Forlot - Books 1-3 {Completed}

Chapter Nine

"Monster Protector?" I repeated, staring at him with a confused look on my face. "What is a Monster Protector?"

The doctor let out a chuckle. "Is it not obvious?" he replied. "And it is 'the' Monster Protector, not 'a' Monster Protector. There is only one."

I was still completely lost at what Dr. O'Connor was saying to me. Actual monsters here in Forlot? A human being - at least, I think that this guy was human - who protects monsters? He had some explaining to do.

Dr. O'Connor picked up a large, green suitcase and set it on the hard floor. "I had better get going," he told me. "My ride will be arriving in five minutes." He patted the top of my head. "It was nice meeting you, kiddo. Sorry that I frightened you." He started walking out of the airport.

"Wait!" I called. "I need to know more! Please!"

People nearby suddenly faced me and frowned. They were mad that I was interrupting the peace and quiet.

My cheeks turned bright red. "Sorry." I ran towards the doctor and got in front of him. "Please do not leave yet," I begged. "There are plenty of things that you have not said about Forlot. I need to know."

"I really have to catch my ride," he responded. "The town of Forlot needs me."

I was not about to let the secrets of Forlot slip from me so easily. "What if I come with you?" I suggested.

"Come along on the ride?"

I nodded. "Yes. That should give us enough time to chat."

"I do not know..."

"If what you are saying is true, that Forlot is a dangerous place to be, then you have to tell me what I should know. For my safety, and also for my sister and her friend."

Dr. O'Connor was pretty surprised at the last thing that I just stated. "So your sister and her friend are here too?"

"Yep. I am just waiting for them. They are in the restroom on the plane." I did not want to tell him of why they were in the bathroom. I knew that Sarah would not want me to talk about it to anyone, especially someone that I met today.

A bus pulled up in front of the entrance, and its doors swung open.

"There is my bus!" Dr. O'Connor exclaimed happily as he walked to the bus.

"Hold on!" I shouted. I surveyed the area of the small airport. No sign of Scarlett or Sarah.

The bus driver growled and honked his horn. "Come on, kid!" he yelled. "I do not have all day!"

Without even realizing it, I climbed onto the bus and plopped down next to Dr. O'Connor, and the doors shut, and the bus drove off. I sadly looked out the window.

What have I done?

I was supposed to wait until Scarlett and Sarah came through the gate, and here I was, sitting on a bus with a person whom I barely knew - and was also the Monster Protector. I was ashamed for what I did. They were going to be very angry at me, that is for dang sure. They will be worried about me and phone the police and...and...

"What else do you want to know?" Dr. O'Connor asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I jumped a bit. "Know what?" I questioned.

"Forlot."

"Oh, right." I had almost forgotten that I wanted talk on Forlot. "Uh...how did you become the Monster Protector?"

He placed his hands in his lap, and his face saddened. "It is actually...a not-so-good story."

"What...what do you mean?"

"Forlot used to be a loving town where people, no matter how big or how small, could get along. Then, when monsters began popping up all over the place, the townsfolk wanted to kill and get rid of them. In their minds, they saw Forlot as a place for only humans. No monsters were allowed. The mayor desperately wanted to fix this issue, for if the humans started killing the monsters, then the monsters would fight back and kill the humans. It would have been chaotic."

I hugged myself, feeling excited and scared at the same time.

"Things got worse though when Mr. Hawk came into town," he continued.

"Mr. Hawk?" I remembered the letter that I received yesterday.

Mr. Hawk.

"He favors monsters over humans," Dr. O'Connor said. "He does not care that humans get hurt or even killed. Mr. Hawk is very mean-spirited, clever, and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants, and what he wants is to rule the world."

I looked down. That kind of sounded like me, except I do not like when humans are injured, and I do not want to run the entire world.

"There is a reason why he sent you an invitation to come to Forlot, and I do not exactly know what that would be. But it cannot be good."

My whole body shook. I had put Scarlett, Sarah, and myself in a lot of danger. It was all my fault. I wish that we never came here. I wish that I never opened and read the letter.

And I was about to be in bigger trouble.

The bus stopped, and standing next to the bus sign was Mr. Hawk.