The Daylighter Apprentice

Chapter 4 - Trying To Find Signal In This Town Is A Bitch

"You're still alive then?" I reach the main road just after 7 and whip around as I hear a familiar voice. Vera is sat on her porch, still knitting but wrapped in a shawl.

"I think so, ma'am." I reply, under the impression that calling her Vera would be impolite.

"Surprising. The trapdoor spider usually never lets his visitors go." The woman counters, never taking her eyes off of me. I shift uncomfortably under her gaze and wish Morgan would hurry up with the car.

"Well I must be lucky then." I smile. The woman stops knitting briefly and turns her head slightly towards the house.

"Harold? The boy's back. The blonde one that came by yesterday." Footsteps echo from inside their house and the man that had wished me luck yesterday strides out, smile plastered to his face.

"Hello! It's nice to see you again. How did yesterday go?" Harold asks, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"It went great. I got the job. Thank you for asking, sir." I say happily but Harold just laughs.

"Please, call me Harold. Sir is too formal these days."

"Thank you, Harold." I correct myself. "It's just my mum bought me up to say sir and ma'am when I don't know the person I'm talking to." I admit, running the toe of my trainer along the pavement.

"Well that's a breath of fresh air to hear. Most youths will disrespect their elders but at least you were bought up correctly. Say, what is your name?"

"Dominic. But most people call me Dom. I don't mind either." I smile, spotting headlights in the distance and hoping it's Morgan.

"Well, I'm glad everything went OK for you. Don't listen to the rumours about the trapdoor spider. He's never caused anyone any trouble and I'm sure you'll get on fine." Harold smiles and just at that point, Morgan pulls up alongside me.

"Well thank you both and I'll see you sometime soon I expect." I wave a small goodbye before heading round to the passenger side.

"More than likely. Take care Dominic." Harold calls just as I close the car door behind me.

"Who are they?" Morgan asks, turning onto the main road that leads us straight across town and back home.

"Oh, they're Vera and Harold. Vera warned me of the dangers of the trapdoor spider and Harold told me everything will be fine and that his wife is overreacting." I chuckle, watching as the town blurs past the window.

"Mixed signals much?" Morgan laughs too, crossing over a green light just before it turns red.

"Yeah, well he's not all that bad. The trapdoor spider, I mean." I say and Morgan hums.

"I suppose you're still alive so I'll have to take your word for that. But the second he lays a finger on you, his bloodsucker ass is dead." His hands tighten around the steering wheel as he turns onto our road.

I decide to leave out that Matthew had already had me by the throat against the wall.

We continue the journey in silence and as I unlock the front door for both of us, a black cat slinks past my ankles.

"Please tell me there's not witches in this town too?" I hiss and Morgan hoots with laughter.

"What makes you think that?"

"The black cat that just scared the shit out of me"

"Oh. That's Eloise's cat. She lives next door but her cat lives here 99% of the time." Closing the door behind us, we drop our keys in the bowl and head into the kitchen where Tom is stirring a pan full of chilli. He looks round, stops stirring and motions to the kitchen table.