Wolfheart's Quest #1: The Alpha

Chapter 11

   Eunice shakes the hand of a random stranger who just saved her life called Sam. "Hi. I'm Eunice. You know, I could have easily handled myself back there." Sam smiles. "Yeah, I could see that. I thought I might just step in, just in case." "Right." Sam nudges the hump at their feet. "I think we should do something about him. Where does he live?" "On the next block. It should only take ten minutes to get there with a heavy load." All the other students quickly scatter, seeing the bully beat.
  Eunice and Sam heave the bully up and pretends that he's a friend who's injured. When they make it to his house, they lay Tom down. Sam steps up to the door and rings the doorbell. A lithe, young woman answers it. "Oh, hello, young kids. What can I do for you today?" Eunice takes it from there. "Ma'am, is this your son?" She motions to Tom. The woman gasps. "Why, yes, it is. Bring him in. What happened to him? Is he alright?" "Yes. He ran into a little accident at school today. He'll wake up after a while." "Oh, good. It was so nice of you kids to bring him home. Thank you so much. Do you want something? I have some cookies." Sam shakes his head. "No thanks. We need to get going. Our parents would be wondering where we are." Eunice winces at that word. "Ok. But I insist that you take some cookies with you." Despite their protests, the mother packs ten cookies each, and hand the packets to them. Once they're outside, Sam and Eunice look at each other and burst out laughing. "Would she do that if she knew that we're the reasons for her son's injuries?" That gives them more fits of laughter. Ten minutes later, they're finally finished laughing and wipe the the tears from their eyes. "Hey, Eunice, do you go to a youth group?" "Nope. I've only been in Orange for a day." "Ok. Well, I've got a youth group and I thought maybe you'd like to come?" Eunice thinks for a minute. "Ok. When is it?" "This Friday." "Ok. I'll talk to my uncle about it." "Would you like to hang out with me and some of the youth group tonight at MacDonald's? It'll be at 6:00." "Sure. I'll ask my uncle." With that, they part.
   When she gets to their tiny rented house, she finds Mordeci still at work. Eunice glances at her watch. He should be back in an hour. She gets a snack and settles on the rented couch. After her snack, she starts reading By Divine Right by Patrick W. Carr. (I also recommend those books. The series is The Darkwater Saga.) That book is actually a prequel, so by the time she finishes the book, Mordeci arrives. "Hey, sweetie. How was school? You didn't punch anyone again did you?" Eunice shifts uncomfortably. "Oh, yeah, school was fine. And, uh, no, I didn't punch anyone." She turns away and mumbles. "Hit someone with a stick, maybe, but no punching." "What was that?" "Oh, nothing." "That wasn't nothing. What was that?" Eunice starts to sweat. "Ummm, I was talking to myself. I made a new friend." Mordeci perks up. "Really? Is he a Christian?" Eunice shrugs. "I don't know. I think so. He invited me to a youth group this Friday. I said I would ask you." "Good girl. You can go if we haven't left by then." "Ummm. And he also said that him and some of his youth group friends are hanging out at McDonald's tonight at 6:00. Am I allowed to go? Please?" Eunice looks up at him with pleading eyes. Mordeci scratches his chin. "Hmmmmmm. I guess so. It might help us find the girl quicker. But be back here by 10:00!" Eunice hugs Mordeci. "Thank you! Thank you! Oh, thank you! I'll keep an eye out for the girl. I promise." Mordeci chuckles. "Regardless of how you've grown up, you're still a girl." Eunice freezes and looks at Mordeci. "What's that meant to mean?" "Well, um, it means nothing much. I wasn't even talking to you!" Mordeci stalks off.Sfhgt. Eunice snorts and starts on her homework.

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  "Hey, Eunice! Over here!" Eunice arrives at MacDonald's exactly at 6:00. Sam waves her over to a table crowded with teenagers. She takes a seat next to Sam. "Hi." Sam greets her and introduces his friends. "Eunice, these are Jorden, Jasmine, Dylan, Matthew, and Anna. Friends, this is Eunice." Jorden suddenly leans into Eunice's face. "Hey, aren't you the one who punched the school bully, Tom, and then challenged him to a duel and won?" Eunice's face reddens. "Um, maybe." Jasmine copies Jorden. Both of them having red hair, green eyes, and the same smile, they must be twins. "It is! Hello, honey! It's truly amazing to meet the one who made our school safe for students. Thank you so much for that!" Eunice looks down at her legs. "It's nothing. I just didn't like him very much." "Nothing!" Jorden screams. "Everyone in the school wanted him to taste his own medicine! It wasn't nothing, it was heroic! You're a famous hero, now!" Eunice doesn't reply. "The twins can be very dramatic." Whispers Sam. "I could tell. They must make people feel exposed a lot." Eunice whispers back. "Yep." The other kids say hi, then Sam stands up to take their orders. "Anyone have pen and paper?" Eunice puts her hand up. "I do!" She pulls up her handbag and rummages deep through it. She pulls out some rope, a book, matches, screwdriver, plyers, a little hammer, pocket knife, a phone, a notepad, tic tacs, phone charger, and a pen. She hands him the pen and paper. Matthew gawks at her. "Is that what you keep in your bag?" Eunice flicks her hair out of her face as she stuffs everything back in her bag. "Nope. That's only half the stuff in my bag." "What?!" Exclaims Dylan. "Who are you? Mary Poppins?" "Aren't knives illegal?" Asks Sam. Eunice shakes her head. "My uncle is an important person. He pulled some strings to make sure I'm not unarmed where I go." Sam looks at her weirdly. "Ook. What do you people want?" The twins jump up. "Oh, we want happy meals! They come with toys, fries, and everything!" Eunice laughs. "I want a happy meal, too. My uncle doesn't like going to MacDonald's, but I love it. I always get a happy meal." Everyone laughs with her and orders one as well. Anna sidles up to her. "So why are you and your uncle in Orange? Where are your parents?" Eunice looks down at her hands, embarrassed. "My parents died when I was little." She didn't bother saying how and why they died. Anna puts a hand over her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. What about Aphrodite? Where's she?" "It's alright. You didn't know. We're only here for a little while. And- wait, what? Who?" Anna gives her a confused look. "Your best friend!" "I don't have any friends." "Oh. Sorry. It's just that you look so much like someone I know." "Really? We're looking for a girl who looks like me. I don't suppose you think that that girl is the one I'm looking for?" The girls exchange glances. "Yeah, well, we know a girl who is almost exactly like you. It's most probable." Eunice is immediately interested. "Where is she? Does she go to your school?" Anna shakes her head. "She doesn't even live in Orange. She lives in a small town called Mudgee. It's a great town. It's a few hours from here. We met at a youth camp." Eunice sighs. Time to leave again.