The Sound of Their Presence

Chapter Twenty Nine: Mission Success . . . Well, Sort Of

Shane's POV

    Aunt Jillian barges in, practically hurling herself through the front hospital doors. She frantically spins around, her eyes darting, before she sees me, still in the hospital bed. Well, in the bed is inaccurate. I am half in the hard bed, half lain out on the concrete head.

     "What are you doing? You can't escape like that!" Jill suppresses a laugh. "Have you learned anything?" She teases.

    "Yes, I have as a mater of fact. Basement hospital room floors are not comfortable on necks at this demonstrated angle." This time, Jillian fails to suppress a fit of giggles.

    "God, I should not be encouraging you!" she claims, slapping her leg in uncontrollable laughter. Is the military leader who allowed her honorable discharge from the military certain she doesn't belong in a mental institution.

    "Whatever floats your boat. But what you should be doing is helping me got off the floor." At the precise moment I finish my demand, my legs decide of their own accord to have a muscle spasm, so that they fall of the sterile. surface. So I am now upside down on the floor, head first. Jilllian just can't resist laughing even harder at this.

    After I giver her an inquiring raised eyebrow, she assists me to my feet. How embarrassing a handful of days it has been! Suddenly, she drops me onto the bed and starts to explain that we are leaving the country. "Where do you want to go?" she asks.

----------------------------------------

    We meet Chyenne in the woods, and Jillian has already had most of my clothing and most prized possessions packed. Cheyenne's Ipod remains in the dock attached to the music system for the sunlight colored Lamborghini. So many emotions overcome me when I see her.

    See Cheyenne. The one girl . . . glaring at me? She doesn't see me for ages and goes through a car accident, and she glares at me?

    I see only one way to deal with the situation.

"

Ever since I could remember,

Everything inside of me,

Just wanted to fit in (oh oh oh oh)

I was never one for pretenders,

Everything I tried to be,

Just wouldn't settle in (oh oh oh oh)

If I told you what I was,

Would you turn your back on me?

And if I seem dangerous,

Would you be scared?

I get the feeling just because,

Everything I touch isn't dark enough

If this problem lies in me

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,

I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.

A monster, a monster,

I've turned into a monster,

A monster, a monster,

And it keeps getting stronger.

Can I clear my conscience,

If I'm different from the rest,

Do I have to run and hide? (oh oh oh oh)

I never said that I want this,

This burden came to me,

And it's made it's home inside (oh oh oh oh)

If I told you what I was,

Would you turn your back on me?

And if I seem dangerous,

Would you be scared?

I get the feeling just because,

Everything I touch isn't dark enough

If this problem lies in me

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,

I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.

A monster, a monster,

I've turned into a monster,

A monster, a monster,

And it keeps getting stronger.

I'm only a man with a candle to guide me,

I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me.

A monster, a monster,

I've turned into a monster,

A monster, a monster,

And it keeps getting stronger."

   And fortunately, Jillian sings back up for me. Best aunt ever! Even if she is my only aunt.

    This song gets Cheyenne to raise one dark eyebrow at me. "Where have you been?" She asks, coldly. "I lay in the hospital- again- and you say nothing to me?" Her voice rises, and I see rage and fury like no other escalating on her sharp features.

    "I tried!"

    "Oh, right. I forgot, you are mama's perfect little boy!" Aunt Jillian looks at me and whistles. Although she is my mother's sister, she is only in her early twenties. Barely older than Cheyenne and myself.

    "If either of you are coming to Paris with me, I will be waiting in the car." She gives a humf as she attempts to stomp off in the snow, making slightly crunching noises with each graceful stride.

    I look at Aunt Jill. "WHat is her problem?" I ask, as Cheyenne slams the backseat door shut.

    "I don't know, but-"

    "Is she PMSing?!?!" I cut her off.

    "Really? That is your best guess?" Jill asks me. "Ask her about the red stallion that crashed us, later, if she ever decides to talk to you again. She has her reasons." And with that, I am left alone in the frigid cold. Women! I swear . . .

    When I finally open the door to the backseats to get in with Cheyenne, she stretches out her legs, so that I can't sit with her. I slam the door and climb into the front passenger seat, feeling nauseated and exhausted.

   "Careful! This baby was not cheap!" Jillian shreiks at me.

    "You didn't even pay for it! You stole-"

    "No wonder Cheyenne is mad at you!" Jillian giggles a bit. Cheyenne rolls over at this, burying her head in the leather seats behind me.

----------------------------

    After we are on the road for about three hours, driving towards an out of state airport, I realize that Aunt Jillian is driving way below the speed limit.

    "Are you drunk?" I attempt to calmly ask.

    "Are you high?" Jill retorts. I roll my eyes as she bobs her head up and down rapidly, swerving the Lamborgini a bit too much to the right of the highway.

    "How much did you drink?" This is so much unlike her.

    "Your mom gave me this really big bottle before I was taking Cheyenne away- Just after I got back-"

    "WHAT?!?!"

     "Shut it a minute, boy!" she nearly goes into a giggling fit. "It turned out to be tequila, not water," and she begins to cackle with laughter.

    "You took Cheyenne while you were drunk. And you didn't even tell me she was at my house?!" I hiss, seething. I almost hear my tone drip with venom. "Pull this d*mn tcar over. NOW!"

    I make Jill let me drive. Women! Like I said. And even Imagine Dragon's MOnster didn't help.