Page 37 of Waste
“Rubbish!” Shelley exclaimed, and Ghoul shook his head. “If they got to know you—”
“They’d still kill me. Harpy had her feathers plucked one by one and hot pokers shoved into the wounds left behind. They blunted her beak with files and declawed her daily. And my sister healed every night, and in the morning, they repeated the torture. Basilisk, they locked him inside an iron bull and heated it while he was within. Being immortal, Basilisk healed and was reborn daily. We could hear him screaming as his insides cooked, and we couldn’t find him. He was insane when we finally did.”
Shelley was pale, but Ghoul didn’t let up. He continued to tell her several more horror stories of what had happened to his siblings. At last, Shelley held her hand up as tears streamed down her face.
“Why would people do that?” she whispered.
“Because humans have cruelty in spades. Can you imagine what they’d do to you to find me?”
“Yes.”
“Then cease this idiocy. You’ve already been in a car accident that they might have caused. The Hunters are determined to ensure that we are isolated from anyone who may help us. Stop, Shelley, do you understand? Because next time they won’t fail, and your parents and Charlie will be burying you,” Ghoul hissed.
Shelley nodded but looked sad. “Sorry, I wished to get to know you.”
“What’s to know? I’m a monster; remember that. Leave me the hell alone,” Ghoul spat. “You’re endangering me as well as yourself. And should they capture you, I won’t come to rescue you, not at the cost of my life,” he repeated.
Shelley flinched again, and her eyes flicked away. “Okay,” she whispered. A noise made them both jump, and they turned around and saw movement coming from Mirry’s. Mirry stood on the chalet’s porch and gazed open-mouthed at Ghoul. Ghoul stared right at her, red eyes gleaming.
“And this is what I mean by danger,” he hissed and began moving off.
Mirry’s mouth opened, and she screamed.
Shelley
Shelley darted back inside her room and closed the window. She heard footsteps as Charlie and Drew woke to Mirry’s screams, and Shelley headed for her bedroom door.
“What is that?” Shelley insisted innocently.
Charlie met her gaze. “Sounds like it’s coming from Mirry’s chalet,” he said.
Drew appeared, wearing a pair of sweatpants and nothing else. Shelley’s eyes went slightly wide, and she averted her eyes.
“What the hell is that noise?” Drew demanded, rubbing his chin and yawning.
“Mirry,” Charlie replied.
“That dratted woman. Probably saw a spider and is attention-seeking,” Drew snapped grumpily as the three of them headed for the front door. He yanked on his jacket and opened the door. Mirry’s cries hadn’t faded, and she was staring straight at them.
“What the hell is the racket about?” Charlie demanded loudly.
“There was a creature, a monster!” Mirry cried, pointing to where Ghoul had stood.
Shelley looked over suddenly, realising his footprints would show even though it was snowing. To her puzzlement, there were no signs of prints or anything else.
“Jesus, you had a nightmare,” Charlie scoffed, and Mirry’s eyes narrowed.
“She was talking to it! You should know who you’re getting into bed with!” Mirry accused. Shelley turned red as heat hit her cheeks.
“Don’t be so crass,” Drew shot back. “This is probably another attention-seeking scheme from you!”
Several people around them who’d come to watch murmured in agreement.
“I’m not lying! That bitch was talking to a monster. A pale white male-looking thing with red eyes!” Mirry shrieked.
Charlie rolled his eyes. “Where was she chatting to it?”
“Right there,” Mirry said and stormed across the road to point at Shelley’s bedroom window.
