Feeding Frenzy (Watty Award Winner)

It's Toast: Chapter Nine

Ducky watched Tonya walk the wooded path away from the cemetery.

"Aren't you coming?" asked Priya. With Professor Rudolph under medical care, she was headed back to class.

He shook his head. "I'm staying with Tonya."

He let Priya progress in the opposite direction, until she was hidden by trees.

It would take only four or five long strides to catch up, but he lingered, admiring Tonya's long, shiny hair. Hourglass figure. The word came to mind partly because of her generous curves, but also because of the hypnotic way they compelled you to watch her move, forgetting all notion of time, or sense. He jogged after her.

"Are you following me?"

He drew even with her in two long strides. "I hope you don't mind me coming along?"

"No, it's fine," she said, but her crumpled brow said otherwise.

"Do you smell that?" Ducky asked. The acrid smell of burning chemicals wafted toward him on the breeze.

"Maybe I should go alone. My Aunt is kind of a special person, and I don't know how she would feel if I just walked into her place with a stranger."

"Isn't it a store?"

"She lives in the apartment upstairs. I want to see if she left any clue to where she disappeared."

"I get that," said Ducky. She didn't want a stranger to snoop through her Aunt's things. "You hardly know me."

"Don't take it like that." She bit her lower lip.

"It's fine. What do you want me to do, wait outside? Or can I wait in the shop downstairs?" It was breezy out, and since he only wore a sweater to lunch, Ducky wound up chasing Rudolph without a coat.

"You should go back," she said. "Look at you. Your lips are turning blue."

He put a hand to his lips. "Really?" Her eyes lingered on them a little too long. He liked the idea she was looking at his lips. "I feel fine." He stifled a shiver. There was no way he was going back now. Something weird was going on, and he wasn't going to let her walk into danger alone. And what was that burning smell? Definitely not a wood stove.

"Honestly, coming with me is a bad idea," she said.

"What's really wrong Tonya? What aren't you telling me?"

"It's nothing."

"Whatever's up with your Aunt, I won't judge, won't tell, Scout's honour." He felt protective of girls in general, but something about Tonya inspired extra vigilance. She seemed afraid of something, but wouldn't ask for help, which made him even more determined. He would not let her down.

She looked at him, looking at her, waiting for her answer. Finally she said: "Let's go."

In a few quick strides they were almost out of the woods. Through gaps in the trees he glimpsed a two-story building in red brick, like an old farm house. He thought maybe he saw weathered gingerbread, decorating the eaves.

Tonya slowed down and stopped in front of him. "When we get there don't touch anything, and let me go in first." Without waiting for an answer, she continued to walk.

Suddenly, Tonya grabbed her head as if she heard a piercing sound, but Ducky didn't hear anything.

He rushed up to see what was wrong.

Tonya scrunched up her face and went limp. She dropped where she stood, but Ducky caught her. Her propped Tonya against his shoulder, arm around her back for support. "What's wrong?"