Chapter Twelve: 37 Seaside Road

It was a mess inside. The house was littered with beer cans and all sort of rum and whiskey bottles.

A very special occasion, no doubt. When their wifes would return from Draves’ town, there was going to be a storm for sure. Like always, Calin couldn’t imagine deliberately making yourself feel horrible by drinking that much. He just shook his head as he treaded carefully moving through the disorder, to at least find some decent foot space in the small room.

“What are we going to do about them?” Evany asked through several grunts, swinging her baseball bat to gain some semblance of balance through her dance with the littered floor.

For a moment the question confused Calin, and with a shake of his head he asked. “Who are you talking about?”

Evany spun on him incredulous. “The fishermen you dolt! Who else?”

Immediately he threw his hands up as he shied away from the girl with the bat, but he said, “Yes, yes, I know. I was just thinking about Eric and Darly.”

A frown furrowed her delicate brow at his statement.

But Calin quickly realized his error. “Oh... I never did mention going to that house, did I?”

“What house?”

It had been hard to explain his gut feeling to himself, never mind to the girl. And there was the note that almost surely sounded like a threat, but he breathed out heavily.

“A man bumped into me this afternoon. His eyes reminded me of a boy that... I really don’t know how to explain this. He gave me a note, telling me to meet him at a house before anybody got hurt. I guess it was a bit late...”

It didn’t convince Evany in the least as she looked at him dubiously.

“It sure sounds like a threat to me!”

It was then that Jerry came up next to her. “Exact same thing I thought, but our dear Calin here is mad enough to believe otherwise.”

With a quick punch to the boy’s arm, Calin said, “Shut up Jerry, before I hurt you. And I wasn’t talking to you. Didn’t you say you trusted me?”

“Yeah yeah, I do mate, I’m just saying.”

It was hard to resist punching the boy again, but Misses Darly’s voice chipped in from the other room.

“Jerry come and help me please, they’ve decided to pass out.”

As the boy left the room, Calin glared at the final smirk painted on Jerry’s face. That boy... He shook his head and turned back to Evany, irritated all of a sudden by the whole situation, he said,

“You’re not coming!”

Evany glared at him, murder in her eyes. “Oh yes I am! I’m not going off on my own now.”

As the girl said that, Calin gasped in exasperation.

“Misses Darly and Eric will be with you! You’ll be far safer with them. You’re NOT coming with us and that’s it!”

The baseball bat barely missed him as he dodged and it wooshed past his body, flabbergasted, he shouted.

“WHOA! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!”

“That’s for thinking of leaving me behind! I’m going with you no matter what. I’ve been looking for something other than that everyday farm existence for years now... And guess what, you’re it. Call it adventure seeking or whatever you like, so accept it or I won’t miss my next swing.”

Calin only stared at the strong minded girl, utterly confused to how, that reason could even remotely warrant running and hiding from nightmarish creatures. His mouth was dry, but after a few tense seconds he relented and muttered angrily.

“Fine! Have it your way.”

Her glare disappeared and she beamed him a smile before leaving the room.

What just happened? Calin stared after her in wonderment, shaking his head while following her.

The others came into view and Calin realized that Hin was also there, out cold on a couch in the corner. If it had been Url, he would’ve thought he had Déjà vu from the other day, but this time there were three drunk snoring men.

With a few quick steps over a couple of bottles, Calin reached the little woman. He wasn’t going to wait around for the rest to decide to follow him to that other house. It was just too dangerous.

“Misses Darly, Eric,” Calin said, scraping together the courage for what he wanted to achieve, “Thanks for all the help. I’m so sorry to have dragged you into this so much already. But I... think you will be the safest here. There is someplace a couple of houses from here that Evany, Jerry and I must go to find answers. Seeing that Evany is stuck with us,” he glared at Evany, “it would give my heart some peace if you two are saf—”

“NOW LISTEN HERE YOUNG MAN! And listen well! I’m not going to allow three teenagers to wander the streets with those things out there!”

“I agree with my wife, it’s not safe out there,” Eric spoke up as well. Protests bubbled forth inside Calin. They didn’t understand!

But with no idea how to explain his feelings, Calin begged. “Please... This manhunt has already placed too many people in danger. All I have as answer to why this is happening right now is a note from an amber eyed man... Don’t ask.”

For a moment, his energy deserted him and he sat down in a chair, rubbing his temples, then he continued,

“I need to find out what caused this insanity, and I don’t know how the man will feel with five of us barging in there. Not to mention those things are chasing my scent, you, yourself had said they attacked you for info on my whereabouts. I need to do this and I need to know that you are safe while I do it.”

To his utter surprise the two looked at each other for long seconds and after a drop in their shoulders they gravely nodded in acceptance.

Huh?

It shocked him so much that they would agree; that he wanted to protest that they didn’t try to persuade him otherwise. But, he stopped the words that wanted to bubble out and kept quiet.

As Evany stepped into the room, Misses Darly firmed her voice and said, “I think Evany needs to stay, her father will be worried sick if he finds out something happened to her.”

Calin groaned. She’s going to freak out, he was sure of it!

