Don't Get Too Close

Chapter 3: Could it get weirder?

Death is inevitable.

Everyone knows that.

And yet, people still fall in love, knowing that one day one or the other will die first.

Then again. What would life be without the pleasures it gives such as love.

Love is more complicated than just a simple pleasure. Love is joy, pain, beauty, kindness, patience, death.

Love isn't just one thing or emotion, but many.

I wouldn't know.

I've never been in love.

~~~~~~~~

I kept the boys inside to look them over to make sure they're not hurt. From the slider door I heard Brian call to me.

I sent the boys to go watch tv and I headed for the back door.

When I arrived, I was given goosebumps by the scene in front of us.

The large tree that sits in the middle of our backyard was completely decorated on every branch with hanging, bloodied and torn apart animals.

"Someone knows." Brian muttered.

"But who? We don't talk to anyone." I replied.

"I don't know. What I do know, is we've been marked."

~~~~~~~~
Brian and I quickly removed the animal corpses and cleaned up the tree before too many neighbors saw what was going on.

Simon, Brian and I all sat around the table in deep thought.

"The problem is is even if we have an idea who it may be, we can't just start making people disappear, that will make everyone else suspicious." I commented.

Simon looked up at me.

"We don't do that kind of thing anyways."

"Right, it was just a hypothetical elimination thought." I retorted.

"As productive as this brainstorm is, I do have to head to the grocery store for side stuff otherwise we'll all starve."

The boys nodded, after which Brian looked up,

"Please just be careful. Don't forget the mask."

"I will, I promise. Love you guys, be back in a bit."

I grab my backpack, keys, phone and mask.

On my way out, I look at the mask. It had become routine. Every community wore them. Some to mask identity, others to prevent from "catching what our kind has," although impossible, since whatever "it" is, isn't contagious.

~~~~~~~~~~
Once I arrive, I wasn't surprised to see some cops defusing a situation in which a clerk and a customer were fighting.

It happens all the time.

I never care enough to actually pay attention to what it's about though. I have my own problems to take care of. Like the threat in our yard. Everywhere we've ever lived, I've never seen anything like it, but somehow, both Brain and I knew what it meant.