The Contagion

.25.

"Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than you are to your                                                                       comfort zone."

~Billy Cox.

Our estate was completely silent when I unlocked the door. I sniffed the air to check if something was amiss. I walked to the center of the house with my hands on my hips. I looked right up the floors to see if she was home. Why was the house silent? "Casper, Casper!" someone shouted in the backyard.

My eyes widened and my legs took me to the backyard. I jumped over the steps and landed with a thud on the grass. Towards the end of the lawn, was a young brunette with a leash in her hand. My eyes narrowed at the traitor on my land. She was back again. Her back was facing me and she didn't see me approach. I pulled her hand to face me. "What are you doing here?" I seethed.

She placed her hand on her chest, her eyes widening seeing me. "Shona Lynn!...... shit, you scared me."

"Why are you here?" I asked with my arms folded on my chest.

"Casper is missing." She said looking anxiously around her.

"So that's not my issue," I said shrugging.

Her face contorted to shock. "How could you say that!? You loved him didn't you?"

"I loved him. It was of the past. Not anymore."

"Why are you behaving like this?"

"I should ask this. Where were you when I was being ragged in school? I saw you on the school premises and you never asked me nor kept in touch with me after that incident. How could you do that to me?" I screamed at her.

"I did come to school, but I wasn't aware that such a thing had happened to you."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "How dare you say such a lie? You know that I trusted you as a friend and you freaking ditched me when I needed you!"

"Look no one ever told me that this happened. I became very busy later and I didn't have time to talk to you."

"Oh shut up! You live three houses away from me and you say that you were busy? Keep that shit with you, Jacinta." I say and storm away wiping away the tears with the back of my hand.

"Look—"

"Get away from my house!" I said giving her a slap.

She held her reddened cheek, stabilizing herself. Her eyes pooled with tears. She staggered a few steps behind and ran out of our back gate. I stood there watching her running down the street and taking a left towards her house.

I sigh deeply and walk towards the back door when Grandma stood at the door frame watching the entire scene. "I need an explanation from you." She said opening the door. "Where were you this whole month?"

My heart was still filled with hatred for Jacinta. My hand stung with the slap I imprinted on her face for being a pathetic friend. I guess Rogue Werewolves can never have Human friends. I sat on the kitchen stool, my mind trying to make an excuse for my trip to Neverland. What should I say? Grandma sits opposite me, waiting for my reply.

"I had gone to Neverland," I said in one go.

Her mouth fell open. "What!"

I nodded. "I was feeling bored here so I felt that I should go and have some fun there," I said shrugging.

"I had told you never to go back to our motherland and you disobeyed me?"

Oh God, I'm so dead. "There was nowhere I could go, so I felt that Neverland would be the best place."

She shook her head at me. "Do you know how dangerous it is?"

"I remember all that you told me. But trust me no one ever saw me since I was using Talia's spell book."

Her face paled. "You took the spell book?"

"Well don't we all have a copy of her spell book?"

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've come with you." She said anxiously.

"I would've told you but you weren't at home at that time." The lie spilled out smoothly.

She looked at me suspiciously. "When I wasn't at home?"

"The train had derailed at Eastborough and we all had to get down. So I walked all the way to Myrel's house. I found her house locked so I said that instead of walking back home, I would go to Neverland."

That was sweet.

"Are you telling me the truth?" She asked me narrowing her eyes at me.

"Yes. Of course."

***

At dinner, my mind kept dwelling back to that night in the train when Nina was suddenly pulled out of the window and eaten by the Mutant. Kate's screams filled my ears as she stared at the blood falling down the window like a waterfall. A clink of the ceramic plate made me jump in my seat. I stared at the plate, the aroma of delicious chicken salad hitting my nose.

"Looks like you've been transformed to wonderland," Grandma said cooking on the stove.

I sighed. "No, the journey to Neverland was quite tiring." Well, it wasn't a complete lie either.

"You should've gone by a carriage instead." She said glancing at me.

I gawked at her. "And let them know that I'm not a Vampire?"

She shook her head at me turning to face me. "You could've borrowed red lenses from Jacinta—"

"Don't take her name in my house," I growled, getting up and slamming the dining table.

"I see you hate her." She muttered.

"I wish she was dead." I spat.

"So who did you met in Neverland?"

"I met Ambrose," I said taking the soup bowl from her hand and placing it in the center of the table.

She frowned. "I thought Axis was the Queen."

"So did I," I said shrugging. "She becomes emotional when I mention her name," I added after sipping the soup from my bowl.

"I met two members from the Council. They're very creepy." I said frowning.

"And what else can you expect from those lunatics." She said taking a sip of her soup.

In my bed, I stared at the ceiling making patterns of the cracks. Tomorrow my work shift would begin and life would be back to routine. On instinct, my phone beeped and I reached out my hand on the nightstand to see who texted me so late.

I sit up from lying on the bed and switch the lamp on, making my eyes squint to the bright light. I unlock the screen and find a new email in my inbox.

Dear Madam CEO,

Sharon and Harry have applied for resignation from their job. We need two more employees to take their place since we need someone urgently for the new academic year.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016.

~Francis.

I bit my lip and thought about who would be the perfect replacement.