Capítulo 74: The Storm has Arrived

Up and over the small bridge they went, passing a few more buildings, until they arrived at the main middle school building—a three-story, square structure with tall windows.

Mrs. Harrison beckoned for them to enter her office after she had opened the door, shutting it forcefully behind them. After they assumed their seats, the vice principal circled around and sat across from them, adjusting her small rectangular glasses.

"This is the part where you explain yourselves," Mrs. Harrison said.

"Ma'am, it all started during lunch break," Emily said, her tone rushed and squeaky. "I was talking to Jason under a tree, beside the gym. When we went our separate ways so that I could get something in my stomach before the bell rang, Betty and her friends surrounded me. I wanted to scream, but Betty put a gun to my back."

"A gun?" Mrs. Harrison leaned forward, eyes widening. "Where is it?"

August produced the gun and placed it on the table. Mrs. Harrison snatched it, checked the safety, then removed the magazine to find it fully loaded. With disbelief impressed on her face now, the vice principal slid back the gun's chamber and dislodged a live round.

"Continue," Mrs. Harrison said in a much colder tone.

"They took me over the bridge to where you found us. They made me undress—"

"At gunpoint?"

"Yes." Emily nodded. "Sam recorded the whole thing."

Right on cue, August dropped Sam's phone, which she had seized, on the table. To prevent the phone from locking, she repeatedly played the recorded video on mute. Emily's head sank in shame, tears streaming down her face. August held her friend's hand as silence descended upon the office. Mrs. Harrison watched the video, her expression transforming from disbelief into her patented scowl, then finally into pure rage.

"These dimwitted morons," Mrs. Harrison cursed. "Absolute useless wastes of space. River Bend Middle School has no use for troublemakers. I will see to it that this mess is rectified, Ms. Talley. You have my word."

Emily nodded.

"Now, in the meantime, I will contact your parents and have them pick you up."

"Is that necessary?" August asked.

"Yes, it is. We will conduct a thorough investigation over the next few days. It is apparent that your safety is guaranteed. You can wait in my office in the meantime. If you'll excuse me."

Mrs. Harrison got up and shuffled out of the office, taking with her the gun and phone. They sat in silence, holding each other, too mentally exhausted to utter more than a few words. Thirty minutes later, Emily's mother arrived in a livid mood with an entourage of bodyguards. It took many reassurances from Mrs. Harrison to calm the concerned mother. Eventually, the woman took her daughter, threatening to pursue legal action.

An hour after that incident, August's mother was nowhere to be seen. As for her father, he was out of the city on business and would return at night. It occurred to August that maybe her mother had finally grown tired of dealing with her after their last interaction. There was also the possibility of her mother succumbing to Tom's violence. Her heart skipped, a shock jolting her in response.

She snuck out of Mrs. Harrison's office and made a beeline to the nearest exit. With small legs and diminished stamina thanks to twelve years of no exercise, she couldn't get very far running. So a cab was her best bet, or the Subway if she could push some more. Unluckily, no cab graced her sight, so by the time she reached the station, her legs felt like cement blocks.

During this next hour of her trip, she stood in a crowded, noisy cabin. The entire train car was packed with people carrying signs, banners, backpacks, and face masks. Some even painted their faces with red paint.

She was studying the jagged red and black makeup of a woman who spotted her and smiled.

"What's your name, kiddo?" The woman asked.

"August."

"Well, run home to your parents, August. The city ain't safe no more."

"You goddamn right it ain't." A man standing next to the woman said. "After that video, this city'll be lucky to survive come tomorrow. The mayor has to pay what's due before we are silenced."

Her eyes darted between the grownups. "Why isn't the city safe? And what video?"

The man gawked at her with wide eyes. "What? You haven't seen it? That's a real shocker."

"Stop it, Dan," the woman said, then looked down at her. "Run home, kiddo. And pray to God that your parents are there to protect you from what's coming."

The train's mechanical humming did little to calm her racing mind. No longer were her thoughts centered on just her mother's safety, but on what the two adults warned her about.

Once the train reached her stop, she bolted to her house, pure adrenaline overpowering her fatigue. Every time she came here, she dreaded hearing Tom's voice, so often immersed in the contents streaming from the television. Now she hoped his grating, harsh voice graced her ears, carrying with it a sense of normalcy.

Unfortunately, the house was pin-dropping silent. Closing the front door behind, she scanned the living room, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Tom wasn't in his usual chair and the television emitted no images. However, the most off-putting detail came from the clean floors and the lack of cigarette smoke she had become so used to. Then she remembered that her mom had chased Tom away. Perhaps he wasn't back yet. She made her way to the staircase but halted at the sound of her mother's voice.

"August," Grace called out, "is that you? I was worried about you, sweetie."

Her mother's voice, pained and weak, originated from the kitchen. She spun around and headed in that direction. Grace sat by the island, on a tall stool, drowning herself in Jack Daniels.

"Mom," she muttered.

"August." Grace, slightly disheveled, looked at her through heavily bagged eyes. "I'm sorry for everything. I really am. No more Tom, I promise. No more."

Grace broke down in tears. August darted into the kitchen to comfort her mother.

"Look out!"

Harry Tophat grabbed her and dove sideways toward the fridge. There was an explosion right where she had been standing, causing tiles and concrete to scatter and spray the kitchen with dust.

"Shit!" Lily appeared before her, wielding balls of flames in her outstretched hands, her pink hair on fire. The fairy glared at the spot above the crater on the ground.

"What's going on?" August asked.

