Ben Blue:
"Tory! What's wrong?" I yell as she drops to the ground, I catch her and realize tears are stream down her face. Out of all of the things we have seen and done together, (which was a lot) I've never seen her so terrified, let alone seen her cry. Anger raged through me. Stay calm Ben, bad things happen when you get mad. I set her down and try to look her in the eyes but her eyes are glued to the letter. "Tor, answer me. Please, whats wrong" I said trying to get an answer out of her.
"Oh my God." Hi said quietly. He took the letter gently from her hands and showed Shelton. Tory curled in herself and shook. I grabbed her and pulled her close to me out of instinct, I don't know what instinct, but I did. I didn't even think about it, and my heart raced. She shivered.
"Ben. You're really not going to like this." Shelton said nervously. His hand shook as he handed the letter to me. I looked at it and anger and adrenaline raced its way through my body.
I'm coming for you.
Watch out.
"Oh hell no!" I said through gritted teeth. I'd seen enough blood to know what it looks, feels and smells like. It smelled like copper and its color gave it away. Where would someone get blood this fresh? And on top of that, what kind of psycho would write in his own blood?
"How did this happen? And 'I'm coming for you' what was that mean?" Hi said anxiously.
"I don't know but I don't like it," I said, pulling Tory closer to me. She didn't protest. She was still crying, but silently. She wasn't normally like this, Tory was always the strong one. She was the one who always got us three to commit felonies and sneak around our parents, which sounds like a bad thing, but when we were really doing for the greater good of everyone it wasn't so bad.
"We need to call the cops," Shelton said hand at his earlobe.
"I agree," Hiram agreed "for once."
"No!" Tory said rising her head and wiping the tears off her face. "It's probably just a joke."
"A joke written in blood?" I said flatly. "Victoria, this isn't just some sick joke, this is really serious,"
"It's okay, I'll be fine." Tory said looking at me stubbornly.
"Oh no. There is no chance in heck that that is going to happen." I said. Tory was our leader, even though she was the youngest of all of us she still was the head of us. The alpha of our pack. But this is where I put my foot down. "You don't go anywhere by yourself. End of story. Do you understand me?"
Tory just looks at me stubbornly. She hated being protected and she hated seeming like she was helpless, and she wasn't but I wasn't going to her just slip through my fingers. She means too much to me and means too much to all of us to let anything happen to her. She turns her head to look at the other two hooligans, looking for some sort of back up.
"Sorry Tor. I think Ben is right. Even if it is just a joke, why would it be written in blood? Plus I think your reaction was support enough." Shelton said bending down and putting a hand on her shoulder. My blood pressure spiked and a wave of jealousy went from head to toe. What the hell? It's just Shelton.
Hiram nodded, backing up his buddy. "Tory, please. It's better safe than sorry."
She was shaking, her skin was cold and her face was red. Anger and hyperthermia was setting its way in. I let my arms fall from around her and I grabbed the towel from off my shoulders and put it around hers. The redness deepens to scarlet. "Fine." She said angrily, tugging at the towel angry but pushing her way back into my arms, my face went hot.
She shivers "I'm cold. Can we go inside? Please?"
"Yea, Tor we can." I said quietly. I said pulling myself up and her with me. I grabbed her jean shorts and held onto them.
Tory stayed quite all the way back to her townhouse that was set aside for those researchers that worked on LIRI, the research facility on Loggerhead Island which is run by the Charleston University. Morris Island was a stretch of land for those that worked at the facility. My father was the boat shuttle that takes those to work. Tory's father, Kit was the director of the research lab. He had taken over Karsten's job after the manic messed with our DNA, but Kit didn't know that, he took over when Karsten 'disappeared' and never came back when really he was murdered. Hi's father was the head of the tech department which had some good perks.
"You two nimrods go change, you're soaking, I'll stay with Tory and when you come back, I'll go change and come back. Then you two with the stricter mothers can go home for dinner." I said falling behind Tory so she can't hear me quite as well. But I could still see her role her eyes.
