Turned To Stone

Chapter 21 - Connor

Once. For once in his generally miserable life, Connor could be helpful. 

As Zoe turned to ask their mother what they should do, he squared his shoulders and walked over to the front door. No one seemed to be paying attention until Connor threw the bolt back with a clear click.

"What are you doing?" Zoe demanded, a clear note of terror in her voice. Connor ignored her and opened the front door, stepping out onto their porch.

He stuck two fingers in his lips and whistled sharply, the kind of whistle that dads who cared too much about their child's ego used at children's sports games. All down the block, heads turned to face him.

A hand touched his back and Connor flinched.

"Sorry," Zoe whispered. "They listen to you, but I don't want to get attacked. Just want to see what happens."

Connor shrugged and watched as the creatures in eyesight ambled in their general direction. There was a distinctly non-aggressive tone to the scents he could pick up, which was good.

For a minute, he just stood there. The creatures on their block gathered around him, watching expectantly.

"They're waiting for a command, I think," Zoe said quietly.

"I don't know what to tell them," he replied honestly.

Evan stepped up to stand next to Connor, staring at the creatures. 'This is wierd,' he signed. 'I don't like how dead their eyes are.'

Connor had to agree. "They don't look right... some of these creatures are insanely dangerous."

"And they're all under your control." Zoe peeked over his shoulder. "Connor, you could send them after the demon-fae."

"Or I can tell them all to get off the property. Go home, stay home. And we can figure this out in a way that's not going to put a ton of creatures that very well could be regular people when they've got control of themselves in danger."

Zoe scoffed. "You can fix this, Connor. This is what's going to fix it."

"No, Zoe!" He snapped. Before anyone could say anything else, he addressed the monsters, yelling as loud as he could.

"GO HOME! STAY HOME!"

Evan flinched sharply. Connor eyed the creatures as they stared at him.

It seemed to take them a few moments to comprehend the order, then they all turned as one and began to walk away.

Zoe groaned. "Connor! That was our chance to fix it!"

"Just because mythological creatures are lesser beings to you does not mean that I have to treat them as such." Connor snapped, shoving past her as he went back inside. Zoe made a sound of protest and followed him.

"That's not what I meant at all!"

"I don't care what you meant, Zoe! I'm not using them to do this, I'm going to find another way."

Zoe huffed angrily, dropping onto the couch. Evan walked back into the house and closed the door carefully behind him.

Connor walked back to the stairs, then went up to his room. He grabbed his bookbag and beanie.

"Where are we going, Connor?" Wyvern asked as he gently tucked them into the hat. 

"Yessss, what are we doing?"

"I'm going to school," he told them. "The library has a couple books about demon-fae, I'm going to see what they have that could help us."

"You sssshould bring Evan. And maybe your ssssisssster." Nicholas suggested quietly. He was one of the least vocal snakes of the group, but when he did speak it was usually very helpful.

"I don't want to take Zoe." Connor grunted, putting his bag over his shoulder.

"Then you musssst take Evan. He will help." Dessa insisted.

He grunted again and glanced over the room. His plan was to go straight back to the orchard if at all possible, and if he died today he wanted to make sure that his room represented his general attitude.

Messy and standoff-ish.

After a moment of consideration, Connor grabbed the old baseball bat leaning against his desk. Larry had gotten it for him, who knows how long ago. He took an experimental half-swing with it, then nodded to himself and pulled the bedroom door closed behind him as he walked back to the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Zoe asked when he walked into the living room. Connor ignored her, glancing at Evan and jerking his head towards the kitchen.

Evan got up hesitantly and followed him. Connor swiped Zoe's keys off the counter without a word and walked out the back door.