Always

Chapter 12

 "MJ, I have left everyone's contact details next to your cell phone and on the fridge. There is a quiche for lunch and try to have some veggies, it will help with your poops." Her mom was grabbing her purse on her way out the door. "Really, poops? I'm fine, I will tell you if I am not and from here on out stop talking about my pee and poo for the love of god." MJ pleaded. "Hahahaha, Poops!" Cruise let out a burst of laughter on his way past her bedroom door, Chungus' little wings sounded like a helicopter as he flew behind Cruise down the hall. " Shut up Cruise or I'll take Chungus back!" MJ shot back. "You wouldn't dare" Cruise stopped dead in his tracks, Chungus flew and perched on his backpack. "Juliette!! BEE BEE! Where is your baby?" MJ called out. "What? Why would you do that?! Nooo... Nooo... Nooo!" Cruise ran down the stairs with Chungus in his hands and Juliette close behind, the door slammed, moments later Juliette returned to warm herself in the sunlight on MJ's windowsill with a clump Cruises hair in her teeth. She placed it down as a pillow, stretched out, let out a thunderous fart and fell asleep. MJ smiled, she thought, that'll do pig. Mom and Cruise left the driveway moments later and once they were out of sight MJ threw back the covers lept out of bed and opened her laptop. She started typing, what was Dr Spry hinting at? She started with her families last name, she thought her grandpa was called Jack, Jack Westville. Nothing but pictures of a realtor from North Haverbrook with a unibrow and a tweety bird tie. Not him... She typed in Westville, it brought up information about Westville a town in Massachusetts known for apple picking and hay rides. Definitely not it. MJ looked around her room, and out her bedroom window. She thought of the other night, when those eyes were outside her window. Werewolf? She typed Werewolf and Westville into the search bar. Westville historical society, old newspapers with images of buildings on fire, gallows with bodies hanging and werewolves running rampant. Stories of innocent people being murdered and fleeing the area, this was the last stand for the shape shifters or as the paper called them "The Malformed". She couldn't believe that that was once the proper name for shape shifters, it felt so dirty reading it. Is this what Dr Spry was getting at? How does this involve me and my grandparents? After reading article after article about the cleansing of The Malformed from the area. she was sick to her stomach. She closed her laptop and stared out the window. How am I going to get the answers? She tilted back in her chair, rocking at the edge on the legs, until she went too far and fell backwards with a thud. "Owww." MJ said, rubbing her head. She looked up. There it was, above her head, the attic! There are trunks of random papers and photos, old clothes and newspaper clippings, maybe there would be something there. She slowly climbed up the pull out ladder with every step the creeks got louder and louder, it felt like there was a person watching her while she was in there she rummaged through the attic for about 15 minutes with no luck just as giving up seemed like the only option a small box in the back corner covered in dust appeared there was a small label that said "memories" in moms handwriting, MJ slid it open inside there were old photos, mom as a little girl, grandma out in the garden, pictures of their old dog Flip and her mom wearing matching dresses. MJ chuckled; Flip looked uneasy of the situation. MJ repositioned herself, kicking her leg out to get comfortable. She caught her foot on a floor board and noticed it lift up slightly. "What?" she said, the edge of a book was peaking through the new gap. MJ pushed the box aside and pried the board up. Her middle fingernail bent backwards as she did this, she let out a yelp and released the board. Juliette heard her cry and came fluttering into the attic, she took stock of the space making sure that there was no threat to her girl. She flew into a large spider's web and pulled it to bits in a fit to protect MJ at all cost. Juliette came over victorious and plopped down on MJ's lap. "Thank you for protecting me, you magnificent girl." She kissed her ear and pulled the cobwebs off of her coat. Juliette settled into the nook of MJ's knee, she yawned and stretched her paws forward and snoozed again. MJ, now unable to pull on the board freely pushed down on the board, it popped up revealing an old photo album titled "Home is where the Heart is". MJ reached down to pick it up. It was coated on dust, no signs that it had seen the light of day in many years. MJ opened the first page, it creaked with fragility and decay. On the front page was a young couple, standing back to back holding axes, covered in muck and grime. The woman was laughing, head tilted back and mouth wide open. The man had a grin and a twinkle in his eye. He was tall and slim, with a busted up straw hat on and a familiar