Sentinel

Chapter 2: Brunch

I ran through the events of that day several times before I finally gave up on sleep. I checked my clock. It was almost midnight. I had tossed and turned for almost two hours. I was sure if I waited one more Hana would be asleep and then I could sneak out to get my sword and maybe investigate the park.

But that left me alone with my thoughts for another hour. I thought about the wounded man nonstop. Three months ago, I had no doubt that he was dead but now, after all, I had seen I wasn't so sure.

One thing, in particular, made me question it. After being marked I began to heal a lot faster than normal. If he also had that power then maybe he just needed time to get better. And if he was still alive and I saw him again, would things change?

At first, I had thought that the sword was a gift that made me stronger but now it seemed more like a curse. Anytime a beast was close I had to stop what I was doing and fight it or run away. Somehow I was able to get through summer without my family noticing anything weird. Well, nothing too weird. But what would happen in class if the mark appeared? What if I couldn't hide the pain from Hana?

I kept running what-ifs through my head until one. I was happy to leave my thoughts in my bed as I tiptoed over to my closet. I grabbed my long black pea coat and slipped it on over the baggy shirt and running shorts I worn for pajamas. It had been a hot summer and the nights were warm enough to go out without a coat but I needed it to hide the sword. I took the low side pony out of my hair and swapped it for a high bun that contained my curls.

Afraid Hana might still be awake, I pushed open my door painfully slow. When the door was wide enough, I peeked across the small hallway at the door to Hana's room. The light was off. I quickly slide out from behind my door, closed it quietly behind me, and made my way to the living room, walking as softly as I could. I made sure the front door was unlocked before I headed out to my car.

The sky was clear of clouds and the moon was bright even though it was only half full. I could see pretty well but I still grabbed the flashlight from my glove box before I reached under the passenger seat to fish out the sword. I felt the usual jolt of energy as my hand wrapped around it.

The heightened senses weren't the only thing the sword did. If I had it earlier when the beast was around, I would have been able to locate it as if the sword had built-in GPS. There was always a strange pull that took me where I need to go.

I closed the car door and tried to figure out how to tuck the sword into my coat without it falling out the bottom. I gave up and just pinned it to my side with my arm. Hopefully, no one was out for a late night stroll in the park as it probably wasn't hard to tell I was trying to hide something under my coat and I didn't need the cops called on me for looking shady.

I glanced around but there was no one else in the parking lot. I took a deep breath and headed toward the park. It wasn't a far walk; only one building separated it from our apartment. I kept scanning the shadows for any signs of life.

I wasn't sure if I was looking for residents that were catching me looking like a prowler or for the person who killed the beast earlier but I made it to the park without seeing either.

Kiona Park was mostly a large grassy area dotted with groupings of evergreen trees. It wasn't the usual forest that the beasties liked to hang out in but Silverbrook was neighbors with one, like most western Washington towns. It wasn't a stretch to assume this beast had been courageous or stupid and had tried to expand its hunting ground.

I turned on the flashlight and started searching for the beast's remains. I kept near the apartments. If the pain was any indicator, he had been pretty close before he died.