CAN'T FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT

CHAPTER 19-AFTERMATH

Mom and Dad kept tugging at me to move away from Pim's body, but I wasn't budging.

I was lying on Pim's stomach with my forepaws draped over her side. I had my full weight on her.

I kept growling.

"Phil, there's nothing we can do for her now," Dad choked out.

I only continued to growl. Some of the fur on my leg had gotten smeared with blood from Pim.

"Phil please," Keely's voice said from next to me.

I turned my head around.

She had changed back from the wolf form to her human form. She had tears in her blue eyes.

"Pim wouldn't want you to behave like this," she whispered as tears slid down her cheeks.

I pinned back my ears.

Finally, I allowed Mom to pull me away from Pim.

The Annimid's had changed back into their human forms. They came over.

"We're so sorry about your sister," Jenna said solemnly.

She put a hand on my head before the rest of the pack and her turned to leave.

Hilary came over, changed into human form.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Diffy," she said sadly. "Poor Pim."

Mom was sobbing into my neck.

Everything went back to somewhat normal after that. Pim was taken by the coroner. I was sitting on the chair with my head buried in my hands.

Keely, Mom, Hilary and Dad were sitting on the couch.

The air was thick and silent.

"Phil…" Mom began quietly. Her voice was cracking.

"What?" I snapped raising my head up. "I failed to protect my sister! She was murdered!"

"It's not your fault," Hilary said gently. "The Norix's were known for trickery! We should've known they would trick us into thinking it was just a standoff when in reality they wanted a second war!"

"IT DOES NOT MATTER ANYMORE!" I bellowed angrily jumping to my feet. "PIM IS GONE AND SHE WON'T BE COMING BACK!"

With that, I tore out of the house and let the front door slam behind me.

I jogged for several minutes before I stopped and bent over, putting my hands on my knees. I was breathing heavily and then I burst into tears.

I slowly began sinking to my knees on the grass.

I began sobbing hysterically.

I sensed someone behind me.

"Phil?" Keely's voice asked in a soft, quiet voice.

I looked up. She also had tears in her eyes.

She sank to her knees beside me.

Forgetting that she had turned on me, she threw her arms around me and pulled me close. I hugged her back tightly too and sobbed.

"I'm so sorry about Pim," she whispered into my ear. "And I'm so sorry I turned against you."

"It wasn't your fault," I sobbed. "You didn't know what you were doing. It was the Norix's that were controlling you."

We held onto each other for a bit longer.

I finally pulled back from her embrace.

"Thanks," I said as I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands.

I was still completely devastated about Pim.

"Phil? I-I know this isn't the right time," Keely began nervously. "But I have something to tell you."

"What's that?" I asked sitting on the grass cross-legged.

"Um, well," Keely began biting her bottom lip. "I-I…love you."

Immediately, her cheeks flushed with color.

I broke into a small smile.

"Me too,"

Her eyes widened.

"Really?"

I nodded.

"This is great," she said happily, but then turned sad right away. "But we've got to think about Pim right now."

She put a hand on my shoulder.

I leaned forward and kissed her.

She kissed me back.

After a few moments, we pulled back.

"Your parents are worried," she said.

We got to our feet and headed back into the house.

Pim's funeral was held several weeks later.

We all stood in Pickford's Memorial Cemetery. It was a rainy day and the rain drummed on the top of our umbrellas.

Keely put her arm around my shoulders. Mom and Dad were standing behind me. Mom was sobbing. Dad had his arm around her comfortingly.

Pim's casket was lowered into the ground. We turned away and began heading back to the cars.

"I'm really sorry about Pim," Hilary said gravely. "I never wanted anyone to get hurt."

"We know," Dad said gently. "It wasn't your fault."

Hilary stopped Keely and I before we climbed into the black Lincoln limousine.

Mom and Dad slipped into the back.

"I just wanted to tell you guys that it's really over now," Hilary said softly. "There won't be anymore problems with the Norix's or anyone."

"That's great," Keely said quietly.

"If you ever need me for anything, don't hesitate to call me okay?" Hilary said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper with her phone number written on it.

"I'm heading back to Maine," she said. "To live with the Annimid's. We'll be in touch okay?"

She gave Keely a huge hug before turning to me.

"Good luck."

She gave me a hug too.

I hugged her back before she turned and headed toward a black GMC Yukon Denali. A man dressed in a chauffeur's uniform stood holding the back door open for her. She climbed in and the door was closed. The chauffeur closed the door, climbed into the driver's side and closed his door. The SUV pulled away and the red tail lights disappeared around the bend.

Keely and I glanced at each other before turning around and climbing into the black limo.

I was exhausted that night. My emotions felt completely worn out. I changed into a pair of flannel Pj's as the weather outside took on a real chill. It was now December. Christmas was coming and that made me even more depressed knowing that Pim wouldn't be here to enjoy it.

I climbed into bed and pulled the sheet and quilt up over me and tucked my hands behind my head.

