The Monster Gene

Ch. 3

The time is 6:54 pm:

Casey leapt up from the antique rickety chair, that squeaked as she stood with a start. Casey moved in a blur, setting the book on the chair, and dashing out the door, finally registering the panic and importance of getting out of here. She'd technically been kidnapped by monsters!

Her mother was probably so worried and fearful. Casey pictured in her mind, her mother in the kitchen, pacing as she made dinner, as her little sister Kara grumbled about having to study for a pre-algebra exam in the living room. Then the image in her head flipped to Eli, in his dark hood hanging just over his silvery eyes, opening the front door, and sinking his teeth into her mother's neck—

Casey took a breath. Stop dreaming up the worst nightmare scenarios.

"Hey! Get back here! We did not bait you into this ditch just for you to gallop off!" Olive shouted, holding a toad threateningly into her hand. "Oh! My apologies Billy Joe." And she held a purple glowing orb in her hand instead, conjuring the magic from her veins. 

Her veins glowed a dark Halloween purple. Casey shuddered, then rolled her eyes, hoping to stall. She knew that being unafraid was the only way to get out of this.

"Please. You think I'd actually come willingly after you kidnapped me?" Casey scoffed.

Olive shrugged a shoulder. "No. That is why I am doing this." And she sent a violet orb straight into Casey's stomach.

Casey tried to dodge it by moving to the left a little, but it came anyhow inevitably. She crashed into the dirt border of the hole from the impact of the blow, getting grass bits and dirt smudges stained on her jeans and sweater. She struggled to breathe, feeling like her stomach was  permanently sucked in.

Olive waited a beat before sending purple ghostly chains in her direction, tying her to the muddy wall.

"What do you want?" Casey managed to cough angrily, heaving another wheeze.

Olive paced around Casey like a predator circling its prey. Like a villain about to reveal their evil plan. Casey floundered helplessly in the spellbound ropes.

"Amos and I do not wish to injure you, Casey. We only would like your...assistance. Let me elaborate. You can comprehend that monsters are very real, correct? Well. The zombies have begun to plan their invasion. They are feeling hateful towards the humans, they are tired of having to sit in the background while mankind gets control of the planet. So they are going to attack human beings on the evening of All Hallow's Eve, starting here in Anoka, and then the world. We are attempting to recruit other monsters to fight on our side against the zombies, because some of us do not strive for conflict with your people. Er, your half-people. The vampires and werewolves have an ongoing rivalry, so each joined opposite sides. The werewolves joined us, the vampires joined the zombies." Olive continued to drone on and on.

Casey suddenly sparked an idea. Sure, what Olive was rambling on about was important knowledge for the future, but getting to Elijah was a necessity. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and tried to recall if Amos had told her anything about transforming into her ghost self,

He hadn't. He'd just touched her, his ghostly form, and dragged her through the door. The only time she'd turned is when Amos had been in physical contact with her.

Casey opened her eyes, twirling a finger on a curl sprung in her face. 

Except it didn't work. Because the finger went straight through. Casey yelped in pure shock, and Olive narrowed her almond pupils at the curly haired girl. 

Casey sliced her untouchable hand through the chains, easily sliding out. Olive widened her eyes and sent more glowy chains in her direction to try and entrap Casey once more, but failed.