6 hours 4 minutes until work

“Well, that’s misleading,” Yrsa commented looking up from the handwritten note from Mr. Papadakis. 123 Market Street was not a building, but a large open market place. Under the painted sign Mary Papadakis’s twin sister was shuffling from hoof to hoof. Yrsa wasn’t done rolling down the window when the centaur rushed to truck.

“Oh good, you’re here. I was starting to get worried.” The girl motioned for Yrsa to follow around the outer area of the market. The truck wasn’t fully stopped when the girl began to unload the goat skins.

“NO!” The centaur cried out so loud the other vendors unloading their wares stopped to look. “I mean. We can handle this.” When she said ‘we’ another much smaller girl came out of the stall. She looked like a half-drowned tanned vampire wearing a grey hoodie. Stepping back Yrsa allowed the two to work. Stretching her legs she glanced at the clock on her dash calculating how much longer she had left. Reaching towards the sky she noticed something nestled between the skins. She plucked the light brown package to look at it better. It was one of those envelopes that people ship clothes in with something bulky inside. She turned it over several times looking for some indication who the contents belonged to. Seeing none she shrugged tossing the envelope into the cab of the truck making a note to inquire about it when she got home.

When the girls finished the two of them started acting odd. The girl in the hoodie was avoiding looking directly at Yrsa. She was used to this, while the centaur began to wring her hands as her horse half kept pawing the ground. Chalking it up to it being up too long Yrsa just asked for a signature to verify the delivery.

40 minutes until work

Without any real traffic, she flew home. Satisfied she parked behind the post office to wait until the office opened. Shutting off the engine she leaned back to-

-3 hours 18 minutes until work

Swearing loudly Yrsa tore out of the truck into the office. Her boss appeared unphased as she runs up to the counter. He merely sipped at his coffee as he held out the pink slip for her to take. Adrenaline leaving her she slumped against the counter gathering her thoughts. When her former boss didn’t move she allowed her skull to fall to the counter.

“Best of luck kiddo,” he said placing the paper on the counter for her to take.

And just like that.

She was jobless.

Dragging her feet she made her way back to the truck. A ripping sound jolted her out of her funk. Stewie had torn a strip from the package revealing the contents a little bit. Peeking through the tear she was confused to see what appeared to be sheep’s wool the color of gold.

Snatching the package away from the hare she chastised the creature before surveying the damage. Feeling the wool she was surprised it was softer than normal wool. Wondering how they were able to dye it such a vibrant color while keeping the softness she settled in to go home.

Hunger pains settling in she was looking forward to finishing off whatever was left in her fridge. She’ll think about where to go from here in the moonlight. When she got close enough to her RV she realized she wouldn’t be allowed that privilege. For the second time in less than a month, a truck was parked in her spot. Before she could properly work up a reasonable reason for someone coming to call the side door flew open. A split second later her bench cushion was thrown out onto the sand. Even from this distance, she stopped it was ripped to shreds. Stopping short she killed the engine to confront the person destroying her home.

“What the hell?” Yrsa yelled causing the person to stop their destruction. For a split second the two locked eyes. She barely had a chance to recognize the grey hoodie girl from the Market when she launched herself at Yrsa. With enough strength to fell an antelope, she sent the girl flying back against the RV. Not caring she dented her home she approached the unmoving girl.

At first, she felt she might have overreacted when she spotted the four-inch knife glinting in the sun. Checking for a pulse she was happy to feel the steady thrumming under her fingers.

‘Can’t leave her here.’ She had a belt or extension cord to restrain her until the police came. While she was surveying the damage to her RV the Papadakis truck came barreling towards them. Mr. Papadakis scrabbled out of his modified truck to see the girl unconscious on the hot sand.

“Dana!” He called rushing to her side looking over her for obvious injuries. “What did you do to her?”

“What did I do to her? She’s the one who broke into my home, wrecked up the place and attacked me with a knife!” Pissed off she picked up the cushion to see if it was salvageable (it wasn’t).

“I think you broke her arm.” He announced picking up the limp girl. Yrsa made a noise in the back of her throat. It was the same one her father used when he was indicating he was listening but particularly interested in what was being said. She tossed the cushion in the general direction of the trash.

“Look. Just give us back what you took and we’ll never bother you again.” He tried to bargain as he placed the girl onto some goat skins in the back of his truck.

“What thing? You mean that weird envelope? What kind of shady dealings did you trick me into doing?” She was tired. She was hungry. In her current state, she felt she could easily take on the centaur.

“That’s none of your business.” He snapped. He would’ve sounded more forceful if he wasn’t hyper-aware that Yrsa was flexing her claws.

“The hell, it isn’t! All I wanted to do was try something new. Maybe I’d like it. But no!” Collecting her thoughts she managed to say, “Just pay me what you owe me and we’ll never see each other again.”

Coupled with the money she had saved up she had more than enough to make it home. Compared to the recent string of events life on the ranch was looking like paradise. Patting down his front to show he had nothing in the vest she always saw him in. Yrsa let loose a low growl. The centaur lifted both hands to try to show her he meant no harm.

“Look. Just hitch up your truck to your RV, I’ll get you your money, and you can be on your way.” He took a few breaths resisting the urge to run. Yrsa gave a huff as she made her way to do what he had suggested. Bitterness welling up in her throat she returned to her truck to pull it up to the hitch on the RV. Oblivious to Yrsa’s plight Stewie was curled up on top of the ripped-open package.

“Get off that.” Yrsa snapped ripping the package out from underneath the hare. The creature gave a chitter which angered her further. Picking him up she dumped him outside shooing him away. As he took off into the desert Yrsa hoped she’d never see him or anyone else that would remind her of this place ever again.

