The Lost Ones Book 2: Welcome Home

Chapter 42

Sqaishey stopped when they entered a dense roofed area. "Here. This should work."

Tyler breathed a sigh of relief and flipped off his hood. The area wasn't perfect with a few spots leaving, but at least the ground was mostly dry.

Jerome found a dry area and gently set Jordan down. He then walked a few steps away and shook the water off of his fur like a dog. Water flung everywhere, and Tyler cried out as he was splashed.

"Great! Now I'm gonna smell like a wet dog!"

Sqaishey winced but said nothing, glancing over Jordan who barely shifted.

Jerome sat on the ground next to Jordan, carefully watching him. Mitch was pacing back in forth, his breath shook and tears rolled down his face.

Tyler looked at Sqaishey. "Can I talk to you for a second?" He whispered.

She turned to him and gave a small nod.

Tyler took Sqaishey by the arm and led her a few feet away from the others. "You okay?"

She sighed. "I'll be honest, no. I'm not. I'm..." she hesitated for a moment thinking of the right word. "...furious and frustrated, I suppose." She replied with a heavy frustrated sigh. "Mitch hurt Jordan, he could have killed him, and now Jerome's back but I'm just... suspicious?" she sounded a bit uncertain. "It's just Mitch made a deal with that demon to get him back and had to kill us in return or something from what I understood and now Jerome is back and Jordan's out like a light. Something just... doesn't sit right with me."

"I know... I know... This whole thing is weird, but I don't think Kala's the one who made Jerome go all... feral." Tyler thought aloud. "Mitch seems to know that something like this could happen without any demon magic..."

"But could it change him back? I just... I'm just really worried that Mitch might try again or something... I mean, he made a deal with a demon." She replied. "Doesn't help that since that demon first showed up, Mitch has acted rashly and like a foolish immature child." She scolded with another sigh. "He keeps making rash decisions and picking fights. He's gonna get us all killed if not just himself."

"Sorry to tell ya but that's just how Mitch is... And even so he said that Kala didn't even follow through with his own side of the deal, so is the deal even valid?"

Sqaishey huffed. "I don't know! I'm not the one who thought that agreeing to it was even a good idea!" She snapped.

Mitch looked up, he could tell the two were arguing about him but he couldn't quite make out their words.

"He's just... He was just desperate! What would you do if you were in his place!" Tyler his back, his voice still a whisper.

"If it was me and Stampy, I wouldn't have done it, not if it meant hurting all of you! I'd still find a way to get Stampy back to normal, without that demons help! He's attacked us all before so why would I trust anything he says?!"

She raised her voice. "And how can you defend him when he attacked you too?! He treated you like garbage, Tyler!"

"I know he did but-!" Tyler paused. "I know I got upset in the moment but we were both heated! A part of me knows he didn't really mean it, I've known him for years!"

"So you are saying he didn't really mean to try and kill Jordan? That could have easily been us, Tyler!"

"Something was wrong with Mitch! Did you not see him stand completely still? Pulling at his hair and nearly crying! I'm telling you, there was something in his head!"

"Yeah! That stupid demon he made a deal with!" she yelled.

"I get that you're upset but listen to yourself! This is going to tear us apart! That's what he wants!"