Shift

The Departure

Scarlet paced back and forth on the front porch of Peter's cabin. Adrian sat, cradling a mug of coffee, waiting for her to say something. The sun surrounded them in an orangey glow that lent a false warmth to the air. Puffs of condensation escaped Scarlet's mouth as her mind worked.

"Are you alright?" Adrian finally asked.

Scarlet stopped. "I'm fine." After a few deep breaths, she said, "I need your help with something."

Adrian nodded. "Okay."

She handed him the torn strip of yellow paper that Oskar had given her earlier that morning. Written on it in thick, inky black lines was a name and an address:

GODIVA DUPOND

#13 SORRELL ST.

PLAQUEMINE, LA

"What's this?" Adrian asked.

"An address, obviously." Scarlet resumed pacing.

Adrian chuckled. "Who's Godiva Dupond?" He said it as though it were a completely wacky made up name, which it very well could have been. "And why do you have her address? You got friends in the Louisiana bayou I don't know about?"

"She's a witch," said Scarlet. "Apparently. Oskar said she might be able to help Penny."

"Ah, I see. So you want to drag Penny down there and get her exorcised?"

"No." Scarlet stopped again, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "I already asked her if she would come, and she said no. She doesn't want to be fixed."

"Why not?"

"I don't know." Scarlet sighed. "I've never seen her like this, I don't even know who she is anyone. But I owe it to her to try and help, right? Even if she doesn't think she wants to be fixed, I can't watch her go through this. I can't imagine her experiencing all of that every month. There has to be a way."

"Peter said there was no cure." Adrian frowned down at the wrinkled strip of paper.

Scarlet shrugged. "Maybe he was lying. Or maybe he doesn't know about this so-called witch. I don't know. But I need your truck because I'm going to do what I can to help Penny."

"Oh, you're not taking my truck." Adrian laughed.

"Come on."

"No," he shook his head. "I'm coming with you."

"You don't have to do that."

"What am I going to do, stay here?" He gestured to their surroundings, the unfamiliar layout of the land, and the tiny cottage. "No way. I'm coming with you."

"What about Ben, and Cameron?"

"They can do whatever they want." Adrian stood up and took a sip of his coffee. "They aren't my responsibility. Yes, they're my brothers, but I'm not in charge of them. No one is right now, we don't have an alpha. And I'm definitely not going to pretend like it's my responsibility to take over, just because I was Nat's right hand. Ben and Cam can make their own choices."

Scarlet sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment and imagined herself back in Seattle, eating freezer waffles, watching old episodes of M*A*S*H on her tiny black and white TV. All she wanted was to go back to her normal, boring, human life. But she wasn't human anymore.

"Alright, fine," she said. "You can come with me."

Scarlet crept into the small bedroom at the end of the hall where Penny was lying in the dark. She wanted to talk to her, to say goodbye and tell her that everything would be okay, but Penny would barely acknowledge her presence.

"I'm going to see that witch," Scarlet said. She felt silly every time the word witch left her mouth.

Penny's eyes shifted slightly to look at Scarlet, then moved back to stare at the wall. She sighed but said nothing.

"I'm going to make this right. It's my fault that this happened to you, and I'm going to fix it, Penny. I don't care what Peter says, I'm going to do what I can to help you. I promise."

Penny rolled over, her back to Scarlet, and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder. Scarlet's heart ached.

"You're still my best friend, Penny." She turned and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Peter stood before her, his arms crossed over his chest. Fiona stood just behind him in the same stance.

"It's pointless, you know," Peter said. "You're wasting your time."

"I don't care." Scarlet moved to walk past him, but he and Fiona both moved to block her path.

"She can't be helped," said Peter.

"Move," Scarlet replied.

"You're following a path to nowhere."
"I don't care. At least I'm trying. If it doesn't work, so what, at least I'll know that I did what I could. Which is more than I can say for either of you."

Fiona spoke this time. "A witch can't help you. Oskar's just being polite, trying to put your mind at ease. But it's no use. Magical herbs aren't going to do anything for Penny."

"Don't," Scarlet said, her teeth clenched. "Don't even say her name. You did this to her. It should be you going down there, it should be you feeling this guilt and shame that I feel."

"That's the difference between me and you," said Fiona. "I'm not weak."

"Enough," Peter said. He saw the expression on Scarlet's face and felt the fury emanating from her. "If Scarlet wants to waste her time on this road trip to nowhere, then so be it.

Scarlet pushed her way past them. Peter moved slightly to let her pass, but Fiona stood like a wall. Scarlet bumped into her, getting knocked back slightly when Fiona wouldn't move. Then she flared her nostrils at the other girl and slammed a shoulder into her as she passed.

Outside, Adrian was talking to Ben and Cameron. Scarlet burst through the front door, scowling, and headed for the truck.

"Let's get out of here," she said.

Adrian raised his eyebrows momentarily and then nodded. "Okay." He started toward the truck, digging the keys out of his pocket.

"I think we're going to hang back," said Ben. "I want to make sure Nat doesn't do anything stupid."

Cameron stood with his hands in his pockets, an uncomfortable grin on his face.

"Are you sure?" Adrian asked.

"Yeah," replied Ben. "Plus, I don't feel like cramming my ass into your truck all the way down south." He winked.

"We'll keep an eye on Penny for you," Cameron added, nodding at Scarlet.

Scarlet felt a sad smile crawl across her face. She'd grown to like both of them and didn't like the idea of leaving them behind with Peter and his nefarious cronies. But if that's what they wanted, then she couldn't argue.

"Be safe," she said. She wasn't sure what else to say.

"Same to you," Ben replied. "Good luck."

"Call me if anything—" Adrian trailed off. "Just, call me. Okay?"

Cameron nodded.

Scarlet watched as the three of them shared what seemed like one last loving gaze before Adrian climbed into the truck and started the engine.

"You ready, kid?" Adrian asked her.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied.