The Phantoms

chapter one

The last time I punched someone was over 6 months ago when my ex called me a whore in front of an entire party because he saw me flirting with another guy a few days after I broke up with him.I broke his nose,he went to the hospital,it was the main gossip for about a week then it blew over.No need for any adults to get involved.I like that version a whole lot better than the new one.
The one where I smash a cheerleader's cheek with my fist in front of the entire school.Then get suspended for a week and detention for 2 months.Needless to say there were plenty of adults involved.Principal,teachers and worst of all my mom.
My gum's going stale.I reach into my pocket and pop another one into my mouth without bothering to switch the stale one out.My foot taps against the ground impatiently.Where is she?
No sooner than I thought that, a shiny blue Mustang pulls up on the curb. I refrain from throwing my hands into the air in exasperated relief.Finally.
A salmon Brian Atwood heel clicks on the ground closely followed by another.The blonde queen pulls out of the car.She barely glances at me before she rounds over to the backseat.She's wearing her million dollar smile as she reaches for the door but it opens before she touches it.A brown head pops out .A boy about my age turns to face me.He smiles politely although his mud splattered boots tap restlessly against the pegs of my bench.I painfully stand trying to ignore the buzzing in my legs.You don't face the enemy on lower ground.And this guy showed up with my mother which definitely categorizes him under the enemy.
Mom casually flicks her fingers in the boy's direction."Lydia meet Fabien.Fabien this is my daughter Lydia."
I return his smile."Hi."
"Hi."
My mom leans against the car watching us amusedly.I mentally flash my middle finger at her."Well-"I start walking to the car."See ya."I slide into the passenger's seat.Mom doesn't join me ,instead turns to Fabien and says something I can't hear.I roll the window down.
"-sure you don't want me drop you off a bit further in?I wouldn't mind and I'm sure Lydia wouldn't either."
"Actually I would," I yell out the window.Rude but effective.
Mom turns and pins me with the
glare.Fabien shrugs."No she's right.You've kept her long enough because of me.Besides, I like walking."Mom opens her mouth to protest but he cuts her off."I insist.Thanks for everything."He winks at me like I hadn't just blown a decent ride for him then turns on his heel and walks away.Mom storms into her seat glaring at me."That wasn't funny."
"Who said it was?"
"This is the second time in this two weeks you've screwed things up for me.You do it one last time you're grounded for the rest of the week."
I wave her off, watching Fabien's retreating back ,a lot more interested in him than I was a minute ago.Something tells me he's not terribly sorry about not being stuck in a car with my mom for more time than he already has been.
The drive home is silent.Once the Mustang pulls past the iron gate I hop out,a list of things to do running through my mind.
Mom's voice stops me."Lydia."I grimace before turning to face her ,one hand on the door.Her face is unreadale."Just don't -don't spoil my engagement too okay?Stay out of the way."I feel my temper rear like a snake head and am barely able to tamp it down.Slamming the door with a lot more force than necessary ,I bare my teeth at the ground then traipse to the house.Our new house is huge ,a gothic Victorian competely unsuited to both my mother's and Carson's-my step- father- to-be's -tastes.It looks more like something I might buy on a passing whim.Carson says the house belonged to his parents so he kept it around for sentimental reasons.I think he's just allergic to any sort of change, but, whatever.The more my style the better.I unlock the door then slam it shut without bothering to wait for mom.The lights are already on all over the house even though both mom and Carson have been out of the house for the entire day.My insides grow cold.
The door cracks open and I have a moment to school my features into a blank slate before the blonde queen turns to face me."I see you got the lights.Good."I know what she's really thinking.I never get the lights.Even when I'm back from a party after everyone's asleep, I either blunder upstairs in complete darkness or simply pass out on the couch.
"Whatever,"I mutter loudly enough for her to hear ,then take off to my room before she can respond.I close the door behind me and collapse against it.The house is so silent,I can hear the seconds on my watch ticking.I close my eyes.Only a few more hours to go.A few more hours before I can leave and never look back.I reach under my bed for my black ,paint splattered,oversized bag.Inside the bag a couple hundred dollars sit secured with two white elastics, along with some other things that hold sentimental value.Dad's old leather bound journal.His favorite silver ring and his small hunting knife.Some of the comics he used to read.
