Is This the End?

Chapter Six

Vanessa

"Shit." We race down the hall and soon come outside. It's pitch-black except for the moon. It's full, and not a cloud is blocking the view. "Double shit. This really ain't good." He starts to turn before tilting his head ever so slightly. It reminds me of this dog that would run around town.

It would often tilt its head like that. I would like to think it was trying extra hard to hear all the words that spill from my lips. Most may deny their intelligence, but my mother taught me the True Way. I know that all beings were blessed by the High Spirits. They have no favorites, and each of us is touched differently. Animals are no lesser than humans or creatures.

I liked to run my fingers through the fur though it was greasy and matted with dirt. The dog was old, and the ribs were easy to see. I would feed it scraps when I had some to give, but that was a rare thing. On good days I could provide the dog with a bite of bread or maybe even a piece of fish.

I would have given him a chicken, but Bobby superstitions had caused the surrounding towns to all drive away the cattle and livestock. I guess they thought the Bobbies would choose the animals over them. I'm not sure if it's correct, but the number of people who came back to the village was always decreasing no matter what they thought. Most pets went with them by sometimes a mislead stray ends back up in the town limits every so often.

The dog and I would walk the beach shore and watch the tide on the bad days. Nothing but the roar of the waves could drown out the growl in our bellies. Mom would sometimes say it would get better, but that was often a rare reassurance. Despite the awfulness in the world, she didn't like having to lie, so she usually just kept quiet. I knew enough about this strange new world, but just barely. I would never be one of them, and she made sure to drill that knowledge deep in me.

The humans may hate us, she would say, but only other creatures have the real chance of causing us harm. Of course, this was before the NTSCU made their presence known. I had been with the dog that day when I accidentally lifted up a stick we had been playing with. It went up, higher than any human little girl could hope to throw a stick. Sadly this was seen by some passing townsfolk.

I never expected it when the man ran at me with a mad look in his eye and a knife in hand. The dog jumped in between us, and the man showed no hesitance in cutting him down. I ran and ran all the way home and barely had the tale out before my mother had packed our belongings. This was the first of many towns where we were found out and ran away, fearing for our lives.

Sometimes I would catch myself crying over that dog. The way its blood seeped into the sand and in between my toes. My mother would hold me close and get a haunted look in her eyes. There are worse things than death, she would tell me. I look up at Nate and can only hope he's not loyal like dogs are. Nate shakes his head, and we continue our way outside. We come across a little alleyway. It's a dead-end, and no light reaches inside.

"Perfect." Of course, Nate shoves me inside. He grabs me, and we squat low to the ground. I try to say something, but Nate puts his finger over my lips. A chill runs up my spine at the thought that he might have seen that. I can't see my hand in front of my face. At least before, the moonlight gave the illusion of objects and whatnot. Sitting here, there's no light to see anything with. At least for a human or witch.

"Did you find anything?" A voice rings out in the dark. I can faintly hear the sound of shoes scruffing against the gravel and concrete.

"Negative, sir." This one is different but sounds even closer. I look in Nate's direction, but he hasn't reacted, so I guess we're still good. Assuming he really can see in the dark.