House of Ghouls

Chapter Ten

  It's a cold morning on the ship as sunrise started to reflect through our little window of our bedroom window as the pile of snow floating on the water. I wrapped myself in a heavy blanket while Dragon was still asleep. We just shipped out of Minnesota few hours ago and passed Copper Harber few minutes ago. We stayed away from the Bayfield area of the Wisconsin boarder. We should be able to arrive at Grand Marais soon. Dragon woke up to someone knocking on the door as I got up to put my clothes back on.
  "Are you guys awake?" Moira shouted.
  "We are just getting dressed. What's up?" I asked through the door.
  "We are getting close to our destination! Be ready!" Moira said as Dragon woke up instantly to get dressed.
  I heard Seika walking out of the room to the stairs of the ship as Moira chatting with Ezra about the database about the Taker's. Dragon kissed me on the cheek as he opened the door for me to step out first to meet up with everyone at the head quarters of the ship. Coffee just already brewed as Ezra sat the printed map on the island table of the routes to get through Michigan, short cuts on the Northwest, and boating to Beaver Island. The bus will be waiting for us at Grand Marais public beach that shut down five years ago before the war happened in Wisconsin. We saw a group of humans and ghoul to join in together in a bus with graffiti markings on it.
  We took a boat to Beaver Island for an hour as I saw a man in armor walk on the beach in bear foot with his swords hooked on his belt. It was my adoptive brother, Sigfreed. He's our leader of the Hollow Guard on this island. The owner of the island. We entered into the island as he ran up to give me and Ezra big brother hugs. When we were kids, Sigfreed saved us from shitty foster parents who treated us ghoul kids like shit for money from the system. He's been there for me and my brother for years.
  Few hours later, I walked up to the tower to talk with our big brother as he sat on the bench watching the lake and sunset drinking his beverage out of his favorite mug. I sat next to him on the bench after I wiped the snow off the seat.
  "What happened to your fiancé?" I asked as he took a folded letter out of his pocket.
  "I found this on my pillow." He passed the letter as I unfolded the letter to read.
 
  Dear Sigfreed, I can't see myself living in this island anymore. I fucked up. I don't think I love you. I am very sorry to end the engagement. Goodbye. From, Panora.
 
