Eden's Creatures (16 page)

He walked up onto the porch and pushed his way inside the silent house. In the corner stood the Christmas tree that they had put up just days ago. He went over and fingered one of the ornaments. It was one he had made in first grade with his school picture stuck in the center with glue.

Who is that wide-eyed little kid with the front teeth missing? He looks so happy.

It may as well have been a stranger looking back at him, because Cal didn’t know that kid. That kid had never had to run from shadows.

Cal turned from the tree and went into his stepfather’s bedroom, hoping to find some clothes that would fit. He stripped off his filthy, torn jacket and rifled through the closet. He chose a pair of jeans and flannel shirt and hurriedly dressed, making sure to shove the Faedin feather into his back pocket.

On his way out, he walked by a full-length mirror that stood next to the door. It was one thing to sense he had been growing, but another to see it firsthand. The long legs, the broad chest and muscled arms.

He shrugged.

Just another stranger.

He went into his bedroom and found the few dollars that he had stashed in his sock drawer. Just as he was stuffing the money into his front pocket, the front door banged open.

Cal froze in place, listening intently for voices.

He heard nothing.

Finally, he braced himself and went out into the living room, prepared to run if it was Ross.

It wasn’t. It was his mother.

She squatted by the door, pawing frantically through her purse until her hand found the pill bottle she so desperately sought. Shaking fingers flipped off the cap and dumped a pill into her open palm. She tossed it into her mouth and dry-swallowed her fix with her eyes closed.

“Hi, Mom.”

Evie Taylor let out an ear-splitting scream and dropped the bottle from her hand. Tiny, white pills scattered across the floor in every direction. Apparently forgetting her fright for the bigger problem of her lost pills, a string of curses flew from her mouth as she scrambled across the floor to sweep them up with frenzied hands.

Cal calmly walked over, bent by her side and helped her.

“Cal!” she admonished breathlessly. “You scared me! What are you doing here?”

“I thought I lived here.” He held a pill out to her and she snatched it from his fingers and dropped it into the bottle.

“I just wasn’t expecting anyone to be home.”

“Sorry.”

When she finally had all her pills back in place, she sat back on her heels. “Why’d you run off like that?”

“I got kicked out of the house, Mom. Didn’t Ross tell you?”

“No.” She stood and pushed her disheveled hair off her face with the back of her hand. Cal stood with her and her eyes widened in shock. “Cal! What… what happened to you?”

“I grew.”

“Grew? You’re at least five inches taller! And… muscular.”

“I know. I’ve been working out.”

She swallowed heavily and inched back from him. “Are you taking drugs?”

He snorted at the irony of the question. “No, I’m not.” Wanting to get her off the subject of his size, he asked, “Where’s Lan?”

“He’s spending the night at Grandma’s house.”

“Damn it. I really wanted to see him.”

Evie nodded and cautiously collected her purse from the floor, her eyes never leaving his. “You staying?”

He almost wanted to say yes just to see her jump out of her skin. “I told you, Ross kicked me out. I just came back for some clothes.”

“Don’t leave,” she said, surprising him.

“I’ll stay if he goes.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“You want me to kick him out?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Stop being stupid, Cal. I can’t do that.”

“Even when he abuses me?”
There, the elephant in the room. Let’s see you get around that one, Mom.

His mother looked away. “What are you talking about, Cal? Sure, he disciplines you when you need it, but—”

“Oh, he does a lot more than that and you know it.”

An awkward silence followed his mother around the room as she straightened items that hadn’t been straightened in months. “I’ll admit he’s… a little harsher than I like.”

“That’s what you call it? Harsh?”

She whirled on him. “I can’t just throw away Landon’s father! And he doesn’t do to him what he does—” She stopped short of saying it, as expected.

A burning lump lodged in his throat. He had always known that’s how she felt, but never expected her to say it so bluntly. “I get it. You’re willing to throw me away as long as you get to keep an abuser and Landon.”

At least she had the decency to blush. “Cal, no. Jesus, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Sure as hell sounded like it.” He stormed toward the door and yanked it open. “See you, Mom. This time I won’t be back!”

“Wait! Cal, please!” She ran at him and grabbed his arm. “I’m sorry, honey. That didn’t come out the way I wanted it to. I’m not good with words, you know that, but I want you to stay.”

He yanked his arm out of her grip. “Let me go.”

“Please stay. I need you here.”

What about what I need, Mom?
“I can’t. I’ve got to do something.”

“Then please come back when you’re done and we’ll discuss this as a family. Please, Cal! I’ll talk to Ross and I’ll be stronger this time, I swear. You’ve got to finish school and you’re staying here and that’s all there is to it.”

Cal gave her a skeptical look.

“Please.”

Finally, he nodded. “I’ll be back later.”

She let him go this time. He pulled the door open and ran down the porch stairs, scrubbing harshly at his senseless tears.
Why do I still let it get to me? Why do I still beg for her love when she is so incapable of giving it?

But he knew he would be back. For Landon’s sake, he would go back one last time to say goodbye.

He ran along the gravel road toward town and by the time he arrived, he was feeling more in control of his emotions. The streets were busy with last-minute Christmas shoppers, and Cal walked among them with his hands shoved deep in his front pockets. Colorful lights beckoned from every shop. Carolers strolled arm in arm singing
Joy to the World
. He couldn’t help but wonder how joyful they would feel knowing that a dangerous realm existed just beyond their sight.

At the local drugstore, he went in, made his purchase and left. The crisp cold air burned his lungs and misted before his mouth with every breath, making him wish he had grabbed a coat on his way out.

He turned onto the side road that would take him back home and saw something that stopped him in his frozen tracks.

Bo Pervall.

Coming straight at him.

