I was okay after a good night's sleep and my head was still spinning from the information Max had given me about himself. I knew in that moment without a doubt that I was falling for him, now that all concerns of him being a murderer or a Dark was gone, but I didn't know if I was going to be able to pursue a romantic relationship after the last one I was in crashed and burned so spectacularly.
The storm seemed to never end, and for days on end Max and I guarded the beach. Grandma was positively furious when she found out about what we were being forced to do, but Abby and I assured her that as agents who knew how to protect ourselves, it was probably a good idea to be down there to make sure we could be there if the murderer decided to take a stroll on the beach in stormy weather.
The particular night Max and I were playing I Spy to pass the time, however, was when something finally happened.
I distinctly remember that night being a Thursday.
"This is impossible." Max complained, squinting in the rain. "I can't see my own hand, how am I supposed to spy something?"
"Come on, we still have like half an hour left of our shift."
"More like four hours." Max muttered. He was right. Abby, Max, and I had been hanging back for longer than needed to make sure nobody got hurt if the murderer really did show up.
As a result, all three of us were cranky and running low on sleep but it was just another day in the job of an agent so we were pretty much used to it.
"Fine." he grumbled, pushing his wet brown hair away from his eyes. "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with H."
I glanced around for a bit, remembered his comment, and rolled my eyes.
"I swear Max, if it's your hand-"
"Ding ding ding, we have a winner."
"You're not even trying." I complained.
"Go on, you try. It's hard when you can't see five feet in front of you." Max challenged.
"Fine. I spy with my little eye..."
That was when there was a flash of lightning, and the sudden bright light revealed something that made my stomach churn.
"Bloody footprints." I whispered.
"What? Jesus Princess, isn't that a little- oh fuck." Max squinted hard at what I was staring at and saw it too.
"Whoever left these have to be seriously injured. C'mon." I checked to make sure I had all my usual weapons. A knife inside each boot, a handgun strapped on the outside of my leg. I was a lot bolder with my weapons, yes, but that was because I needed them close at hand and besides, it wasn't like anybody would see them other than Max, Abby, and Grandma. Maybe the lifeguarding boss would see too, but I didn't really give a fuck about him anymore.
Max checked his own weapons without a word, the knife forever hidden in his pocket was sheathed and of his own was on his leg.
We used Max's phone to use a flashlight to see the footprints more easily and I used my water powers to make the rain fall swerving away from the phone.
As we walked, I gave Abby a call with my phone but she didn't pick up, so I guessed we were on our own.
When we reached the end of the bloody footsteps, Max held his phone up and swung it in wide range before stopping abruptly when a dark human-like shape was visible collapsed on the wet sand.
"Is that-" Max and I took a few steps later. "Dad!" Max shouted, dropping his phone in his haste to get to his father.
I bent down to pick it up, turning the flash off before rushing over too. Max clamped his hand over the knife wound in his dad's side, putting pressure on the cut pouring blood.
YOU ARE READING
Beach Days
Teen Fiction"Trouble just seems to follow you around, Max." "Trust me, you don't know the half of it." Meet Shannon Miller. She juggles school and work, keeping her busier than ever, but that's how she likes it ... especially after what happened a year back. W...
