The Neighborhood Watch

Chapter Four - Stick Men and Women

Five minutes later we were all squished into my truck, Marrisa and Leo sat in the back seat while Sabrina, Hannah, and I sat up front. I'd blown out of Leo's house, waving to a clueless Arnold who looked half asleep as he exited the house, and now we were driving back into our subdivision.

I could only hope my dad wasn't home and was still on his hunt, but even then, if he was home, I had reinforcements. There was a strange sense of bravery going into that house with people who knew what happened inside.

"We're going to your house?" Sabrina frowned as we passed hers. "I thought we needed weapons and a safe place."

Marrisa and I breathed a sigh of relief as we noticed our dad's car wasn't in the driveway. "That's exactly what I'm taking us to."

We piled out of the truck and Marrisa led us in a jog around the side of the house. We ran into a tall fence that ran around the property, but it could be opened from the other side. With a running start, I vaulted over the fence, using the top of the fence as a booster to get all the way over.

Once we were all in the yard, I shut the gate behind us and came to stand with Marrisa as she hesitated in front of the barn. Even without our dad here, we found ourselves standing taller and falling into the character our father cast us as.

"A barn?" Hannah frowned. "Not exactly a secret lair to hide in."

Marrisa smiled over her shoulder at her before opening the barn door. Inside the lights flickered on, revealing our training room. Our dad had taken some of the weapons with him, but I knew there were one or two extras stowed away in a drawer somewhere.

My sister and I walked inside, heading immediately for the weapon case while the others slowly filled in. "What is this place?" Leo asked, skirting around my dried blood on the mat. "Why is there blood on the floor?"

"This is where we train," I looked back at the blood. "And that is where my nose broke." I pulled open the drawer with all the silencers. "It was my fault, I got too close. But I did break his nose too," I nodded towards the other bit of dried blood near the other side. "I guess he forgot to break my arm."

Hannah shut and locked the door behind her, glancing around. "Where is your father now?"

Marrisa shrugged, pulling out a duffle bag from one of the larger drawers. "On one of his nightly hunts. He won't be finished collecting shadows until early morning." She explained. "We have no way of knowing what he's up to during his hunts. I only know if he is alive or not during the morning announcements when he gives the usual safety speech."

The girl with the shadow nodded and moved to the back of the barn, peering through the bullet holes as my father would. "I've been trying to take down the Light for years now, and I've never gotten this close. I need to see this through." She turned back to us, looking over our faces. "I understand if you want out, especially you two," Hannah told Leo and Sabrina, "but if you are willing, I have a plan."

"Depends on what the plan is." Sabrina crossed her arms.

Hannah glanced at my sister and me. "The Light want your shadows Darcy's. I'm not sure exactly why, but I have a sneaking suspicion it has to do with Mika and his growing shadow. If they are coming after you, then they won't notice me coming after them." She told us. "If you are willing to act as decoys, I can pick them off."

"You mean sitting ducks?" Leo frowned.

"Partially." Hannah shrugged. "Sitting ducks armed and trained to kill hunters."

Marrisa turned to me. "Mika, let's talk outside for a moment."

I nodded and followed her outside, patting Leo's shoulder as I passed. Once the door was shut, I shrugged. "What do you think about it?"