LOT'S MOUNTAIN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: The Darker Side of Stone

And then I sprout another head. Or at least that's how the police officers look at me when I walk into the sheriff's office proclaiming that I can do magic and that I'm psychic. I threw in the psychic thing just for fun.

Why not?

Hopefully the Stone Men are still keeping their eyes on the cops.

And I start talking about monsters, too, and making up all kinds of shit.

The cops put me in a little room, and then a deputy walks in. He introduce's himself as Deputy Dennis Dawson. It's Jamie's brother. Dennis' face is broad, about as broad his shoulders. I'm sure he used to be a linebacker. I'm just hoping he doesn't try to leap over the table that's separating us to prove it.

"So, you're Dylan," he says. "Jamie's mentioned you."

I can't help it. I grin a little at that.

"Magic, huh?" is all Deputy Dennis says before adding, "Do the Shermans know you're here?"

"What do you think?" I mutter under my breath.

Deputy Dennis plunks down a soda in front of me.

"Look," I say. "You need to get out of here, tonight. Okay? Go get your parents and get the hell out of here. Just do it."

"Dylan, you've had it rough."

"No shit, Dennis." No, I have to play this cooler. I need to act like I've got it together, or at least sane and not trying to pick a fight. So I say, "Trust me on this one. Get out of town. Go get your parents right now."

Yeah, listen to the crazy, probably psychotic brother of a murder victim. But I'm not giving up on this. Jamie would want me to get him out of here.

"My sister called me and told me to listen to whatever you had to say," Dennis says.

Good thinking, Jamie.

"Then listen to her," I reply.

"Why?"

Then all these other cops walks in. There's a Stone Man behind them.

"What does he want?" the Stone Man mouths and the new cop says to Dennis.

I answer for him, "The Glass Man is going after people. So get off your Stone asses and do something."

Then there's silence. I keep talking and talking, but I know it's not doing any good. They're not listening to me. Why the hell not? Come on, people.

"You are the one we need. If the Glass Man does this, then it is time," one of the other cops mumbles.

"But first ..." Dennis says, his voice the voice of a Stone Man, "You will pay the price of disobedience."

******

A Stone Man drives me to the Shermans' house. The door to the house is open. Diane and Tim never leave the door open like that. The Stone Man doesn't move. He just sits there, waiting for me to get out. For once, I don't wanna leave the car. I keep telling him about the white shirts, about what happened, but he doesn't care.

"You need to do something," I say. I need to get these guys fighting, so I have time to find the Huntsman. When are people going to start dreaming of wolves, dammit?

"Get out," is all the Stone Man says.

The walk to the door is slow. When I step over the threshold, I don't see anybody at first. But I do see a lamp smashed on the ground. Bits of glass from one of Diane's fancy mugs are scattered in the corner.