Skurdulka's House (a LGBTQ chosen-family thriller)

Part 29: Willow

Ari stared at Willow for a moment more, and would've probably kept staring, but the swallowtail butterfly on their hand shifted its elegant legs. Barely moving their head, Ari glanced down. They raised their hand and turned it slowly, examining the butterfly as it gently flapped its wings. The raven on Ari's opposite wrist fluffed its glistening black feathers and eyed them. Ari looked down at it, then at the mouse on their foot, and the black widow spider crawling over the other. At that, their eyes caught on the crescent of coyotes sitting behind Storm and Chris, eyeing Ari with golden gazes. From the coyotes, they looked around at the hundreds of other animals encircling them. Everywhere they looked, awe painted their face.

"I can't, I, I..." The butterfly lifted into the air and Ari brought their hand up to their chest. They felt across the bullet holes in their t-shirt and pulled down the collar. Swiping away blood, they uncovered bare, unharmed skin. They looked up at Willow. "How? How did you...?"

She smiled down at them. "Like I said. Magic."

Ari's eyes flickered across her face. Their awe broke into confusion. "You—you're—"

"Makala Ekwene." The mix of sharp and soft sounds rolled from her lips like a spell. She raised her chin, her face suddenly glowing with the confidence of a hundred ages. "I guess you could call me a cryptid. Skurdulka."

"You saved my life." The words barely escaped Ari's lips. "You're..."

"Like you."

Disbelief came over Ari. They were stunned. But there was something else behind it. A flicker of fear. They had never met someone else like them. And Willow--Makala--was even older. And much stronger.

Willow smiled. That ageless confidence in her face was still kind. She skimmed her fingertips over Ari's cheek. "Darling. Don't you worry." Holding their shoulders, Willow gently helped Ari sit up. Holding them in her hands, she searched their face for a moment, as if looking for permission, before slipping her arms around them. "You're safe now."

With her arms around them, Ari looked around the circle at Heather, Storm, Chris and Lee. Tears welled in Ari's brown eyes and spilled down their cheeks.

As feathers fluttered out, claws and paws clattering away, scales and webbing scraping over floorboards, wings buzzing out of windows, the kids threw their arms around Ari and Willow.

"I'm so sorry," Ari sobbed. "I knew this would happen. I knew something would happen. I just didn't think..."

Clutching Ari tightly in his arms, Storm couldn't understand them. What are they sorry for? The guilt in Storm's chest felt like it'd destroyed his heart. He'd almost killed Ari. That thought took over everything; it was like the magic in the room didn't exist.

"I thought I could stop it," Ari said softly, their nose pressed against Storm's shoulder. "I thought, this time, I could stop it. I didn't think..."

"That it would be you," Willow finished for them.

Ari leaned back just a bit, looking into her eyes. "You saved me."

"Yes." She took their face in both hands. "It doesn't always work. But it worked this time."

The black wolf was the last to leave. It stood up and walked to the door. On the threshold, it turned once and looked into Ari's eyes, steadily. Then, it left.

Ari watched the wolf go, disappearing into the night. Then they looked back at Willow. "You called them?"

"I asked them to come, yeah. But they came for you. They know you." Willow gazed at the teenagers. "We all know you. You're not alone."

Two sets of footfalls thunked across the porch and stopped. "What's going on?"

Everyone turned.

Two EMTs stood on the porch, staring into the foyer.

Before anyone could speak, Willow smiled and stood up. "I'll take care of this."  

...

Author's Note: 

One last chapter left, folks! Still a few last things to wrap up ;) 

Hope to see you next week for our final installment!