The Demon's Daughter

Chapter Four - Running

Chapter Four – Running

“I'll never forgive you,” Mom said. “Ever. And if you leave this city, and I see you, you're dead.”

“Be careful what you say, Abigail,” Joshua said. “You never know who might be listening.”

“I'm finished with your vague comments, Joshua,” Mom snapped. Glass crunched under her feet as she turned to leave. Her eyes landed on us. “Diana.”

She wasn't fully shocked. It seemed that she was beyond any emotion other than anger. For a moment, she stood there, staring at me, and her eyes were so blank that I was frightened that she didn't realize who I was.

“Mom,” I said, just to get a reaction.

It worked. She continued her pace in my direction, one sure foot in front of another. I backed away when she got nearer; she was taller than I remembered. Behind me, Chace and Cinder shuffled their feet uncertainly.

“Come with me,” she ordered, and passed us without pause.

I tore my eyes away from her swinging blonde hair to look at Joshua. He was standing behind his broken glass case, his dirty hands at his sides and his stare penetrating me. I shivered, he looked at me as though I was a dissected frog placed in front of him so that he could discover what made it tick. The bottoms of my shoes were glued to his dusty floor, my hands were numb, and I couldn't break his gaze.

Chace grabbed my elbow, tugging me back to the front of the store. I stumbled after him, but even when we were walking through the door, I swore that I could still see the haunted blue of Joshua's eyes.

The cold wind shot some sense into me.

“What was that about?” I demanded.

“I don't know,” Chace scratched the back of his neck. “Let's go ask your mom.”

“You must be joking,” I said, and pointed to the woman climbing into her red car. “She's gone a bit wacko, if you haven't noticed.”

“She isn't crazy,” Cinder said.

The flaps of our sweaters were loud in my ears. The air was colder, and the wind more furious. Everywhere I turned, people were scurrying into stores to either get their shopping over with, or get some heat. No one bothered to scold the three high school skippers. Absently, I noticed that Cinder's ears weren't turning red like Chace's were.

“She sure is acting like it,” I said.

Mom honked the car horn. She was waving for me to hurry up, her lips turned down in a sharp frown. Her rattled expression sent me on edge, and I would do anything – even converse with Cinder – just to stay away from her. So even though I knew I would pay for it later, I turned my back on her.