The Hunt Begins

Alisha was doing something weird with a candle, and what looked like a map.

I didn’t know what she was doing but she looked aggravated when she was done. She walked past me to go back to the motel and glared at me. Probably because of my earlier comment. I hope she knew I was kidding. Little did she know I’d heard almost the whole conversation. Even before Dean stole the remote.

Shortly after she walked into the motel, I rearranged my clothes and myself on the hood of the car and saw her light go out. I was laying there looking up at the stars when I heard the faintest little footsteps. “Now what do you want?”

“How’d you know I was here?”

“You kidding me? You walk like an elephant, slow and very much not quiet at all.” I reprimanded myself. People don’t have as good of hearing as I do. They already thought I was a witch, I wasn’t helping my plea of innocence out very well.

“That’s not what I’ve been told.” Sam folded his arms.

Stop being so damn observant. I yelled at him in my head. “Then you’ve been being lied to.”

“Why won’t you tell me?” I looked at him right after he asked it.

“You’re making it sound like my hearing is the sign of a red alert. Let’s just pretend I’m wearing a hearing aid and I have good hearing.” I rolled my eyes. It didn’t make sense, but I didn’t care. I was getting kind of tired.

He climbed up on the hood next to me. “You know,” he said, “If Dean caught us sitting on his car like this, he’d probably shit a brick.” Sam chuckled.

“It’s a durable car, it’ll be fine.” I could feel his body warmth next to me.

“That it is. So, what were you doing at the house we found you at?”

“I told you, I was looking for a place to bed down for the night.” I shrugged.

“Is that the only reason?” I looked at him, his face was so close to mine, but that’s not what caught me off guard. His eyes had a look in them that made me want to tell him everything. But I couldn’t.

I closed my eyes and turned my head away. I wouldn’t look at him. “Yea, until you guys came in trying to kill me.”

“Sorry about that.” He said, I wouldn’t look at him so I couldn’t tell if he really meant it.

“So are you going to tell me anything else?”

“No.” I grumbled.

“You’re so weird. You’re hard to understand.”

“You’re the ones who kill people just because you think they’re witches and shit. And I’m the weird one? That hardly seems fair.” I shot back at him.

“We didn’t kill you.”

“Yet.” I rolled my eyes.

“Honestly, I don’t think you’re a witch.”

“Honestly, I don’t give a fuck what you guys think. I know I’m not a witch because there are no such things!”

“I wish I could live like that.” He looked away and I saw sadness in his eyes.

“Like how?” I wanted to know what was making him look so upset.

“I’m not going to tell you.” He smiled at me.

“What the hell? I’m not allowed to ask questions? Only you are?”

“No, you’re allowed to ask all the questions you want. I don’t have to answer them because you don’t have to answer yours apparently.”

“Ugh, you’re being so difficult.”

“You’re the one who blackmailed us just so you could come on the little adventure you seem to think we’re going on.”

“No, I only tagged along so you guys could get me off this island.” My eyes popped open. Had I really just said that out loud?

“Why can’t you just get off yourself?” He seemed genuinely confused. I looked over at him. I wonder if he knew the power his eyes had in making people confess.

I couldn’t help myself. I gave in. “You know how I told you I was in foster care?”

“Was that a lie?” He kept looking at me. I couldn’t pull my eyes away from his.

“No, but the only reason I’m out is because I ran away.” I grimaced and closed my eyes as I turned my head away.

I felt him slide off the car hood. “You’re not 18?” He sounded surprised.

“I will be in two days. But this damn island is so small, everyone knows everyone. And they all know I’ve been stealing to make my way. I’ve been homeless since I was 15. That’s when I ran away.” I sighed and shook my head. “I haven’t been proud of it, but I couldn’t stand foster care.”

Since he wasn’t sitting next to me, I could feel the coldness sink into my skin. I hadn’t noticed how cold it was tonight. I hated nights like these. “So when you turn 18, why can’t you just leave then?”

“Because, like I said, everyone here knows everyone. The only ways off this god-forsaken island is on the ferries. If I get caught on the ferry, I’m screwed. There’s nowhere for me to go, nothing for me to do. They’ve had canine units out looking for me before too. Artemis here always helps me get away.”

He was quiet for a little while then he started laughing. “Nicely played. You threatened to go to the authorities if we didn’t take you, but you wouldn’t have gone to the authorities anyway because you’d have been caught as well.” I grimaced.

“I guess I should have told you all this AFTER you got me off this island.” I hugged myself.

He climbed back up on the hood and sat next to me again. I scooted closer to soak up some of his heat and hoped he didn’t notice. “Nah, I’ll still help you off the island. No worries.” He smiled.

“No tricks?” I narrowed my eyes.

“What part of no worries don’t you understand?” He raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t tell Alisha any of this though.” He said to me.

I nodded. “Why does she hate me? I never did anything to her.”

“It’s not that she hates you, it’s that she doesn’t trust you. It doesn’t help that she doesn’t like how extremely snarky you can be at times.” He said, he seemed preoccupied, like he was looking at something, but I didn’t care what, my eyes were closed again and it felt good.

“So I should play nice with her?”

“No, she’s just jealous that she has to compete with you at being queen bitch towards each other or what not. Just keep acting like yourself around her and she’ll make up an opinion of you on her own.” I opened my eyes to look at him because that sounded like something that would come out of a corny book or something and he was looking right at my face like he was studying me. When my eyes opened he averted his gaze, but smiled anyway.

