Chapter 5: Glowed

Detective White after dropping off Alicia decided to investigate Route 9, the very place his son was attacked by what he believed was a wild bear that also killed his beloved wife. He pulled over by the roadside and slowly walked out of his car. It was still dark and very soon the day would dawn. His police precinct still considered the place as an act of crime scene. They rounded the whole area with police tape. Detective White didn’t have any source of light with him but that didn't dissuade him. He crossed over the police tape and headed towards the almond tree where Jack’s truck ran into.

As he was observing the scene, he heard a pitched howl which was followed by many more as the moon peeped through the almond tree leaves and faintly lit up the dark path ahead. Detective White hastily draws out his service revolver. His best guess was the howling came from wolves. The howls were replaced by ferocious barking which made him tremble with fear. Being alone in the woods at this odd hour isn’t the best thing to do. As he flicked around to head to his car, he caught a glimpse of glowing blue eyes. He couldn’t see the figure of the creature’s glowing eyes. He didn’t want to fire any shot without getting a clear shot.

With haste, he headed back to his car. Looking back to see if he was followed, he made a sigh of relief when he noticed he wasn’t being followed by what he believed were the wolves. As he turned towards his car, he exclaimed seeing a young man standing by the trunk of his car. “Oh shit! You scared the crap out of me boy!” he cried out. His heart raced as he tried to catch his breath.

He draws back his service revolver and makes his way to the young man. He narrowed his gaze at the young man who hadn’t said a word but only stared at the Detective. The young man looks older than his son Lucas and should be in his twenties. “What are you doing here son? It’s not safe here,” said Detective White. He expresses his concern as a cop. After all, that’s his job to keep people out of danger.

The young man said no word to him but to stare. He was putting on a blown tunic dated back to the ADs which made Detective White curious. ‘What type of man still dresses in a tunic in this 21st century?’ he pondered in his heart and then opened his mouth to speak again. “Look son, you have to say something. Are you lost or what? What the hell are you doing in this place all by yourself?”

For the very first time, the young man opens his mouth to speak. He cast his gaze on Detective White. “What happened here shouldn’t be investigated. Tell your precinct to take off these police tapes as soon as possible.” After he had said this, his eyes glowed blue as he moved at an accelerated speed. He moved faster than Detective White’s naked eye could see.

“What the hell!” exclaimed Detective White. He looks like shit; like someone who has seen a ghost. He just received the shock of his life. A young man with glowing eyes and with a speed faster than the theoretical maximum speed of any human. He couldn’t make any sense of what he just witnessed. He started looking around to see if he could still see the young man but disappointedly, he was nowhere to be found. He vowed to get to the root of this incident and make sure he finds out what attacked his son as well.

ST LEO’S HOSPITAL:

The just risen sun shone through the window of Lucas’ ward as Detective White opened the door. His heart skipped at first when he realized his son wasn’t lying on the hospital bed. The monitors are still beeping and he thought his son didn’t make it and has been carried to the morgue. He fell to his knees and cried out. He can’t lose his wife and only son. He can’t be left alone in this world. As his thoughts were traveling down his memory lane, he heard a soft sobbing coming from the toilet. He quickly rose to his feet and rushed to see who it was only to see Lucas sitting at the corner of the wall with his head buried in between his legs as he sobs.

“Son, are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m a monster, stay away from me Dad,” Lucas cried out still hiding his face between his legs.

“What are you talking about son?” Detective White approaches. He bends facing his son as he slowly grabs him.

“Stay away Dad. I’m a monster. You don’t have to see me this way, you don’t deserve to be hurt by my look.”

Detective White didn’t understand what Lucas was talking about. “Son, you’re not a monster. I think you should get to your feet, let me help you to the bed. You are not strong enough to be left alone. Please come with me.”

“Now I have seen what attacked Mom and the same thing has attacked me changing my look. I can’t even look in the mirror without getting scared of myself.” Lucas after he noticed the changes in him, has been looking at the mirror every ten minutes to stare at his new look and curse himself. His glowing blue eyes, fangs, and claws made him rethink. Perhaps this is what he is and not the smart dude everyone wants to be around.

Detective White gently pulls up Lucas’ head. “Son, you need to rest and not blame yourself for anything.”

Lucas didn’t want to scare his father with his new look. He was really scared that his father would see his new look and scream or even disown him. But his fear didn’t come to life. His father was still seeing his lovely son whom he has always loved and will always love. He kissed Lucas on the forehead and helped him up.

