|𝟏𝟏𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝| The real monsters hide in plain sight.
It's always been Lena Matthews' dream to work for the Agency and kill monsters like her father. When Lena is sent undercover to the gated community of Atalka, she is given a simple mi...
Jerome Hawke sighed at the ridiculously high total that flashed on the pump. His truck was pretty old and its mileage wasn't great, but he still wasn't prepared to fork over 40 dollars. The gas station attendant glanced at the meter apathetically.
"I got it." Aaliyah sighed and reached into her pocket, pulling out a wad of cash.
"You don't have to." Jerome assured Aaliyah automatically.
"What?" Aaliyah snapped. "I'm trying to help."
"I know you are, but-"
"I'm fine." Aaliyah interrupted before Jerome could finish his sentence. She knew that he was going to bring up Josh again.
Jerome took the money from Aaliyah gingerly, and handed it to the gas station attendant through his open window. Since it was illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon, there were attendants placed at every station in town. Luckily, they all excelled at minding their own business.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Jerome asked Aaliyah, breaking the silence that had built up between them.
"What's there to talk about?" Aaliyah asked.
"I know how important he was to you." said Jerome quietly. "He was my friend too, and I had no idea he was mixed up in anything."
"It doesn't make sense." Aaliyah whispered, mostly to herself. "There's no way he was shot."
"What, do you think one of the monsters did it?" Jerome tried to crack a smile, but his face fell when he realized that his friend didn't react. "You don't seriously think it could have been one of the monsters, right?"
"Can you drop me off at home?" Aaliyah asked, her voice hoarse. Jerome knew that she was on the verge of breaking down altogether. Aaliyah had always acted tough, especially after she lost her mother. No one was allowed to see her human side, and Jerome and Josh were the only exceptions. Still, Jerome knew that Aaliyah hated crying in front of anyone. He had only watched her shed a tear once in elementary school when she fell off the swing set.
"Sure," said Jerome. He glanced at the attendant, who gave him a thumbs up. The truck started after the third try before finally taking off into the night. A million sentences began to form in Jerome's mind, but he wasn't brave enough to say anything. Aaliyah was staring straight ahead, her expression guarded.
"We've been best friends since kindergarten." Jerome finally began. "You can tell me how you're really doing."
"I didn't say 'I love you' back." Aaliyah confessed, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "How hard is it to say three syllables?"
Jerome had no idea what to say. There was no way to magically make everything okay again. Gently, he placed his hand on her shoulder. "He knows," said Jerome. "That guy was head over heels for you, and he knew that you were too, in your own way."
For the first time since that night, Aaliyah gave a half-hearted smile. It was something, at least. Suddenly, the steering wheel jerked out of control.
"Jerome!" Aaliyah shrieked, alarmed. The streetlights above reflected in her eyes, making them appear a yellow color. Jerome tried to get the truck back in control, but it skidded off the road and crashed into a tree. The airbags exploded in Jerome's face, disorienting him.
"Are you okay?" Jerome asked, pushing the bag out of his way and coughing.
"I think so," said Aaliyah. She stepped out of the car. "What the hell happened?"
"I'm not sure," said Jerome. He walked around the truck, inspecting its damage. The front looked totaled, but the oak was still standing. Jerome frowned. For some reason, the truck's tires were covered in ice. "Aaliyah, do you see this?" Jerome asked, bending down to get a better look.
"They're frozen." Aaliyah observed. She sounded just as mystified as Jerome was. "What do we do now? Call the cops?"
"We're by Atalka Trail." said Jerome, spotting the sign through the darkness.
"Great." Aaliyah muttered. Atalka Trail winded near the river that separated the gated and forgotten regions of Atalka. During the day, it was a perfectly pleasant walkway. At night, it was a dealer's playground. The cops around here weren't too trusting, and would definitely arrest a couple of black kids on sight if they were anywhere near Atalka Trail past sunset. It didn't matter if they were innocent or right next to a crashed vehicle. They would just see delinquents.
"It's a last resort option." Jerome decided. "Anyone else we can call?"
"I can see if my grandpa's still awake, but he..." Aaliyah's voice faded to oblivion as Jerome's focus fell on a strange figure. Suddenly, getting home didn't matter that much.
In the distance, an ethereal woman cloaked in white was watching him.
She was a bit farther down the trail, her long white gown brushing against the trees. Without even thinking, Jerome took a few steps closer, ignoring her impending cold. He could almost see her smile, and that made the cold worth bearing. Anything for her. Whoever she was. Whatever she was.
"Jerome!" Fingernails dug into his wrist. It was Aaliyah, her eyes wide with panic. "Run!" The spell shattered, and Jerome realized how cold he was. He stared at Aaliyah blankly. "Run, you idiot!" Aaliyah screamed, shoving him away.
Jerome sprinted, unsure of where he was going. From somewhere, he could hear the howling of a wolf. Jerome continued to run until his lungs burned.
Panting, Jerome scanned his surroundings. It was pitch black, and he was surrounded by trees. Nearby, Jerome could hear water. He was on the trail. Desperately, Jerome searched for light. He could spot the glow of a streetlight, and ran towards it. "Help!" He yelled. "Hel-"
Jerome stopped cold, realizing that he had been running the wrong way. The light he had been chasing belonged to her. The cold woman faced him, an eerie smile forming across her pink lips. She tilted her head down, curiously inspecting her next victim. Slowly, the woman unfolded her arms, inviting him closer. Jerome wanted to run again, but he was trapped. Snow began to swirl around him, making him shiver.
A new feeling overwhelmed Jerome. Now, despite his best interests, all he wanted to do was get closer to the woman of snow. With each slow step, he could feel the cold engulf him further. He was almost holding the woman's hand when the wolf howled once more, louder than before. He turned around and realized that it was right behind him.
The wolf was tall in stature, with piercing yellow eyes and silver fur that nearly glowed in the moonlight. It faced the woman, and her attention shifted.
This was Jerome's chance to escape, but the cold was embracing him, taking away all of his energy. The wolf growled and stepped in between him and the woman. It howled deafeningly before lunging towards her, but she vanished at the last moment. All that remained from the cold woman was a sharp chill that lingered in the trees. Satisfied, the wolf turned its attention back to Jerome, but he had passed out in the cold.
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A/N: Our mysterious cold killer is at it again! But I guess this time it didn't seem to go too well for her. Currently, there seems to be a disconnect from the gated community and everyone else, but worlds have to collide eventually, right? As always, let me know what you think and don't forget to vote if you enjoyed!
