ELEVEN
Opening the motel door, Dexter sat on my bed and hugged my pillow to his chest. 'You're back!' He cried, but didn't move.
'Yeah, I brought dinner.' I smiled, waving a brown paper bag in his face. 'Meat and vegetables.' I dropped a mini Mediterranean pizza in front of him and sat on his bed.
Quickly chewing through it, he asked between bites, 'Where'd you get this?'
I laughed quietly. 'Gas station down the street. When dad comes back I probably shouldn't be in the car when he fills it up.'
'The Pontiac firebird?'
'Yeah.' I nodded.
After a second he put the pizza down and said, 'Can you please tell me?'
I looked up. 'Tell you what?'
'Where dad goes! Please? No-one tells me anything.' He looked down, upset.
I sighed. 'Dexter...you tell anyone I told you this, and I'll end you.'
'Promise?' He asked sarcastically, smiling.
'The first thing you have to know, is that our dad, is a superhero. And that everything you heard about, all the monster stories and everything- they're true too.'
'Dad said the monster under my bed wasn't real.' He said.
'That's because he already checked.' I said.
'What about Santa?' He asked hopefully.
'No. Santa isn't real.'
His face fell.
'When dad goes hunting, he's hunting those creatures- to make us safe.' I said.
'Safe from what?' He whispered.
I bit my lip.
August 2013
I clenched my jaw. 'I never LIED to you.' I said quietly, angrily. 'I protected you like I was told.'
'Yeah, well dad's not here right now.' Dexter snapped.
'You don't think I know that? That's half the reason why I came to get you! So we could get him back before...' I cut off.
'I don't care what ulterior motives you have. Just tell me now, please. What the hell's up with you and the Crossroads Demon?' He asked quietly.
I sighed, and shutting the door behind me, I sat at the table in front of the closed laptop.
'Fine, OK? Fine. Look, I made a deal at the beginning of the year, that you and mum and dad, and everyone that was left, that you'd all be protected- no supernatural creature could harm you. It was driving me crazy, thinking you could be in danger.' I rubbed my face tiredly, careful of the stitches.
Dexter swallowed hard, and whispered, 'So what do you have to give in return?'
I looked up, meeting his green eyes with my own. 'I have a year left to live- for your eternal safety from supernatural creatures.'
