Monsters in Suburbia

Chapter 1 Seth's Exhibition

"Higher!" Holly exclaimed.

"I'm loosing altitude!" I exchanged a smile with Holly as Axel hurried to my swing to begin pushing me again. "I can almost see our house from here." My heart fluttered as I swooped higher and higher, relishing in the feeling of the wind rushing through my hair.

"I can almost see Axel's relationship from here, but his inability to commit is blocking the way." Holly screamed as Axel pushed her off the swing with his well-defined muscly arms.

Holly clutched her arse as she staggered to her feet. She looked so cute and small from my vantage point, with her leia buns on top of her head and her jacket tied around her waist.

"What the heck Axel!" She wiped the dirt of her arse.

"I will fight you."

Holly rolled her eyes. "Everybody knows that you fill your biceps with pillows to make it look like muscle."

"Really?" Axel flexed and my eyes widened.

There was no denying that being a fitness coach at a gym, topped off with being born a Werewolf helped your physic.

"All I see is flab." She shrugged and folded her arms indignantly.

Axel then proceeded to lift up the hem of his shirt to show her his six-pack.

"Yeah whatever." She marched over to an idle merry-go-round.

"There is no point arguing with Holly." I said as I bent my legs on the way down and straightened them on the way up so I could get even higher.

"Is there ever a point?" Axel pushed me.

"Everybody relax." Seth appeared. "I have chips." He lifted the chips that were wrapped in baking paper up the way Simba was held up in the Lion King.

Everyone perked up and with the next swing I launched myself out of the seat and landed rather elegantly on my feet. By the time I made it to the table under the shade of an oak tree Holly and Axel were fighting like sea gulls over the hot chips.

"Stop it." Holly cradled her bundle of chips like it was a newborn baby.

I squeezed myself between them and Seth gave me a withering look.

"All set for the exhibition?" I plucked a chip from the pile on the table.

"Just about." Seth slid his glasses up onto his head so that they wouldn't get fogged up. "I might need some flyers."

"I can distribute them." It would be easy with wings.

"I'm designing them." Holly had already pulled out her phone, her silver glittered nails dancing over the screen.

"Some of the guys at the gym will be coming tomorrow." Axel reached over to take a chip and Holly's dark eyes flicked to him.

Seth dipped his head toward him in thanks. Seth had been waiting for his first exhibition since he had first picked up a paintbrush. He was a skilled painter, and an oddity in the warlock world for specialising in the uncommon practice of art in general. His paintings lined the interior of our house with a beautiful large oil painting of a sky flushed with rosy pinks and soft oranges over a beautiful aquamarine sea. He offered it to me free of charge but I said I wanted to pay. Such work shouldn't go unrewarded.

"How big?" Holly asked.

"A4 at the biggest, actually, make it A5."

"It's sent. Sera and I can pick them up after this." Holly sat down her phone and ate a chip.