where is every one?” “ Out.”

“ Where to…”
“On a hunt.” She said.

“Hey this may sound crazy but did you steal my clothes?” I asked.

“Yep, you caught me, “ she said sarcastically. “ I have quite a liking of your style. In fact I was planning a raid on your dresser just now.”

“ Never mind.” I mumbled as I rolled my eyes.

 “So I got a lead on the Shtriga.” She said. Walking over to stand beside me at the sink.

 I shifted my position to look at her. “What’s that?”

“The thing that hurt your sister. Black hood. Monster…”
“ NO I mean what’s the lead.” I snapped.

“ Oh. In Fairlea 3 kids have fallen in to comas. All have been an only child and their windows mysteriously opened during the night.”

“Here’s a question: how do you kill it?”

She frowned, “ I don’t know.”

“Excuse me? How do you expect to kill it if you find it?”

 She shrugged.   “ Any way. Why didn’t you go with the others?”

“ We only ever send three people on small hunts, and Sam needs practice.”

“ Liar. Your avoiding Michael.” I said. Why did I just say that?!  I thought.

 Her eyes got wide in shock, “ What could you possibly know about that?”

“Um.. nothing never mind. It’s not my place to say anything.”
She turned toward me and put her finger in my face, “ that’s right. You don’t know a darn thing about me and Michael. And further more even IF you did it’s still none of your business!”

I walked across the room and sat down on an old, dirty, red recliner.

I remembered the time my grandma caught me playing with matches one Christmas. “ Joey! Put those down,” She had scolded, “ Don’t you know that if you play with fire your get burned!”

That’s what Claire was; fire.  Only she burned with more ferocity. You could put fire out, contain it, or run from it. You couldn’t run from Claire. She could follow you. One other difference between fire and Claire; I wasn’t afraid of fire. I like fire, always have. I like the heat it gives off and the destruction it can cause in the wrong hands. The way the red, yellow and, blue flame flickers back and forth. It can bring light to darkness. Claire wasn’t anything like that. She was cold and sullen. I sat there for a while thinking of fire.

 I heard thunder rumble ominously is the distance. Thunder storms great. It’s not that I didn’t like thunder storms but –. I heard sobbing coming from the kitchen. I got up and walked that way. It couldn’t be.  It was. Claire was crying. Mean, cold, hard quiet Claire was crying.

“You okay?” I asked.

“ Ya,” she said brushing tears away with her hand. “ I’m fine.”

I stood there unsure of what to do. I couldn’t just leave her hear sobbing at the table. “Wanna talk about it?”

“ Not really.” She said.

“ You sure?” I asked, sitting down.  

She sighed and looked at her hands, “ Joey you ever feel second best no matter what you do? Like it doesn’t matter how hard you try your never going to win the grand prize?”

I laughed a little trying to lighten the suddenly depressing mood. “ You who doesn’t.”

She didn’t take it that way thought, “ Ya go ahead laugh. Claire, mean ol’ Claire broken down.” She said dryly.

“ I didn’t mean it like that. Ya I guess I do feel like that. Especially after my parents died.” I pushed away the feeling about them like I always did. I didn’t want to cry about it. Crying wouldn’t bring them back.

“It’s I try I really do. But  they even say ‘good job Claire’ ‘you’re a life saver Claire’ They just  take the paper on the thing then run off. But when Sam hits and apple out of the flippen tree it’s like she won a Nobel prize.” She laughed harshly, “ I guess that’s the way the universe repays you huh? One mistake and your life is shot to heck.” She wiped away the freshly formed tears and sniffled. “ Well screw it I’m done with it.”

            I sat there silently trying to think of something to say. She stood up and went over to the window. “Do you think I’m a bad person? I mean ya I can be harsh. But do I really deserve…” She trailed off. I stood up. Fifteen years of being a big brother came in handy after all. Despite everything I felt about Claire I went over and wrapped my arms around her in an awkward hug. After a tense second she put her arms around me and laid her head on my shoulder. I felt her sob a few times. At least her tear stains wouldn’t show on my black shirt.

            After a few minutes she pulled back. “ Sorry to break down on you like this. Now I not only look cold hearted but also useless and whiny” She said with a wry smile.  “ Claire you don’t look pathetic. You just look defeated.”

“ Great even better.”

“ That didn’t exactly come out right…. Never mind. Thou if anyone here is useless it’s me. I can’t fight a person let alone a Shtriga. Or God forbid… a demon.” I said with a halfhearted grin, knowing those words weren’t just to comfort her. They were true.

“ True very true.” She smiled. I looked at her. She had blinding radiant white teeth. I realized I was staring and looked away almost unable to hide my blushing face.