They nod and run up to Tory and tell her their good-byes. Hiram makes her stop and stands in front of her. He tries to get her to look at him but she just stares at the ground. He pulls her into a hug, and I could sense another, but just one, tear roll down her face. Jealously sped its way through me.
Holy Crap, why did this keep happening to me?
Shelton put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look like he felt sorry for her. She wasn't helpless, and Shelton knew that but he obviously had no idea what to say to her.
It's Tory. She's of course not helpless. She's got more gut then the rest of us. I mean how many crimes has she committed in the last year and has yet to get caught for them.
Well I hope she doesn't get caught for them.
Then we'd all be caught.
"I know this is a dumb question," I said coming up behind her, I didn't look at her "but, are you alright?"
"I'll be fine." She said quietly. She watches her feet. Her toes were painted purple. They matched her cotillion dress she has worn to some deb thing. Since when did she paint her toes, or let alone paint anything?
"Come on; let's go talk to your dad. Shall you do the talking or shall I?" I said looking at her.
She looked up at me; her emerald green eyes were clear but beautiful. Her hair was fire red was obnoxious but amazing. She was beautiful but she didn't flaunt it, that's what was remarkable about her. She much rather study and do homework, then do makeup and watch hair tutorials on YouTube. She's like her Aunt Tempe. Just as smart and a little more intresting. "I'll do the talking, I'm better at it." She smiled. Is it possible that her teeth were like little pearls?
"Mhmm, I'm sure." I said smiling, following her up her porch and into the house. I stuffed the letter in my waistband and took the towel from Tory and covered the letter by draping it off my shoulders. She laughed at my expression.
"Hey Kit." Tory said reaching for the sweatshirt that lay on the chair. She pulled it over her shoulders and braided her back into a side braid. So much about her not caring about her hair.
"Hello Tory. Hello Ben." He said looking up over the file he was reading
"Hey." I said nodding at him.
"Umm, Kit. Ben and I have a big project to work on and I was wondering if he could stay for dinner and late tonight to get it done?" Tory said sitting next to him and picking up a picture of turtle.
"Sure. As long as he clears it with his father." Kit said without looking up from the file which I realized was actually quite huge.
"Already did." I said, locking my iPhone. A test confirmation from old Blue, saying it was fine.
"Then it's fine with me." He said still not looking up.
"Thanks Kit." Tory said jumping up before he could change his mind. "Come on Ben." She scurried up the stairs.
Jeans in hand, I followed her up the stairs.
Her room was immaculate. Except for the pile of books that lay all over the desk, which was much better than mine. Mine has more than several boat parts laying everywhere.
"Um I'm going to jump in the shower real quick. Do you mind?" She said digging clothes out of the dresser.
"Uh, no. Go ahead. Meanwhile do you mind if I hack your computer?" I asked pointing to the laptop on her desk.
"Be my guest." She said smiling, "But I thought that was Sheldon's job?"
"It is! I want to check for part pricing for Sewee." I said. She just rolled her eyes.
"I'll be back in a sec." she said closing the bathroom door. I dove for her computer, I literally tossed iFollow up on the screen and stabbed the two icon of Shelton and Hi's to call them. They answered in seconds.
"Well hello Tory!" Hi's back was turned and fiddling with something on the bed. His dark brown hair was washed and he was thankfully wearing something not as obnoxious as before.
I cleared my throat.
"Oh sorry, Ben." He said. "Where's Tory?" Anxiety crept into his voice.
"In the shower." I said flatly.
"OOOOOOOOOO!" Hiram said, like a five year old. But gladly failing, making my life a little more fun and his life a little more horrible. But still my face went hot and I felt the anger threatening to spill over into a flare.
"First of all, five year old, she showering in the bathroom and I'm in her bedroom. Second of all-,"
"Second of all, you're in love with her." Shelton said snickering
"Third of all, you two are going to wish you were never born when you get here." I said through my teeth but my face was the color of scarlet and within seconds it happened.
SNAP
Pain raced through me, pin-pricks hit all of my extremity all in seconds. I was momentarily winded but I felt the strength fill my muscles. I looked at the picture of me at the bottom of the screen. Golden irises burned instead of my normal dark brown.
