North Starr

52

Melanie frowned as she looked at a cryptic message from her friend and made her way to Scott's. She climbed up the window and entered through Scott's bedroom.

She walked heard voices from the bathroom. The boy from earlier, Liam, looked at her with wide eyes.

Melanie glared at them as she stared between her friends. "Three seconds to explain."

Scott turned to her. "You're scaring him. I panicked."

"Explain yourself and release the kid."

"I can't. I-I bit him."

"You did what?! You panicked and you bit him! Oh my God! You'd better not tell my brother. If your mother finds out -- Kid, I'll get you out of here."

"Mm-mm," Liam mumbled.

"What?"

"His name is Liam," Scott said.

"Scott, this poor kid is terrified. You have really outdone yourself this time. Stiles, next time don't send a cryptic message."

Stiles nodded. "Though she said it kind of rudely, she's right. This is why I always come up with the plans. Your plans suck."

Scott let out a sigh. "I know. Which is why I called you two. So what do we do?"

The boys took Liam from the tub and set him in a chair. Stiles said, "Liam, we're going to take the tape off your mouth. If you scream, it goes right back on. If you talk quietly, it stays off. Got it? Okay."

Liam let out a painful cry as the tape was pulled from his mouth.

Stiles continued. "Okay, Liam, now you've seen a lot of confusing things tonight. And more confusing things are going to happen because of the confusing things that happened tonight. Do you understand?"

Liam shook his head. "Not really."

"Good. That's good."

Scott frowned. "I don't understand either."

Stiles glanced to his friend. "Maybe you should tell him."

"Tell me what?" Liam asked in a frightened tone.

Scott turned back to him. "Liam... What happened to you, what I did to you, which I had to do in order to save you, it's going to change you."

"Unless it kills you," Stiles responded before noticing Liam's tears. "Shouldn't have said that."

"What?" Liam asked as his breath shook.

"Uh... Uh-oh. Oh. Oh... Is he crying?"

Melanie glared at the boys and pushed them back before kneeling in front of the bitten boy. "Liam, it'll be okay. You're gonna be just fine." His sobbing continued. "Don't listen to them. You're not going to die."

"Probably not," Stiles added.

Melanie shot him a look. "Quit it."

Scott said at the same time, "Stop it."

"Okay, possibly not," Stiles replied, changing his answer.

Melanie stepped behind the young boy and said, "Liam, I'm gonna untie you." She did as she said and looked back at Liam. "Are you okay? Liam?"

Stiles began apologizing. "We're sorry about that. We're really sorry."

He let out a grunt and Stiles asked, "Liam, what the hell is your..."

Liam jumped from his chair and as he did so, he knocked the chair over. In turn, the chair hit Melanie's leg and she let out a pained cry. Liam darted out of the room. "Ah! Get him!" Stiles exclaimed.