Find Me

Chapter Two

        I knew what I had to do. My parents were government officials by extension of being on the Council and they feared something like this might happen. But not by Hunters. It was a miracle none of the hostages had become food yet. I hoped my parents weren't some of the unlucky ones in that building.

        "I have to get home," I told Henry. "My parents will be waiting for me there if they're safe and I need to get to them." I hoped the panic wasn't reaching my voice. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent my parents our code text. Their reply came almost instantaneously much to my relief, but it asked for me to get to them as soon as possible. Henry gave me a concerned look but sighed when he saw my resolve. He glanced at Mandy and then Peter and then back at me.

       "He'll take care of her, so I'll take care of you," He relented. His hesitance wasn't insulting, but rather comforting in the moment. Henry knew it was risky, so he had a good head on his shoulders, but he wasn't going to let me go alone, so he had a good heart, too. We consulted with Peter quickly; he was going to sit it out with Mandy in the bowling alley. She had started shaking slightly. For adventurous as I knew she was, I also knew she had her fears. Peter reached for my phone.

        "I should have given this to you as soon as I realized you and Mandy are soul sisters, but here's my number. Please let us know as soon as you're safe." I nodded and turned back to Henry. He made a half grimace half smile, and we headed out. The dark had already settled onto the city, making me more uneasy.

        "What do you think they meant by 'them?'" He asked. I just shook my head signalling I didn't know. I didn't feel much like talking about it, especially since I didn't already have the answers. I hated not knowing. Henry reached for my hand and I gave him a questioning look. "I'll feel better taking you home if I know I can't lose you." I hesitantly took his hand.

        He tried to make some side chatter to distract me, but I was hyper-aware of the streets around me and zoned out. Every road was absolutely deserted. Hunters were still beings, but no one trusted them from going completely berserk. It had been sixty- three years since the treaty had been signed, and only forty-eight since the first Hunters made their appearance. No one knows why they only started becoming feral after WWIII because, even though the mystical species were in hiding, a few humans knew and mated with them. Vampires, humans, and werewolves alike claimed they lived in peace with Hunters as long as they contained their thirst but general disrespect for Hunters made it obvious no one was serious about it. Hunters were feared, unemployed, homeless, rogue, and always thirsty.

Stop.

The thought stopped me in my tracks right before the next street. Something was wrong; my instincts were going haywire.

"Henry," I whispered. He didn't stop, but rather kept pulling me forward. "Henry!" I pulled back. He pivoted and gave me a weird look.

"I'm taking you home, right?" The pit in my stomach was growing rapidly.

"No, something's wrong." He was curious now, but more cautious as well. Gradually, we heard voices around the corner. It was impossible to make out what they were saying, but they sounded carefree. Didn't they know there was a Hunter attack? Henry peered around the building.

"Aw, crap," he muttered, "Hunters." We pushed closer to the wall. There was no guarantee they were the same ones from the attack, or that they even wanted any sort of kerfuffle with us, but they were such a wild card. As the sounds got closer, I found myself holding my breath.

The first one to come into view I didn't recognize. Shorter and stockier, but generally unremarkable. The next two were leaner, but they couldn't have been more than fourteen. I never knew they could turn so young. It hurt me; I wished there was a way I could help them go back.