Of course ,I'll also take the army jacket that I inherited.Except it won't be in my bag.I'll be wearing it.Reassured that everything is in it's place ,I lean the bag against a bed leg next to my sketchbook.
Waiting for the next few hours will be agony.
I might as well try and make it easier.I grab the sketchbook.It's already got a pencil lodged in it, so I can start right away.I consider drawing the house from a far angle but quickly dismiss the idea.When I first saw the house ,it had been a rainy day. Against the darkening sky with it's sharp black roofs and large windows,red from reflecting the lights it looked like something straight out of a vampire movie.
Needless to say I'd sketched it about a million times.
So instead I shape my picture into a face that has been in my thoughts throughout the day.My father's eyes,unforgettable because they are my own,sparkle at me from the pages.White teeth flash in a dazzling smile.
Although my face is my mother's pale,full lipped and heart shaped,people are always relating it to my father's.When I was younger ,I'd stare in the mirror for hours hoping to see what they did.But these days I'm noticing without looking.A mischevious smile has caught my eye in the mirror more than once.A familiar frown had made my eyes widen in recoginition.Once I'd been tugging at the ends of my curls and though I've been doing it for years the gesture had suddenly seemed all too familiar. I'd stopped immediately.
I finish the last stroke and hold the book up to admire my handiwork.Some of the angles look out of place since I don't remember the last time I've seen a picture of him.Mom tells everyone she's threw them all out, but I know she kept them.She never really got over him.
Voices float up the stairs , jerking me out of my thoughts.My eyes widen unbelievingly as I hear two pairs of footsteps coming up the stairs.They can't go to bed this early.I can't be this lucky.
No,not luck.Tomorrow's the engagement party.They need their beauty sleep.How could I forget?I bet they're even taking sleeping pills.
My watch clicks at 8 pm.As if following its instructions ,all the lights in the house go off.I wait a few minutes before hoisting my bag up my shoulder and walking to the door to open it.I look back at my disastrous room for the last time,grinning."Adios,"I whisper before locking the door.Hopefully it will buy me some time in the morning when Mom shows to wake me up for school.I put the keys under the doormat then take off down the stairs,my fingers dancing down the metal railings I won't ever see again.When I finally step out of the house I feel this mad urge to run down the streets whooping at the tops of my lungs.Instead I walk at a fast pace with this huge smile plastered across my face.I feel so fucking FREE.
I only stop once to take the knife out and strap it to my waist.I've just cleared the fifth block when a car swerves into the alley barely missing me.I jump away my eyes growing huge.The car stops.It's a black Bugati that looks like it cost some money, but I still back away slowly, my fingers on my knife.I can make out three figures through the windows,two boys and one girl.They look like they could be my age.Maybe if I back away real slow until I'm past the alley, then run like hell,they wouldn't see me.
The doors open almost at the same time and they step out panting and cursing.The girl is a short blonde that looks familiar.I think she works at the psyich's down our street.The driver's a blond too though I don't think I've ever seen him before.I glance at the third guy and tense.Fabien.They finally notice me and fall silent."What are you doing here?"Fabien gasps making me raise an eyebrow.He just got out of a car, yet he sounds like he's been in a marathon."Does it fucking matter?"The other dude growls ,stepping closer to me.Up close I see earrings in his left ear, though I can't really make them out in the darkness.My grip on my knife tightens."It doesn't,"I tell him." We can do this the easy way.You didn't see me I didn't see you."The girl lets out a hysterical giggle at my words."If only,"she chokes.A chill runs down my spine as it hits me.Something feels wrong, and it's not just these three.No sooner had I thought that ,a roar tears into the night air.The blonde gapes silently and points high above me.The guys' eyes follow her finger.Earrings boy curses.
I

slowly rotate on the spot.My eyes grow wide.
Only once in my life, I've seen something like it ,and it wasn't this huge.My first thought is that I hate it's masters.My second one was its coming for us.I dive to the side, knocking the blonde down with me.One enormous foot lands where she was a second ago.I hear her curse behind me.
