Spirit (Monsters Series #3)

Chapter 8: Dead Man Walking

"Dee!" Juliette yelled in my ear, breaking me from my trance. "I have a surprise for you!"

I was so startled I fell off the edge of the bed and screamed a scream that should never come from a boy. Her laugh boomed from her full lips, the sound making my heart swell.

"Jeez, Dee!" Juliette jested. "It's just lil' old me!"

"Sor-sorry." I apologized. "I-I was jus-just dee-dee-deep in th-though-thought."

"What where you thinking about?" She asked, sitting at the end of my bed.

"You." I responded truthfully, blood invading my cheeks.

Juliette gave me a playful shove as she laughed, and she smiled again.

"Get off your butt, princess." Juliette ordered. "I need to show you something."

"I-I need to sh-sho-show you so-some-something t-to-too." I responded, more serious.

"I'll go first." She stated.

"Of c-cour-course." I responded submissively.

The next words out of her mouth brought shivers down my spine but not in a blissful way.

"You're going to meet my fathers."

~

"Dee! You're supposed to run, not skip!"

"I-I'm a st-sti-stick-shi-shift; I-I must g-g-g-give my-myse-myself the opp-oppor-opportunity to ch-chan-change my sp-spe-speed."

Juliette rolled her eyes at my well thought through metaphor. Giving up, she grabs my hand to hurry me along. Even with teasing, sarcastic intents, in her every touch, she conveys a small fraction of her true feelings. The slightest brush of her fingers against mine made my stomach flutter.

I could see a worn-down cabin in the distance so deep in lush forest that it is completely untouched and unseen by society. I could feel Juliette's peaceful aura as we approach the grimy shack. I was thankful I wore my full-fingered black driving gloves that day, otherwise, I wouldn't have survived.

The inside wasn't much better. Spiderwebs littered every corner, and I could hear rats scurrying underneath the floorboards. The furniture had soft white stuffing spilling from the cushions. The windows had no covering and most were broken. The only lights were a couple antique-looking lanterns and a few lit candles. There was a fire pit and a cooler where a kitchen should be, and the roof was barely intact.

A rat scurried across the floor, and I screamed a girlish scream. I grasped Juliette's shoulders in fear. I could hear Juliette's deep chuckles.

"Wh-what?" I whined.

"You're cute when you're scared." Juliette sighed.

"What happened?" A tall, muscular, frightening man with blonde hair asked frantically, wielding a baseball bat.

"Dad! It's fine! Dion just saw a rat and screamed like a girl!" She explained.

"It's t-tru-true, sir, to-to an e-ex-ext-extent." I stammered. "I'm just not used to such...rustic conditions."

The man put down the bat that was as rustic as this house. He smiled down at me in greeting.

"You get accustomed to it. You must be Dion." The man greeted. "I'm Lyle, Juliette's father."

I shook his hand hesitantly. Lyle Ford towered over me, his smile lessening his intimidating disposition only a small fraction. I suddenly recognized him from the vision though he has aged the slightest bit. So that was the man everyone said had died. They even put up a memorial for Lyle Ford up in the town square. That was what I was going to show Juliette today.

"Juliette, are you home?" Another man's voice yelled from around the corner.

Now I see where she got her beauty from. The other man walked over to Lyle and gave him a single peck on the cheek. He gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and he strolled around me, face undeniably intimidating. I slouched behind Juliette, making myself as small as possible at the waves of protectiveness from his aura.

"What's your name, son?" The man asked severely.

"Di-Di-Dion, si-sir." I introduced shyly. "Di-Dion Har-Harris-G-G-G-Gra-Graves."

Lyle was holding back a chuckle, as if thinking of an inside joke.

"Are you...are you related to Gatlin Harris?" He inquired.

"He's one of my dads. Did you know him?"

"I've known him since he was a baby." The man replied, completely changing his demeanor. "His mother practically raised me. I'm Emerson Ford."

I shook the hand of the now hospitable Emerson Ford. My father must be on good terms with this raven-haired, obsidian eyed, pale skinned man. Despite his now warm aura, I still felt uneasy in his presence, as if he was rumored to have done something horrific. I searched his essence deeper and found traces of...guilt?

"Well, I've got dinner on the stove." Emerson stated perkily. "It will be ready in a couple minutes. I'll go call for Olly. He's out hunting."

Hopefully, he isn't as frightening as her fathers.

I was breathing heavily, and the next thing I knew, everything was black.

~

I was sitting on...nothing. It felt like I was sitting on something, but I was just floating.

A woman stood in front of a cauldron with another girl. It was Finn, I realized.

"Grandmother? When will my brother be ready? He's been cooking for hours!" She whined impatiently.

"He needs some time to collect his bearings, Melody Finn." Grandmother scolded. "He has a couple glitches to him. Besides, we need one more ingredient from our former Guardian."

My sister's full name was Finn Melody.

Th-there's so-some-something g-g-g-g-going on with my fa-family. I-I will fi-find out wha-what it is.

Just when I wouldn't have predicted any more surprises, Emerson comes bursting through the door.

"I need Gatlin's blood. Now." He growled.

"I need Rio. Now." She mimicked with a mischievous grin.

"Why her?" He whimpered. "She has Lyle's blood in her!"

"She is of our level thanks to your blood."

"Do you have any idea what she will suffer? You know that taking a woman's soul is unpredictable! It has never been done!"

"There's a first time for everything."

"Please. I beg of you! For your adopted son, your faithful servant, your angel son's Guardian."

"Would you rather have a daughter with no soul and two fathers or a daughter with a soul but no fathers?"

Emerson was silent, teardrops delicately falling down his cheek.

"For Lyle." Emerson croaked. "Rio, my lovely?"

Juliette entered, wearing something I never thought she would wear.

It was a dress, a floral dress.

Th-that is n-not Ju-Jul-Juliette.

"Come hither, child." Grandmother beckoned. "Aren't you a beauty?"

This Juliette, this imposter, walked over timidly, too timid to be my girl. The woman grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the rusty cauldron to hurry her. I wished I could have done something, anything, but I couldn't. I was frozen in place, unable to move my body.

The woman reached into Rio's abdomen as she screamed bloody murder. I desparately wanted to yell, scream, but I could make no sound. I could only watch as the love of my life's glowing soul was ripped from her and put into the cauldron.

The cauldron held a beam of heavenly light. The roof was nearly blown to bits. Grandmother reached into the cauldron and pulled out something small, too tiny for the world around it.

It was a baby. It had dark curls and big blue-green eyes, wiser than its years.

"Welcome to the world, Dion."