𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓾𝓼𝓮 || Derek Hale

The Thing

On the way home, I recall the conversation. What a strange interaction. It makes me think again of Natalie's cult comment. What if they really are a cult? I mean, I'm no expert on cults but don't you have to go through some kind of humiliation ritual to be incited or something? If nothing, it seems to me that Derek is-

I slam on the brakes.

I gasp loudly. In front of me, on the road, is a large, black... thing! It's broad daylight and I cannot believe my eyes. I blink and shake my head. It's gone. What the hell?

I'm still shaking off the memory of the thing when I walk through the door of my house. Noah and Claudia sleep on the couch, embracing each other, even in sleep. It must be nice. I take out my cell and dial Natalie as soon as my bedroom door shuts behind me. I recall the events standing in front of my bathroom mirror. "It was a bear." She concludes once I finish.

"And you're certain?" I'm not sure I buy that. But yeah, it seems plausible, I guess. "Positive. They're pretty common here, and it's probably the one responsible for all the lately animal attacks." Right. I forgot. The town prone for animal attacks. Hmm. Does no one in this town find the alarmingly high amount of animal attacks suspicious? Has no one tried to act about it?

I hear Natalie's garbled voice through the phone, with static in between. "Natalie? Can you hear me? You're breaking up! Hello?" I grab it and shake it. Right. Like that's going to do anything. Eventually I sigh and end the call. I stare for a moment longer before dialing a new number. It picks up on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Hey Dad." I leave the bathroom and plop on my new bed. "Hey, kiddo! How do you like Beacon Hills?"

"It's something. Why's everybody here so...weird?" He laughs on the other end. "That's Beacon Hills for ya. A strange town, I won't lie to you. All kind of things go bump in the night. Say, how's Noah?" A subtle but noticeable subject change. Weird. "He's okay. Claudia seems nice and all, and they're making me feel very welcome." That's a lie. I feel very alienated in this town. And afraid.

Afraid like I might see something else that makes no sense. Afraid like a cult of teenagers at my school. Afraid like a certain boy randomly taking an interest in me in said cult. But I don't say any of this. "That's good. Are the kids at your school nice? Do you like them?" Finally a question I can answer honestly. "Yes. They're very nice. I even made some new friends."

"That's great!" He cheers. I can't help but smile. My father has always been the positive types. He's one of those people that always sees the better side, that never lets simple things like Debbie downers ruin his day. That's what I love about him. He's also too nice. And he lets people like my mother walk all over him instead of saying what he feels. At the thought of my mother, my stomach twists and wrenches.

"I gotta go now, dad. I love you." I hang up quickly. It wasn't a very nice thing of me to do, but I don't want to snap at my father for bringing up sour memories. After all, it's not his fault. It's hard to talk to my mother. Utterly in a sour mood, I toss my cell in my drawer beside my bed. Then I turn on my TV and begin flipping through channels until I settle on an old rom-com. I fall asleep to the woes and laughter of Drew Barrymore.