The Little Town of Lillston

The Clown

"How was your talk with Callie?" asked Bryson's mother. They were sitting together at the dinner table eating lasagna, and even Bryson's father was there. He had gotten off of work early. Hunter was sitting next to Bryson, stabbing at his food with his fork and casting sly glances at Bryson.

"It was fine," he said. "She just wanted to see how I was doing."

"That's nice," said his mother.

Bryson ate what he could, but he couldn't finish his lasagna. It was the smell of the room that prevented him from finishing. The room smelled strongly of drying paint drifting in from the kitchen. He was also thinking of Kyle. Kyle was a monster. He was friends with a monster by the name of Kindell. He was a bully. He knew more about the monsters than anyone else. How was Callie going to get any information from him?

Bryson wasn't going to take his pills tonight. He'd sleep, but he would be able to wake. He could confront Kyle before Callie even had a chance to talk to him tomorrow at school. He could force Kyle to tell him how to get rid of the monsters, what they wanted, why they were in Lillston... but how was he to force Kyle to do so?

"Hunter, eat your food," said Bryson's mother.

"There were police at the school," said Sophia, her eyes wide with excitement. "They were outside and in the halls!"

"Sophie's right," said Hunter, setting down his fork. "They were in Principal Kindell's office all day."

"Oh?" said Bryson's mother. She exchanged weary glances with her husband. "Well, after... after what happened to Bryson, I'm sure they are at the school for extra protection."

"And they need to find the bullies who did it," said their father. "Bryson, how're you holding up? How's the arm?"

"It's getting better," said Bryson.

"Well, I'll set some pain medication on the counter in case you need it. Your mother also put some fresh bandages under the sink."

"Thanks," mumbled Bryson.

The eight o'clock alarm sounded, and Bryson finished his dinner. He set his plate on top of Hunter's next to the kitchen sink, where his mother would wash them. He then headed down the hall and opened his bedroom door.

Hunter and Sophia entered their room, bickering about some classmate at school. Bryson glanced over his shoulder at his parents. They were both in the kitchen cleaning up. He couldn't risk a chat with his siblings... but he had to know. It had been a week since Bryson had broken his promise of protecting them. Something could have happened one of the nights he was asleep. "Hunter," he said casually, leaning in their doorway. "Sophie, how was school?"

"Great!" said Sophia. "I won the spelling bee in my class!"

"A bully knocked everything out of my backpack," mumbled Hunter.

Bryson frowned. "A bully? Who?"

"A classmate of his," said Sophia.

Bryson frowned. He had stopped questioning why bullies bullied a long time ago, but he had never had to worry about Hunter being bullied before. Hunter was more social than Bryson even at the young age he is. "You're being bullied?"

Hunter frowned and shook his head. "No, not really. It was just this one time. I don't think he really meant it, anyways. A lot of people are actually talking to me about you."

Bryson wasn't surprised about that. "Did you tell mom or dad?"

Hunter shrugged. "I don't need to."

Bryson frowned. "If it happens again, tell them," said Bryson. "Or tell me."