War Zone ღ✦

33. Place to Stay

"Addams, what are you doing here?" Sheriff Galpin asked as he walked up to his front porch to unlock the front door.

Wednesday stared back. "We are in need of your assistance."

"As soon as possible," Xavier added.

Wednesday nodded in confirmation. "Yes, the four of us."

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?" asked the sheriff.

Xavier stared at the ground in denial, "Bad trouble."

"Two old men want to see our heads on their dinner platters," Wednesday replied, deadpan.

The sheriff snorted. "Of course they do. Who is it? I'll make sure to keep an eye on 'em."

"You can't!" Enid cried out. "They'll lie to everyone and say we did horrible things!"

Sheriff Galpin rolled his eyes. "Calm down, Sinclair. I'm sure you aren't in deep trouble. Your friend here is probably just paranoid again."

"You don't believe us?" Xavier asked. "After everything that happened last semester?"

The sheriff shook his head. "I didn't say that, Thorpe. I know who your father is, and he won't be able to get you out of trouble with me."

"Timothy Anderson and Michael Chapman are after us. They have plans to massacre all of Nevermore's students. Every outcast is in danger, including your own son," Wednesday told the man.

A dark shadow passed across Mr. Galpin's face. "My son is far from here in a high-security prison. He's the last thing I should be worryin' about."

Xavier shook his head. "No... he's not. He never made it to the prison."

"What are you talking about, boy? Are you tryna question the sheriff?" Mr. Galpin questioned.

"No. Tyler never made it to the prison. You do not need to hide your secret from us, Sheriff Galpin. We already know," Wednesday replied.

The sheriff rolled his eyes once more. "Good grief, what are you two talking about?"

Enid's eyes widened in fear. "You mean... You didn't know?!"

"No. I never told him," Tyler answered, stepping out of the shadows.

"Tyler..." Sheriff Galpin's voice trailed off.

He angrily turned to Wednesday. "What on earth are you doing, teaming up with my son?! Have you no mercy on the fact that he was taken away from me after trying to murder your friends? Trying to murder you?! This is low, even for you, Addams."

"Dad, you can't get mad at her for--" Tyler began.

His father angrily turned back to him. "Not one word from you, boy. Not one word."

"Do you know how risky this is, Addams? Showing up with this boy on my front steps?! By god almighty, the other officers in the town might as well think I'm a goddamn evil man if they saw the five of you trouble-makers here!" Mr. Galpin shouted at the girl.

"Dad, leave her alone! She needs our help!" Tyler shouted.

Xavier glared at Tyler. "Wednesday doesn't need your help."

"Sheriff, if you will just hear me out, the town is in danger--" Wednesday tried to explain again.

Sheriff Galpin rubbed his face in his hands. "Alright, twenty minutes. That's all the time you get."

"They have kidnapped several outcasts and have them locked away at Dunn Rock. I was in Michael Chapman's house, trying to figure out what his next move was when Timothy Anderson must have heard me and took me there immediately. Xavier, Enid, Ajax, and another boy came to rescue me the next morning, but the two men were waiting for them. The other boy, Zachary, is Mr. Chapman's son. He called his father and said he was bringing Xavier and the others. They planned on giving me freedom in return. We all fought back and escaped-- except Zachary. He is with his father and Timothy Anderson heading back to Nevermore as we speak," Wednesday told the sheriff.