"Something just tried to off you, Augie," Lily replied. "That's what the fuck happened. Harry, do you see it?"

"But my mother! Save her!"

"That ain't your fucking mother," Lily said, throwing a ball of fire at Grace, who continued to sob, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding commotion.

"No!" she screamed and attempted to break free of the sasquatch's grasp. But Harry Tophat held strong, so all she could do was watch in horror as the fireball closed the distance rapidly. However, rather than engulfing her mother in flames, the fireball passed through and dispersed Grace as if she were made of smoke. The fireball ended in the air above the crater and exploded like a bomb made of napalm.

Gradually, all around her, the clean image of the kitchen shimmered off, revealing a devastated area. The walls were gorged with claw marks and stained with streaks of blood. The spotless kitchen island littered with empty bottles she saw mere moments ago spotted a mutilated body that leaked blood onto the floor. She immediately recognized who it belonged to, even though its head was missing.

Tom!

Most terrifying of all, a monstrous entity shimmered into view on the crater. It bore a striking resemblance to a tarantula, only this entity was gigantic, with eight hairy legs, an armored carapace covering most of its body, and a female torso that sprouted where the spider's head ought to be. The female part bore a shriveled, ghostly pale skin with four long arms. Its two upper arms ended in elongated scythes made of the same material as its armor. The lower arms were vaguely human, ending with deadly claws. One of those lower arms held Tom's severed head, the skull cracked open.

The monstrosity munched on the brain, blood and brain matter spilling as an effect of its messy eating. Eyes, so black, stared at August, her bones chilling in response. With an arm gesture, it tossed the remainder of Tom's head into the air and longed after it with jaws opened so wide it resembled that of a crocodile's.

The blood drained from her limbs as she stood rooted, staring at the monster. She nearly peed herself if not for Harry Tophat's warm embrace.

"You should've stayed put, mortal," the monstrosity said in a hoarse and nerve-shackling voice. "Your death would've been swift and painless. Now you shall follow the same fate as this foul-tasting one."

Tears streamed down her face. "My mother. Where is she?"

"Use that meager brain of yours, mortal." The monster sneered, revealing its blood-stained, jagged teeth. "What do you think? I had her for dinner last night, of course. She was most appetizing."

"No!" she wailed. "No! You're lying. No!"

"Oh, yes. Revel in your denial of the truth. A denial that breeds anger. Perhaps I'll let you live long enough for depression to take hold.."

"We need to make our escape," Harry Tophat said to Lily, more so than August, who was clearly not in the right state of mind. "Our chances of prevailing against this adversary are nearly nonexistent."

The fairy nodded, floating between them and the monster. "Go. I'll cover you."

While she continued to bawl her eyes out, Harry Tophat darted toward the nearest wall. Lily remained where she was, her hands balled with balls of fire. Yet, the monster remained rooted on its splayed legs, watching them with curiosity, as if insignificant cockroaches had fled from its presence. Instead of breaking through the drywall as Harry Tophat had expected, he was sent flying back, a blood-red effect rippling from the impact.

"Quite insulting," the monster said. "You thought I wouldn't take precautions? Who do you think me for? A fool?" It let loose a laugh of stone grinding stone. "Surrounding the room are sigils inscribed with your mother's blood. There is no escape for you." It started skittering toward her. "Now tell me, what is this ability you possess? Telekinesis? Invisible guardians? I find it interesting."

"Stay back, you ugly bitch!" Lily yelled and hurled multiple fireballs at the monster. The fires flew true and engulfed it in flames. However, those fires had minimal, if any, impact.

The monster paused, visibly in thought. "I see now. When I use the ethereal perception I acquired from a mortal, I detect faint lifeforms around you. Two in particular. Interesting. You would make a useful spawn. As for you, fire-throwing one, know that your efforts are futile. I am resistant to fire now thanks to the help of another mortal."

As the monster resumed its approach, Harry Tophat placed her down and stood before her. She hugged his leg, refusing to let go. Her mother had perished. Now her imaginary friends wanted to give their lives for her. She couldn't accept it. What was the point of continuing in this mundane world? She wanted to see her mother again to apologize for how she treated her. If she had to die to achieve that, so be it.

Harry Tophat gently placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "Let go, Augie."

"No," she cried.

"Please do. You still have a chance to escape, and a bright future ahead."

"I have no one else."

"Yes, you do. It wouldn't be right if you left Emily and your father to fend for themselves."

"What of you and Lily?"

"We live every moment knowing we would lay down our lives for you. It is our duty and our purpose."

"Don't fuss about us, gurl," Lily said, smiling brightly. "No one ever said we plan to lose, okay? The bitch can't even hurt us."

She nodded, releasing the sasquatch and wiping away her tears.

"Now," Harry Tophat instructed, "we shall confront it while you make your escape through the door. Do not pause to look back, understood?"

She nodded again.

"So touching," the monster said, now looking directly at Harry Tophat. "Next time, you should reframe from voicing out your plans."

A flicker of shock flashed in the sasquatch's eyes. The monster had heard Harry Tophat speak. Her nerves claimed her as both her imaginary friends charged the monster.

"Run!" Lily shouted. "Move your fucking legs!"

As if someone else controlled her legs, she propelled forward to the door. The crackling of flames and loud meaty impacts sounded behind her. As her dear fluffy friend—who stood by her since she first learned to dream—warned, she didn't stop to look. She couldn't. For the first time since witnessing that grotesque monstrosity, she felt hope. A hope that was soundly crushed when she slammed face-first into an invisible wall over the open doorway. There truly was no escape.