“Thanks for listening.” She said. She walked over and put her arms around my shoulders and kissed my cheek dangerously close to my lips.  Now I was really blushing. “No problem.”

“ Oh, ya, By the way if you ever tell ANYONE about what happened with me tonight you won’t have to worry about that demon. Got it?”

I grinned, “ What happened?”

She smirked and said,” good. Glad we understand each other.” And with that she walked away to her room. I looked out the window at a bright white full moon.

Something – a blur – moved near the tree line. I backed away from the salt lined window.

I hate when I’m right. Amy and two others slunk out of the tree lines. I stood there frozen to the kitchen floor. I looked out the window at the three pairs of black eyes the searched my face through the window.

Behind Amy was Eric. His once friendly eyes were filled with hatred. He stood stiff and tense. As did the other demons a an African American boy I didn’t recognize. Both had there arms crossed ready to attack.

“Claire!”

She walked in, “ What?”

“Demons…” I gasped

“Ya. So?”

I turned around with a sinking feeling. Claire’s eyes looked like onyx stones. “Ahhhhh!” I sreamed. She walked up to me and threw me across the room, over the table, and into the fridge. I head hit the door painfully, and my breath had been knocked out of me. I gasped and touched my head. Blood. Not much but still. Ouch. I stood up and wobbled alittle. Claire walked over. “ Wow. I expected mor – ” She doubled over, “argh.” I backed away into the living room. “ Joey, Joey, Joey. You can’t run from me.” She flung me into the nearest wall and I stood there paralyzed. Whether or not that was her doing or my own feat I didn’t know. She was nearly face to face with me, “ You hunter think your sooooo smart.” She spat, “ looks like your friend her forgot to salt her windows to keep the big bad monsters away.” I just glared at her. “ Well th –” She doubled over again. Claire looed at me with her own eyes. “ Joey… in the… kitchen…the exercism.. posted… on fridge…hurry…” I found I could move again and ran for the  paper. I grabbed it and turned around to find demon Claire standing in front of me. “ Hahaha. Sorry hun, A for effort though.” I couldn’t move again but I could still see the paper. She had turned around to rant about demons being superior to humans.

Now or never. “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus…” I read she spun around.

“What was that!” she shrieked.

I continued, “omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii…”
“Shut up!” She yelled so loud it hurt my ears.

“Omnis legio…”

“Wait! I can save Kay!” she bargained.

I faltered. No, I thought, demons lie. But maybe just maybe…

No, “omnis congregatio et secta diabolica!” I finished.

“Nooooooooo,”the demon hollered as it was expelled. The thick black smoke spilled out around Claire’s feet.

I ran over and caught Claire as she slumped to the floor.

We sat there for what seemed like hours. Finally she opened her eyes. “Joey?”

“Claire! Are you okay?”

She sat up and clutched her head, “ ya I’m okay. Well I will be. Thank you.”

“No problem.” I replied. We at there in silence, staring at one another.

Ten minutes later we heard car doors slam. Michael walked in the room followed by John and Sam. His eyes traveled over the flipped table, scattered papers, and finally Claire and I propped against the wooden cabinets. The edge of his lips twitched in to a slight smile as he asked, “What’d we miss?”

The Hunt: Character Descriptions

Character Descriptions

Josef Alexander Fox –Joey for short. 5’9 107lbs Raven black hair that has navy blue undertones medium length which causes it to fall into his eyes sometimes. He has deep emerald green eyes. He has a slight muscular build. Joey was born in Manhattan, New York and attended North Bridge High School. He played baseball for two years. Joey lives in Morgantown, West Virginia with john Vandal. He also has is Caucasian but has a natural tan. Joey was born September 13, 1995. He is also a beginner hunter seeking revenge on a Shtriga

Kayla Fray Fox – Kay for short. 5’3 light brown hair that goes past her shoulders. 99lbs. Born February 28, 1997. Kayla has been attacked by a Shtriga which has put her in a coma causing Joey – her older brother – to become hunter to save her. She also went three months without talking after her parents died which was only broken by Joeys seizer due to the shock of seeing the demon amy in his room.

John Vandal – John is the oldest of the hunters. He is 20 and owns the house they live in. He has brown hair gray eyes and is very strong due to hunting. John works under Rich Ballor who is retired hunter so he can work and hunt. Originally from Beckley John moved up north so his sister could attend WVU when he was ten. She was later killed by a vengeful spirit which caused him to start hunting. He’s 6’

Michael Lester  – Michael is very sarcastic and doesn’t get along well with Joey. Michael is 5’11 and pale with Golden blond hair with blue eyes. He often makes jabs and makes fun of Joey for being new. Michael started hunting because his parents were killed in the same plane crash as Joey’s parents. He  believed a demon caused the plane to crash. January 21, 1995. Michael is generally sarcastic and cocky.

