Spirit Hunter

Chapter 2: Explanations, Evil Spirits, and Maybe Some Pie

After our run-in at the mall, I gave Al my number, told him to call me, and went home as soon as I could. I walked in while she was seeing if she had won the lottery with her ticket, but of course, no luck.

"Hey grandma. You buy a winner?" She shakes her head slowly. "Guess not. Where have you been? It's been 2 hours, and you said it would it only take one." I freeze. Do I want to tell her what happened? She would probably kill me for getting into trouble like that. I don't want to lie to her either, so I just say "Why don't we watch the news?" I grab the remote and turn to the news channel. "In other news, the local Chicago Mall has just recently been raided by a group of men dressed in Native American clothes." The other reporter jumps in. "Yes. Witnesses say that while they were ransacking, a teenage boy tried to make a run for it when stopped by one of the men. Nobody seems to remember what happened from there, but evidence would support that they left the money behind and ran for it. They are believed to still be at large. We highly recommend that--" Grandma turns off the TV. "So that's what happened. Quentin, I must ask you a question; those raiders, did they actually run off?" I don't know if she'll believe me about what actually happened, but I decided that I didn't want to lie to her anymore. "No, Grandma. They didn't run away. They..." I stop. "Go on." "When the man tried to stop me, I don't know what happened. Without thinking, I lunged away from his grasp, grabbed the arrow from behind him, and stabbed him in the chest. And then something even weirder happened: rather than falling down or backwards, he just stood there, staring at me. And then he went poof." She gives me a weird look. "He... 'poofed'? What does that even mean?" I sigh. "It means that he... turned into dust. The others, I'm not sure what happened, but they're still probably around. And pissed." She gives me hardened and very serious look. She doesn't say anything for a bit, but then: "Quentin, I have something to tell you. This is a secret and must never leave this house, okay?" I nod my head cautiously. "Good. Follow me."

She takes me to the kitchen and goes over by the coat hook. She pulls off the coat hook to reveal a key embedded in it, just enough so that the key could still be used without taking it out. She unlocks a door --one that I honestly have never seen before-- and walks down stairs, with me tagging along. What meets me is astounding: A room, just filled to the brim with weapons. Not a single gun though-- it was all daggers, swords, with bows and arrows, just like the ones I saw. "This is my armory; everything I need to protect myself. See, your parents and I... haven't been completely truthful with you. Not that we wanted to keep this from you, but... we had to for your own good." I'm usually not very good with bad news, so I just say "What have you been hiding from me? And protect yourself from what?" She takes a deep breath. "Why don't you take a seat, and I'll tell you a story. Long ago, about 500 years in fact, an immortal man named Kana'ti came to visit an old tribe that worshipped him, because he was the man who showed us how to hunt. He stayed for about two weeks in order to learn of the tribes ways. During his stay, he met a beautiful women who had been the one that showed him around and gotten him acquainted with them, and he fell in love. Soon, after he had left, she had given birth to a young boy. Although Kana'ti could not come back for 500 more years, he heard of his child and granted him long life; not quite immortal, but he made his son's life span much longer. Kanati's son, as it would turn out, was your Grandfather. Now, your grandfather isn't actually dead, he was taken by the same spirit that stole your parents." I have no clue what to say. It all sounds too crazy; having an immortal ancestor, spirits kidnapping people, attacking malls? I mean, who would believe that?... Then again, how else would you explain the mysterious arrow that found it's way into my car, or the fact that the guy I killed at the mall turned into dust. Maybe he was an evil spirit... "Now," she continues "The only way we're going to get them back is if we destroy the evil spirit letting the rest through into our world. That would be a Kalona Ayeliski , or the raven mocker. We think it's letting the other spirits in by eating the hearts of the sick as it normally does, but then uses the extra years of life it gains in a ritual to open a portal between us and the spirit world, letting other Kalonas and what not in. The only way we can--" I interrupt. "Okay, slow the hell down. What makes you think I want to go on some sort of spirit-killing road trip and risk my life?" She gives me a disappointed look, and I instantly change my mind. "Alright, fine. But I'm going to need to learn how to fight. Any ideas?" She stops for a second. Then she says "I have an idea, but we need to get you there stat. You need to go train with Kana'ti, at his cabin. However, he can only be on our world for another week and half, and then he'll go back to the home of the immortals for another 500 years." I nod in agreement. "2 questions: for one, where can I find this cabin?" "I have a map in my armory." "Question two: will you be coming with me?" She chuckles lightly and replies "No, I'm not built for that. That's why I'll be having you leave with some food, some water, and some weapons. Here, take your pick."  I look through the various weapons; daggers, bows, spears, blowguns, clubs, hatchets, and of course, a whole wall of quills filled with obsidian arrows. In fact, all of the weapons seem to be made of obsidian. "Hey, what's with all the obsidian?" "Hmm? Oh, the obsidian cuts through evil spirits like a hot knife through butter; no one quite knows why though." She replies. So I grab a quiver and a bow, a hatchet, and a dagger. Alright, where's the supplies?" "Actually I wanted to sit down and have some pie before you leave." So we had strawberry pie with cool whip, and then I was off. I'm gonna miss her, that I know. But from now on, it's business only. "Alright," I think. "Says here that Kanati's cabin is about 100 miles southeast. Better get driving." I get started, and when I get to the edge of town I'm interrupted by "Hey Q, wait up!" I look over and I see Al and Mara jogging towards me. "I thought you lived in Mid-Town?" "I do, but I'm actually going for a drive." I feel bad about lying to friends I had just met, but I didn't want to drag them into this mess. "Mind if we join? It'd give us a proper way to meet." Mara has a good point. But right when I'm about to tell them how long it is, we hear whooping and yelling. "Um, guys?" Al says. "Yeah?" "Doesn't that sound like the guys from earlier?" It does. I can't just leave them here, so I tell them to hop in and I drive off. Unfortunately, I can't just whisk them away, seeing as they're my age, so I ask them what time their parents' curfew is. "Huh?" They both look confused, so I elaborate. "What time do your parents want you home?" They look at each other and their faces drop. And then I realize; they don't have any. "Oh. You guys are orphans too?" My parents could be dead, it's not like I'm lying. I sure hope they're not. "Anyways, we'll stop at the next park. I gotta tell you guys something." I am not looking forward to this conversation.