Beetle

Chapter 9

By the time I make it back home I'm both physically and emotionally exhausted. The last thing I want is a fight with my mom but by the look on her face I know that's exactly what I'm going to get. It's not until I hear someone upstairs do I realize I fucked up.

"What the hell Redford! Where have you been?" My eyes snap back to her because I had let them wander, "I dropped Ben off at Ryan's." I regret the words as soon as they're out of my mouth because now I've brought up how I forgot to pick up Ben from Ryan's.

"That was hours ago! And you didn't even pick him up!" Mom yells. Has it really been hours? It doesn't feel like it has been. "I went through a drive through and drove around for awhile."
"I can't believe I have to tell you to check your phone!" That clearly wasn't the answer mom was looking for.

I attempt to explain myself but the more I talk the more I realize what I've done. I pretty much went off the grid. To make matters worse it's clear that by her distress mom has heard about the death of that student at Beetle Academy.

Of course the death doesn't affect us but whenever something happens in the supernatural community it puts everyone on edge. I know the sooner I apologize, the sooner this can get swept under the rug, "I'm so sorry mom." It's amazing how far an apology can go. I watch as my moms eyes cloud over with relief and all her anger melts away She sighs, "Just be careful. I don't want you going places alone in the times we live in."

'I guess she isn't completely over it?' Which is weird since my parents have always been relaxed. While some people would even say my parents are "fun", though I won't go that far. I'm not naïve enough to have thought that things wouldn't have changed after dad's death- and with this being a confirmed death of a student at Beetle I know it makes everyone feel uneasy.

I hug my mom, which to my shame isn't something I do enough. She draws sightly back because she wasn't expecting it. Than she pulls forward and squeezes me tight like if she doesn't I'll be the one pulling back. "I love you Red, I don't say it enough but you know I do, right?"

I smile into her hair, "I love you too mom." She stills a little but her smile doesn't move which tells me that whatever she says next is going to be hard to hear; "I know things have been hard lately-" she takes a breath, "very hard but they will get better. I promise you they will." I don't believe her but I still say the words, "thanks mom." She leans in to kiss my head just like she did when I was little and mumbles, "I love you no matter what." Before I can reply she swiftly turns and goes back into the kitchen.

I should go to sleep. I have school tomorrow, bright and early but instead I find myself online trying to find everything I can about the death at Beetle Academy. Unsurprisingly, everything is under wraps. It's more than obvious that many people and supernaturals have done their homework in keeping as much as possible confidential.

However, teenagers should never be underestimated. After pulling out my laptop and logging on to a burner Google account I made when I was like thirteen; digging through tons of articles, pictures, videos I've found enough to put at least some of the pieces together.

The first thing I've learned is that the dead student is actually dead. My stomach dropped after finding condolences from the Beetle Academy headmaster.

In hindsight, it shouldn't of been surprising to me that the victim is actually dead. Though, I would be lying to myself if I didn't acknowledge that at least part of me thought it was a publicity stunt. One, made up by the ultra conservative anti monsters movement in hopes of getting the people mad and giving them a reason to once again hunt for vampires and burn witches at the stake.

With the elections coming up it didn't seem as far-fetched as it actually is. Especially, since the amount of money and resources that it would take to pull of makes me feel dumb that I actually thought it was a realistic possibility.