What Walks Among Us (book one)

Strike 3

I couldn't even cry out with pain, because there was no air to make a noise with. I grabbed Mabel's ankle, and without thinking, I jerked it to the side. Which in hindsight wasn't my smartest move. Mabel gave a grunt as she came tumbling down, her elbow smacked my mouth and the rest of her body fell on me in a similar, clumsy manner.

I moaned, and shoved her off of me, turning over so that I was in a sort of push up position, but only my top half was off the ground, and I was propped up on my forearms. After a second on panicking, I was able to regain my breath. No sooner than my first real gulp of air graced my lungs, did Mabel kick me, right in the side. I fell over, and just continued rolling away from her.

I got to my feet and licked my lower lip, were I could feel the swollen throb, and the metalic taste of blood.

"What the hell, Mabel!?" I said, covering my hurt sight with my hand, applying pressure as if that would take away the pain.

I couldn't see her very well through the room, but I could see enough to watch her scramble to her feet and glare at me, breathing heavily, "oh get over yourself, Kodi. You deserve that, and much worse. And don't even try to flatter yourself, you were on the floor. It's like you were asking to be walked on."

Her sneer made my insides twist, the hurtful words were like a slap to the face... but what she didn't know is a slap to the face is something that compared to what could happen outside those walls is nothing. I knew I needed to get her to calm down, or one of the boys would come in, and that would be her third strike.

I dropped my hands into a pleading gesture, "Mabel, please can we just-"

I stopped talking, and instead ducked, covering my head, as she threw the bedside lamp towards me. It broke against the wall behind me, and I knew if I moved that I was certain to get glass in my feet. There was a noise on the other side of the wall, and I knew the guys were getting up, there were seconds before Mabel would be kicked out of the compound.

My heart was up in my throat, but with no brilliant ideas coming into mind, I sagged my shoulders. I couldn't always be there to save Mabel. Especially when she had this grand plan to maim and harm- even attempt to kill me at any second.

The door flew open, making me flinch as it hit the wall. I looked over to see Chester in the doorway assessing the situation, "Cody get Mabel the hell out of this room," He practically growled.

Cody stepped in behind Chester, he was naked from the waist up, and looked around the room. When he looked at me his eyes hardened and he marched over to Mabel.

"Don't hurt her," I said, unable to help myself.

Cody's shoulders tensed, but he didn't stop.

Chester walked over to me, giving me a frown, "Cupcake he would never hurt a lady, no matter how unsavory of a character they have," he said. He looked down at the mess of glass, frowning at my bare feet, "hold on," he said, and stepped into it with his slipper covered feet.

Chester lifted me up into a bridal style hold, and I watched Cody carry out a fighting Mabel. She was kicking and screaming, and causing a big ruckus, that I'm surprised Sam and Beck hadn't woken up to see what was the matter.

Chester carried me out of the room, and down the stairs. He didn't speak, and neither did I. We didn't need to, I knew this was her third strike. The light in the living room was turned on, and Cody dumped Mabel onto the couch, making sure not to hurt her in the process.

"Want to tell me what the hell just happened?" he said, his gloomy expression making even me a little scared.

Mabel glared, and I was set down on my feet, placed on the loveseat, not the couch. Chester took a step back and crossed his arms. I pulled my knees to my chest, and regretted it as my side ached, but there was no way I was about to just start telling them all that had happened. They would get mad, and Mabel would never learn to love me like a sister.