𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃

34

HER PREDATOR

Fast forward to Saturday: I was getting ready to go over to Casei's place since her parents left last night to go out of town. I had a bag packed for the weekend and my tie tucked into my sweatpants pocket instead of my necklace. I still couldn't figure out where I had left it, and it was making the panic inside of me rise.

I had already decided I'd get rid of Mystery before I left. There was nothing left of her to discover anymore. She was just a pile of flesh and bones, and I didn't even have her claw anymore. It must've gotten caught on something. I must've thrown it out on accident. Regardless of the way that my jewelry was missing- it was gone.

I sat my bag down on the couch and went downstairs to the basement, phone in hand and gloves in my other pocket. I closed the door behind me and propped my cell phone against the crates, turning on the flashlight. I pulled Mystery out by the tail, placing her into a plastic bag, and putting that bag inside of another.

A sense of regret washed over me, wishing that we had gotten to do much more together.

My sweet discoveries in the yard may all been re-dug and placed deeper in the ground to combat against the rain and mud, but they were all gone too. The way I see it, having to bury Mystery is just a reminder of a wasted opportunity compared to the others and all the things I learned with them.

I carried Mystery out in a bag, medical gloves still tight to my hands. I slipped my phone into my back pocket and turned it off. Heading up the stairs, I closed up the basement behind myself and went out to the backyard. I found a little patch of space that hadn't been dug into already and laid the plastic bag over it. I went over to the shed and got out the shovel and a watering hose.

Texas heat had solidified the ground already and dampening the ground would make it easier to dig. Afterwards, I'd plop the dried dirt back on top, and the rains wouldn't affect the remains.

I was digging when I felt eyes on me.

I immediately stopped, scanning the fence line of the property, then the sides of the house. I let the shovel drop, walking around and trying to pinpoint the eyes. The person was still looking but they had to be hiding now. What irony: The Houston Hidden searching for a hiding person?

I heard a crunch, and there was Willow, trying to get back onto her side of the fence, via her trash can.

I watched her struggle and pulled the can from underneath her feet. "Ah!" she screamed out, holding onto the edge of the fence for dear life, her legs swinging. If I left her up there any longer she might break it.

I pulled her down by her legs and she turned around slowly to look at me, body shaking. "I'm-I'm sorry, Lowen."

"Why were you over here? What did you see?" I demanded.

"You-You-

"Spit it out, Willow," I stepped towards her.

"I can't tell you, she'll kill me," she whimpered.

I grabbed her up by the collar of her V-neck, her cornrows swinging in the wind as I stared her in the eyes. Her edges were melting and sweat or hair oil was pouring down the sides of her wider face. I was so close to her that I could see the piece of pasta or something stuck in her clear braces.

"You think I won't, Willow?" I asked darkly.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it.

"Maeve wanted me to snoop on you. She didn't like the attention and-and stuff that you and Casei have between each other," Willow started to cry. I let go of her as she sobbed into her hands.

"The attention? Willow, spit it out."

"She doesn't like what you two have goin' on. The attraction, Lowen. She wanted me to spy on you. I guess she heard about...what you did in Houston and it made her want to spy even more. And you know she doesn't like Casei. She-She really doesn't have anything against you, per say," Willow babbled.

She swiped at her forehead, breathing in and out as her eyes frantically searched my face.

"You need better friends, girlfriend. Seriously," I told her. "Give me your phone," I held my hand out.

She pulled it out, but held it protectively, "No, Lowen."

"Give me your phone, Willow," I demanded.

"What were you going to do with that bag, huh?"

"What I'll do to you if you don't give me your phone," I promised.

She threw it at me, arms crossed as she looked away.

I held it up to her face and unlocked it, deleting the photos she had taken from me indefinitely off her phone. Nothing sent to Maeve, nothing sent to anyone else.

"It's an animal in there isn't it? Or is it a baby?" she demanded, turning to look back at me. "It's small enough to be anything but it damn sure isn't alive anymore."

"It's my pet," I spat out.

"Yeah, I bet," she went around the side of my house, I guess to leave. I followed after her, arms crossed.

"What do you want?" she demanded as I walked behind her.

"If you don't tell anyone about what you saw then I'll help Maeve get rid of the rumors about how she likes Casei."

Willow stopped walking, staring me down.

"I don't believe you'll keep your end of the bargain."

"I have a reputation to keep. I'll do anything," I told her.

She held out her hand, and I held out mine.

"We gotta deal, Willow?" I asked.

We shook on it, both our grips firm.

"Now get off my property and don't do that again," I added.

"That wasn't apart of the deal, Lowen," she called out, winking at me.

Willow with her good looks and knack for styling her outfits, showing off her curves and rolls, was like a siren. She was beautiful...but deadly. Maybe even worse than Maeve.