Samantha Lester – Sam for short. She has hazel eyes decorated with brown flecks. She is 13 and was born December 15, 1998. She has an ivory skin tone that looks lighter due to her dark brown hair. She has a small crush on Joey. She’s also Michaels little sister. 5’4

Claire O’Brian – Claire has Bleached blond hair. She Isn’t very friendly especially to toward Joey. She is 5’7 and has a slender build. She is quiet. She met john in the wood while they were both unknowingly hunting the same creature. She does most of the research. She also once had a thing with Michael but feels Sam gets in the way because Michael wants to baby Sam. She is quiet generally but can cut with her sharp tongue.

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The Hunt

Chapter Ten

Woe Is Me

            “Argh!” I yelled as the string of the bow shot back and hit my fingers. We’ve been out here in the blistering hot sun for hours practicing shooting and loading bows and arrows. It wasn’t the first time today the hard string or heavy bow had assaulted me. “ You can do better than that!” Michael yelled while sipping on cool lemon-aid. I’d just about sell my soul for something cold to drink. John had told me that I couldn’t eat, drink, or rest till I shot an apple out of the tree in the yard.     

            So for the past four or five hour I’ve been stand out here in the hot sun with all black clothes on trying unsuccessfully to hit an apple. I was hot, tired, hungry, and frustrated. I narrowed my eyes, and focused on an apple. Come on Joey you can do this, I thought. I put the arrow in the bow , and pulled back the string. 3…2…1 Zing!  I released the arrow. The tree rustled and the arrow dropped out of it and on the end of the arrow… a juicy ruby red apple!

            I let out a sigh of relief and sunk to the ground. I looked over and Michael’s jaw was hanging open. “You don’t have to act so surprised you know.” I said.  I got up and walked into the house. “ Did you finally get one?” John asked. I nodded and grabbed a glass of lemon-aid. I sat down at the table and laid my head on my arms.

            “Don’t get too comfy. Today we are going to your grandma’s to get your clothes and then we are going to come back and work on defensive and offensive martial arts training.”

            I half moaned half growled and took a drink of my lemon-aid. “Why?” I whined. “ Because of this.” He said handing me a paper. Crap!  My Grandma had reported me missing. It was all right here in black and white. Josef Alexander Fox ; 5’9; 107 lbs; Raven hair; green eyes. I sighed again for the millionth time today and handed him the paper back.  “Okay when do we leave?”  John grabbed his jacket and keys, “Now.”

            I sat in the back seat of the Camaro. John was setting in the drivers seat very quietly lost I thought. Occasionally a cruse word or two would escape his mouth then he would shake his head. Michael sat in the passenger seat listening to an older IPod, making drumming signs and lip singing along. I sat alone in the back looking out the window. Imagining what my Grandma would say. Would she let me leave or call the cops. Knowing my grandma without a clever lie my bet was on the latter.

            We pulled into the drive way a short while later, John turned around and looked at me, “ Okay so you go in and say whatever you have to say. If you run into trouble you know what to do.” I said ok and got out. I took a deep breath. I was nervous, If she didn’t let me leave did I have the courage to defy her and run away? Would I, Should I, put John and them in that danger of trying to avoid the police if she called them? I didn’t know, but I had to try. I walked up to the front door. Walking in didn’t seem right so I knocked. “Coming!” I heard her yell. I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding.

            “JOEY! I was soooo worried!” She screamed when she saw me and hugged me pulling me in the door. “Are you okay did they hurt you?” She asked setting us both down on the couch. I was relieved she hadn’t noticed the car in the drive way. “Grandma I’m fine, but I wasn’t kidnapped. I was with some friends with school,” I half lied. “I’m sorry I worried you but I just need some time away from the house.”  “ Oh Joey it okay. It’s just with Kay getting worse and all, and then you just disappeared all of the sudden. I was so afraid. I thought I had lost you both.” 
I sighed, “Grandma. You’d didn’t lose me…” She looked at me and said,” Why do I feel a, but coming?” “Well not exactly a but – “ She interrupted, “ good cause either way there isn’t an option. Your home now.” I didn’t know what to say. It was exactly what John and I had feared. “ Grandma…” A lie came to me, “ Look I need some time to clear my head. I want to go back and stay with my friends for a while. Please.”

