Heredity

Chapter 9

Sophie's skin broke out in goosebumps as she raced  out the door. It was s safe town, boring enough for rumors and desperate enough for teens to drive the the next town over for fun. But Charlie wasn't old enough to be hanging around in the middle of the night. Maybe there were wild animals here. The family had a lot of property. So much that the driveway alone was long enough to make someone tired after walking it. She took a few steps into the blinding blackness and yelled.

"Charlie? You gotta come back buddy. I'm gonna lose my job. Which I get, is nothing compared to you losing your life, but let's stop either of those things and you come back in okay?"

From the corner of her vision shiny metallic dots glared in the distance. Instinct made her slowly walk backwards closer to the house. Predator. Her mind numbed. There was something out there. Primal and wild. Something out there where Charlie was alone and defenseless. She could feel it watching her and she fought the urge to run. She was in charge. Charlie was her responsibility. And if something happened to him the rumors would be as lethal as her mothers rage.

"Charlie!" She yelled louder trying to sound angry instead of frightened.

The hair on the back of her neck stood at attention and her mouth dried up. Something was lurking. Stalking. Its presence thick and it's stare demanding.

"You win Charlie. I'll take the loss. I'm creeped out here. I want to go in. Somethings out here. If I die I'm blaming you here."

Giggles rose above the blackened silence and she whipped her attention toward the door. Charlie stood in the doorway, inside the house his face lit up with mischievous joy.

"You scared me Charlie!" She ran toward the house and immediately shut the big door putting a barrier between her and whatever she was sure was lurking in the darkness.

"Were you outside?" She hugged the top of his head and steered him toward the hallway leading back to the room with overstuffed couches and bright lights.

Charlie's shirt was caked in dirt and a large grass stain was swiped across the front.

"Geesh kid. If you really want to see the outside I'll take you, Okay? Even in the day when you can appreciate it. I'll ask your mom and dad and we can go scope out a playground.  Don't sneak out anymore. It's dangerous and I for one don't want to be somethings late night snack."

Charlie laughed. Loud and melodious it danced around in her ears. It was an infectious happy sound  and soon she was doubled over laughing too.

From the doorway she heard someone clear their throat and she grabbed Charlie protectively shoving him behind her.

"I see you two have been enjoying yourselves."  It was Kelly Strogolian. Her words sounded pleasant but there was something about her that put Sophie on edge. A rippling tide of anger or annoyance so tangible Sophie felt it in her gut.

"I'm sorry. Are you early? I didn't see the time. And I wanted to thank you, for the food. So much food! We were just playing hide...."

Sophie's mouth stopped working and her body stilled. A heaviness washed over her so cumbersome it was as if she'd put herself miles below the sea. Words swam above but she couldn't quite understand them. Her vision, however, was perfect. Kelly stood in the archway looking at Charlie, her face a mask of anger.  Charlie stared back, defiantly with a Cheshire smile plastered on his face. His posture was stiff and he stepped out into the center of the room and crossed his arms.

Sophie's heart beat in double-time. She was sure she was having a stroke and no one was paying attention. She physically couldn't move. Her thoughts swirled and her breathing was ragged and fast. She was in a prison created by her own body and she couldn't break out.

"Relax Sophie."  Charlie's  voice clear and bright broke through. It sounded safe, and firm and somehow like it was coming from her own head. And, she realized instantly, it was right. Relax. It was the perfect idea. The drumming of her heart slowed and her muscles lightened.

"You can't think of yourself Charlie. It's your duty. If you can't handle your role I'm going to call Victor home."

Sophie's mind cleared. The feeling of submersion changing into the feeling of peace you get when you look at a calm rippling water. Charlie grabbed her hand and everything became crisp and clear.

Charlie sat on the couch and without thinking about it, her body sat next to him. She lifted her hand and put it on Charlie's shoulder. She was relieved, whatever kind of panic attack she had was relaxing, but something still tugged at her. The room felt tense and unstable and she didn't understand what was happening. Whatever it was had to do with Charlie's mom. She needed to fix this.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. Charlie shouldn't have went outside. He's just curious. It won't happen again. I'll be a better sitter. Or, you can fire me. But don't blame Charlie."

She wasn't even sure why she was taking the blame for the dumb sweet kid. But she knew she didn't want him to get into trouble.

Kelly popped from the other side of the room right into her face in an instant. Sophie held Charlie by the shoulder and pulled him closer instinctively. She tried to figure out the glitch. There was no way she crossed the room without actually moving.

"How did you.."

Kelly Strogolian bent down, her face mere inches from Sophie's. Sophie didn't move. They locked eyes and Sophie was unable to look away. Her eyes played tricks on her. She blinked to clear them but still they saw Mrs. Strogolian's  pupils shift and change shape.  The woman's face thinned and morphed. Wrinkles appeared and moved. The very structure of the woman's bones cracked and popped until nothing left resembled the beautiful smiling mother. Her ears grew longer and took on a cupped shape, the edge curling slightly toward Sophie.

Sophie could see it all, and none of it...locked into a stare with those dark Black hungry eyes. It couldn't be happening, it was remnants of the stroke or panic attack, she knew it wasn't real but her brain kept showing her the images. She clenched Charlie's shoulder tighter knowing it was too tight, knowing she'd hurt him but unable to stop herself.

Kelly's teeth narrowed and sharpened. Rows upon rows of endless teeth as sharp as nails and long like a wild animals.  Her nose burned with  a stench rising from the open tooth filled mouth. Ancient and sour the smell made Sophie's insides curl and twist painfully.

Sophie could hear the highway of her body's traveling blood echo in her ears so loud it was deafening. Her heart beat stayed slow and rhythmic but its whoosh and click so audible she wished it would stop even if it meant her death. Every molecule bumping and grinding in a volume that would rival standing at the speaker in a rock concert.

She couldn't lift her arms, blind by the pain of the endless sound and the changing worm like crawling of Kelly Stogolians eyes. Instead Sophie opened her mouth, and screamed.