It's been two days since I've been to school. Thanks to Jack and Daniel, they brought me my homework and the notes I didn't take. Flynn would come over to offer emotional support. When we first started dating, I never expected her to be so... calm. She sends me good morning and good night texts, asks if I need anything, and even drops by a lot.
Today, I was helping Dad in the kitchen. Unis was playing with her toys while my dad washed dishes and I dried.
"You think you're well enough to go to work today? Or should I tell them you're not coming in again?" he asked.
However, I wasn't paying attention. In the back of my mind... she was lurking.
She hasn't done anything in two days. No tapping on the window. No catching me off guard. No cackling at my expense. Nothing.
Has she gotten tired of me and moved on? Or is that what she wants me to think?
She's planning something. She's gotta be.
My dad splashed water in my face, snapping me out of my trance.
"Hey! What was that for, ya jerk?!" I shouted.
He laughed, but it was quieter than usual, filled with concern.
"Sorry, kiddo. You were off in la-la land. I couldn't help myself."
I sighed, knowing he and my mom were worried. I noticed their concerned gazes. Their timid questions. Treating me like I was made of fragile glass.
I understand they care, but being worried about my mental health isn't really helping.
"I'll be fine, Dad. I haven't been seeing any werewolves lately, I promise," I said jokingly, trying to ease the tension.
"Besides, I need to go back to training Maxine."
Dad smiled. "You know, you've been wearing your mother down about getting that dog. Don't tell her I said anything, but she was looking at dog collars online."
I smiled wide. My mom was right—Dad couldn't hold water even if it was in a cup. But that's one of the reasons I love him.
"That's great. And having a dog around would be good for Unis."
Unis, who was playing with her building blocks, grinned and began barking playfully.
"Woof woof woof!"
Her innocence warmed my heart, but even that was overshadowed by her. I can't have a moment's peace—not without the feeling of impending death. And the worst part? I have to deal with that turmoil while wearing a smile, so people don't think I'm crazy. Or worse—send me to the funny farm.
Once we were done with the dishes, I stretched and headed upstairs to change into my work clothes.
I wonder how Tom and Eve will react.
"WOAH! Tiny boss is seeing shit! Watching too much Twilight before bed."
I rolled my eyes. Tom would say something like that.
Eve would show concern—but just enough that I wouldn't believe she actually cared.
I sighed. It's been days since I felt normal.
"What the hell am I even supposed to do? What does she want from me?"
Knock knock knock.
The light knocking on my doorframe made me jump. I hate when that happens.
I looked over, expecting to see my dad—only to see Flynn. She was wearing her camouflage hoodie and cargo pants.
"Hey, babe," she said with a soft smile.
My heart fluttered. Of course bullshit like this happens when I finally get her to notice me.
I smiled fondly at her. "Hey hon. Whatcha doing here?"
She wrapped her arms around me. "What? I can't come visit my man?"
My cheeks flushed pink. "You can come, but I was just about to go to work."
She smiled. "Well then let me walk you."
I raised an eyebrow. "You sure? It's a few blocks."
"Babe, look at me. Do I look like someone who can't handle a workout?"
A goofy grin spread across my face. She honestly looked like she could bench press me—and I'd let her.
"No, I guess not. Come on, then—"
She pulled me close. Held me there.
"Hon? ...Whatcha doing?"
I could hear her heartbeat. It was racing.
"Holding you… How've you been holding up? With the… thing lately."
I sighed. I guessed being stalked by a monster—or going completely insane—qualified as a "thing." But I appreciated the way she tried to comfort me in her weird way.
"I'm… doing fine. I just have a hard time knowing what's real anymore."
She held me tighter.
"I hate seeing you like this. I hate knowing you're hurt."
I smiled. "I'm doing much better than I was a few days ago. Jack and Daniel have been hanging out with me. I'm grateful for them. For my family. And I'm grateful for you."
I looked her in the eyes.
"Thank you for being with me—no matter how long I actually have."
Her gaze softened. Warmth... but for a brief second, I caught a flash of guilt. She pulled me into a tight hug.
"You drive me nuts, babe."
I chuckled. For a moment, we just held each other. Enjoying the warmth.
But I had to find a way out of this. Whoever that werewolf bitch is... I can't let her hurt anyone I care about.
But how?
"Hey babe?" I asked, using my most innocent tone.
