Touched by the Fear

[17]

The clicking of keys on the keyboard were muted by the music that flowed through the headphones. An idea for a short story had formed in Hollis's head after she spent the better part of the morning looking through the pictures she had taken the night before. It was haunting, just like she had wanted it to be but beautiful in its own twisted way. It was a dark story about fate and how it watched over everyone. The last picture she had taken was just as haunting, a perfect match to the story. As she looked at the overview of Beacon Hills from the top of the Preserve with its twinkling lights and autumn colors against the darkening sky, she knew that it had been worth it.

With one eye on the photo, Hollis typed quickly. She was inspired and determined to finish this. The sooner she completed it, the sooner she would be able to turn it in. The excitement bubbled within her, ready to boil over at any given moment. It was that energy that forced her to keep going, to power through it and return later to edit it...if she didn't hate the final outcome.

As she typed up the last paragraph, the door to her room opened. But she was too busy typing to notice someone enter until one ear bud was tugged out of her ear. Hollis glanced up as if burned, and a soft laugh escaped her lips at the sight of her dad.

"You scared me!" she said, pausing her music. "What's up?"

Grant smiled down at her although a hint of anger for the previous night resonated in his face. "I wanted to talk. About last night."

Hollis sighed, knowing this conversation would come up at some point. Her dad had been too angry and worried last night to talk. She didn't blame him, although she had no idea her car would break down. Still, going to the Preserve and walking through the forest alone in the dark was stupid. She knew that now but, with a side-glance at the picture, didn't regret it for a minute.

"Sheriff Stilinksi called last night. He told me your car had broken down but that he would take care of getting it to the mechanic." Grant crossed and uncrossed his arms before he made a move to sit at the edge of the bed. "I wish you had called to let me know, though. I was worried sick when I heard his voice. I-I didn't know what happened to you in the first few seconds of that phone call. I-"

"I know, dad," Hollis intervened. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it through. But, I mean, the car had been acting up for the last few days and," she paused, shrugging. "I didn't think it would just not work, you know?"

Grant nodded as if he understood but sighed. "But I told you not to risk it, Hollis. If it had happened during the day, then fine. I'm mad because it was late, and you were out by yourself with a wild animal on the loose." He ran his hand through his hair and threw a look her way. "It's a good thing Stiles showed up when he did."

"Yeah," she said. "He's a good friend." Seeing the smile on his face, Hollis rolled her eyes in response.

With a chuckle, he nodded towards the laptop. "What are you working on?"

"It's for school," she stated. His silence told her to explain further, and she threw a sideway glance at her unfinished work. "It's actually something that I'm submitting for the school magazine. It's nothing really but...I don't know." She shrugged as a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Can I see it?" Grant asked, trying to catch a glimpse of it. But before he could see anything, Hollis closed the laptop halfway. He shook his head at her secrecy. "Well, I'll let you get back to whatever it is you're doing."

She watched him get up and head towards the door. "Oh, how's the car?"

Gant turned at the door. "It's being checked out right now. The mechanic said he'd call when it's fixed...properly this time."