The Hunter

The Hunter - Chapter sixteen

"So there are monsters."

"I didn't say that," I replied.

"Alyssa."

"Mother!"

"You have to divulge the information you know! Do you want to burn?"

"I'd rather burn than see anyone innocent die. We deserve to die more than any of them," I shouted at my parents.

"Alyssa, what has happened to you?" my mother asked, tears in her eyes.

I plopped onto the couch, letting my head fall in my hands. "Nothing. I've just realized that we're the ones who are wrong. You don't know them. You don't understand."

"It's okay. If you just tell Mathias where they hide, they won't punish us."

"That's the thing; I don't want to tell them anything. I want to protect those we are meant to kill. I don't want to kill anyone."

"It's in our nature, sweetheart. We destroy those who are a threat to society."

"Have you ever thought the only threat around is us? We're the ones threatening society. They have integrated into the world. We have not. We're awkward and cold. They are not."

"Call them what they are, Alyssa. Monsters."

"We're the monsters!"

I stood and ran out the front door, tears streaming down my face.

"Alyssa!" my mother shouted after me as I continued running down the street.

I ignored her. I wanted to get away. I couldn't stand being in that house or around those people any longer. My heart pounded and my chest ached but I didn't want to stop. My legs weakened, but they wouldn't allow me to stop running. Not until I was far enough away, if that was even possible. I felt a rush of wind pass me as I slowed near the tree line. I held onto an oak and tried to steady my breathing. A cold hand rested on my shoulder.

"They don't understand. They won't listen. They're horrible. I hate them!"

"No you don't. They've been doing the same thing for centuries. You can't expect them to just come around to your thinking in a night after one talk. They will understand."

"No they won't, Blake. They will never understand. They will always want to kill."

He turned me toward him and pulled me in close. I didn't care about his deathly coldness. At the moment, I needed him.

"We still need to make a plan."

"We will need my parents. They're strong and can help against the Guild. We can't take them down alone, especially if they call in other Hunters'."

"Can you tell us what to do?" he asked.

"I can, but that won't give us the strength we need." I sighed heavily and walked along the tree line, leaving the safety of his grasp. "While we have a lot of different abilities, nobody is strong enough to take on a fully trained Hunter."

"What about their parents?"

"Perhaps. They're old enough and know how Hunters' attack, but they may not have the strength anymore."

"Let's talk with everyone in the community. Including all the parents."

I nodded my head. "They can at least help us think of what to do since their lives are in danger as well."

He held my hand as we walked along. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about the situation. I wasn't feeling strongly about the plan. We could have a million ideas, but without the strength to defend them would all be worthless.