Middle School of Bones - A Mortal Instruments Story

Chapter 10

We had to take the bus since we didn't want to call Simon's mom again.

"Can't we just use your motorcycle?" I asked Jace as we waited at the bus stop.

Simon's eyes widened. "You have a motorcycle?"

"I told you," he said, ignoring Simon, "it's not my motorcycle. And it wouldn't fit us all unless you're okay with your friend dangling off the back."

"Oh. No motorcycle then," Simon said.

The bus was about as cool as the motorcycle, though, since we got to see a rat give birth. Simon wished he had his iPad with him to take pictures. Luke didn't live far away, so we reached his house in ten minutes.

I thought Jace coming in might make it harder to get answers, and he agreed to stay outside. Simon and I went up the steps on our own. I'd been to Luke's house enough that it was natural for me to just walk in, although I usually told him first. I pulled out Luke's spare key from where he kept it hidden beneath a tree root. 

"Luke?" I called as I opened the door. There wasn't any answer, and all the lights were off. It didn't look like he was here. I briefly wondered whether whatever had happened to my mom had happened to him, too, but his house looked the same as it always did. I was sure that if an intruder had come in, his towering stacks of books on every surface would not have been upright anymore.

Simon and I looked around the house. When we got to the guest bedroom, I found some clothes that I kept for when Luke babysat me. I changed into my own clothes and left my party outfit in the hamper. Already, I felt a bit better.

When I finished changing, I opened the door for Simon to come in. He sat on the floor against the bed.

"What are we going to do now?" he asked. I didn't know. I wanted Luke to be here to tell us where to go next. 

"Since I can't go home, I could probably go back with Jace," I said. "I might be able to find more clues, or something I remember my mom mentioning."

"You know you can stay with me, right?" Simon said. "I'm sure my mom would be fine letting you stay over until your mom's back."

His offer was sweet, but I shook my head. "That's the thing. I don't know if she'll come back if I wait." I bit my lips. Everything was so confusing, but I knew I couldn't hide until the problem fixed itself. I might be the only person who could help her. "The Shadowhunters are my only chance. I think it's too late to call the police. I mean, I saw a demon in my apartment building. I just think that-"

A door slammed over the end of my sentence.  My first thought was that it was Luke, but that was wrong. Luke never slammed the door, and the heavy footsteps I heard didn't make me think of him, either. Someone else was inside the house.

Two more sets of footsteps thudded across the floor. I looked at Simon. His eyes were wide. I signaled for him to be quiet.

"I love weapons," said someone. I heard the sound of metal and something being dragged across the floor.

"Isn't it cool how we're werewolves?" said another person.

"Yes," said a third person. I recognized that voice. It was Luke!

We heard some loud clangs as they stuffed weapons into a duffel bag. Then the front door banged open again, and it sounded like they were gone.

I could barely process what I'd heard. Was Luke a werewolf? And why did he have weapons? Luke had been the last grown-up I'd trusted, and he was evil. As soon as we were sure the house was empty, Simon and I ran outside to find Jace.