“The heck they’re going without me!” Evany shrieked. “I’m going with them even if I have to cuff myself to them!”

The only people the outburst didn’t surprise were him and Jerry.

“But it’s dangerous out there,” pleaded Darly. “Please stay here!”

It was useless and Calin knew it. With a sigh he shook his head.

Swaying Evany is about as easy as trying to sway a mother bear, protecting her cub, from mauling you at the very moment.

The rest of the argument blurred past him, as his thoughts wandered to the house. 37 Seaside Road. There wasn’t any surety if it will be as he hoped it to be. The odds didn’t seem good at the present time. Everything is crashing down around me, I need answers.

Though something deep inside told him that it was going to be a long time before he understood anything about what was happening.

The events only fuelled Calin’s confusion and irritation.

Two weeks ago, my life was normal. Before that day at the Ruins, I could worry only about things kids worry about... But that lifestyle had evaporated in the wink of his eye, like grasping at straws in a strong wind, it had disappeared.

Kara, her father and the other group of scientists were still missing, and there were these hunters after him now. Were the two scenarios linked? Given events, it was a bizarre notion. Even so, he couldn’t rule it out just yet.

With some effort, he forced the thoughts away, turning his attention back to the room. The red faced Evany huffing caught his eye instantly. She had her shoulders squared. It was mere seconds before Misses Darly’s reluctant voice broke the awkward silence as she said,

“Have it your way then! You’re just as stubborn sometimes as your sister Ashley! You know that?”

Calin shrugged at Evany having her way... again. He couldn’t help but smile though. The girl really was a nice girl, but sometimes, sometimes if she makes up her mind there is no stopping her.

In this instance, if it was a good or a bad thing, remained to be seen, but he was hardly up for levelling that at the girl. With a flick of his eyebrow, he eyed Jerry. The look on the boy’s face, made it clear he was thinking the exact same thing.

Before anybody could say the wrong thing and tumble the whole delicate situation into another bout, Calin butted in.

“Misses Darly, I need you to do something for me. It’s as much reason for you to stay here tonight as the other. If we are not back by tomorrow morning ... Misses Talsen needs to know. We’ll try to be back soon… No, scratch that, I’m looking for a way to get those men and their monsters out of Lamb’s Crest, away from everyone, and while I’m at it, I’m searching for answers.”

“Calin I... I take it back,” The woman pleaded. “Don’t go out there. It’s a really bad idea. I couldn’t endure seeing one of you getting hurt. It would surely break Marigold’s heart if anything happened to you, you know that right? And think of Kelly and Steve... they consider you without a doubt their brother!”

Calin’s shoulders slumped at that.

“I KNOW... But it’s all I have... all I have to sort out this nightmare!! For them! You have to trust me. So please, I’m begging you, tell them it will be okay... That I love them...” His voice broke to the end.

The look the woman had on her face, almost made him risk it all to stay. Though, as he turned to the side, he admitted she was right. Misses T would take it hard, and the kids... the kids would... Tears threatened to come out. But with great effort, he pushed his feelings aside. He was doing this to keep them safe. The very last thing he could bear right now was seeing that family get hurt...

I hope with time you’ll understand...

It was hard to step away with the woman’s protests coming from behind. But it was something he had to do. Though each step taking him out of the room was filled with regret, there just wasn’t enough time to speak his heart, to comfort them, even to share his fears to persuade the others. It had to do for now.

Before he even touched the door’s handle, his hands were shaking.

Fear… they never taught me anything about facing one’s fears. I hope I’m doing the right thing.

Inhaling a lung full of air, he opened the door. Uncertainty awaited.

***

The cold night air hit his face, the smell of the sea filling his nose. The street was empty to his relief and also his dismay.

It was as if the world was turning a blind eye on what was happening this dark night. It was unnerving. He wanted to scream that the world wake up and see what was going on. But it would send the whole town into chaos. So he dropped the thought and looked around.

There were still street lights which needed replacement as their absent light was casting ominous shadows.

Assuming the other two were behind him, Calin started towards his left. The house in question was only a few hundred meters away, though it seemed much further.

I’m either stepping into the enemies hand or towards answers.

As if reading his mind, Jerry came up next to him and said, “Well, let’s go find out.”

With a slight nod, he glanced back to see Evany gripping her baseball bat tighter. Her hazel eyes sparked with determination, or fear, Calin wasn’t sure.

He strode forward.

House for house, they crept closer to the end of the street, while checking every door’s number, 34, 35, 36... Then to Calin’s dismay the boarded up windows of 37 Seaside Road came into view.

This doesn’t bode well.

He signalled Jerry and Evany to check around the side of the house, and in a low voice Calin said, “See if you can spot anything inside.”

They nodded and disappeared around the corner. Calin stuck to the deep shadows as he approached the windows of the two-story building, there were no cracks in the boards, nothing hinted at even a light inside.

“Man...” Calin said under his breath, and ventured to the second one through the thick shadows. Nothing.It’ s so dark! A sigh escaped his lips as he stepped away from it.

Without warning, a sharp point poked against his throat.

He swallowed hard as the knife drew a drop of blood.