            “NO, Joey I’m not losing you again.” I swallowed hard, now what? Back to the question, obey her or defy her?  I suddenly felt angry. Why me? I thought. Why? As much as I didn’t want to, I knew what I had to do. “I’m going back. You can’t stop me.” I whispered. Defy. My bed was now made and there was no changing destiny. Ha ha ha I laughed to myself. Destiny, more like stupidity. It would be all too easy to accept Kay’s fate. I mean the Shtriga was probably long gone, and there was probably no finding it. So what reason did I have to stay there? I thought of the long ago time when Michael had told me once you start hunting you never stop. Wait that wasn’t long ago, that was last night. Barley fifteen hours ago. It felt like ages.

            I could tell she was about to say no, deny me the chance to leave again. I stood up as I heard a knock at the door. My grandmother and I exchanged looks. We both slowly approached the door, and she turned the knob. “Um.. hello can I help you?” “ Um. Yes ma’am we’re friends of Joey,” I heard John say. I relaxed a little knowing it was him and not… wait did he say we? Oh no I thought. Michael was standing behind John looking mischievous.  “Are you the ones he’s been staying with?” John politely nodded. “Well, please come in.” she said gesturing for them to enter. Michael smirked, “ Nice place.” She flopped onto the couch and the snapping sound it made, made me cringe. My grandma frowned but said nothing. If looks could kill I would have just murdered Michael.

            We sat in the kitchen for about an hour talking, and the agreement was I could stay with John as long as I checked in with me grandma often. “Of course I need you address just in case,” she said.  “ No problem. 243 Holland Ave.” Michael looked at John like he was crazy, he opened his mouth to say something be the look John gave him shut him up. “Okay…” I said, “I’ll go get my stuff.”

            I walked up the stairs. Each footfall causes a loud creek. I got to the top of the stairs and my heart caught in my throat. Standing at the end of the hallway was a dark figure. Thought I couldn’t see the face I knew who it was. “ No,” I said. No matter what I did always seeing her made me scared. Terrified. I froze in the spot. “Joey, where have you been? I’ve missed you!” Amy said as she walked out of the shadows. I wanted to scream. Call for John, for Michael, they would know what to do. She was only a foot away. She smirked and touched my cheek. I felt the panic inside me. She was right in my face. I was shacking now. “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus –“ She looked up and frowned before disappearing. I gasped  not realizing I had been holding my breath. My shaking legs gave out and almost fell. Thankfully I held my self-up by grabbing the wall. “Joey!” I felt someone grab my shoulders. It was Michael. He shook me and said, “ hey, hey, hey come on don’t faint now!” I took a couple of deep breaths and forced myself to calm down  . “I’m Okay.” I said trying to steady my breath.

            We went to my room and I sat down on the bed. I had to sit down. While I rested for a second, and John and Michael looked for signs of the Shtriga. I looked questionally  at John. He shook his head. I ran my fingers through my hair. Finally feeling better I got up and roughly shoved some clothes into a bag. We went down stairs and I told my grandma bye.

            When we got outside I put my bag in the back and got in. We were half way down the road when Michael looked at John and asked, “ are you feeling okay?” John looked puzzled, “ Ya, I’m fine. Why?”  Michael looked at him, “ 243 Holland is half way across town from where we live.” John smiled, “ I know.” I could see it hit Michael then, “ you lied to her!” he said laughing. We got the house and I – still shaken up from seeing Amy – went inside and laid down. I guess John forgot about training, because he didn’t wake me till dinner. Which was hamburgers and fries from Wendy’s. I ate then went to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and stepped in. The hot water felt good on my bare, almost sunburned  back. I thought about Kay sitting in the hospital all alone and unconscious.  I sighed, it just wasn’t fair! Why me? I thought Why me? “Why God? What did I ever do to you?!You took my parents and my sister! What do you want from me!?” I whispered hitting my fist on the tile wall. I felt tears falling down my cheeks. I brushed them away annoyed. I got out, went to bed and fell asleep.  

I woke in the middle of the night and herd John and Michael talking.  “John, he froze. That could be dangerous in a life or death situation” Michael stated. “You would have frozen to if a demon had appeared to you like that, after all he’s been through.” John retorted. “My life hasn’t exactly be peaches and cream, you know.” Michael snapped. “Look Michael. I said he stays and that’s the end of it!” John spat then walked away. I shook my head. Great I had cause a rift between John and Michael.

            I walked over to the window and looked at the moon. I watched the woods, wondering what they might conceal. After thinking about it I decided I probably didn’t want to know. I laid back down. Could this day get any worse? I thought. I sighed,( I seemed to do that a lot here lately), and fell asleep. Thankfully my dreams were undisturbed.