Secrets of the Night
In Brenna's trauma ravaged mind, she imagines half man/half wolves tumbling out of the front seat; she pictured the FBI rushing the house guns blazing. Instead, she sees a man, and a young woman climb out. The pair walked toward her house calmly speaking as if merely visitors paying a late night call.
Brenna puts a hand on the gun, and then releases it she can't answer the door with a gun in her hand. Evan is already moving toward the door as if he recognizes the pair and that is a comfort to her. He smiles besottedly at the girl before turning completely sheepish as she gets close enough to be seen in the porch light.
"It's the Doc," Evan announces opening the door wide.
"Evan, I didn't expect to see you here," the man said clearly taken aback. In his hand he held a small dark bag the old fashioned kind doctors used to carry on house calls. Nicer than a duffle bag bigger than a briefcase.
"Hello Evan," the pretty girl blessed him with a smile so sweet it would have attracted bee swarms in the dead of winter.
" Introductions are in order," Brenna prompted as she watched the two strangers come into her house.
"Not at all, we've met." The man smiled at her and extended his hand to her. "I'm William Andrews, this is my daughter Lily. You won't remember but we used to be regulars at your grand mama's fabulous Christmas parties."
"A pleasure to meet you again," Brenna murmurs. "We were about to cook some dinner would you care to join us?"
"We couldn't possibly, but I'd love to help you cook," Lily spoke up delicately turning down food, and allowing her an option to see to her hunger. A classy clever girl.
"We aren't here for food," William agrees as he closes and locks the door.
"Come into the kitchen and we'll talk there." Brenna waves her hand in the direction of the tidiest room.
"Thank you," Lily leads the way, asking questions about what wall colors she will choose, and if she will stay in town after the house is finished. The idle chatter can only hold up among strangers for a few moments before they are faced with the real reason for the midnight visit.
"I'm a doctor," William begins after a lag in conversation. "I specifically am a specialist in animal attacks. All kinds of animals really, I've trained my whole life to treat the worst bites. Lily can tell you, I've applied a band aid or two."
"He should have bought stock," Lily says brushing her waste length sheet of natural bond hair over her shoulder. "You should see our cabinets, just chocked full of the things."
"So, this is about Jason?" Brenna interrupts Lily before she can begin another tangent.
"In a way it is, and in a way it isn't." William's voice is deep and steady, he has a southern twang to it and when he speaks he speaks slowly. "Brenna, what made you come back here tonight?"
Brenna blinked at the man confused. She lived here, why wouldn't she have ended up here eventually? William stood and walked over to the refrigerator still set with her grandmother's favorite magnets. He took a pair off and holding them up he separated the magnet piece from the decorative cover.
"Something changed yesterday, other than Jason's physical wellbeing. Something changed on a polar scale. Look at this." William held the magnets up for her, and two of them fought visibly to keep apart. Eventually he turned them over, and they began to fight to get together. "This is what we are dealing with, but not with magnets- this place is drawing all of the things that people say don't exist."
"Not EVERYTHING," Lily piped up as she poured a cup of warm tea. "Only the things that actually exist: werewolves, vampires will feel it too I bet, pretty much all the weres, angels, demons."
Evan's chair brushed against the linoleum making it squeak. He was looking out the back door. From across the field, a line of people was approaching. The corn stalks around them shivered and dipped in response to their presence. Brenna looked at William and then at Lily.
"Yes, the vampires feel it as well," she confirmed and began nibbling nervously on her lip. "Papa, should I call for the pack?"
"We can't bring them here," he said looking out the window as something dark poofed into and then out of existence on the other side of the glass.
Evan took the salt off the counter, and began sprinkling it all along the edge of the door, along the window, and following the line of the room. Brenna watched for a moment.
Brenna puts a hand on the gun, and then releases it she can't answer the door with a gun in her hand. Evan is already moving toward the door as if he recognizes the pair and that is a comfort to her. He smiles besottedly at the girl before turning completely sheepish as she gets close enough to be seen in the porch light.
"It's the Doc," Evan announces opening the door wide.
"Evan, I didn't expect to see you here," the man said clearly taken aback. In his hand he held a small dark bag the old fashioned kind doctors used to carry on house calls. Nicer than a duffle bag bigger than a briefcase.
"Hello Evan," the pretty girl blessed him with a smile so sweet it would have attracted bee swarms in the dead of winter.
" Introductions are in order," Brenna prompted as she watched the two strangers come into her house.
"Not at all, we've met." The man smiled at her and extended his hand to her. "I'm William Andrews, this is my daughter Lily. You won't remember but we used to be regulars at your grand mama's fabulous Christmas parties."
"A pleasure to meet you again," Brenna murmurs. "We were about to cook some dinner would you care to join us?"
"We couldn't possibly, but I'd love to help you cook," Lily spoke up delicately turning down food, and allowing her an option to see to her hunger. A classy clever girl.
"We aren't here for food," William agrees as he closes and locks the door.
"Come into the kitchen and we'll talk there." Brenna waves her hand in the direction of the tidiest room.
"Thank you," Lily leads the way, asking questions about what wall colors she will choose, and if she will stay in town after the house is finished. The idle chatter can only hold up among strangers for a few moments before they are faced with the real reason for the midnight visit.
"I'm a doctor," William begins after a lag in conversation. "I specifically am a specialist in animal attacks. All kinds of animals really, I've trained my whole life to treat the worst bites. Lily can tell you, I've applied a band aid or two."
"He should have bought stock," Lily says brushing her waste length sheet of natural bond hair over her shoulder. "You should see our cabinets, just chocked full of the things."
"So, this is about Jason?" Brenna interrupts Lily before she can begin another tangent.
"In a way it is, and in a way it isn't." William's voice is deep and steady, he has a southern twang to it and when he speaks he speaks slowly. "Brenna, what made you come back here tonight?"
Brenna blinked at the man confused. She lived here, why wouldn't she have ended up here eventually? William stood and walked over to the refrigerator still set with her grandmother's favorite magnets. He took a pair off and holding them up he separated the magnet piece from the decorative cover.
"Something changed yesterday, other than Jason's physical wellbeing. Something changed on a polar scale. Look at this." William held the magnets up for her, and two of them fought visibly to keep apart. Eventually he turned them over, and they began to fight to get together. "This is what we are dealing with, but not with magnets- this place is drawing all of the things that people say don't exist."
"Not EVERYTHING," Lily piped up as she poured a cup of warm tea. "Only the things that actually exist: werewolves, vampires will feel it too I bet, pretty much all the weres, angels, demons."
Evan's chair brushed against the linoleum making it squeak. He was looking out the back door. From across the field, a line of people was approaching. The corn stalks around them shivered and dipped in response to their presence. Brenna looked at William and then at Lily.
"Yes, the vampires feel it as well," she confirmed and began nibbling nervously on her lip. "Papa, should I call for the pack?"
"We can't bring them here," he said looking out the window as something dark poofed into and then out of existence on the other side of the glass.
Evan took the salt off the counter, and began sprinkling it all along the edge of the door, along the window, and following the line of the room. Brenna watched for a moment.