The beast lowers its head down, so one large pale eye is level with us.I feel around for my knife which had slipped out of my hand when I saved Blondie's life.I feel her shift behind me, her knee digging into my back.She squeezes my upper arm as if trying to get my attention, but I'm too scared to turn my back on this thing.One of it's pale tentacles with its weird sucker like end moves towards us, making me wince.I know how those things feel against bare skin.
Suddenly a blinding light shines from the alley's entrance, catching everyone's attention.I use the opportunity to turn to blondie and motion to the car.She nods.We get up as silently as we can and creep towards the car.By the time the beast notices we're gone ,we've made it to the driver's door.It roars at us."The keys," I hiss at blondie."I don't have them."She hisses back.I curse then take my bag off to slam it against the window.It cracks.I chance a glance at the beast.It's running for us ,shaking the ground as it goes.Shit.
I hit the glass again and it shatters.I yank the lock up and shimmy into the passenger's seat.Blondie slips in after me, sighing in relief.The keys are in the ignition.
The beast dives at the exact moment the car shoots forward, missing us by a fraction.
I look back for the guys ,who are crouching behind a dustbin.In the mysterious light ,Fabien looks like he's smiling.
I turn to face blondie."So that's what was chasing you."
She snorts and makes a sharp turn at the exit ,almost colliding with the wall.I wince.The girl could use a few lessons in driving.
Yelps turn the street inside out and I whip my head around, relieved and intrgued that no one has come out of their houses to to see what all the noise was about.A sudden movement catches my eye through the review mirror.The guys.
"Stop the car!"I yell at blondie.She slows it down enough for them to catch up to us.I lean to the back and unlock the door.The beast lets out an earth shaking roar.
"What do we do now?"Fabien yells ,slamming the door behind him."How am I supposed to know?"Blondie screams at him.She turns her head."Evan?"Earrings boy lets out a strained laugh."I'm kind of occupied right now." "Eyes on the road!"I screech, before she can retort.She barely avoids hitting a mailbox.The thing's still after us.We're not going to lose it.
I close my eyes.
The last time I tried something like this, I passed out.But I'm older now. I've had a lot more practice.I reach into the void.Come on, I tell the creatures floating in it.Help me.Slowly they answer my call, piling on top of each other until they form what I need."What the-"The look on blondie's face is priceless. "Shit.Shit.Shit."The boys don't say anything.Blondie hits the brakes so suddenly, we're all thrown forward.My head smacks the windsheild."Thanks."I scowl at her ,while massaging my my temples.Nobody pays me any attention.
They're too busy staring at the mountain of bones steadily rising from the ground.
"Evan,"Fabien suddenly says in a warning tone."Right,"Evan answers distractedly.I figure he must have rolled the window down to get a better look at my creation.I grin.
It takes the beast a minute to realize the trap it has walked into, but its too late.Two massive skeletal hands wrap around its legs ,pulling it into the ground.It wiggles and roars, trying to get free, but only causing my hands to close tighter around its ankle.The feel of its slimy legs coats my palms, so do jolts of pain from all its thrashing.I drag it down and hold it until it goes limp.I feel a familiar tug in my gut.I don't need to check to know it's dead.
The pile of bones sink back into the ground, leaving the asphalt in front of us in a huge mess.Something warm tickles down my wrist.I turn my palms up .There's blood all over them.Whatever was in that slime wasn't healthy.But I already know that.I stare at the blood to avoid looking at blondie and the guys.I can feel their gazes burning holes through my head.They're don't look stupid.If they didn't already suspect they know now.
Without hesitating ,I barge out of the car and into the night."Wait!"Blondie yells after me.I don't look back.I start running ,cradling my hands protectively to my chest."Lydia!"Fabien bellows.I run as fast as I can, but not in the direction I want to.
Somehow in my exhausted state, I manage to lose the Bugati and find my way to the house.A couple of times I bump into walls I don't see until the last minute.There's a reason I don't do big stuff too much.The amount of energy it took to kill that thing is becoming apparent as my strength slowly ebbs away.Still I force myself to stay awake long enough to clean and sloppily bandage my hands.Then I creep back to my room.Mom and Carson sleep on peacefully, oblivious to the world.I stoop down to fetch the keys from under the mat ,and almost fall flat on my face.I slowly rise again using the wall as backup.Somehow ,I manage to unlock the door and slip under my blankets before fading away.