Mr. Papadakis was eyeing Yrsa from his front porch his fingers drumming on the butt of his shotgun. Yrsa was out of her RV leaning against the attached truck. She had pulled the whole thing around to where she was already facing towards the road. Behind her on the driver’s seat was the patched-up package. The silver duct tape looked awful but for some reason it made her feel better. Through the open front door, she could hear Mrs. Papadakis and the now conscious girl talking normally.

“At least it was a clean break. One pass over with the fleece and you’ll be good as new.” Mrs. Papadakis sounded forcefully cheerful.

“I have to wait until we get to the ocean before that though.” The girl puffed as she leaned back into her folded chair. Growing bored Yrsa tried to focus more on the noises from the desert. From the west, she heard the tell-tell sound of a heavy-duty engine.

“They’re going to burn out their engine pushing it in low gear like that,” Yrsa commented aloud. Mr. Papadakis gave a start.

“Engine? What engine?” He asked drawing his gun closer. Yrsa pushed off her truck to walk a few in the middle of the looping driveway she pointed towards the plumes of dust coming towards them. The centaur took a few steps to get a better look.

“GIRLS. WE HAVE COMPANY!” He roared back towards the house. Mrs. Papadakis rushed out to give her husband an embrace before urging her daughter to go out the back.

“You should leave too.” He added to Yrsa an afterthought. Just as she was deciding that the dried-out creek bed might be the best place to lay low Stewie burst from the underbrush. Seeing her he collapsed at her feet looking he just ran for miles. Scooping the exhausted hare into her arms, she couldn’t leave him here. Looking up she saw the vehicles were getting closer just behind her own. Inspiration struck as she scrambled into the back of her truck. Blessing the moon she used the tarp to over the both of them. All too two vehicles skid to a halt in front of the ranch house. Closing her eyes Yrsa tried to figure out what was happening just beyond her view. Three folks exited their trucks to approach the house. Two sets of feet walked away while the third began to approach her instead. There was a loud snorting sound drowning out Mr. Papadakis and the other two conversations.

“It’s close.” The one approaching announced taking another wet sounding sniff of the air. “EUGH!” Cried the voice choking loudly.

“Keep it together man.” One of the other men chided.

“It smells like rotting meat left out in the sun.” The choking man complained.

“Find the Fleece, so we can get out of here.” The second man barked. Tensing up Yrsa tried to think of what she was going to do when the tarp was removed. Inside the house, the hoodie girl was struggling with someone. The footsteps stopped as the person was focusing on the scuffle.

“Let her go.” Mr. Papadakis ordered much to the amusement of her captor. The third man tutted lightly like he was mocking a child.

“I’d worry more about yourself if I were you. See, we’re not going to kill her.” The man gave a pause which led Yrsa to believe he was pointing a gun at Mr. Papadakis now. “You and this shack, on the other hand, won’t be so lucky. BURN IT TO THE GROUND.”

“But Chimera said-“The voice closest to Yrsa protested.

“I know what he said.” Snapped back the leader of the group.

“R said he smelt in over by the truck here.” The second thug spoke up stepping closer towards her hiding spot.

“Get on with it then!” The leader sounded like he was ready to shoot his men at this point. As the two men approached the back of the truck Stewie was tensing up ready to strike. He seemed to be more focused on the man coming from the right. Yrsa claimed the man on the left. Closing her eyes she waiting.

The tarp was thrown off them. Even with her feet tingling from the lack of blood flow she was able to rise on her knees to swipe at the thug’s face. The satyr gave a start as he attempted to raise his weapon. Yrsa had meant to knock the weapon out of his hands, he wasn’t quick enough and she caught his face instead. Not wanting to allow regret to set in she kept going forward towards where the girl in the grey hoodie was being held hostage on the porch. The Lycan fired a shot the whizzed past her shoulder. Un-phased she readied her claws to plunge them into his chest. Realizing what was happening the other girl shoved the Lycan causing Yrsa to tear into his shoulder instead.

The Lycan fell over clutching his right shoulder trying to stem the bleeding. Frustrated her blow wasn’t fatal she turned on the other girl.

“Why’d you interfere?” Yrsa growled causing the grey hoodied girl to back up a little.

“If you kill him it would cause trouble for everyone.” She tried to explain staring up with terror in eyes. Taking a deep breath Yrsa took a steadying breath realizing what looked like at the current moment; a crazed meat-eater with blood dripping from her claws. Not willing to admit the other girl was right Yrsa made a noise of frustrated.

“You two need to get out here.” Mr. Papadakis spoke up causing Yrsa to jump slightly. She had completely forgotten he was there. Turning around she noticed he wasn’t looking at them but at the desert where plumes of dust could be seen. Following his line of sight, she saw there were three separate clouds headed towards them. Without asking Yrsa grabbed the girl to sling her over her shoulder to haul her towards the RV. She gave Stewie a whistle as she passed the hare still biting and scratching at the mole man. Either too terrified or too shocked thankfully the smaller girl didn’t struggle against the treatment.

Once inside she dumped the other girl onto the tore up cushion before slipping into the driver’s seat. Focusing on the road Yrsa speed off as fast as she could trying not to worry about the centaur they were leaving behind. Almost towards the freeway, four police cars went speeding past them.

“Oh good,” breathed the other girl over Yrsa’s shoulder.

“Did you do that?” Asked Yrsa as the other girl went to sit in the passenger seat.

“Yes. That’s why I was still in the house. I got worried.”

The two girls sat in silence until they got to the freeway.

“I hope he’s ok.” She said quietly.

“Me too.” Replied Yrsa turning the wheel to heads towards Oasis Springs.