Instead of running, something inside Cal rooted his feet to the ground, and he watched his tormenter come. Maybe it was the Faedin’s influence. Maybe it was the new changes in his body. Whatever it was, he’d had enough. The time for running was over.

Bo Pervall’s eyebrow shot up. “Whoa, what do we have here? Been working out, Taylor?”

“Something like that.”

Bo leaned in close. “I’ll take a couple of those steroids off you if you have some extras.”

“Sorry,” Cal spat. “You’ll have to get those on your own.”

Bo grabbed the drugstore package out of Cal’s hand.

“Give it back,” Cal growled, but Bo yanked it out of reach, spun around and pawed through the contents. “Blush. Mascara. Eye makeup.” He turned back to Cal. “Are you kidding me?”

“It’s not for me, asshole. Now, get out of my face.”

“Or what?”

“Step. Away.”

“I said, or what?” Bo yelled, slamming both hands into Cal’s chest.

Cal didn’t move, surprising him as much as it did Bo.

“Wow, those drugs you’re using are pretty good, Taylor.”

“You would know, Pervall.”

Bo growled and threw a right hook at Cal’s face. Cal caught the fist mid-thrust, twisted it behind Bo’s back and pushed him away. Bo stumbled, turned back around and charged, going for Cal’s middle. Cal was ready and slipped to the side, hammering the thug down into the snow-packed road on his way past.

“Had enough?” Cal asked with arms spread wide.

To his surprise, Bo laughed. “Where’ve you been, Taylor? We could have used you on the football team.” Bo stuck out his hand and Cal pulled him to his feet.

“Nah, not for me.”

Bo wiped his hands on his pants. “Hey, I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you around, okay?”

“Yeah, see you.”

Cal watched Bo walk away wondering what the hell just happened.
If I can make peace with Bo Pervall, anything is possible. Maybe there’s a way to stay here in Mendon after all. That way, I can keep both Landon and Stassi in my life.

He walked the rest of the way home with lighter steps than the ones he left with. At the long driveway to his house, his spirit faltered a bit when he saw that his mother’s car had been replaced by his stepfather’s truck, but he put his hesitation aside and went into the house.

He found Ross in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. Cal had to admit to a perverse pleasure at the crooked appearance of his nose.

“Hey, Cal.”

Cal paused in the doorway. “Hey.”

“Your Mom went to the store. Said she wanted to make you a special meal for Christmas tomorrow.”

“She did? It’s kind of late for that, isn’t it?” Besides, his mother never made meals, even on holidays.

Ross just shrugged and took a swig of the beer on the counter.

Cal studied the man in front of him and for the first time in his life, he no longer felt afraid. He saw Ross Taylor for who he was. A coward. A bully. Someone who took advantage of those weaker than him.

Ross walked over and handed Cal an open beer. “Go on, have a drink.”

“You’re letting me drink?” he asked suspiciously.

“Sure. Why not? It’s Christmas Eve, ain’t it?”

Cal moved to the table and sat. He had no desire to sit here and talk to his stepfather, but it seemed like the guy was at least trying. Maybe his mother had stood up to him at last. Cal lifted the can to his mouth and the cold liquid burned a path down his throat.

“Your mother was right. You do look different.”

Cal took another long gulp and sat back, a warm feeling spreading through his limbs.

“Tell me,” his stepfather said. “How did you do it?”

“Do wha’?” His tongue suddenly felt too big for his mouth.

“Get so big.”

“You wouldn’t… believe me…”

Cal took another drink and squinted to bring his stepfather into focus. Ross’s lips were moving, but Cal couldn’t make out what he was saying. Head swimming, he tried to get up from the chair, but found that his legs wouldn’t respond.

“What’s the matter, Cal?”

The words were shouted this time. Right above his head.

“I… I can’t move.” He slumped back into the chair.

“Wow, I didn’t expect it to work that fast.”

“Wha…?”

“Your mother is gone. Your brother is gone. There’s no one here, Cal. Just you and me, like old times.”

A spike of alarm cut through the fog. Alarm from remembered times. Remembered pain.

Then, real pain as he was knocked off his chair and his chin hit the floor.

He felt his feet lift into the air and Ross started to drag him across the floor, out into the living room and toward his stepfather’s bedroom.

No!
His mind screamed it loud and clear, but what came out of his mouth was a garbled mess even to his hazy awareness. He tried to twist around and out of Ross’s grasp, but it was no use. His body was beyond taking orders.

Colors swirled in his vision. A heavy lethargy spread through his body, tingling the ends of his fingers and toes.

“Here we are.” Ross grunted as he lifted Cal under his arms and threw him up onto the bed.

What is wrong with me? Why can’t I move?

“In case you’re wondering,” Ross said in response to Cal’s unspoken thoughts, “I put a few pills in your drink. You see, I’m tired of you, kid. Tired of you trying to turn Lan against me. My son will barely talk to me now.”

You did that yourself, not me.

“We’ll all be better off without you.”

Cal heard the
click
of the hammer being pulled back on his stepfather’s pistol. The breath left his lungs, his mouth dried.

He’s got a gun! He’s really going to do this, isn’t he? I’m about to die.

“First, though, a little fun.”

A tear slipped from Cal’s eye as he railed inside his silent prison. What a cruel twist of fate that put him back into his abuser’s hands just when he had found a safe haven. He never should have come back. Never should have left Stassi’s side.

Through the lens of a distorted old movie, he watched his stepfather slide the belt from the loops on his pants, fold the leather in half and snap it together.

Cal squeezed his eyes shut and tensed his muscles, waiting for the stinging lash to land across his legs.

It never fell.

A strange gurgle followed by a
thud
sprang his eyes open again.

An angel from heaven stood over him, haloed in a silvery light, her small wings extended behind her back.