The Phantoms

Chapter 4

Turns out Earrings boy is a douche bag.
I'm not particularly suprised about it since he seems like the type but that doesn't stop me from being mad.
The number he left me?It's not really his.It's his sister Gail's.Yeah,Gail.The girl I faced down a giant muttated beast with then embarrased in front of the entire school.I don't think I've ever had a more akward conversation in my life.
Right now I'm headed for Pump,the only fast food joint in town,my dad's old hunting knife strapped to my waist,a backpack slung over my shoulder. Despite my new discovery of Earrings boy's douchebaggery I've agreed to meet him and Gail at Pump so we can figure out what the hell that beast was about.How to throw the hunters of our trail.
The hunters.Who hunt my kind for no plausible reason.Who are the reason I don't have my father anymore.
We don't know where our powers come from.Why we are hunted for them.My kind don't know anything,really and not for lack of trying.How many hunters have I searched,tortured,tricked and followed trying to get a single piece of information out of it? All for nothing in the end.
And they call us the phantoms.
They're the phantoms,the creatures that await in the dark,the nightmares my father spent seven years of my life preparing me for.Before he was shot in the stomach with his own gun.The memory floats into my mind,my father's open eyes staring into space,Lauren's screams before they were silenced with another bang.
Hatred rises in me,as strong as it was the day my dad died in front of my eyes and I watched his killers laugh,clapping each other's shoulders congratulatingly.The kind of hatred that eats you from inside out,that keeps you alive and kills you at the same time.
When I reach Pump I approach from the side,giving myself time for second thoughts.I've had many misgivings about agreeing to meet up the moment Gail hung up the phone,in case it was a trap.The fact that it's a usually crowded place didn't convince me since I doubt hunters will care about killing a couple innocents as long as they get what they want.So I'd looked for Gail and Fabien on social media.Nothing.
That obviously didn't help ease my suspicions.So I'd asked around about Gail and her brother at school.No one really seemed to want to talk about them which is why I still don't know Earrings boy's name but I did gather a few facts.They moved into Ebony two years ago. Their dad is the social type.Gail's good at sports.
For further proof,I'd snuck into the school's record room to check.Gail did get a lot of trophies for sports in her first year here.I checked one or two for forgeries,comparing the weight and color with the others.
So far,no evidence that I'm being set up.
I walk into the undisappointingly crowded building,spotting them easily.They're near the windows,Gail and Fabien facing the door while Earrings boy's back is to it "Calm down Evan,"Fabien was saying to Earrings boy.I slide in next to him.
"Suprised to see you here,"I tell Fabien,while digging the end of a bright yellow pen into Earring boy-Evan's thigh.His hisses.I dig it in deeper under the cover of the table,hoping it leaves a stain.
Gail who has been glaring at the window scarily from the moment I sat down turns her head to give me a cold look.Then goes back to slowly killing the window with her eyes.
So no forgiveness there.
"Suprised to see you here,"he replies just as casually."Didn't think you'd show."
I nod,waving a waitress over from the sides."Double cheese burger."I order,eagerly."With a coke." She nods and leaves us. I turn back to the table.Evan leans forward,his posture no longer relaxed and cool.I can tell he's getting ready to breach the topic of why we're here.I tense too,my hand feeling the small knife's hilt through the thin layer of my purple tank top.Fabien sits up straighter.Gail's gaze leaves the window.
"We need to find their portal,"Evan says,eyes locking with his sister's. "They use it to get here. It's our best shot at knowing more."
It sounded like the continuation of a previous arguement. Maybe that's what they were talking about before I came in.
Fabien closes his eyes."There is no fucking way we can-"
"Find it." I finish for him.I smile humorlessly."Believe me I've tried." For nine years. The portal's existence was the only clue my father and Lauren had about the hunters' world. The only way they knew that they weren't from ours.
Gail's eyes flicker up to mine for a second.The hesitance in them makes me perk up. "Wait do you guys know anything about it?"
Gail looks away at once giving me all the answer I need.Fabien stays rigid in his chair. Only Evan looks at me,his face openly mocking.Why should we trust you it seems to say.I want to slap him.Why bring me here if he can't?
"When did you come to town?" Gail snaps at me.Her voice is sharp.I break eye contact with Evan to look at her warily.It feels like trying to tear apart two magnets."Two months ago."
"Then it's you." I stare at her hoping she isn't implying what I think she is.
"And what the hell's that supposed to mean?" Her brother says from beside me.He sounds annoyed.I give a tiny nod in agreement,fighting to keep my eyes off him.
Gail laughs,sweeping her blonde ponytail off a bare shoulder. "Lydia comes into town,the hunters come into town.Lydia shows up in the dead of the night the rest of us almost get killed.That shouldn't be a hard calculation even for you brother."
"Oh I don't know,"I say sweetly,rage thundering inside me. "You forgot the two months in between.And the fact that y'all dragged me into trouble not the other way around."
Gail opens her mouth to argue but Evan cuts her off.
"She's telling the truth Gail.We were being chased first."
"That could easily be-"
"Two months Gail,"Fabien says,his voice gentle.
She shoots him a sulky look and goes back to staring out the window.I roll my eyes.
"So you know where the portal is,"I press on.Again,they all seem to magically deafen at those words.I turn my head to Evan.He shrugs.
But I have an inkling of how I can get him to agree.
This time I meet his eyes coolly.I reach back to open my bag and pull a small leather book out of it.Dad's old journal.
I smile at him and flick it open,one hand still curled around it protectively. "This has a lot of stuff in it.The beasts hunters most regularly send.What they eat.What their weaknesses are." I close the book and tilt my head at Evan. Now I can feel Gail and Fabien's gaze on me too.
My smile grows wider.I'll share,I tell him with my face.If you do too.
Evan smiles back.His smile is razor sharp,dangerous. "Evan,"Gail says.She shoots him a look that screams caution.He doesn't even look her way. "It's in Oklahama."
Gail lets out a shaky sigh.Everyone is silent for awhile.Fabien clears his throat and stands. "I'm going to the park." Gail stands too."I'll come with you."
Fabien nods at Evan questioningly.Evan shakes his head.
They leave.The waitress comes over with a my burger and coke.I smile my thanks and reach for the coke,not quite ready to eat without persuading Evan to do what I need.What he needs too or he'd be outside with Gail and Fabien right now.
"Oklahama's not really enough for me,"I say,playing with my straw.Evan shoots me a dark look."It's all I have."
I stay silent for a moment. "Then let's go there.Let's find it."
"I've got school." I scoff at that.Like he cares.
"Over the weekend then."
"Of course.Find a magically hidden portal we haven't found our whole lives in two days."
"We take as long as we need then."
"No."
"Trust me."I whisper.I see a muscle tick in his jaw.He needs to do this as much as I do.
"Just this once,"he says.