"Whoa, whoa, Ben, I was only kidding. Chill buddy." Shelton said taking a step back from the camera, like I was going to strangle him through the lens. And I felt like I could at this point.
I heard Tory shut the water off in the bathroom, the clock ticking on her wall and I heard the waves crash against the shore outside. Coop pushed his nose through the bedroom door sensing my change. Everything was crystal clear. I slowed my breathing and clamed myself down. The flare faded and then…
SNUP
"Sorry bro." Hi said sitting in front of the camera.
"It's fine, but Tory's out of the shower now so I only have a second. We honestly need to keep tabs on her. I don't care if this note is a joke, it's not funny and it's a threat against her life." I said hushed.
They looked stunned; they looked like they were keeping something childish back. Of course.
"Yea, I agree. But what are we going to do?" Shelton said leaning forward.
"Someone stays with her at all times." I said quietly.
"What about like at night? And besides we can't protect her forever. Ben, I know you care for her, but we can't sleep with her. Her father won't allow it. Hell, Whitney won't either." Hi said looking sad.
"I know but he have to do something." I said leaning forward. They in turn, leaned back. "What if this isn't a joke? Then what?" I said growling through my teeth.
They went silent. They were breaking.
"Fine, Ben but you take tonight. I need a few days to come up with a cover story." Shelton said sighing.
"Ditto." Hi agreed.
"Ditto what?" Tory said behind me.
I spun in her chair. White tank top and dark shorts were now on and she was toweling her hair dry. It was a dark maroon. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Feel better?" I asked.
"Yeah." She said, throwing her towel back into the bathroom. Coop padded over to her, she knelt, and kissed the top of his head. "So what's the plan? Nice boat parts, by the way" she nodded toward the screen.
Busted.
"The plan is that someone stays with you. Everywhere. All the time." Shelton interjected.
"I'm guessing even at night?" she said falling on the bed. She looked tired. Her face was paler then normal and her emerald eyes were dull and sheerness. She looked sad, almost depressed.
"Awkward, but yes." I said looking at the computer screen.
My phone went off.
Shelton and Hi. Same message. They can't cover tonight. Crap.
"Alright boys. We got to go." I said, shutting the laptop shut.
Two seconds later "Dinner!" Tory groan was so loud, it almost made me laugh.
Dinner went and left, the food was incredible but the atmosphere awkward. After dinner we watched movies, like Transformers and Iron man, we started talking about CGI and green-screening, but the whole time Tory sat with a canine biology and genetics book on her lap and a human genetics book to her right. Ever since the change, Tory had been searching for an explanation to what really happened to us, every waking second she has had extra, she has been digging her head in books.
She eventually fell asleep on my shoulder while trying to read a section on recessive and dominate genes and their effect on the thought process in canines. Must have been really boring for Tory to fall asleep while reading it. I gently pushed her onto her pillow, I pulled the books from her hands and set them on the sidetable. Pulling the covers from under her and laying them ontop of her, and for a second I just watched her. Her face was so calm and relaxed, like nothing in the world was wrong. Like there was world peace and that letter didn't exist.
When you watch someone sleep, you realize what calm truly means, and you actually see the beauty in a face. Tory was one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen since moving here. Now I'm not saying I have a thing for her, because I totally don't but she was the most natural person you could ever meet. She would rather be dirty digging through a grave site than getting a manicire. I sound all mushy and gross. I hate when people sound like this.
I pushed a piece of hair out of her face and I went to the window and checked the lock.
Click. Locked.
I sighed. Relief was gaining, just a little bit. I felt tired and safe enough to fall asleep, she was there. She wasn't going to slip through my fingers. Not tonight. Not ever.
I lay on the floor, pondering sleep. She wasn't going anywhere. The house was locked. Mr. Brennen had told me that. Her bedroom door was locked, and her window was locked. She was safe. There was no way anyone was getting.
When I woke up on the floor, I looked up at the clock which read four o'clock am. The window was open and a cool clean breeze was coming, I looked over at the bed where I had left Tory and nothing was there. All is good.
Wait.
Terror ran through me. I sprung up and Tory was gone.
She had slipped through my fingers.
She was gone.
