It started about sixteen nights later... It was late and I missed Vega like there was no tomorrow. I missed them all. I was in the waterfall den I just put Daniel down for the night.. He spent the day with me crying. I wished I could get him to be quiet. He was beginning to drive me nuts.
But Brett is right and even Katie.. Maybe he was scared of me.. I mean look at me.. But I didn't want the burn. I didn't ask to look this way.. I didn't want the pain that it has caused me.
"Almighty Father, thank you for your love, grace and mercy. I pray that my discomforts will turn to comforts, my pains to gains, my deprivation to more blessings, my losses to profits, my tears to smiles, my sorrows to pleasures, my illness to wellness, my debts to credits and my dreams to realities. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. I trust, Lord, that this agony and suffering that is only in my head, will come to end." I prayed... I didn't have much more left to give and all I can do in my freetime is pray that my suffering will end and my grief in my heart will heal... I prayed that Daniel Ryan will forever be ok..
I prayed that he will find the good in me as I found in him.
I smiled as I sat with my back up against the rock wall and I was taken into memory. I remembered Vega standing on the beach after I was done taking care of Guthrie one day she was sitting trying to hide the fact that she loved Dan...
"Shut up Hunter." Vega told me.
"L is for the way you love him." I sang to her. "O is for."
"I hate you."
"Shut up. O is for the wa- damn these are hard letters to add things to." I laughed.
"Night Hunter."
"I can rap it.. L.."
"Goodnight Hunter." she waved me off as she walked away. She was grinning and I smiled at her.
I smiled as I remembered thinking she was once so rebellious, and outgoing. She sparked this group like no one ever could do.
How the world will miss such a peacekeeper. I remember her saying how sixteen years old is not a life.. sixteen years is like sixteen small steps. It's nothing...
Time will never matter I will forever miss her.
My eyes felt heavy and I looked over at Daniel to check on him once last time for the night. He looked perfectly fine to me he tired himself out pretty well today. I let my eyes close and I felt an eerie feeling washed over me. I could hear soft giggling. It sounded familiar but I couldn't pinpoint it. I could hear my own voice over the giggles and I shivered. "Um where am I?" my fake me asked. There was no pictures to my dream it was only voices.
"Somewhere." she giggled.
"Where am I?"
"You're safe... Hunter you'll be safe all you have to do is watch your back.. You're with me now."
"Where is that exactly?"
"Please just sit with me... I'm so cold... sit with me please."
"Where are you? Please no more games..."
I gagged as I lost the feeling of air. I began to choke and my lung heaved with effort to breath. It felt like my lungs were twisting and turning in every way I never thought was possible. I opened my eyes, heaving, to see a face in front of mine. Her lips were inches from mine she seemed surprised but she smiled. Her fire engine red hair engulfed me it like she was pulling me in to corrupt me. I pushed her back as I forced my eyes to open wider. My eyes have gotten so weak since the burning.
"He sure did a number on your face. Does it hurt?" Millie ask.
"Millie." I said.
"Actually it's Millie Lou."
My eyes traveled to Daniel who still lied in a crib that Vega made for him out of vines and leaves forever ago. She had gotten good with things around here I actually called her my handy woman just to mess with her. She hated that nickname. I could see Daniel's chest moving up and down and I sighed a small forced breath.
"He's alive." she said as she sat next to him and I stood up. "Try anything I will snap his little itty neck." she said in a small baby tone and I stopped dead in my tracks. "I am just here to talk.. Do you know what talk is or are you all hands nowadays?"
"Depends.. Are you on my list of people I hate? Oh yeah I think you are. You kind of killed Tigeress making Brett go loopy so yeah I might be all hands tonight."
"Do you miss Tigeress?"
Not really.
"Of course I do."
"What was the last thing you talked to her about?"
"About a boat." I couldn't remember so I decided to say the very first thing that came to mind.
"No just you two." I tried to remember but we did not talk much. "Exactly.. I believe the last thing you two talked about was Katie's fantasy."
"Wait. You know about that?"
"Of course.. I know a lot of things you guys have no idea I know about.."
"Like?"
"Like... None of your business."
"Why are you here?" I stepped closer and she stuck up her right hand.
"I will do it."
"He is just a baby.."
"I know he is.... He shouldn't even be here... Why Dan would do such a stupid thing... I will never know.. I should have broken them up when I saw them together that night... But stupid Shay always telling me to leave his stupid little brother alone."
"Ah huh.."
She rolled her eyes as she looked up at me. "How much do you hate Shay?"
"How much face do I have left?"
"Not much."
"Then I hate him a whole lot."
"I thought so."
"Why does it matter? I know you didn't come all this way just to ask me that."
