Hunt

Chapter 43: Moonlight Armistice

I take Julie home. Since I had decided to let her tag along to tonight's meeting Paul gave her the rest of the day off. The drive home was spent listening to Julie ramble excitedly about her first hunt. It still rubbed me the wrong way that she had even been out in the field today. But I can't change the past, and Julie seemed to be just fine. At least she was happy.

"It was crazy!" She exclaims, "There weren't that many, I'm still a little confused how Paul called it a nest. But I still can't believe how creepy ghouls are! I know you talked about them when we went over your notes but to actually see one!"

"Mhmm." I mumble, nodding along as I listen to her story. As much as I was interested in her day I was still stuck worrying about tonight. I couldn't let this meeting fall through. It was all riding on my ability to build trust amongst our two groups, and to keep Paul from killing anyone.

"Hey Kyle?" Julie asks, snapping me from my thoughts, "You alright? You look kinda constipated"

Shaking my head clear I nod. "Yeah I'm alright. Just worried about tonight is all."

Julie goes silent. Staring out the passenger window. Eventually saying: "I'm sure it'll be fine. We all want the same thing don't we?"

"We?" I ask. Raising an eyebrow.

"Y-you know!" Julie quickly backpedals, "The hunters and the Silverlock pack!"

I pull up our driveway, putting the car in park. "I sure hope we do. God save us if we don't..."

I help Julie get an outfit laid out for tonight. Luckily she had gone through the same emo phase I did a couple years back. So it wasn't too hard to pick out enough dark clothing to help keep her concealed in the shadows. Deciding on a black hoodie and jeans, I loan her my balaclava. Making sure it fits her.

"I feel like a bank robber..." Julie mumble as she looks at herself in the mirror, fiddling with the mask that was just slightly too big.

"Yeah you do. But that's good thing." I say as I adjust her mask back to the original position. "Well it's not a perfect fit, but it'll do for tonight. We can get you one that fits you later."

The meeting was still a couple hours out, just soon enough to make taking a nap almost not worth it. Julie chooses to pass out, which I can't blame her for. She had a long day. Yet, as she takes her nap, I find myself stuck staring up at the ceiling. Laying on my bed listening to the clock tick. Each second sounding louder and louder until each - click - is pounding like a hammer through my head. Waiting was always the hard part.

The hours seem to tick by at a snails pace. My mind not relaxing once as I lay on my bed. I watched the sun descend through my window and it left me counting down the minutes until I had to go wake Julie up. Rolling over, I grab my phone. Quickly shooting Natasha a text.

"Hey could you bring an extra rifle for me tonight?"

Julie didn't have anything of her own so I was planning on loaning her my pistol. A rifle would make me a little more comfortable. I quickly receive a text back:

"sure thing."

"Julie, wake up. Time to go." I say, knocking on her door as I pocket my phone. I had given her as much time as I could.

The dreaded time had come. Time for the meeting that I now regret having even lobbied for. My heart was racing, much like how I usually get before giving a presentation in school. Anticipation eating me alive. I raise my fist to her door again, prepping another knock before it opens with a soft click.

"I'm ready. Let's do this thing." Julie was dressed in the outfit I laid out for her. The ski mask bunched up around her head, acting as a beanie. She looked more put together than I felt. At least she seemed that way.