thirty below out here.”
“It's only in the thirties,” I replied casting him a sideways glance. “ Where the hell did you come from that you think this is thirty below?”
“Florida,” he returned my sideways my sideways glare with one of his own. “It's in the seventies there right now.”
I could feel my eyes widen incredulously. “Seventies? In October?”
“You bet. It's probably a warm and muggy night filled with giant bugs... I can just imagine it.”
I just shook my head. The seventies in fall? No way. I like my winters just as they are. “What brings you all the way to Oregon anyways?”
He watched me with a shuttered expression so long that I didn't think he was going to reply.
“My family was murdered a little over a year ago.”
I shouldn't have asked. Oh my god I should not have asked. “I'm so sorry Ethan if I'd have known I wouldn't-”
“Don't Mercy it's alright. It was a while ago.”
“It has only been a year you said...”
“Yeah well... a year in an institution is a long time.”
I turned my face to take him in but he didn't look overly sad. More like he was contemplating something. Running through that moment in his mind.
“They thought I was crazy, and its not like they will give a crazy kid over to an old man.” He turned his face to mind and watched me for a moment. “I'm not crazy you know... I know that what I saw that night doesn't... shouldn't exist but there is was... I mean its not like I didn't think about it. When it happened I knew it shouldn't have been possible... but that man turned into a monster right in front of me. The official statement was a rabid bear... but I know what I saw and it wasn't a bear. That's why I believe in these paranormal things you know? Cause I've seen them.”
I must have had some look on my face, because the moment he glanced back over at me he bust out laughing. “Please Mercy, keep this to yourself yeah? I just want to get on with being normal.”
“Of course I would never say anything but... did you mean what you said? That it was some kind of monster?”
“I know you probably don't believe me-”
“I believe you. I think... I think I've been seeing those things since I was fourteen.” I was going out on a limb with this... with trusting Ethan... but if he could trust me with something as painful as loosing his parents I could try and trust him with the fact that I have seen them, even if only in my dreams... but Deegan... Deegan was mine. He was personal. I wouldn't share him with anyone.
“You've been seeing them since you were fourteen?! Here? In town?”
“No... No in my dreams at night. Every night. Which is why I practically zombie my way through the day. Having those dreams makes me so tired...”
“Ahh... well that explains why Olivia is so protective in keeping people away, so you can catch a break.”
“Yep.”
“We're comrades then... both seeing and believing in monsters,” he replied offering me a halfhearted smile.
We walked in a comfortable silence until we made it to my street and turned down it. The leaves picking up and swirling around our ankles in the soft wind.
“Comrade,” Ethan chuckled into the silence, “ Can I assume that's your house? The one with two people staring me down like I'm bringing them a winning lottery ticket?”
Glancing up my eyes landed on my parents on the front porch looking extremely excited. All I could do was roll my eyes at the sight. “I've been a zombie hermit for the last three years their just happy to see me out being sociable, don't let them creep you out too bad.”
He let out a small chuckle as we made our way up the walkway, to the front door.
“Mom, Dad, this is Ethan.” I turned and faced Ethan. “Ethan this is Mom and Dad.”
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Clarke it's a pleasure to finally meet you.” Ethan put on his charming smile and it was like my parents were putty in his hands. Practically fawning over him. “Well My Lady it seems I've
“It's only in the thirties,” I replied casting him a sideways glance. “ Where the hell did you come from that you think this is thirty below?”
“Florida,” he returned my sideways my sideways glare with one of his own. “It's in the seventies there right now.”
I could feel my eyes widen incredulously. “Seventies? In October?”
“You bet. It's probably a warm and muggy night filled with giant bugs... I can just imagine it.”
I just shook my head. The seventies in fall? No way. I like my winters just as they are. “What brings you all the way to Oregon anyways?”
He watched me with a shuttered expression so long that I didn't think he was going to reply.
“My family was murdered a little over a year ago.”
I shouldn't have asked. Oh my god I should not have asked. “I'm so sorry Ethan if I'd have known I wouldn't-”
“Don't Mercy it's alright. It was a while ago.”
“It has only been a year you said...”
“Yeah well... a year in an institution is a long time.”
I turned my face to take him in but he didn't look overly sad. More like he was contemplating something. Running through that moment in his mind.
“They thought I was crazy, and its not like they will give a crazy kid over to an old man.” He turned his face to mind and watched me for a moment. “I'm not crazy you know... I know that what I saw that night doesn't... shouldn't exist but there is was... I mean its not like I didn't think about it. When it happened I knew it shouldn't have been possible... but that man turned into a monster right in front of me. The official statement was a rabid bear... but I know what I saw and it wasn't a bear. That's why I believe in these paranormal things you know? Cause I've seen them.”
I must have had some look on my face, because the moment he glanced back over at me he bust out laughing. “Please Mercy, keep this to yourself yeah? I just want to get on with being normal.”
“Of course I would never say anything but... did you mean what you said? That it was some kind of monster?”
“I know you probably don't believe me-”
“I believe you. I think... I think I've been seeing those things since I was fourteen.” I was going out on a limb with this... with trusting Ethan... but if he could trust me with something as painful as loosing his parents I could try and trust him with the fact that I have seen them, even if only in my dreams... but Deegan... Deegan was mine. He was personal. I wouldn't share him with anyone.
“You've been seeing them since you were fourteen?! Here? In town?”
“No... No in my dreams at night. Every night. Which is why I practically zombie my way through the day. Having those dreams makes me so tired...”
“Ahh... well that explains why Olivia is so protective in keeping people away, so you can catch a break.”
“Yep.”
“We're comrades then... both seeing and believing in monsters,” he replied offering me a halfhearted smile.
We walked in a comfortable silence until we made it to my street and turned down it. The leaves picking up and swirling around our ankles in the soft wind.
“Comrade,” Ethan chuckled into the silence, “ Can I assume that's your house? The one with two people staring me down like I'm bringing them a winning lottery ticket?”
Glancing up my eyes landed on my parents on the front porch looking extremely excited. All I could do was roll my eyes at the sight. “I've been a zombie hermit for the last three years their just happy to see me out being sociable, don't let them creep you out too bad.”
He let out a small chuckle as we made our way up the walkway, to the front door.
“Mom, Dad, this is Ethan.” I turned and faced Ethan. “Ethan this is Mom and Dad.”
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Clarke it's a pleasure to finally meet you.” Ethan put on his charming smile and it was like my parents were putty in his hands. Practically fawning over him. “Well My Lady it seems I've