Streets of moonlight

Chapter 5

Dan POV

I was half way up the steps when I heard the scream coming from below. Jesus Rose I thought as I flew down the steps and into the basement. I saw rose on the floor frantically trying to push Festis off her. (Festis was Bens pet Scrounger. A small insect like race with 3 sets of slanted green eyes a shrimp like tail 6 sharp insect legs a set of pincers and black skin). She was screaming bloody murder as Festus drooled big wet blobs on her face and puncturing her skin with his legs.

I ran over to her pulling him of her talking to him to calm him down. “Festus calm down, Festus shes good, Festus don’t bite her.” Festus stopped wiggling once he heard a familiar voice, I guessed he assumed she was an intruder. Rose got to her feet picking up a stool and brandishing like a weapon causing Festus to his at her. “Ok everyone calm down. Rose put the fucking stool down, and Festus stop shes a friend.”

Festus didn’t look happy and neither did Rose but he stopped hissing and Rose lowered the stool. Ben came rushing down the stars next yelling “The hell is going on down here.” He looked over the scene seeing Festus and frowned. “There you are you bloody bug.” He a said with relief walking over and picking him up from my arms. “I have been looking for you all over, where was he?” Asked Ben.

“I’ll tell you where. On my face trying to kill me.” Ben looked down at down at Festus scowling, the big curled up putting on it’s cute face, at least as cute as a bug can be. “Festus I told you to come find me if you find someone new not attack them on sight.” Festus whimpered. I have to say for an giant alien insect he was pretty adorable, like a big scaly puppy really. “What the hell is that!?” Rose yelled looking slightly scared of him.

“This is Festus, my pet Scredget. Festus this is Rose she is a friend you be nice to her ok.” the bug chirped in agreement, Rose just looked disgusted. “Out of all the animals in the universe you chose a freaking bug as a pet? Why not a Zemzoric (lizard like monkeys that are extremely intelligent) or something?” Rose asked obviously not warming to Festus at all.

“I got him when I was a kid, I had some pretty strange tastes back then. Anyway sorry about the shock, I trained Festus to attack strangers after I started working with Dan, never gonna know when some armed guys in black will come bashing down my door." Rose just looked at him like he was insane. "What good is that bloody insect gonna be against plasma guns?" She chalenged. Ben thought for a minute. "Well right now nothing but his kind do grow to be a lot bigger, enough to bite a man in half." Roses face turned white at the idea of Festus being big enough to eat her. Honestly I thought the idea was hilarious but I kept my mouth shut.

"I'll take Festus up stairs. Sorry again." He apologized walking up out of the basement. I turned to Rose who was still as white as a sheet and tense like her whole body became like a fist. I shook her shoulder snapping her out of it. "Want a bear to get your mind off it?" I asked kindly.

"No thanks. But jesus out of all the pets he could pick he picked that creepy fucker." She cursed her voice shaky and tear filled sitting down on the couch. I had a feeling she had a little vendeta with bug so I set my self down next to her. She was breathing heavily slipping into a panic attack. I had no idea what to do I had to keep her calm. She grabbed her head her whole body quivering like a scared kitten, she was clearly going into a panic attack and I had no idea what to do. How was it that I knew how to kill a man with one punch and disarm a bomb, yet I had no idea how to help a girl when she was panicking? Why couldn’t life be as simple as a fist fight?

My mind wered at top speed my gears on overdrive as I grasped for solutions. I decided to just hug her for now comforting her and giving me a little time to think of something. So I wrapped my arms tightly around her and held her head to my chest, she answered by clinging onto me digging her claws into my back as if her life depended on it. “There scary! Make them go away make them go away!” She sobbed into my chest. This girl has some serious trauma with bugs I thought stroking her head.

“It’s ok i’m here nothing’s gonna hurt you, i’ll protect you.” She nuzzled her face deeper into my chest her tears staining my clothes. She looked so helpless and afraid I just wanted to cuddle her and never let go, I wanted to help her so bad it hurt. I turned her face so she was looking up at me, her eyes frightened and full of tears. My god she was cute. I pecked her on the lips and smiled. “I will always protect you. I promise.”

A small smile tugged at the edges of her mouth and she rested her head on my chest listening to my heart beat. I didn’t know how long we spent like that just tucked up together but it felt so good I wished it would never end. But sadly she stood up nervously blushing and looking away, her beautiful amber eyes ringed in red. “Can you not tell anyone about that?” She requested shyly.

I wanted to know so bad what happened but I decided to keep my mouth shut. I crossed my heart, “Cross my heart. You ok? Anything else I can do?” It had felt so good to help her to make her smile, just something about that sad kitten look in her eyes and that broken and battered persona, that made me want to protect her no matter what. She gave me a slight smile which made my heart pound. “No but thanks.” She turned to walk up the stairs but stopped abruptly. I could see she was becoming tense so I stood up and stalked towards her. She took in a deep breath and said calmly turning around to look at me.

“When I was 10 I was really into haunted houses for some reason. I found this really old one a few miles from my house and decided to bike there. I broke in and explored the house. It was having so much fun just walking around and looking at everything when... When...” Her voice faltered as her voice got shaky and high. I walked closer to her as she continued. “When the board fell and...” She sobbed I could tell this was hard for her and I hated to see her this way. “Hey if this is hurting you you don’t have to tell me.” I offered but she whipped her tears away and sniffed.

“No no i’m fine.” She sniffed again taking another deep breath. “I feel into this, this pit this really dark pit and... I saw these yellow dots...” She was forcing the words out of her mouth each one breaking her. I couldn’t take it rushing to her side and bringing her in for a hug clutching her sobbing head as she dug her claws into my chest, I ignored the slight pain. “Please stop.” I begged but she just shook her head.

“I need to do this.” She justified. I could tell there was no stopping her so I just held her to my torso letting her cry. I felt slightly guilty by how good it felt to hold her.

So she digressed. “I turned on my light.” She was now rushing through her words trying to get it over with as fast as she could. “And I saw these... Oh god.” She clutched my chest tighter. “I saw this huge fucking swarm of fucking cockroaches. I was so scared I I could scream or do anything.” Her voice got even more panicky. “Then they started crawling towards me...” She cried. This was painful to watch. “I kept my mouth shut so they w-wouldn’t get i-inside me but... The feeling of all those legs... a-and the sight of them... them... them...” I could tell it was getting even harder to get those words out. I rubbed her back. “Shhhhh it’s ok it’s over now just don’t think about it too much.” I comforted causing her to hug even tighter.

“I stayed there just sitting there for 8 hours until the police found me and scared them off. I could sleep for weeks after that because the dark...” She force in fear and I held her to my chest as if letting go would kill her. “I get it. Thank you for trusting me with this.” I kissed her lips to comfort her pulling her head back to my chest. We stood there her quivering in my arms until she stopped and pulled away from me gently. “Thanks” She muttered.

I smiled and she smiled back. Then out of no where she jumped up placing a kiss on my lips. It was shocking in a good way, the grin on my face made her cheeks even redder than they already were. I didn’t say anything because there was nothing to be said. I just walked past her up the stairs. What that girl had gone through and at such a young age... God that story gave me a chill. Out of no where I felt a strong bond between me and her, along with a powerful drive to protect her no matter the costs.

Hello readers please forgive me for having the reply so late. The honest reason was because I haven’t been in the mood for writing. I know you guys never comment and I don’t know how many of you still read this story but a comment would REALLY help. Just knowing that you like what i’m doing and want more, or if you don’t like it then feel free to give some feed back. (That doesn’t mean you can spam the comments section with criticism) So yeah hope you liked it sorry again and have a nice day. Bye! :D