Hide And Go Seek

Ten

 

          Ten

  

   “Any luck?” Janine asks quietly, picking up a plate and checking the reflecting light to make sure it’s clean.

   I shrug my shoulders, turning away from her to continue to scrub the floor. “Not really. The Werewolves around here are... weird.”

   “Oh really?”

   “Yeah. How did you and mum allow a pack to grow?”

   She pauses. “We’ve been occupied lately, we haven’t really been watching out for the Werewolves.”

   “Busy how?” I ask.

   This time she doesn’t respond. I finish the final corner and throw the cloth back in the bucket before turning to her. She’s standing staring at her reflection in the window; her hands plunged into the soapy water.

   “Well?” I urge.

   She shrugs. “There’s just... some stuff going on.”

   “Such as?” I mutter impatiently.

   She bites her lip hard. “If I tell you, you can’t tell Tommy.”

   “Okay...” I stare up at her sceptically.

   “I’m pregnant again,” she says, her face grim.

   “Well, that’s brilliant, isn’t it?” I ask as I climb to my feet.

   She shakes her head. “No, it’s not. I don’t know what to do. We both have our jobs but... it’s not like they pay great – we’re barely getting by. And think about how jealous Adam gets... how’s he going to handle a little brother or sister?”

   I put my hand on her arm, unsure of how to comfort her – she seems at a loss for what to do.

   “Listen, things will work out and... and if money’s all that bad, I’m sure I can help you.”

   “What?” Her head snaps in my direction.

   I nod. “I have a bank account. I was saving the money for... an emergency. I think this classifies.”

   She gnaws on her lip. “You know I don’t like borrowing money.”

   “But it’s not just for you. It’s for the baby, for Adam – and Tommy... and besides – it wouldn’t be borrowing. You wouldn’t have to pay me back, ever.”

   She pauses. I watch the way the muscles in her cheek dances as she struggles to decide.

   “How much is it?”

   Now it’s my turn to pause. I know that if I tell her, she won’t take it. She’ll say it’s too much.

   “If I tell you, you don’t have a choice – you take it and you look after your family.”

   She nods her head slowly in response, a mixture of sadness, angry and excitement in her eyes.

   “Six grand,” I whisper.

   “Where’d you get that kind of money?” She asks quietly.

   I watch how her hands tremble. She places them around the steaming cup of tea to stop them.

   “I’m a Seeker, right? I get calls from people all the time, people wanting me to get rid of... things for them.”

   “I don’t... you’ve been telling people you’re a Seeker?”

   I roll my eyes. “No, I haven’t. But I have advertised myself as a ‘killer of monsters’ – and believe it or not, I get calls a lot of the time. People too afraid to call the police for fears of being laughed at.”

   “Don’t people mess you around?”

   “Sure, all the time,’ I shrug. ‘But when I do find someone who has a problem, a troublesome Gnome or a violent Poltergeist, they pay me well.”

   “Six grand. That’s a lot of money,” she whistles.

   I shrug. “Maybe but... I get money when I offer my services. It’s not like I buy a whole load of stuff. I keep things basic – simple, just how I like it.”

   “Are you sure about this?” She asks; her skin slightly pale.

   I nod my head. “Yeah, I know you need it more than I do. I don’t mind giving it to you.”

   She jumps to her feet, almost knocking over her cup as she engulfs me in a hug.

   “Oh thank you so much!” She cries. “I promise I’ll pay back every penny!”

   I stand awkwardly for just a second before letting out a sigh and pulling her close. I get some comfort from her, how she smells of her sweet perfume – how she reminds me of mum when she held me as a child.

   She pulls back, tears brimming. “I’m going to tell Tommy. I’m sorry for fighting so much with you, I’ve been stressed. Thank you, thank you!”

   She presses a kiss to my cheek and runs out of the room before I can say another word. I smile to myself, relieved to have fixed things.

   Whoever said money couldn’t buy you happiness?

   A sudden noise from the back garden has me on alert instantly. My fingers grab at my precious knife and I make my way to the backdoor, unlocking and opening it cautiously.

   I jump when I come face to face with Monroe.

   “What the hell?” I hiss, my heart hammering as I lower the knife, still gripping it tightly in my fist.

   “I found your wolf. Meet me at mine tomorrow, okay?” He says in a hushed whisper.

   “Fine, fine,” I get out quickly. “Now get out of here before someone spots you and decides to put you down!”

   He grins suddenly, a flash of white teeth in the dim darkness. “See you tomorrow Dora.”

   “It’s Pandora!” I whisper-shout after him – damn dog!