Under the Moonshine

Nineteen | Family

Emily rushed down from the stage, panic-stricken. Wilson blocked her way, his grip tight on her thin arm.

"Taren!" she called out again, eyes wide. "No, Taren!"

"Don't go near him!" Wilson whispered to her, dragging her to the far corner of the room. But Emily fought him off, peeling his hands off of her arm and ran toward Taren. "Emily! Come back here!"

"Taren, let him go."

He didn't move, eyes never leaving his prey. He was too angry at the moment that all he wanted was to avenge the death of Sebastian. His head started to prickle, the beating ache in the deepest core of his skull began to pound again. Taren could feel the madness within, resurfacing, as if the monster inside was just waiting for the perfect moment to present itself.

"Taren!" Emily yelled, a pleading in her voice, begging him to stop. She felt helpless, weak, drained, and she wanted nothing but to disappear and wait for someone to wake her up from that nightmare.

Her voice seeped through his ears, traveling with high velocity. Taren slowly looked up, finally meeting Emily's frightened eyes. But he couldn't stop himself, couldn't stop the virus invading his system, and the only choice he had was to give in.

Scorching groan escaped from Taren, as his body modified itself, fangs rapidly bloomed, his shoulders widened and he grew taller. He flailed his hand and slapped Peter, scratching his face with his sharp claws. His saliva melted in his mouth as he rose from the ground and flee, leaving Emily and some guests frozen behind.

- - - - -

"Do you want to give me some explanation, Emily?" Marietta asked her, a swirl of exhaustion and anxiety in her eyes.

She shook her head, eyes blank.

"Let her rest, mom," Bree chimed in.

The woman raised her hand in the air, as if letting them be, and walked out of the hotel room.

Emily was trying her best not to cry, her hands balled into fists with a gritted teeth.

Where is Taren? What the hell just happened?

She couldn't even begin to fathom that every single word Wilson had spoken was true. A part of her knew he was different, but not like what he'd turn himself into. Not like a monster. Not like a beast ready for a kill.

No. Not like a wolf-man.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek, the emotion too much to handle. She wanted to succumb into nothingness, or cry her heart out until death.

Bree handed her a hanky.

With a shaking hand, Emily took it and whispered her thanks.

"You're worried, aren't you?" she asked.

Emily wiped her tears, trying not to sob. "Worried?"

"What is he?"

"He's not a 'what'," Emily replied. "He's a 'who'."

Bree sat beside her on the bed, smoothing her dress, keeping her hands busy. "Do you want me to call someone? Your lawyer? Anyone who could make this situation okay."

"Why are you trying to help me, Bree?"

She shrugged her shoulder. "Because someone has to. Because that's what friends are supposed to do."

Emily looked at her, her chest tightening. "Really? You still see me as your friend?"

Bree said nothing, eyes locked on the hem of her dress.

"After what my mother did to your family, you still see me as a friend? After you and my boyfriend cheated on me, you still see yourself as a friend?"

A lump started to form in her throat, as she found herself entangled with everything she wanted nothing to do with. Emily hoped for nothing but to be with Max at home, as they console each other, and to know if Taren was safe.

"That's the thing, you know," Bree replied shaking her head. "It was your mom's fault. Not yours. But you make me feel like shit when you started to avoid me. I woke up one day and you're gone. You walked away. And all this time I was asking myself why did you just keep quiet and ignore me like we didn't know each other. I mean, come on, Em, I think I deserve an apology on behalf of your mom for what she did!"

Emily didn't see her rage coming. She froze, her eyes locked on hers.

"We were bestfriends!" she stood up and faced her. She was about to explode, and she knew it. "I just needed some shitty words of comfort from you back then. But guess what? It never happened. Because you'd rather cut your connection to me than face the trials. That's who you are, Emily. Whenever you can't see a way out, you turn your back and pretend nothing had ever happened."

She shook her head, tears on her eyes. "That's not true!"

"It is the truth."

Emily bit her lip and looked away, looking for the door to flee. But something stopped her, Bree's words attacking her head, making her realize that, yes, she was damn right.

Silence embraced the room, the stillness made them dizzy.

"I didn't sleep with your asshole ex-boyfriend," Bree said, her tone low but serious. "We were both drunk but I didn't sleep with him. It was actually Ruth. Go ask her. I just wasn't sure if she would tell you the truth."

Thick air clouded Emily's surrounding.

"Friendship isn't all about finding similarities. It's not going to be always laughs and giggles." Bree's eyes suddenly softened as she continued to look at Emily. "Real friendship is about forgiveness and acceptance. It's like me handing you a mirror to let you know how stupid you look. Not to insult you, but to let you know that I care."

Bree excused herself and left Emily alone in the hotel room, giving her the space and time she needed.

Emily let her body fell to the queen-sized bed, and she curled like a fetus, longing for a home she didn't know where to find.

Taren was gone.

Where did he go? That was a question that had been lurking in her head. She had a project in school that was due tomorrow and she got no idea how she would be able to focus. Questions rushed through her head, all were jumping in, desperate for answers that it literally drained her energy.

She reached for her pouch and fished out her cellphone, dialing the person she never thought she would call.

"Hello?" the other line asked, tone confused.

Emily blinked, gathering all the courage left in her. She pushed herself to say the word, a name she used to call her when she was little, a name she once knew would never fail her.

"Mom?"

Silence zoomed in on them, only the ticking of the clock could be heard.

"Yes, Emily?" Olivia replied, a sudden concern in her voice.

A sob escaped her mouth, because no matter how hard she tried to compose herself like what her mother used to do, tears still invaded her.

"Mom..." she called out again and whispered, "I need you."

Olivia took a deepbreath. "I'm here, sweetheart. I am here."