Pursuit of the Whole

XV. A Stalker

Julia's POV:

After I dressed Kai, I gave him a bowl of hot Cheetos and switched on the children's channel. I block all of the news channels, so he can't watch it. After the first bit of Cheetos, Kai releases a deep breath. His cheeks turn slightly red, but he only grabs another Cheeto.

I set down a nice cold soda.

Kai gobbles up the drink without question.

I watch as his eyes enlarge slightly before he eats the Cheetos again.

This may not be a good idea in all hindsight, but the kid has been through enough.

Kai laughed when one of the anime characters got blasted away. Immediately, he covers his mouth and looks at me.

"I like your laugh," I said. "I got to go handle something. There are more chips in the pantry and soda in the fridge. If something spills, leave it. I'll clean it up. Okay?"

He nods, "Okay."

Once I occupied Kai, I went to the garage. I turn on the light to see a damaged vehicle. My parents are going to kill me.

Last night, the rain washed away most of what happened. I drove around the back road several times to ensure everything was washed away before I entered the street roads. Since it was dark, my neighbors probably didn't see what I did. Then, I checked all parts of the car to make sure there wasn't anything left. I grab the gloves.

But I know I should double-check it.

Although I can't fix the dents on the vehicle, I can clean it more thoroughly. I spent most of the day cleaning the car from inside to out and even washed away all the scent. Hunters' noses are much more sensitive than humans so that we can pick up every detail. Once it was up to my satisfaction, I cleaned up all the equipment.

I know I have to do a triple check tomorrow.

It was dark when I was done, and Kai was fast asleep on the couch with Cheetos on his face. A smile made its way across my face, and I wiped off the Cheetos.

My phone buzzes.

"Hi, mom."

"Julia. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"I heard there's a werewolf going around. Make sure to lock all the doors and don't wander at night or somewhere alone."

Too late. "Okay."

My mom lectures me for another thirty minutes about being safe before she lets me go. She told me she would be back on Saturday.

It's Wednesday.

I need to figure out what to do before then.

After the phone call, I woke Kai up. "Hm?"

"Let's wash your hands, face and brush your teeth before going to sleep."

Kai nods.

When we finish, I tuck Kai in my bed. "Will you be here?"

I smile, "I'll be downstairs." I turn on the nightlight. "You can run down if you can't sleep. Okay?"

He nods.

"Good night." I decide to leave a small crack so the hallway lights can enter the room.

In the middle of the night, I stare at the bag of bloody clothes. I can't precisely casually throw it in my trashcan. I have a hunch that the officers will do more than talk to the neighbors.

When Thursday morning came, my instincts were proven to be correct. The police officers dig into the trashcan on the street. Some of the neighbors came out and asked what they're doing. They promise to put everything back in and have the garbage man come in the afternoon.