I stared up at the ceiling. I felt fresh tears forming in my eyes all over again. Outside the wind howled and a tree branch rapped against the window.

"I love you, Pim," I said aloud.

"Love you too, Snotbrain,"

Immediately, I sat bolt upright in bed. Pim was sitting on the edge of my bed. She looked completely normal.

"But…" I began completely mystified.

"You're the only one that can see me," Pim explained. "Mom and Dad can't…neither can Keely."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

Pim got up from the bed and scooted closer to me. She didn't even leave a dent on the quilt.

"I came back to make sure you didn't blame yourself for what happened to me," Pim said.

I reached forward and put my hand over hers. It went right through her. A cold sensation passed through me.

"I'm transparent," Pim said raising an eyebrow at me. "But you can still see me…got it?"

"Yeah," I muttered.

"It was not your fault okay? Those Norix's were tricksters and manipulators," she said gently.

"I just want you back," I said.

"I know," Pim said softly. "I miss you and Mom and Dad too. How's Mom doing?"

"Meh," I said. "Not so good. She just lost her only daughter."

Pim's eyes filled with glistening tears.

"But things will get better from now on," Pim said. "I'll be keeping an eye on you guys."

She suddenly turned solid.

"This is so you can get one last hug," she explained.

I threw the covers off of me and she stood up. I got to my feet and threw my arms around her.

I hugged her tightly. I didn't want to let her go.

"I love you so much," I whispered in her ear.

"I love you too okay?" Pim whispered back.

Shortly, she released me.

"I've got to go back," Pim said becoming transparent again. "But I'll stop by every once and a while."

She smiled.

Soon, her image broke into little bright orbs and then she was gone.

I climbed back into bed and shut my eyes.

I fell asleep, feeling much better.

The next day, Keely and I went to school.

It was hard without Pim there, but knowing she was keeping an eye on us, made it a bit easier.

"Hey Keely," I said to her as she approached me. I was standing at my locker.

"Hi Phil," she said eyeing me warily. "Are you alright? How's your mom holding up? How are you holding up?"

"Mom's doing a bit better," I explained. "And I'm much better."

"Sure?"

I nodded.

"Pim visited me last night. She told me that I shouldn't blame myself for what happened to her,"

Keely studied me.

"Like a spirit or in a dream?"

"Spirit," I said. "She's keeping an eye on us."

Keely smiled.

"I'm glad that you're feeling better now," Keely said softly.

I gave Keely a kiss.

I closed the locker door.

"Ready for Science class?" I asked.

She nodded.

We linked arms and headed down the corridor.

KEELY.

Phil and I were sitting in science class. Mr. Andrews was explaining the Eco System of the ocean. I copied down some notes that he placed on the board.

Suddenly, when I looked up, a flash of light went off before my eyes.

I saw myself in a wedding gown and Phil standing next to me at an alter in a church…then the scene flashed to me holding a baby girl…then the next, a wolf head that howled.

The flash of light vanished and I jumped a mile from being startled.

"Keely? What happened?" Phil asked leaning sideways into me.

He was sitting next to me.

Not saying a word, I continued to pay attention to Mr. Andrews.

When the bell rang ending 5th period, I pulled Phil aside and then told him about what happened.

"Wow," Phil said his eyes wide. "Do you think it was some kind of premonition or something?"

"Could be," I said biting my bottom lip. "But it was horrible."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Phil said reassuringly as he put his arm around me and gave me a squeeze.

"You're probably right," I agreed.

We continued to head to the rest of our classes.

After school, Phil and I headed to my house for a bit.

Mom was gone. I had completely forgotten that one of the wolves had torn her to pieces. There was no recollection of her now.

"I'm an orphan," I said as Phil quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me from my house down to his.

"You can stay with us," Phil said automatically.

Mrs. Diffy looked up. She was in the kitchen using one of the spraying cans to make chocolate chip cookies.

"Hi Keely," she said warmly. "How are you?"

"My mom's dead," I said. "One of the wolves had torn her to pieces."

Her face drained of all color.

"Oh Lord," she said sadly. "You can most definitely stay with us."

"Absolutely," Mr. Diffy said. "You're practically family."

I smiled.

"We never did figure out who killed your mom," Phil said helping himself to a cookie.

Once again, the bright light flashed before my eyes. I cried out and dropped to my knees. I dug the heels of my palms into my temples.

I was seeing through something's eyes. I knew it wasn't human because the vision was in black and white with a bit of yellow.

I was creeping along a hallway which I recognized as my own. I stepped into the bedroom.

Mom was sitting at her desk, working on her computer.

She looked up.

"How'd you get in?" she asked standing up.

The next thing I knew, I had charged at her. She was screaming. Blood began pooling everywhere and some splattered onto the mirror. Her body was thrown into the mirror and large shattered pieces fell to the floor as her body rolled off the dresser and onto the floor again.

I went over to her hand and bit down on it.

I then caught sight of myself in one of the shattered pieces of glass…a white wolf with blue eyes holding my mom's hand in her jaws.