Moon Muted

Chapter Three

*Jeremiah*

It's been a week since we discovered that jacket and all that's come from it is a news report about it. No word of who it belonged to, or if that person is even still alive. I've spent almost all of that time researching what it could've been. Since Natalie and Halley said it was humanoid but not quite human, it's significantly less difficult than if I didn't know that.

Most of what I found was about Bigfoot or the Mothman, but considering Mothman has only been seen in West Virginia I completely marked it off the list of possibilities. Bigfoot is completely off, too. He's never been reported to be seen with claws of any kind. And something ripped that jacket apart, probably along with the person wearing it.

"Hey, Jay," mom called through my door. "You haven't been out of there since yesterday... do you want to talk about it?"

I pushed away from my desk and closed my laptop. She's right, I haven't been out of here since noon yesterday. Unless it was absolutely necessary. I don't know why I hid away in here. It was cluttered and the floor was a mess, worse than my desk actually.

It seemed that every time I came close to an answer it disappeared from right in front of me. At this point, I wanted to give up. Throw in the towel. Quitting seemed like the best option.

I heard my mom walk away and then I got a phone call.

"Jay, you're never going to believe this," Halley' s voice rang through the phone.

"Yes, he will." They must be at Nat's and Nathan's house.

"Shut up, Nathan." A short pause filled the air. "I found something and I think it may have to do with the murders."

"What did you find?" I yawned and hobbled over to my closet to find some fresh clothes. I didn't plan on leaving the house but I thought it would help clear my head. Even if Halley was about to bombard my thoughts with what she found.

"A couple of websites and books about supernatural beings. Some say it could be a wendigo, those creepy things that used to be people but then they ate human flesh for so long that they became one," they said. "Others said it could have been some kind of demon. And I found one that said it could be something else, though it never gave a name for it."

"Well," I said as I tugged on a pair of sweatpants. "What did it say about it?"

"Just that it has an overabundance of strength and that it's incredibly elusive. The author said that there was no way of catching it on camera or even seeing it before it's gone," Halley explained.

"So, there's no proof of it actually existing," Nathan added. "And can I ask why we're still investigating this?"

"Because I want to find out what happened and Halley seems to feel the same way," I said. I could almost feel Nathan rolling his eyes. "How about later we all meet somewhere and talk about it?"

"Great idea," Halley said. "How about the diner?"

"Perfect." And now I'll have to shower and change clothes. Right after putting on the most comfortable pair of sweatpants I own.

I pressed the end call button and got ready to go.

☆☆☆

The diner was somehow still cold. It seems that every time I walk in it gets just a tad colder; maybe they left the air conditioning to Jeanette again. She always kept the temperature incredibly low, despite all the complaints that it brought up.

I spotted Halley and the twins, sitting in a corner booth and drinking milkshakes. "I see you guys ordered without me," I teased. I sat beside Nathan and across from Halley.