"I didn't. I just went on a walk and I saw your light were on. I figured I will pay a visit to a nice neighbor and a newborn baby."
"Well you came and saw now get the hell out of here."
"Not so fast."
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing Hunter nothing at all. Not yet at least. Your time will come."
"Is that a threat?"
"No not at all. I don't threatened people.. Threats get you nowhere." I can almost hear Shay saying those exact words just nights ago...
"You have to go."
"I think I can decided that for myself. Thank you very much."
"LEAVE!!" I raised my voice and the baby turned onto his side. I held my breath hoping it would not stare.
"Not just yet sweetheart. Keep your head screwed on I have information."
"Why would you tell me anything?"
"Well it's not real information.. Just know when the time comes you will be begging for my help. I have seen it all.. I have seen your future and everyone else's too... And I have to say I am so proud of you young soldier. The man you will become is the man you fear.. You might think it's crazy but you will be worst then the man you think Shay is... I'm holding Shay's strings and I will soon hold your's..."
"What made you such a bitch?" I asked as I took a step forward as she touched the baby's head and I grabbed her hand pulling her away from him.
"I should know not to turn my back on you.. You're very protective and loyal and those very qualities will make you do so much wrong. They beat it into your head growing up that loyalty is the way to life but it is not. And it is kind of a man's duty to be protective over his young and his women. And I'm Shay's women Hunter so hurt me he hurts you.. But then again he does as I say.. I think you should know I made him hurt you.. I pulled his strings and he hit the log right across your face.. His loyalty to his brother will get him killed just as yours will make you into a monster."
"You can't make anyone do anything. It's a choice to do something evil."
"What can I say I'm a supervillain and that makes you the hero Hunter.. All heroes needs rivals and side kicks.. That includes villains they need side villains I have my most loyal side villains Thomas and Shay working for me and we together will keep making sure that you will lose all your sidekicks.."
"What do you mean by Thomas?"
"Oh." she smiled. "It's a secret.... Just know that whomever you think is a friend really isn't. I'm like Mister Geppetto I got the boys dancing with my every pull of my hands."
"Millie?"
"Please Hunter don't go by what Shay calls me I do hate it so.. My name is Millie Lou."
"Fine." I groaned. "Millie Lou I don't know who you think you are but you better go."
She looked down at the baby and she smiled at me. "I want this baby. I love ruining things that were once Dan's... You know Dan and I used to date."
"I don't care."
"I used to get down and dirty with him when Shay wasn't around.." she smiled. "It was fun at first but he's a boring guy. I just couldn't control him like I could with Shay.. If I was doing anything when I killed Dan's girlfriends I was saving them from being with someone who wanted to watch movies on a Saturday night... Shay now he is a true romantic.."
"Most people what to watch movies on a Saturday night."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"That is so lame."
"What would you rather be doing?"
"Oh you the usual discrating people's graves and killing a couple locals maybe even drink some blood.." she looked at me laughing. "I'm kidding about the blood part that look on your face is priceless though.... You know Vega was a nice gal God bless her soul for wanting someone so boring and kind of gross looking.. No well I mean he was hot but he always lived in his brother's shadow.. In life and in death.."
I dug my nails into her arm and I pulled her close. "You listen to me I am not ready to kill you yet... I have some strings of my own to pull first.. But if you touch that baby at any time I will make you eat your own heart."
"Ohh a visual. Nice!" she laughed. "I'll be so looking forward to this day.. Just know if you kill Shay I will be showing up the same night and you won't win sweetheart."
"You don't think I'm stronger than you?"
"You aren't..." she giggled. "Haven't you heard a word Vega has spoken to you.. If I could throw Dan then I could throw you.. If I could throw you I can throw ten men at a time.."
"Funny."
"It's not funny it's strength."
"I think you imagine all of your said strength."
"You will think twice about touching me." she pulled my hand off of her arm and she smiled. "I always love a good chat but I have another appointment to get to tonight. So till another time." she grabbed my arm before I could give it another thought and she pulled me closer to her. Her hands went up to my face and she dug her long painted red fingernails into my cheeks. It burned and I yelled out in pain. "Hurt doesn't it?" she smiled. "He did so good with this burn." she dug deeper and blood dripped. I pushed her hands off of me and she smiled as she licked her fingers. "Your salty dude you should wash your face more. You can't risk an infection." she turned around as I fell to my knees. "Revoir la tete de la merde." she said and I blinked and she was gone. Daniel started crying and I praised the good Lord's name for making sure he had stayed safe.
I did not try to calm Daniel instead I sank into the sandy dirt relieved. I lied back and I felt the soft pain spread across my body it felt like it was eating me whole and...
I let it.