Or I'll Kill You

Or I'll Kill You Ch. 4

Four

We were running for six hours before someone finally complained. Teresa tapped my neck with her plump hands. "I'm tired," She groaned, as she buried her nose into my neck of fur. Okay, let's stop, I said to everyone in my head.

How far do you think we got? Jesse asked.

Who knows? I answered, let's just let the ones who don't change down while we all change.

Everyone agreed, and we stopped. Teresa clutched my fur tightly, and I had a feeling she fell asleep. Jesse, could you pull her off of me? I grumbled.

Jesse quickly turned into his mortal form, pulled on a pair of jeans, and walked over to me. Around me, my family started changing, and pulling on old clothes. Jesse scooped Teresa into his arms, and held her close to his chest.

I morphed, and let out a deep sigh. "Where should we go?" Jesse asked.

"Let's get out of the woods," I answered, "Maybe we could find a house to fit all of us."

I pulled on the old pair of Jesse's jeans that I found, and the black t-shirt. I held out my arms, and Jesse passed Teresa to me. "Let's go," I told everyone, "Grab a young one, and let's get moving."

Everyone picked up one smaller than them, except for mom of course, and we headed for the street. "Looks like we're going to have to walk," I told everyone, as we reached the street.

"We were running pretty close to street," Jesse commented.

"Oh well," Afton said, "Let's go, we have a long way ahead of us."

"We can't hitch hike?" Jade complained.

"Yes, because someone is going to pick up about 20 or more people, who have no clue where they are going," I commented.

Jade shrugged, used to my rude comments by now. "I think we should build another place," I muttered, "First will stay in a small place till it's built, but I think the place should be away from the woods, but near it also."

"I agree," Jesse said, "Just in case if we need to run into the forest fast."

"Okay, but we need to find a place to stay first," I murmured, looking around.

We walked another two hours, trying to find an affordable and nice place to stay. Most of the family was dead on their feet. Some were weak from running all day, and then having to carry one of the younger ones, while the younger ones were already asleep, and dreaming. The only ones wide awake, and making decisions were Jesse, Afton, and I. Jesse agreed with anything I suggested, while Afton argued with everything I said. He would say that he was the eldest, so he should chose where we lived. I'm sure when he built our new house, he would also make his room the biggest, like he did in the loft.

"How about here," I suggested. It was small for all of us to fit in, but it was just a house. No one would become suspicious, or want to sell us Girl Scout cookies out here.

"Sure," Jesse said, and then we both looked over at Afton.

"Come on Afton," Daye groaned, "We're getting tired, and you're making this difficult for all of us."

"Well...." Afton said in a high voice.

Everyone started to groan, and yell at him. "How about this," I said in a loud voice, loud enough that it made Teresa stir in my arms. "Afton, you and your family can have your own room."

Afton looked at me with shock. "Are...are you serious?" He asked.

I shrugged, "We'll make room for everyone, but it's too late at night. Everyone is tired, and getting annoyed. So, if that's what it comes down to, then fine."

Afton rubbed his chin, and looked at the house, and then back at me. "Fine," He grumbled, and started towards the house.

"Thank you," I sighed.

I kicked the RENT sign down, and followed everyone into the house. There were six rooms. Yes, this is what we called a small house. Plus there was a living room, kitchen, and a dining room. "How will we sort out the rooms?" Jade asked, as she looked up at me.

I bit down hard on my lip. "Everyone just rest in the living room for a second, and I'm going to check out all of the rooms," I told them, as I handed the sleeping Teresa over to Jesse. No one objected with this, so I ran up the stairs. I looked at each room, and decided who would go where.

After awhile, I jogged back down the stairs. "Alright, this is how it's going to be," I said, "If you object, please let me know. Some people can stay in the living room if you don't like the room situations. I'm pretty sure this is a pull out couch."

I looked around at everyone. "Does anyone object?" I asked, and for once no one did. "Good, we're going to split the rooms mostly by families."

"What if we don't have families?" My small cousin Ginger whispered.

"We'll also put families together," I explained.

"Well then go ahead," Afton grumbled.

"Okay," I said, "Afton, Daye, and Jade will be in the far room at the end of the hall. You can go up now."

"Night guys," Daye said, and as she passed me, she kissed my forehead.

"Me, my mom, Otto, Teresa, Jesse, and Ginger, will be in the room next to Afton," I said, "Night guys."

My mom touched my cheek with her cold hands before she went upstairs, and Jesse gave me a kiss own my forehead before walking upstairs too.

"The room across from us will go too Ian, Paisley, Aaron, Lane, and Easton, and Ebony will room with them," I continued, "then the next room will go to Warren, Concetta, and Rose along with Mace, Talib, and Taylor."

One after another, they all went upstairs. "Then Ida, Jasmine, Olivia, Roger, and Abril, and Reed" I said, "And the last room will go to those remaining, Leila, PJ, Gage, Georgia, Nassir, and Mackenzie Jr."

Then I was left alone in the living room. "If anyone wants to sleep in the living room, be my guest," I called, but no one answered. I was pretty sure they were all asleep by now.

I walked up the stairs, hardly able to carry my own weight, and into my new room. The few things we had were in a bag by my mom's bed. My mom was sleeping on the bed, with Teresa and Ginger, snuggled into her. Jesse was on a blanket on the floor with Otto huddled into his side.

I felt bad for the ones without their parents here. The ones without their parents were most likely changed by one of us. No one really remembers who changed them, and the ones who changed them never mention it, but we all consider ourselves one big family, but it doesn't really matter.

Ginger was the one who took it the hardest though. She always told me that she loved her mom with all her heart, and missed her terribly. My mom was the one who changed Ginger. I knew that for a fact. We found Ginger when she was about 2 or 3, almost frozen on the sidewalk, there was nothing to do except change her.

Poor little Ginger never got to see her mother again, but not because she was changed, but because her mother abandoned her. Ginger didn't understand it, but that's what her mother did. No more camping in the woods with her or making shadow puppets before bed.

I walked over to Jesse and Otto, and picked Otto up. He murmured useless words in his sleep, so I ignored them. I lay down on the blanket next to Jesse, and snuggled up close to him. My hair was pressed against his face, and I could feel him kiss my hair. "I thought you were asleep," I whispered, as I pulled Otto close to me.

"There's no other way to get the kid to sleep then pretending you're asleep yourself," Jesse explained, "But you know that."

I turned my head around to face him.

"Do you remember who changed you?" I whispered, my nose almost touching his.

"I believe it was a very pretty girl, who saved me from my misery," Jesse whispered, "And with her I will forever be attached."

"Well excuse me for barging into your love life," I joked, with a smile.

"Maeve, that pretty girl is you," He whispered.

"I know," I responded, "But do you remember anything that happened that night?"