Page 4 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Walkingup to the decorated urn, she let her hands glide over the curved tap and ornatekey that stuck out of it. Her family would all gather around the dining roomtable and drink tea, tell stories, and share memories with smiles and laughter.It was always one of her favorite traditions with her grandparents. It was alasting familial memory that she called upon in the best and worst of times. Itwas a memory she had hoped she could turn into her future with her own familyone day. Running the pads of her fingers up the scrolling brass artwork, shepictured Zach's long fingers touching the urn, somehow invading her preciousdreams for the future like he invaded every other aspect of her life.
Withoutany doubt, she knew that man remembered her.
"Thecabinet doors are back on," the deep timbre of Zach's voice from behindher nearly made her jump in shock.
Whirlingaround, she looked to see him standing in the entryway of her dining room a fewfeet away with his tool bag in one hand.
Hissmile was almost feral. "You need me to hang around and threaten any moremovers for you?"
Stiffening,Sana lifted her chin and cast him a withering stare. "No, thank you Mr.Waatese. Have a good day." Sana could see the sudden flash of irritationin his gilded eyes at the clear dismissal in her voice.
Shewas just about to let out a sigh of relief when he turned towards the door, butof course, he stopped and turned back to her with a sharp grin.
"Well,if you need anything,neighbor," he said with a mocking friendlytone. "I'm just down the street at the first house on the right. Youknow—the red one. It used to belong to…" He paused, scratching his chinfor show as if he really had to recall who it was.
Sheknew immediately what house he was referring to. How could she not?! TheCamersons had lived there for decades.
Hisface brightened with fake recollection. "The Camersons," he drawled,"do you remember them?"
Thoughhis infernal tone inflected at a question, she could tell by the glint in hiseyes he was simply teasing her, waiting for a reaction. She refused to give himone. She would not allow herself to be toyed with by Zachariah Waatese everagain.
Shegave him a practiced nonchalant smile. "Yes, of course. And if for somereason I need you, Mr. Waatese, I willconsidercalling."
Sana'sstomach did a small flip at the dangerous narrowing of his gilded eyes beforehe finally turned and left.
~*~
Strappinghis tool bag onto his bike, Zach resisted the urge to let out the growlthrumming in his throat. The urge to march back up the stairs and kick everyoneelse out of the house and lay Sana down on top of that dining room table wasnearly blinding. Swinging his leg over the bike, Zach pushed it upright,steadying it with his thighs before grabbing the bars and kicking back thestand with his foot. Igniting the engine, he let the powerful hum of themachine whir through his body, soothing the animalistic rage bubbling beneaththe surface.
Afterall this time, she was back, just like he knew she would be. Unfortunately, hewas back at square fucking one with her though. Riding past his house, heturned onto the main road that led to the highway, he opened the engine up.Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the feeling of the wind in his hair beforeopening them again. Habitual now, Zach let memories of the first time he mether replay for the countless time in his mind.
Whenhe was seventeen, he and his mother, Sandra Waatese, had moved to Tarki fromLos Angeles. After the death of his father, they had been forced to hop aroundfrom one shit-hole neighborhood to another for a year until finally, theyreceived a knock on their door from a man Zach could only remember seeing onceor twice when he was younger. It turned out his uncle, Adam Waatese, had beenlooking for them after he received word of his estranged brother's death. ToZach's horror, his mother hadn't put up a single argument when his uncle toldthem—not asked—to pack their bags and be ready by the morning. Zach railed andargued with her about moving to some godforsaken little town in the middle ofnowhere, but for the first time, his soft-spoken mother told him quite firmlythe full facts of their situation. There was no money. The little bit ofsavings she and his dad had accumulated was long gone, and they weredangerously close to living on the streets. Between that and other factors shedidn't have to explain to him, the arrival of his uncle was a godsend.
Tosay the transition had been hard would have been a goddamn understatement.Tarki, Oregon, was Zach's living hell. There was nothing to do, no one of anyintelligence to fucking talk to maybe besides his scores of cousins, and mostof them were either too young or too sheltered to stand to be around. They alllooked at him as if he was akin to a hardened prisoner let loose in theirinnocent, bucolic village. And in a way, he supposed they were correct. Hewasn't like them, even in the places he had thought—hoped--it counted he wasdifferent—angrier, wilder.
Bythe time Sana arrived into town that summer, Zach had nearly lost his mind toboredom. His uncle, who Zach had slowly and begrudgingly came to respect, hadhim working all summer with only a couple hours here and there for time tohimself. That was when he happened to see her.
