Page 22 of Shaped to Be Yours

But what the fuck was it? What was that place, that light? What had happened to the person who screamed? Was it the same thing that happened to my dad? Why was I attacked there? And by what?

I’d dismissed something when Ricky and I were first playing in the woods. Before the scream, before the first roll of thunder, I’d thought I smelled or even sensed something… familiar. Wild animals in the woods weren’t unusual, but we’d never hadanything dangerous in there before. Once upon a time, we didn't have monsters either.

I hurried to get dressed. There wasn’t time for a shower. I’d brush my teeth after I ate something and call it good enough. One thing about half-way transforming was that it fluffed my hair better than running a comb through it.

A notification from the Monster Match app blinked at me when I grabbed my phone. I’d messaged Cael last night about what happened, but then I got so turned around and caught up in things afterward, I hadn’t checked to see his response. Ricky and I hadn’t told Mom about any of it. The scientist team had asked us not to, and she never went into those woods anyway. If I told her, she’d only worry.

And think about Dad.

The last thing I’d messaged Cael was to ask if he could pop over and check out that spot in the woods.

slender_01:I am afraid that might prove more dangerous for you and your town. It sounds as if those woods are home to a natural forming portal between realms, one that is not stable. My presence could further destabilize it and have unknown or even catastrophic effects. Use caution and let the scientists continue to study it.

Since I hadn’t replied, he’d messaged me again this morning.

slender_01:I hope you are not upset by my answer, Jason. Please know that I would help if I could.

BROmance2021:i know dude. its fine. i just dont like that its where i was attacked. whatever attacked me—

The realization of what I was about to type hit me at the same moment as when I was writing it.

BROmance2021:whatever attacked me might still be in the woods

Fuck. And now I had to go and pretend to care about whatever boring gopher shit my mom was going to assign to me at the elementary school—while acting grateful because I had asked her for this.

“Aw, your hair looks so nice this morning, honey.” Mom doted over me at the kitchen island, where I was scarfing down eggs before we headed to the school. She’d made me bacon and eggs, even though she never had more than, like, a protein bar and coffee for breakfast herself. She was seriously the best, while I was the worst.

“Well, ya know, I can honestly say, ‘I woke up like this,’ and it’s true.” I shrugged.

She laughed.

“Ricky headed out okay?”

“Oh yes. Caught him trying to have just plain toast for breakfast though. I fixed that.”

Good. Hopefully, he’d have more info to share once he was done for the day. He’d already promised to tell me everything he learned, even if it was classified. He’d tried to convince me to join him today, but no freaking way. Those scientists would only want to study me, and I was not a lab rat.

“Honey?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you had any feelers on potential jobs in your field. Not that you have to yet! I just know you’re going to be bored to tears helping me in the office.”

No use hiding that from her then. She knew me too well.

I finished my eggs and last strip of bacon and brought my plate to the sink.

“Feelers as in places I want to apply for, yes. Only, so far, the ones I really want are out.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re all outside city limits or several towns away. I’m not allowed to leave Elder Ridge right now, remember? My visa, even if I didn’t have Agent As—Whitmore—around, means I have to find a job in town. I’ll probably end up mowing lawns,” I grumbled and let my plate clatter a little too loudly when I dropped it.

“Jason.” Mom came up beside me. “It’s still early days. Very early. They only want to watch you until they feel like they can trust you. And you are plenty trustworthy, so I’m sure it’ll take no time at all before Agent Whitmore gives you the all clear. Besides, what’s wrong with mowing lawns and landscaping? That’s what your father did.”

Shit. There I went being a dick again and still ended up reminding her of him. “I didn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the work, but it’s not what I want to do. Though I don’t really know what I do want, other than to be outside. And yes, I realize mowing and landscaping would achieve that. Let’s wait and see how bored I get at the school first.”

She patted my shoulder. “It’s mostly filing and data entry. It won’t take long.”

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