The World Below (ON BREAK)

Chapter 10

Stacy's home

Stacy trudged home. So much had happened that day, her brain was still processing it. In total, she met a snake boy, a vampire, and a werewolf. What in the world would the next day hold? Her overwhelmed mind, filled with mythical creatures that had suddenly become completely and oppressively real. There was no way she could tell her parents. They would send her to a psychiatrist, or a mental hospital, or maybe even both.

Maybe it was all just a dream. A waking nightmare of some kind. But her experiences felt far too real to be a dream.

Once she arrived at her house, she walked across the threshold and was met with the disappointed faces of her parents. She had left without telling them, and would most likely get a lecture. They led her into the living room and sat down on the couch. Stacy assumed she was supposed to sit in the easy chair across the room, and did just that.

Her father spoke first. "Stacy, I want to know where you've been all day. I got a notification from your teacher that you got detention. What happened?"

She considered her options. Either tell the truth and be called crazy for the rest of her life, lie and make it all up, or tell a version of the truth. The latter seemed best.

"I was with friends," she said. "Jessie and I were at Central Park, with a few other kids we met at school. They're cool."

Her father stared at her. she couldn't tell if he believed her or not. "What are their names?" he finally said.

Stacy figured it wouldn't hurt just to tell their names. "Their names are Tanner, Simon, and Connor."

Her dad replied in a serious tone, "Have them visit sometime. I'd like to meet them face to face."

She agreed that this was fine. Just so long as they didn't reveal what they really were, it should be fine.

Her dad wasn't finished, though. "Now, I'd like to know why you got detention. You've never done this before, honey. Be honest."

"I was late."

"By how much?"

Stacy hesitated before telling. "An hour and a half."

Her dad's expression remained neutral. He didn't blow up or seem disappointed. Finally, he said something. "You'll need to make it up, of course. Would you mind helping around the house?" He didn't even seem angry, more pleased. Like he had been waiting for an opportunity to make her do some work. Stacy hated it.

At that moment, she wished she were anywhere else besides here, in the living room, being lectured by her parents.

Before the mood in the room could get any darker than it already was, the doorbell rang. Before Stacy could stand up, her dad touched her arm and kept her down. "I'll get it," he said. "You and I aren't quite done yet."

He walked over to the door in his usual stiff way. Stacy couldn't see who was there, but she heard a familiar voice. "Pardon the interruption, but is Stacy home? There's something I need to show her." It was Tanner! He hadn't gone home yet, and if he had, he'd snuck out again.

Her father's gruff voice rang back. "Who're you?"

"My name's Tanner. I'm a friend of Stacy."

"Oh. Yeah. I think she mentioned you. Sorry, but she can't come to the door right now. We're... occupied."

"Oh. Alright, then. When will I be able to speak with her?"

"Not for a while."

"Alright, thank you for your time, sir."

Then he turned and left.