Hehad been helping set up the summer festival when he sensed her across thefield. Eucalyptus and lavender, her fresh scent floated on the air permeatinghis very existence with the announcement of her arrival. She was the only otherone around his age there to help that day. She and who he assumed was herlittle brother were taking instructions from his aunt on how she wanted theballoons filled and placed along the stage area. With a shy smile, Sana readilyassisted everyone who called to her, all the while patiently herding heroverexcited brother to follow and trying to keep a close eye on the kid. Zachcould practically smell the quiet innocence from the skinny and wide-eyed girlfrom where he was standing across the field. She was nothing like the girls hefooled around with back in LA. Hell, she was a child compared to those girls.But fuck if she didn't activate every base and predatory instinct within him onsight.
Zachwas halfway down the ladder with every intention of heading her way when hefelt the crushing force of Adam Waatese's grip on his shoulder. Zach hadfroze. When he had moved in with his uncle, it didn't take long for Zach tolearn one of the most crucial lessons in his new home: no matter who Zachthought he was back in LA, no matter how many changes Zach was going through inhis transition to something beyond mere manhood, his uncle's word was law.
"Don'teven think about it, boy," his uncle's normally pleasant voice changed to atone he normally only reserved for Zach and anyone else dumb enough to step outof line. The gravelly voice shook right through his hand and into Zach'sshoulder. "I have known that child since she was in elementary, and trustme when I say, she is far too good for you."
Hisuncle had left him standing there that day, thoroughly warned against goinganywhere near Sana Bhatt, a warning Zach knew there would be hell to pay if hedisobeyed.
Grinningat the memory, Zach pulled the throttle tighter until he surged forward evenfaster down the lonely highway. What was the cost of hell anyways when his soulwas already claimed by a girl who didn’t even know it?
~*~
Allof the boxes were distributed to their proper room and awaiting to be unpacked.Sitting on her newly delivered couch, Sana took a deep tired breath and floppedbackward onto the plush cushion. Looking at the ceiling, she rested one armover her forehead lazily as her mind drifted to that infernal man. Why, why,why did she not call anyone she still knew down here to check to see ifZachariah was still here?! Not only was the man still here, he was her blastedneighbor, for crying out loud! He had done this on purpose. She was sure of it.He had certainly remembered her name the moment she emailed about the propertymanagement services and set about ruining her life. He probably ousted whoeverhad bought the Camersons's house with threats and classic Zachariah Waateseintimidation just so he could be near her to torture her as he did years ago.
Losingherself in the endless white expanse of her ceiling, Sana easily recalled theday she first met Zachariah. It was the next day after her frighteningexperience at the quarry pond. All night she had dreamed of a golden-eyed wolfstaring at her, chasing her through the woods, always stopping just short ofmaking contact with her. He seemed to be laughing at her, toying with her justto see her terrified reaction. Needless to say, she had woken up tired andaggravated that morning. After breakfast, she covertly told her grandfather,who was still sitting at the dining room table with a cup of tea and hisnewspaper, that she would be heading out to take some photos. Making aninnocent face at his knowing look he gave her, she escaped through the frontdoor and down the steps before either one of her parents could saddle her withthe responsibility of watching her brother, Kamal.
Takingthe road from her house down to the main road, she waved at the passing carfilled with friendly smiles before quickly crossing the road to the other side.Continuing down the road until it ended at a sandy dead end, she slowly pickedher way down the tall dune down to the beach. Tarki's coast was nothing likethe ideal coastline one imagined when thinking of a beachside town. Nearly ahalf a mile wide, the deep stretch of barren sand was dotted with tenaciousvines and driftwood and bordered by huge sand dunes.
Turningher face to the ocean breeze, Sana closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.Saltwater stung her nose, gloriously reminding her why she loved coming to thebeach. Feeling her mood lift even higher, she walked with excited purposetowards a small cluster of abandoned rowboats piled up near a cluster ofprotruding rocks near the shore. With deep rotted holes and their wood beatenand splintered over time from the harsh sea winds, the boats were a perfectsubject. Finding a tangled knot of fishing line and thick blue fishing ropehalf-buried in the sand, Sana drug it over and laid it on the bottom of theboat before cradling her camera to her eye and readjusting her camera's focuson the new target. Checking the LCD screen, she turned away from the sun to geta better view when she glimpsed the figure standing at the top of the hill.
Instantly,Sana knew without the need to shield her eyes from the sun's glare exactly whothe tall, lean body belonged to. Earlier that week, she had helped out andattended the annual summer festival, an event she eagerly looked forward toevery year. Stacking a few chairs and running a few errands for people acrosstown as they set up was worth it for the magical experience of the festival.Fireworks, food vendors, handmade goods, and above all else, an outdoor area ofold movies projected on a large white screen, the festival was pure summermagic. But this year was different.
