As Jackson and I continue down the road we come across what looks like a junkyard, with cars and trailers all around, not to mention the piles of what appears to be unless nicknacks and trash. When the truck comes to a stop Jackson and I step out of the truck, guns ready, but not up or aimed.
Jackson glances over to me as I walk around the front of the truck, "This must be the place."
I look around and notice there isn't any ash in the air, like there was our entire drive, "There's got to be a scientific explanation for this, right?"
Jackson nods as he looks around, "The trees may be creating a windbreak, keeping the ash away."
"Or this woman really is a witch."
The two of us walk up onto the porch of the red trailer we parked in front of. When we get up to the door I notice a very familiar symbol on the door. "Isn't that? Abigail's symbol?"
Jackson takes out the disc we have and holds it up to the door, before nodding over to me. "It matches."
As Jackson and I sigh, taking another moment to look around, the trailer door opens, and a small Hispanic woman steps out. Jackson hadn't put the disc away yet and the woman looks at the drive and then up to Jackson. "Eres Senor. Duncan?"
Jackson looks down to the small woman confused, I chuckle softly and translate, having learned Spanish to help a few people we help move in California and Utah. "She's asking if you're Mr. Duncan. Do you know who that is?" I look over to Jackson.
Jackson shakes his head, "No. But there's only one way to find out."
The woman asks again, "Eres Senor. Duncan?"
Jackson takes a deep breath, "Si, Senor Duncan."
"Que Buena." That's good, the woman says, nodding and smiling up to Jackson.
Jackson nods and smiles to the woman. She is in a long red, almost Moo Moo dress, a long red and black patterned scarf over her shoulders, a long necklace, earrings, and a beige gardening hat. Once Jackson confirms he is Mr. Duncan the woman walks down off the porch and around to the back of the trailer. There is another trailer and a few more things, that again, make the place look like a junkyard.
"Déjame llevarte Abendegos. Ha Estado Esperando al Senor. Duncan." Let me take you to Abendeogs. He has been waiting for Mr. Duncan. The woman speaks as she walks a few feet in front of us.
"She's taking just to meet someone named Abendegos, who's been waiting for Mr. Duncan. Wild guess you don't know who that is, either."
"No, but we did just assumed that Abigail was working alone, but it makes sense that she wasn't."
"Yeah, well, let's hope that this Abendegos and Mr. Duncan haven't met, or we might be one step closer to dead."
As we approach another trailer there are two men playing cards, upon seeing us the men stand and grab their guns, but the woman stops them. "Oye, Oye, Este es el Senor Duncan." hey, hey, this is Mr. Duncan.
The two men look to each other and then to us, one of the men was a spider tattooed on his left cheek, below his eye, the other is wearing a ball cap. It takes a minute, but one of them finally speaks, "Senor Duncan."
"Si, el esta aqui para ver a Abendegos," yes, he is here to see Abendegos.
The woman nods and walks away from the table as one of the men speaks, "Antes de entrar Tienes Que Dejar tus armas."
I sigh and look over to Jackson, "We need to leave the guns on the table."
Jackson and I nod, doing as we are asked. Laying our guns on the table, careful not to disturb the beers and cards on the table. We nod to the men before turning and walking up the porch to the second trailer. There are torn mesh nets and so many other things around this trailer to looks as if it's decorated for Halloween.
Jackson opens the door and slowly steps inside and I follow him, the door creaks as it opens. There are boards covering the windows and letting in very little light, there is also what sounds like something snoring in the trailer. I look around and whisper to Jackson, "Sounds like you after a few too many."
Jackson looks over to me with a smile and shakes his head, "shut up."
As we glance at the back of the trailer we notice there is something asleep, laying on the ground, something VERY large. The creator begins to wake up at the sound of the door closing behind Jackson and I, when it looks around and notices us, it lets out a screech. We can hear chains rattling as the creator moves toward us. As it does Jackson and I jump backward, landing on the ground, getting as close to the wall as we can, as it begins to hit the ground in front of us. I yelp and that a few deep breaths as the creator moves his focus to Jackson.
"Jackson, Jackson." The creator lets out in a growly harsh voice.
Judging from the look on his face, as he is zoned out on the creator in front of us, Jackson is in as much shock as I am. "Did that thing just say your name?"
"No, no, that's impossible."
"Jackson." The creator growls again.
Jackson shrugs, still looking shocked and terrified, "Okay. Maybe not impossible."
"So, Abendegos is a hybrid who can talk. Remind me to kill you when we get out of here."
"We need to tighten its restraints. Do you have a necklace or bracelet or something?"
"The only thing I have is my wedding ring and I'd like to keep it." I know it sounds selfish in hindsight, but it was Jackson's mother's. We had to dig and dig through what we had left at the camp when we got back to find it and we never thought we would, we figured lotters came in and took it. "Why?"