“K.” was all I could muster.

I closed my eyes again and he said “here.” His jacket hit me before I could open my eyes. I sat up and put it on without complaining. I was freezing now. It was so cold.

“Thanks” I murmured as I felt the warmth of his jacket warm up my skin. I smelled something really good too, but refrained from sniffing his jacket in front of him… weird much?

“You sure you’ll be ok out here tonight? It’s really cold.” He said as he slid off the hood.

“Yea, I told you, I don’t want to use up your guy’s money.”

“Well, Dean fell asleep in Alisha’s room so I have a spare bed in my room. It’s better than freezing all night long.”

I was really tempted to take the offer, but how could I sleep with him sharing the room with me? “No, I’ll sleep out here, but is it ok if I use your bathroom to brush my teeth?”

He nodded, and gestured for me to follow. I grabbed my bag and walked with him into the motel, Artemis following right behind me.

I finished brushing my teeth and before I walked all the way out, Sam was sitting on the bed petting Artemis’s belly. I smiled. She never got attention from anyone but me, but she seemed to like it. Sam was smiling as he stroked her silver fur too.

I walked out and Sam looked at me. “You don’t mind right?” I shook my head.

I sat on the bed on the other side of Artemis and tickled her ear. She bounded up and jumped off the bed onto the floor. She bowed down on the floor like a dog when it wants to play. “I’ve never heard of a pet fox before.” Sam said watching her.

“She’s been my only friend since I ran away. Pathetic, I know.”

“It’s not pathetic, it’s hard to make friends when you’re always on the run. Believe me, I know.”

I shrugged. “I guess.”

“How’d you get her?”

“I found her den, her mum and all the others were dead, she was the only one left alive. Her mum was white and she’d been shot. The others had crawled out of the den to find their mum, and they were all dead too. Probably from starving. She was on the brink of starvation when I found her hiding next to a tree. Her eyes weren’t open yet. I stole goat milk and kitten formula to try and see if those would work. Obviously they did.” I looked at her, she had lost interest and was now sniffing all around.

“You said you ran away when you were fifteen?”

I nodded.

“So, you never finished high school?”

“I graduated when I was fifteen. I was extremely smart apparently. Makes me wonder why I ran away sometimes.” I looked back up at him.

“Living on such a small island, how haven’t they caught you yet?” he asked me.

“They’ve come close a lot of times. Sent a canine team and everything, but they can’t ever get me. Artemis helps me out everytime.”

“You must be hungry. I’ll go get you some food.” I nodded. My stomach was growling now that my body wasn’t freezing anymore. I moved and the smell from his jacket reached my nose. I loved the smell and I didn’t know why. Artemis jumped up on me and I laid down as she started licking my face. I smiled and she curled up next to me as we waited for Sam to get back with the food.

I was standing on a beach, I didn’t know which one, it didn’t look familiar to me, but it was beautiful.

I noticed shortly after that I wasn’t alone. Two other people were on the beach with me and as I took a closer look, I noticed it was Dean and Alisha. I looked around. Sam was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t want to be stuck here on my own with Dean and Alisha. They’d probably kill me if they saw me.

I started to run away from them, but the farther I got from them, the more my head hurt. Sam? Where are you?! I yelled out. I kept running. Michael! Michael? Who’s Michael? Michael, where are you? What did I do to make you leave?

Michael. He was my best friend. Why did he leave me alone? Why did he hate me? I couldn’t stand the pain anymore I turned and ran back towards Dean and Alisha. The pain was too much, I wanted them to kill me. I wanted to get away from it.

I got closer and closer to Dean and Alisha and the pain went away. A different feeling welled up inside of me. I wanted to run towards them so I pushed myself harder. I got closer and slowed down as I saw Alisha bound up to Dean a smile on her face. I wanted to beat her to him. I realized the feeling I had wanted me next to Dean.

It was the feeling they describe in books. I loved Dean!

I loved Dean? How? What am i?...

Alisha and Dean embraced but Alisha looked up at Deans face. My emotions changed. I no longer wanted to hug Dean. I felt betrayed by him. I wanted to deny everything. Deny that my life was falling apart, deny that I’d just lost something very dear to me.

What did I just lose? Artemis? I looked around. Michael? No one was there with me. I was alone on a desolate beach watching Dean and Alisha. Alisha was shaking her head ferociously, she didn’t know what to do. I started crying, I didn’t want to be here anymore. Alisha and I turned and ran away at the same time, both is opposite directions. I couldn’t get away. I hit my knees in the sand as I collapsed. I threw my hands up to my face and cried. Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do?! I looked around for a way out then suddenly…

“Are you ok?” I opened my eyes to Sam’s face, full of anxiousness and apprehension. His hands were on my shoulders after he’d just been shaking me.

I sobbed and realized I was crying. That dream had been so real. I felt my heart, it had felt like it was going to burst. I looked at Artemis, she was staring at me, ready to jump forward at Sam since his arms were on me. I shook my head to rid myself of the aftermath of the dream.

“Were you having a nightmare?” Sam asked me. I just looked at him, I couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. “You were screaming at or for a Michael, I couldn’t tell which it was.” I nodded.

“Just a nightmare.” I whispered. “Just a nightmare.”