The Canavar

Chapter 24: Wisp

The booming echoes from the explosions came over the top of the ridge above the town, and porcelain figurines rattled on top of the refrigerator. Then came the echoes, sounding like rolling thunder, from the ridgeline across the river.

Johnny was glad those bombs had exploded on the other side of the ridge, but somehow he was sure the monster was still out there. Still circling around them.

"Can you hear me now?" There was that tiny voice in his ear again.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I didn't ask for anything." His mother turned and squinted at him.

"Um. My bad. I thought you said something," he said, covering up that he was hearing voices again.

"I'm fine. Don't need anything right now." She turned back to the window.

"Okay, Momma. I'm going outside then."

Her head turned toward him again. "You should stay inside where it's safe if you know what's good for you."

"Not sure anywhere's safe, Momma, but I need some fresh air. I'll just be on the front steps. Promise."

"Alright then, but make sure that's where you're at if I come lookin'," she said, but he was already halfway out the door.

Their apartment door opened directly to the deck on the second level. Steps led down to the first level to his right, but Mr. Pavel sat on those steps with his back to Johnny. Johnny had gotten the impression Mr. Pavel didn't approve of him or his mother. Smoke rose from the cigarette stuck between the man's fingers. Johnny turned left toward the back set of steps.

"Man, I'm hearing things again," Johnny mumbled.

"I'm as real as you, Johnny," the tiny voice sang.

"Why do you sound like you're in my head then?" Johnny reached the steps and leaned against the rail.

"I'm in your ear. I'm really small by your standards, so it's the only way for me to be heard by you."

"Any higher pitched, and dogs will start howling."

"Very funny."

Johnny wasn't sure, but that sounded sarcastic. He rubbed his ear.

"This is the lowest pitch I can make and don't rub your ear."

"Who are you?" Johnny asked. "And where did you come from? Are you an alien or something?"

"You can call me Wisp. And we have always been here."

"Okay... Wisp. What do you want from me?" Johnny noted she said we, and that meant more of whatever she was.

"We need your help."

"We?" Johnny questioned. "What are you?"

"I'm a lesser sprite. We can't do this alone," Wisp said.

"I assume this has something to do with that monster that's terrorizing our town."

"It's called a canavar," Wisp said. "And yes, we need your help with it."

"Just to be clear, help destroying it. Not like buddying up to it."

"Yes. Yes. It's a blight on all of creation. We need your help in getting rid of it." Wisp's pitch rose, and Johnny barely heard her plea.

"I've heard of sprites but not canavars."

"We sprites are all around you. Canavars, on the other hand, have been rare in recent times. The last one to reach this stage was over 1700 years ago."