"Because it looks part baboon. Baboons are driven by curiosity. I need something shiny." Jackson stands and starts to dig through his pockets, "okay, hey!" he comments as the creator continues to pound the floor.
"No, your clicker? You need that to control the lions." Jackson tosses the clicker into the trailer and the creator follows it, smashing it as he gets it, "I guess, we can kiss any animal assistance goodbye. You couldn't have thrown a stick or something?"
"I was improvising." Jackson shrugs as the two of us grab the chain and pull, shortening it dramatically, before tying it off. The creator is far from happy, as he begins to jump up and down in the trailer. "We need to study this creature."
"No way we're getting it outside."
"No, I know. We're gonna tow this whole thing back to the plane."
"What about the gruesome twosome? Something tells me they're not gonna be okay with that."
"We won't ask them." Jackson walks to the side of the trailer, opposite the one we came in and looks for a weak spot, once he finds one he hits it, opening up the wall. Once he is out, Jackson helps me out and we head for the truck. As we make our way back to the truck, bullets hit around feet.
When we look up the Hispanic woman is there, holding my rifle on us. "No te muevas." Don't move.
I sigh and put my hands up as the other two shot into the air, "I think they figured out you're not Mr. Duncan."
As the two men approach us the woman shakes her head, "Imposter, no eres el Senor Duncan." Imposter, you're not Mr. Duncan."
Jackson puts his hands up and steps in front of me, "Listen, I can explain, okay? Abigail is my sister." As Jackson speaks I translate.
The man with the ball cap shouts, "No te muevas! Quedarse quieto!" Don't move, stay put!"
"Quien eres tu?" who are you? The woman shouts.
I step up beside Jackson, "I think I can talk them down
"Katherine, don't."
"I have to do something, just think of a plan to get us out of here." I look to the three of them. "Ya no estas seguro aqui," You're no longer safe here. One of the men shout something, that I didn't catch, before firing at our feet. "El es hermano de Abigail. Podemos llevarte a la y Abendegos." He is Abigail's brother. We can bring you to safety. you and Abendegos.
"Abendegos no puede ser movido." Abendegos cannot be moved, the woman shouts.
"Tranquilo!" Quiet! The man with the spider tattoo shouts as he hits Jackson with the butt of his gun. Jackson falls to the ground and I do with him, look up at the three around us. "No mas mentiras! Se acabo" no more lies. This is over.
I stand as one of the men steps closer to me, holding his gun to my chest. As he does Jackson sits up on his knees, lifts his hand up and shouts, "NO!"
As Jackson shouts, I hear what sounds like lion snarls and roars. When I look around a see a group of mountain lions surround us. So this is how I die, either by lion or bullet. As he stands, Jackson lowers his hand, looking around to the lions. I look over to Jackson, "What's happening? Is it because that thing smashed your clicker?"
"I don't think so." Jackson looks over to me, taking a few deep breaths.
I would step over to him, but I'm all but sure I'd be mauled or shot, if not both if I move an inch. As the lions move in everyone begins to shift, "Jackson, if that clicker didn't do this, dow that mean you summoned these animals with your mind?"
"Sorta."
"Jackson!"
"You really wanna play 20 questions right now?"
As I look around to the other three, one of the lions pounce on the man with the cap. "NO!" the woman shouts before she and the other man begin shooting at the lions. Allowing Jackson and I to run and hide behind a truck.
"Okay, look, we can't leave here without the hybrid, okay? We got to get to the truck, hook it to the trailer, and get the hell out of here."
I nod and look around, before turning to Jackson, "Alright, on the count of three. Make a run for it."
"Perfect."
I move up so I can start running, "Three!" I take off, running in the opposite direction of the truck and over to Abenegos' trailer, distracting the man and woman so Jackson can get to the truck.
"Katherine!" Jackson shouts after me. But I'm already gone, hiding beside the shaking trailer. Jackson must have gotten to the truck because before long I hear a familiar engine. Then see Jackson rush up and drift into a turn to back up to the trailer.
"Back up, back up, back up, back up!" I shout gesturing in a circular motion. "That's good!"
Jackson hops out of the truck and moves to the back of the truck. The two of us are separated by about two feet and gunfire. The lions snarl and the man screams as the gunfire stops. Jackson and I both look out and see one of the lions pulling him away. And I look over to Jackson shocked, "Did you do that?"
"No. maybe, I don't know." Jackson shakes his head as he leans over and attaches the trailer to the truck. "I got it, come on! Let's go!"
As Jackson shouts I run to the driver side door, Jackson behind me. Once I'm in the car I jump across the car into the passenger seat. The woman still shooting at us as Jackson drives away. I glance back and take a deep breath, "Well, that went well."