Lucas wasn’t sure if his father was in the right sense. ‘Who will see a monster and will not run away from such a monster?’ His thoughts can’t make any sense to him. He quickly rushed to the mirror only to realize, he was looking normal, with no fangs, no claws, and no glowing eyes. He stared at the mirror for a few seconds and then grinned.

“Any problem son?” asked Detective White.

“Not at all, I’m fine.”

“Good, then you have to return to your bed. You need to have enough rest.”

“Alright dad,” Lucas replied putting up a cute smile. He wasn’t sure of what happened and what he did to make himself look normal again. Perhaps what he saw at first wasn’t real but just an illusion. On second thought, he thought he was seeing things because of the trauma he had passed through. But one thing is certain, his wounds have been healed completely and that still amazes him.

He slowly climbs the bed and lies down as his father covers him with the hospital's blanket. “I will let the hospital know you are awake so they can get your breakfast for you and the necessary medication. I still have work to do.” Detective White still hasn’t forgotten his encounter last night at Route 9. He wants to find the young man dressed in a blown tunic and know what the young man was talking about. At the same time, he didn’t want his son to know of his encounter, he just wanted to keep it low until he came to concrete findings.

After Detective White left, Lucas rolled away the blanket and climbed down from the bed. He walks back to the toilet. He still can’t believe his wounds are completely healed and how it happened, he can’t figure it out. Humans take time to heal especially one that has fatally been wounded. But this wasn’t so with the case of Lucas. He stares at himself through the mirror trying to make sure his eyes aren’t deceiving him. “How is this possible?” he mutters under his breath.

Lucas made up his mind not to bother himself about the quick healing. He reluctantly walks back to his ward. As he was about to climb his bed, he heard a strange voice behind him. “Hello, Lucas!”

In fear, he flicked around. He wasn’t expecting anyone not to talk of a stranger. Before him, stood a lady with glossy skin, she was putting on a white flowing gown and her hair was gray. Lucas narrowed his eyes at her. “Who are you?” he asked with his eyes fixed on the lady.

“I’m sorry for the way I walked in on you. Forgive my manners. My name is Bonnie.” She offered Lucas her hand for a shake.

Lucas reluctantly shook hands with the stranger. But still can't recall if he has ever met her. Nothing is making sense to him now.“Have we met? I don’t remember you.”

“I know that’s because we have not met in person.”

“Met in person?” Lucas asked with curiosity. If they have not met in person that means they have spoken on the phone or on social media. Either way, Lucas can’t remember speaking with anyone over the phone or on social media with the name, ‘Bonnie.’

“There are a lot of explanations to make; I hope you will give me the chance to do that?”

“That depends.”

“Then I should sit first.” Bonnie made her way to the wooden chair next to Lucas’ bed and made herself comfortable on the chair. She crossed her legs and gestured at Lucas to sit on his bed.

“Let’s get on with this, shall we?”

“Did you receive my letter?”

“What letter?”

“I wrote to…”

Before Bonnie could finish speaking, Lucas drove back her words. “Wait a minute!” Lucas blurted out as he adjusted on the bed. “Are you the one that sent that letter with only five written words?”

“There are not just ordinary five written words. They are beyond it.”

“Are you an angel?” Lucas asked. Her dress shows she could be only that she has no wings and she is in her twenties which might seem impossible. Lucas narrowed down his gaze on her, “Tell me, are you an angel?” he asked again with curiosity.

“I’m not an angel but a witch of the white clan.”

Lucas quickly rose to his feet with his mind flashing back to the last sermon of his parish priest. His priest has quoted the Holy Scripture that says, ‘Suffer not a witch to live.’ If Bonnie is who she says she is, then Lucas has no option but to ask her to leave. “I can’t sit and discuss with you, so if you do not mind, you have to leave right now.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Bonnie rose to her feet and continued. “That I'm a white clan witch does not impose any threat on anyone. You need to hear what I have to say.”

“There’s nothing you will say I will listen to. So you better start leaving.” When Lucas moved into New Orleans, he heard of witches engaging in a fierce fight in the quarters. This fight was described by the police department as a ‘supernatural fist.’ However, after weeks of the police department getting involved, the battle came to a halt.

Bonnie didn’t want to leave Lucas in the dark with the recent happenings around him. She is one of the good witches in New Orleans taking after her mother and grandmother after they were mercilessly killed.

“You have no idea what’s coming.”

“I don’t care!” Lucas replied turning away from Bonnie.

“I think you have to listen to what I have to say.”

“The only thing I’m listening to is my priest’s voice repeating over and over in my head telling me not to suffer a witch to live. If you do not live right now, I will commit an act of murder fulfilling the Holy Scripture.”