  "She left me. I don't know how she took off this island, but my guards saw her laughing with another man on another boat. She purposely took off without a trace." He said as he look down at his drink.
  "Fuck, I am so sorry." I sympathized.
  "Well, it doesn't change the fact that she cheated on me and left without a trace. I tried everything to make her happy. She used to be this kind gentle woman but she turned into a stranger with detach feelings for this relationship. I noticed something was wrong about her. I felt neglected, used, and abused just the way she acted for months on this island. I thought she would be a good fiancé and put our relationship first, but it was always all about her. She's already prove to me that she just lost a good man in her life." He said with tears in his eyes.
  "Wow, she fucking abandoned you." I said as he set his drink down and sobbed in his hands.
  "What kind of person destroys the relationship? What did I do to deserve this fucking treatment? I can't believe she did that during a crisis..." Sigfreed cried on my shoulder as I heard Ezra and Dragon walk up to check on us. Dragon moved his drink and sat next to Sigfreed on the bench.
  "Brother. What happened?" Dragon asked as he passes the letter to him and Ezra to read her writing.
  "Fuck man. We are so sorry." Both sympathized him.
  "Listen brother, you are not alone. You have your little sister Viola sitting next you. Ezra and I are sitting right next to you. You have family here with you right now. You are coming with us to Detroit to save mother Vanna from getting abducted by Pandy and his flying monkeys."Dragon said as Sigfreed dried his tear with his sleeve.
  "Thanks everyone for being here. We all heard about the invasion that might happen two days." Sigfreed said as he finishes his drink.
  "Possibly sooner than two days." Ezra said.
  "Well, I should have enough of my people of the Hollow Guard. I have no problem grouping up with all of you to Detroit to save Vanna and our citizens. After we save them, what is our last plan of attack?" Sigfreed asked as Moira and Kaye stepped into the conversation.
  "The goal is to take the Hakujin's and Takers down. We need to take Pandy into custody." Moira answered.
  "How are we going to enter into the Sawyer without getting caught by boarder patrols?" Dragon asked with concern.
  "It's simple. They sent us more allies into battle. Kaye received a draft order from the Air Force that they are sending our military recruiters into Michigan few miles from the Wisconsin boarder. Minnesota Governor agreed that we take Pandy into custody." Moira said with her hair blowing in the other direction.
  "What about the others associated in the Hakujin household?" Ezra asked.
  "We can possibly try to cuff some of them protecting the bastard, but we have full permission to execute all the Takers." Kaye respond to his answer.
  "They took away our homes, finances, murdered our families, and destroyed everything. Travis Velden admitted in the interrogation room that he was paid by the Hakujin's to pretend to be a survivor and murder Claire in her home. I read Velden's track record. He was a Trump supporter with a group of the proud boys. He was arrested for vandalism, terrorist threats, and damage on property for spray painting homophobic and misogynist comments on brick fence wall next to Planned Parenthood." Moira said.
  "That does not surprise me." I responded.
  "Goes to show that Velden has nasty hate for women." Kaye said.
  "Did Velden have a terrible experience with dating or something?" Ezra asked with curiosity.
  "It's doesn't give him the excuse to fucking murder!" I responded with my angry tone.
  "Takers have crossed a huge line with all the families in Minnesota and Michigan." Dragon agreed.
  "I will destroy the shit out of the goddamn Takers while I am with all of y'all there..." Sigfreed said with a deep angry voice.
  "We still need to find mother." Ezra said as he stood up.
  "Ivan has the entire group in Detroit searching for Vanna and helping citizens seek for asylum. We will find out tomorrow evening in the city." Moira said to everyone.
  All of us walked back into the huge brick home shaped of a castle as my brother Ezra did the Naruto run to the front building to open the two doors for everyone. I could smell red meat grilling in a smoke shack outside in the backyard. Sigfreed spent hours hunting yesterday because he knew that we were coming to the island to see him and his crew. He brewed dozens of bottles of blood wine last night. I saw the rest of his ex belongings stuffed in trash bags tossed in the corner next to the entry way of the door. We all sat down at the dinner table as he carried the big plate full of meat and Ezra helped carry the bottles of our blood wine to the table. Seika and Hercules walked in from the back door together as they both sat down next to her sister.
  "Where were you guys?" Moira asked them.
  "Him and I were exploring the island." Seika answered as she played with her long brown hair and Hercules scratched the back of his head with a smile on his face.
  "Exploring? Sounds interesting." Moira smirked.
  "Come on, sis..." Seika frowned with her armed crossed.
  "Relax, I was just going guys a hard time." Moira giggled.
  "Right.." Seika smiled.
  Sigreed came back in the house with his mug in his right hand and bottle of rum in his left hand. He sat down in his main chair as he poured himself more rum. I remember our brother and I used to get drunk at the anime convention rave parties six years ago. When I was hung over, Sigfreed cooked steak and eggs for breakfast to help my stomach. The current smell of his grilled deer meat brings childhood memories of three of us camping on national siblings day.
  "Do you remember the day I save you and Ezra from foster care system?" Sigreed asked as he took something wrapped in cloth out of his pocket.
  "I do remember. You took us into your tent underneath the bridge with the group of homeless youth when were in our ages. When I was fifteen years old, you gave me your black hoodie with skulls." I mentioned.
  "Yes. Do you remember I gave you a knife in case if your kagune were to have injuries?" Sigreed asked.
  "I do remember, but I think I might've lost it. I am very sorry brother." I frowned as he tossed the wrapped thing across the table.
  "Here. Don't lose the knife again." Sigreed said as I unwrapped the cloth.
  "Thanks, brother. I won't lose it again." I said as I touched the sides of the blade with my index finger.
  "Ezra, I have something for you." Sigreed grabbed the katana off the ground under the table.
  "I've always wanted a weapon of my own if my kagune were to hurt. Thank you, brother." Ezra said as he got up and clipped the katana on his belt.
  "Don't lose it, too." Sigreed said as he took a bite of his food.
  We all finished our food and wrapped our leftovers to take with us for traveling. The crew grabbed few things from the basement where he kept his homemade brewery alcohol beverages. We prepare our boats by removing the rest of the snow and ice off them. There is a huge garage under the island hill between the rails of the boat landing. Sigfreed opened the garage as he pulled the huge ship out. He kept it in good condition for a long time. We grouped up for the meeting at the beach as Hollow Guard gathered with us after they just got done packing the ship.
  "Everyone on this Beaver Island!! Tomorrow! We all leave really early in the morning! We still have a long journey to Detroit! When we arrive to Michigan, we take the emergency buses! We have shelters available for citizens farther up north of Michigan! The goal is to save all the citizens and save Viola and Ezra's mother name Vanna! After evacuation, we fight!" Sigreed shouted out his announcement as we all shouted with agreement.