Xavier

Lies and Demands

I woke up at six as usual, still extremly tired. I stretched and yawned as I stood up. Joann was passed out at the foot of my bed looking like a little puppy. I decided not to wake her instead I just picked her up and placed her head on my pillow. I threw a blanket over her before leaving the room.

I headed for the kitchen and saw my mom passed out on the couch. She must have gotten home only a few minutes ago cause she looked terrible, no offense to my mom. I smiled at her sadly and made myself burnt toast for breakfast. After that I went over to the tv and turned it on. I had to change the channel by hand and after five minutes I landed on the news. I sat down on the floor by my mom's feet and watched the news.

The anchorman started talking about storm damage and I listened intently. I didnt have school today thanks to some of the trees outside the school. They had been ripped out of the ground and slammed into the school. Several of the major classrooms had been ruined so they had no clue where they were going to hold the classes till they were fixed. The anchorman assured the audience that the school would be functioning again tommorow which put me in a bad mood.

The rest of the damage was pretty bad too. They showed a picture of the beach where debris was spread everywhere. The surfboard shack had a hole in it where something had slammed into it and a couple of surfboards were broken. The beach locker rental place was no better. Apparently most of the keys were missing. I groaned when I realized what my two main jobs would be today.

I watched cartoons until I had to go to work. It wasnt hard to hail a cab and I got to the beach a lot quicker than usual since there was barely any traffic. I was dissappointed when I noticed Derek wasnt there but put it out of my mind as I helped patch up the surfboard shack.

After fixing up the shack I had to help find the locker keys. We had to search by hand and we barely found half. People suggested we get metal detectors while others commented on how they thought the other keys were in the water. I was in a really bad mood and I was so freaking tired by this time. I finally just shouted that I couldnt stand being there anymore and took off. I walked down the bad neighborhood, trying to run into Madelyn again, but nothing happened. I got home without a problem.

Mom was awake when I got home. She was watching cartoons like a little kid and I grinned at her. "Hey mom." I said as I headed for the kitchen.

"Hey honey." Mom said, smiling back.

I made grilled cheese sandwichs since I hadnt eaten since that morning before heading back to my mom. I handed her a sandwich and she smiled. She took a huge bite out of it and made an appreciative sound even though I knew it sucked.

"Thank you Xavier, it's delicious." Mom told me. I was so sure she was lying but I smiled anyways. I sat down beside her and took a bite of my own sandwich. "I'm suprised your home so early. I'm not complaining though. You being here early just means I get to spend more time with my boy." She said.

"Yeah work was getting to me pretty badly. They were talking about searching the water for the keys. It was so freaking stupid." I said, complaining.

Mom gave me a sympathetic smile. "My poor baby. I'm sorry work sucked." She said and I smiled at her.

"Thanks mom." I said before turning to watch tv.

We sat there for a while just eating and watching tv. Mom laughed louder than I did at the little square sponge on the tv. I couldnt help grinning at her. I liked my mom a lot better when she wasnt stressed out about work. She was alot more immature when she wasnt stressed and a lot more fun.

"So have you talked to any of your friends lately?" Mom asked during a commercial.

"Not really. Derek is my only friend and he isnt around much. I talked to him yesterday though." I said without thinking.

My mom's eyebrows raised as she gave me a very serious look. "Derek? The missing kid from the news?" She asked.

I stared at my mom for a moment in confusion but then I realized what I had said. I silently cursed myself as I tried to think up a good lie. I knew it had to be a really good one cause the look mom was giving me was one of a murderer.

"So you saw the missing boy yesterday? What time?" Mom asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

I knew I could lie about that part so I told her. "After work yesterday on my way home." I told her awkwardly.

"So he's fine then? He's not dead?" Mom asked and I nodded. Mom crossed her arms and glared at me. "So why doesnt he go home? And why dont you tell his poor worried mother that he's alive?" She asked.

"He doesnt want to go home mom and he made me promise not to tell his mom." I told her. My mother's glare deepened and I thought up a good lie. "Listen, he got into a fight with his mother. She was drunk and she was beating him so he ran off. He's been staying with some friends." I lied. It really wasnt a complete lie. That had happened a couple of times before, though those times his mother had at least known he was alive.

Mom still looked really ticked. "Then why doesnt he just call child services?" She asked.

"Cause if he does they'll take him away from here and send him to his dad in New Jersey. He doesnt want to leave and, besides, his dad hates him." I lied.

Mom pouted but didnt look as angry as before. "Well you tell him next time you see him that if he tells his mom he's alive he can come live with us." She said.

"I will mom." I said, already imagining how life with Derek living here would be. Mom turned back to watch tv and a new thought occured to me. It was Madelyn's fault that I had to lie in the first place. She was going to pay.

Joann joined us at eight o'clock. She ate my last grilled cheese while we watched tv. I was anxious the entire time we sat there but only Joann noticed it. She riased a questioning eyebrow but I just shook my head. I wished it was two fifty already, the time I had decided to sneak out at. I really wanted to chew Madelyn out.

I pretended to go to bed at eleven. Mom wished me goodnight while Joann eyed me curiously. I sat down on my bed when I was in there and waited for the time to pass by. At one point Joann came into the room and I had to fake being asleep so she wouldnt grow suspicious. Twenty minutes later I heard her snoring and I sat back up.

At two fifty I snuck out. I climbed down the fire escape as quietly as I could so no one inside the other apartments would hear me. Once I reached the street I went out to the place where Madelyn always stopped. I stood there and watched the digital numbers on my watch turn to three.

Madelyn came running down the street and looked at me in suprise. She skidded to a stop just a few feet from me. She stood up on her hind legs to make herself taller and growled at me.

"You are going to tell me everything Madelyn." I said firmly as I stared up at her.

Madelyn huffed at me in a "no way" sort of way. She seemed to smirk as she turned away. She dropped down on all fours and started walking away.

"Madelyn! Madelyn get back here!" I shouted at her. I could have sworn she chuckled. "Madelyn get back here you stupid dog!" I shouted.

Madelyn stopped suddenly and I froze. Slowly she turned back around, her teeth showing in an enraged growl. I held up my hands in the universal "I didnt do it" sign. Madelyn started walking to me and I took a nervous step back.

"Madelyn." I said in a warning tone. Madelyn growled and started jogging to be. I quickly started to back away. "Oh come on Madelyn it was just a joke." I said. Madelyn barked at me and I practically started running backwards. Madelyn hunched down in a pouncing position. "Madelyn no!" I shouted.

There was no time to react. Madelyn pounced and landed on me, knocking me down. I shouted on in pain as my head hit the ground. I tried to move but Madelyn's hands, hands not paws, had pinned down my arms and her knees were digging into my legs.

"Madelyn please dont!" I shouted at her. Madelyn snapped her teeth just a centimeter from my nose and I shouted in fear. I was going to be eaten, I knew it.

Once again I could have sworn Madelyn laughed. She flashed her teeth at me then lunged for my throat. I screamed, shut my eyes, and waited. The pain came but it was in my arm. My eyes flew open to see Madelyn ripping a chunk of flesh of my arm.