The Devil Walks Among Us; Book l - Completed 4/21/22

Torched Past

Mia and Michael were still on the rocky road of communication. She gave him his space as he needed it, but also understood that she was there for him when he needed it. As if she were studying him again, she concluded that he had been going through a prolonged stage of grief.

He deeply missed his mother and had never had the chance to find his closure and properly grieve over it.

Over the next few nights, Michael held Mia close to him, his grip like a vice. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her. Nothing would take her and Ella away from him again. He vowed to never let The Shape consume him as long as he would live. Neither Mia nor Ella deserved to see him in his state of controlled chaos. Very much so, he even took his beloved coveralls, favorite knife, and mask to a secluded spot in the barn, keeping that dangerous piece of him locked away and out of their house.

Unbeknownst to him, with his former comfort now being locked away, his senses were lowered. He didn't feel like he was being watched.

But he was.

*

"Go on back into the house, Mikey," Kevin snickered behind his binoculars. "Not like you'll be coming out of it anyway."

Watching Michael enter the house and shutting the door behind him, he made his move, retrieving the propane tank from the backseat of his patrol car, looking both ways before making his way towards the backyard, planting the propane tank at the air conditioning unit that flowed throughout the house, running a clear hose from the spout and into the unit, deciding to retreat for about another hour before making his move, retreating back to his patrol car to watch the windows, waiting to see a window blacken.

*

Mia sighed, brushing out her freshly blow-dried hair after a much-needed shower, putting on her sleep shorts and a baggy shirt, turning off the light of the bathroom as she entered their bedroom, seeing Michael laying on the bed, one arm behind his head and the other splayed over his stomach, the pad of his index finger tracing over the buttons on the remote as he was eager to start the horror movie they had planned to watch that night.

And because he wanted to analyze how horror movies made gore look. He knew he wouldn't be impressed, but he would give it a shot, given the only movie he had remembered watching was an old version of Dracula.

She pulled her hair to the side as she approached the bed, smirking as Michael's gaze was fixed upon her. "What?" She said.

"Just looking at you."

"I'm not much to look at." She playfully scoffed.

"You and nonsense." He shook his head.

She smiled, sitting on her knees on the bed, "Is Ella still asleep?"

"She's been asleep since you fed her." He answered, still not liking the idea that they had eventually moved her to her own room just on the other side of the wall.

She sighed in relief, "Good. She's been restless all morning."

"Because she knew she was going to be stuck here with me." He chuckled.

"Shut up," She rolled her eyes, leaning over to kiss him, feeling his lips form into a grin against hers, his hand now against her bare thigh, his fingers trailing against her skin. "I know I'd like to be stuck with you."

"Is that right?"

"Sure is."

He groaned against her lips, deepening the kiss as he knew where this was going. He was excited now that they can get back to intimacy like normal. She giggled, bringing her other leg over his body, now straddling him. She had been on top of him once before, but this was different.