Chapter 8: “Oliver”
The group sat in Tommy’s living room. They sat back, happy, that they defeated Assassin. Mike sat with a washcloth cleaning the small scrapes from falling. Everyone was glad that nothing terrible happened while they fought the powerful beast—Prototype 03.
“I’m hungry.” Tommy muttered.
Amber glared at Tommy, who smiled.
“Please.” Tommy begged.
Amber stood up and bowed. “Yes, your majesty.” She said sarcastically.
Carol laughed.
Jade sat down causing Oliver to jump to sit next to him. “I don’t think he will come out during the day.”
Carol and the others looked over at Jade. “Why do you think that?” Amber asked.
Jade didn’t reply, causing Oliver to meow and run to a broken window and jump out.
“Where’s Oliver going?” Carol asked.
Jade closed his eyes and leaned back. “Probably to keep an eye out.”
Carol stood up. “Well, if you don’t think he will attack in the day, I’m going to my house to change clothes. I won’t be long. Do you think it would be alright if I did?”
Jade nodded.
“Just be careful.” Amber said.
“Alright.” Carol said. Carol walked over to the doorway. “Be back in a few.”
Carol closed the door behind her as she walked out onto the sidewalk. It was daylight, so she wasn’t worried about anything happening. Even if this guy were after her for and her friends for some reason, he wouldn’t attack in broad daylight.
Tommy didn’t live to far away from Carol, so Carol was more than happy to walk home. Driving a car worried her a bit.
Carol thought about what she’d do when this was all over. Things had changed, and there was no going back to that life again. She was more worried about Alison’s coping with life instead of her own. Alison’s body changed a bit more everyday, but it was still Alison, deep within that beastly figure.
Carol continued to walk, until she reached her house. She stopped at the door. She knew that her parents were dead; Assassin—Prototype 03—killed them. Why? She wondered. Why was Jade’s brother doing this to everyone around her? Carol knew that only Jade and his brother probably knew the answer to that question, and she had a feeling that neither would tell willingly.
Carol pulled a key out of a hidden nook in the wall and opened the door. She slowly walked into the quiet house toward her room. The house felt empty. She had been alone in the house before, but this was the only time it had ever felt empty to her. Her parents would never again come into this house, and they would greet her after a bad day.
Carol walked into her room and changed into some casual clothes. She put on a pair of blue-jean shorts and a white tank top with a black cover shirt. Carol pulled out her most comfortable pair of shoes—a pair of black cloth slip-ons and slid them on her feet.
Carol walked over to her desk after she folded the clothes Tommy had let her borrow. She sat down at her desk and looked at the two notes she had received earlier that week. One was a warning for Jason’s kidnapping, and the other was a warning of the attack on the Prom. Carol picked both of the letters up and threw them in the garbage. Carol stood up before she noticed a new letter on her desk.
“What?” Carol picked up the unmarked envelope and turned it around to open it. Carol looked at the red markings on the seal of the envelope and began to get worried. She looked down at her desk to see her red pen open on her desk.
Carol opened the envelope quickly and pulled out the folded paper. She unfolded the paper to read it. “It says, ‘When all is thought to be well, the angel goes alone to join me in hell.’” Carol dropped the note quickly and ran out of her house.
Carol ran so fast down the steps to the sidewalk, she fell onto the two-foot planter next to the sidewalk her dad had built. She rose up and shook her head. She turned toward the road to see the man that had literally crashed the Prom.
He laughed. “And you thought all was well.”
There was a howling causing the man to turn around.
Carol looked to see what it was. “Oliver?” She didn’t know how he’d gotten here, but in a way she was glad that he was.
“Pesky little—!” The man said harshly.
Oliver stopped his howl and jumped toward the man to only be knocked aside. Oliver sat up and then began his howl again.
Meanwhile at Tommy’s house, everyone was sitting around in the living room, while Jade seemed to take a nap.
Amber muted the TV. “What’s that noise?” She asked.
Jade opened his eyes, and stood quickly. “That’s Oliver.”
“It sounds like it’s coming from the direction Carol went.” Alison said as she stepped into the living room.
Jade, as well as everyone else, ran out of the house and down the street.
Oliver stopped howling, and growled at the man who was supposed to be Jade’s older brother.
Carol tried to pull herself up only causing the man to turn to face her. “You stay put, little girl, I’m not finished with you, yet.” He said harshly.
“No, you stop!” Amber yelled from down the street.
Jade, Tommy, Mike, and Amber stopped in the street around six feet from Jade’s brother.
Oliver ran towards Carol and sat up on the planter to growl.
The man glanced at Jade then smirked.
Carol pulled herself onto the planter to feel a shooting pain in her leg. She looked down to see the man’s hand holding her ankle and the claws gashing three deep cuts into her leg.
“Well, isn’t this a predicament?” The man said in his harsh voice.
Oliver growled louder.
The man laughed. “Shut up you useless beast!” He commanded. He looked over toward Jade. “And you should know, dear brother, that I am one not be messed with. Call your beast to stop, or I’ll rip her leg off.”
“Oliver.” Jade waved his hand and Oliver stopped the growl. Oliver remained in a pounce position near Carol.
“It isn’t time, I’m afraid.” Jade’s brother spoke clearly but dully. “I thought that I could snatch the bait away early, but I seems that I underestimated you, brother.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Jade asked.
The hideous man laughed and looked at Carol. “Time to say good-bye.” He pulled his arm away and ran down the street at a speed of which no one human would be able to catch him.
Oliver made a sad meow and looked at Carol.
Carol sat up, but kept her left leg still.
Everyone ran over to her. “Carol!” Amber knelt down next to her. “We need to get you to a hospital.”
“No, we can’t.” Jade said.
“What the hell are you talking about, freak!” Tommy demanded. “She’s hurt! What are you—blind!”
“Jacob will be expecting us to take her to the hospital.” Jade calmly replied.
“Well, what do you expect us to do, then?” Tommy asked sarcastically.
“We have bandages in our house.” Mike said.
“Well, let’s hurry, before it becomes too bad.” Amber said in a demanding tone.
Amber tied a piece of her shirt around the deep cuts, while Tommy planed to carry her to his house.
They hurried to the house and went inside, locking the door behind them. Tommy carried Carol to one of the guest rooms, while Mike ran to get the bandages and some rubbing alcohol.
Tommy quickly bandaged up the cuts on Carol’s leg. “That should be better.”
“It hurts.” Carol said.
“Well, duh.” Amber said. “Those cuts are deep, no wonder.”
“You should get some rest.” Jade said.
Carol pouted. “I didn’t think that guy had the guts to attack in daylight.”
“Well, he’s a psychopath, what else do expect?” Tommy said.
“I’m glad that Oliver followed her.” Amber said. “If we didn’t hear him
, Jacob could have killed her.”
“Yeah, it could have been worse.” Tommy stated blankly. He patted the sad Oliver’s head. “Thanks, kitty.”
Oliver squeaked a quiet little squeak.
“Are you sad about me, Oliver?” Carol asked a bit cheerfully.
Oliver meowed in acknowledgement of Carol’s question.
“Let’s let her get some rest, Oliver.” Jade said, as he walked out of the room, causing Oliver to meow and follow him.
“Yeah, get some rest, Carol.” Amber stood up from the chair that she was sitting in. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Amber.” Carol said.
Tommy stood up. “Later.” He walked out of the room followed by Mike. As they left Mike pulled the door shut and turned off the light.
Carol lay back in the bed looking at the ceiling. She felt weak, probably from the recent loss of blood caused by the gashes on her leg. She decided to do just as they suggested and get some rest.