Luna's Reckoning

15

HELEN

Dylan and Shaun sat at the kitchen table in complete, stunned silence, staring at Johnny, Madison and I like we'd grown two heads and I didn't blame them one bit. I would more than likely feel the same if I was in their shoes.

I sat there, waiting for their response. I expected them to get up and run out of the house screaming or call the police on us.

What I didn't expect was Dylan to almost fall out of his chair laughing. We all just stared at him, including Shaun. It took several minutes for the heavy set kid to get control of himself as he sat up straight in his chair and wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes.

"Dude, what are you laughing at?" Shaun demanded.

"I don't know, man. It's just. . . Do you honestly believe this?" Dylan's expression grew serious all of a sudden and I was a bit taken aback. I'd known Dylan as long as Luna has and I'd never seen the kid get serious once, not one time in all the years I'd watched him. It was strange, seeing such a goofy, carefree kid have such a heavy expression.

Dylan stared at Johnny and I skeptically before turning to his brother. "Do you believe these people? Honestly, do you really believe that our sister can see ghosts, is a witch, and our dad was taken to some other dimension?"

Shaun stared back at him for a long moment before turning his gaze back to

Madison. "I don't believe these people, but I believe her."

Dylan gaped at him. "Seriously? You believe the chick that dumped you out of nowhere?"

"Dylan!" Shaun snapped, but Dylan shook his head.

"No. It was messed up how she did you and on top of that, she was totally ghosting you before she left you. I don't care, that was a bitch thing to do and you don't need to be listening to her."

"It was," Madison said, her expression regretful but she kept her gaze steady on them. "Shaun, I can't tell you how sorry I am that I did that to you, but I was trying to protect you from Lilith. I didn't want you to be in danger."

They stared at her for what felt like hours, so many unspoken words being exchanged between them but not being vocalized. I recognized that look that they shared. I'd exchanged it before. These two loved each other. Despite not having dated for very long, these two clearly cared deeply for one another.

"I believe you," Shaun said finally.

Dylan's eyes nearly bulged out his head as he stared at his brother in disbelief. "Are you kidding me, man?"

"Dylan, I believe her. I know her. I know she's telling us the truth."

Dylan shook his head and abruptly got up. "I can't believe this shit. You actually believe all of this bullcrap?"

He turned his angry gaze on us. "Where the hell is our dad? What did you do to him?"

"We didn't do anything to him," Johnny insisted, an angry edge in his voice. I placed a warning hand on his arm.

Trinity suddenly ran into the room, her face filled with panic. She'd been in the front room watching out for Lilith and Anna Marie in case they came back. "They're here."

Panic clawed me from the inside and I shot to my feet as I remembered what Lilith had done to Trinity for reaching out and warning Luna.

"You need to get out here!" I shouted at them.

"Why?" Shaun demanded but followed Johnny and I to the back door.

Madison's eyes widened with fear. "She's here."