Back to Human

Chapter Twenty

Eight hours later we were sitting in a van down the street from Eleanor's house. The van was silent as we sat in the dark. Victor had parked the van in the darkest part of the street where one of the street lights had broken and had yet to be fixed, leaving a dark patch of unlit shadow to hide in.

Ai, Charlie, Lauren, Ben, Lee and I were all sitting in the two rows behind Victor and one of his co-workers who he had called for back up. It was ten thirty and we were waiting with bated breath for the familiars to come outside for the night.

For the past eight hours we had been preparing for this. Victor and his co-worker, Ellen who had arrived minutes after he sent the letter had thought out every possible way this could unfold and had planned accordingly. When Ai had shown up she joined in, pointing out holes in their plans and fixing them.

Charlie had packed a suitcase and called her work to let them know she would be needing some time off. Victor had told her she would need to come to Almusilaa to be a witness. She would probably only need to stay for a couple of days, just long enough to testify against Eleanor before she could come back home.

The wait had been torture, waiting ten hours in nervous anticipation. Around he half way mark Charlie had ordered pizza for everyone but I had remained seated on the couch in a trance. I finally broke out of it before going over the plan with the others.

The plan was for Ben and Lauren to get out of the van as soon as the familiars came outside to rescue them. They were the ones who had to bring down the ward around the house as Ai, Victor and his companion went inside to arrest Eleanor. Charlie was to sit in the front seat. If things got ugly she was supposed to load all of the familiars into the van and drive off to safety. Lee was going to stay in the van as well to check over the familiars. Some of them were bound to be in rough shape.

When Charlie texted Lee to tell him what was going on, he had volunteered to be here. Even though Charlie said that it was unlikely no one would be injured, it was best to have a nurse on hand just in case.

Ai's eyes were the only source of light in the van, her eerie glowing red eyes setting the hair along my spine standing up. She peered out at the house, her eyes reflecting off the window, her night sight put her on watch for the familiars.

The night had a sharp chill to it and I pressed my body close to Charlie's for warmth. It was the last days of Autumn and rotting leaves covered the ground. Soon it would be winter, and two weeks since I had seen my family.

I waited with bated breath for Ai's signal. Any moment now, I would be reunited with my fellow prisoners. We were so close to freedom. I could almost taste it. It tasted like my mother's chocolate brownies. I will be able to taste them again soon in the flesh. As soon as this is all over. I will be counting down the minutes until then.

Ai suddenly straightened up. Immediately everyone's heads snapped in Ai's direction.

"They're coming out." She said before she quietly slid the door open and jumped out gracefully. Everyone hurriedly followed suit, struggling to stay as quiet as possible so as to not draw attention.

Charlie got in the driver's seat as everyone but her and Lee and I got out. She placed my bag on the passenger seat. I got out before standing in my hind legs to watch.

Black shapes in the night were all they were; Ai and Victor going to one side as Ellen, Ben and Lauren went another way. Ellen was going to go through the back door so Eleanor couldn't escape. Ai and Victor braced themselves on either side of front door. Victor put his hand on the front door knob and pushed open the front door before he and Ai barged in. Ben and Lauren came running from the other side of the house with small dark shapes following close behind. They almost reached the van when an enraged scream pierced the night.