quality that MJ couldn't place. The woman was a little shorter than he was, with strong arms and dark short hair. MJ couldn't figure out why this album would be hidden in the floor boards of their home. Her grandma had owned this home for the last 51 years and lived here until she had to move to a care home 3 years ago, it didn't make sense? These people look like they could be family but she didn't know them. MJ flipped the page, the same 2 people were building a cabin near a lake. The trees that were in the first photo were gone, they were logs now. Bark was laying in strips around their feet, the photo had been taken on a slant, like it was rested on a rock or something. They were tired looking, but happy. There was a bottle of wine opened and poured into 2 mugs, they were clinking together. Flip the dog was there next to the man's feet, wait, is that Flip as a puppy? These people must be family. The next page showed the woman heavily pregnant sleeping in a chair on the newly built deck of the cabin, it was a beautiful picture. Flip was older, no longer a puppy, he sat watching the woman intently. The corner of the picture showed a finger on the edge, maybe it was the same man's finger? The next photo shows a newborn little girl in the dad's arms, they were in the cabin still. He looked exhausted but content, Flip was watching intently. Who are these people? MJ thought about what she knew about her mom's side of the family. Gammy didn't talk a lot about her life before her husband died, but this woman looked nothing like Gammy. MJ turned the page, another picture of the baby girl. She was snuggled up in the woman's arms, a small heart shaped birthmark on her chubby little ankle. MJ ran her finger over the photo trying to clear the spot off, thinking it was a smudge. "What?" MJ knew this mark, it was the same one she had on her ankle and the same one that her mom has on hers. MJ was confused, none of this information made any sense. Who is this baby? A newspaper clipping slid out of the next page onto the floor. MJ picked it up, it was yellowed and old. The main story was about a house fire. Titled "One Dead and 2 missing in House fire in Morphling Woods." The picture showed the charred remains of a log cabin next to a lake, with an inset of the picture of the man from the photos. Juliette stirred in MJ's lap, this meant that someone was coming. MJ quickly closed up the photo box and resecured the floor board. She put Juliette on her shoulder and made her way out of the attic, coming down just as a knock started at the door. The door handle started to turn, MJ could see it moving from the top of the stairs, Juliette's hackles raised and she flew to the front door, waiting to attack. MJ knew that if Juliette could get a jump on this person Dante would be close behind. MJ was frozen to the spot, Juliette hovered over the door. The door creaked open, "Hello? MJ?" Zack called as Juliette descended, teeth barred and took a chunk of his hair out. "Son of a BITCH!" Zack grabbed his head and swatted the air to deter Juliette. MJ took a deep breath in and called Juliette "Baby girl, it's okay. You remember Zack." MJ said. Juliette flew out of arm's reach of Zack and stayed on high alert. That is odd? Juliette always liked Zack before. "She's a bit more protective since she had pups." MJ said to Zack. "I'll say." Zack looked into the hall mirror assessing the damage, dabbing for signs of blood. "You're lucky you're cute Juliette." Zack said, looking up. She fluttered her wings faster and then flew back to MJ's shoulder. "Are you skipping class Mr?" MJ asked, knowing full well that he was. "Well, I can't leave you here alone. I'm worried about you, Cruise said that you were told to rest and I didn't want to you slip into another coma." He said. "Haha, very funny. I'm fine, just sleeping and watching reruns of Beach Trolls in Hawaii. It gets pretty dirty sometimes, who knew." MJ said, changing the subject. She looked down, still holding the photo album, she slid it out of sight. "I'm getting hungry, do you want to have some leftovers with me? I hear my dad made his famous Pizza a la take out last night." MJ said. Zack smiled, she remembered why she liked him. "I'll put on the microwave, M'lady." Zack walked down the hall towards the kitchen. MJ yelled, be right there. She stashed the photo album under her mattress, locked eyes with herself in her bedroom mirror. "yikes' ' She said out loud. Brushing the cobwebs out of her hair. "Save me a piece of the plain Cheese!" MJ called ahead.   

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1780 words (words don't count after this point)

Hey love's. I have writes block so this was a pain to write, I'm in the middle of two major plot points and have no skill in connection, Yay

i did however make a mental deal with myself, if i get a comment or reach a hundred reads i will post either my second more adult book or my rottmnt donnie x reader book

Slay the day

-Ava