"Mmmhmm?" she hummed, her face smushed into the top of my head.
"As much as I enjoy your warmth…"
She looked at me. "Yeah?"
I smirked. "Could you please remove your hands from my ass?"
She gave a hearty laugh—and squeezed a bit harder.
"Nu-uh. Our ass."
I rolled my eyes. "Come on, you communist. Walk me to work."
She sighed. "Fiiine."
We began heading down the stairs.
"And hands above the waist!"
"Awww! You're cruel!"
As we walked down the road, we talked, throwing playful jabs at each other.
"So, will I ever get to meet your parents?" I asked.
Her face faltered. "Well, uh... kinda. I haven't told my parents about us yet. I'm not really ready to tell them. I hope you can understand."
I understood the desire to wait. But were her parents really that clueless? Or was she just that good at keeping secrets?
"I don't mind. I'm good at waiting. And I'll have you know—parents love me. I'm a role model."
I puffed my chest out confidently, not noticing the gap in the sidewalk. I nearly slipped and busted my ass on the pavement.
Flynn grabbed the back of my shirt, keeping me steady.
"You clumsy dumbass," she teased.
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as we stepped into the pound, greeted by the familiar sight of Tom and Eve bickering.
The first thing I noticed was Eve's dress—a black prairie dress that made her look like a pilgrim. Respectfully, of course. Tom wore his signature Hawaiian overshirt and cargo pants.
"How dare you call me a pilgrim? This dress is cute!" Eve snapped.
Tom rolled his eyes. "You look like you're gonna ask me to pay three shillings to see those scandalous ankles."
She scoffed. "This dress is vintage!"
Tom smirked. "It makes you look like a scullery maid."
As they argued, Flynn looked at me, both confused and amused.
"Should we come back later?" she asked.
I chuckled. "Nah, they're always like this."
At the sound of my voice, Tom and Eve looked up.
"Tiny Boss!" Tom exclaimed, running over and squeezing me in a big hug. He spun me around just a little before setting me down. "Where the hell have you been?! I've never seen you miss work before. Must be serious."
Eve smacked Tom on the back of the head. "Hey! Don't overstimulate him. His dad says he's been through a lot." She nodded at me. "Sup, boss. How you feeling?"
I smirked, trying not to be annoyed. Overstimulate? Like I'm some kind of dog or a baby watching a colorful TV show?
"I'm fine, guys. Just got a little out of whack for a bit. This is my girlfriend, Flynn," I added, unable to hide the giddy tone in my voice.
Any chance to show off my girlfriend? You better believe I'm taking it.
Tom noticed how tall she was.
"Nice to meet ya! I'm Tom. Taught Tiny Boss everything he knows. We're kinda like 'brothers from another mother.'"
I rolled my eyes, and so did Eve.
"Oh please. One of you is enough. We don't need two Toms. The entire universal balance would go to shit."
Eve greeted Flynn with a smile. "Hi, nice to meet you."
She shook Flynn's hand, and I noticed a small bit of tension between them.
"That's a strong grip you've got there, Flynn. How much do you bench press?" Eve asked, her eyes never leaving Flynn and her smile never wavering.
Flynn grinned. "About 350. You?"
Eve squeezed her hand tighter. "About 200."
Flynn's eyes widened. "Two hundred? You've got a sleeper build going on, don't you?"
Eve lit up. "Thanks! What do you do for those thighs? They're heavenly."
"You're telling me," I muttered under my breath.
Flynn rolled her eyes, and the two of them began talking about their workout routines.
Tom pulled me aside.
"So, Tiny Boss, I heard you've been having some mental trouble."
I groaned. "It's not as bad as it sounds. Whatever my dad said, he probably exaggerated. I'm fine."
He leaned against the wall. "Boss, we're boys. You can talk to me about anything. Your dad told us everything. And to be honest... we're worried."
I went to protest, but he held his hand out to stop me.
"I want you to know, I understand your pain. As shocking as it sounds, I wasn't always the handsome, charismatic ladies' man I am today."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "You bang one goth girl and suddenly you've got a god complex."
He smirked. "I'm sorry—have you banged a goth girl?"
He had a point.
"Fine, continue."
He smiled and cleared his throat.
"As I was saying, I wasn't the guy you know today. Back then, I suffered from an inferiority complex. Constant panic attacks. Anxiety. A lot of disturbing thoughts. It happened every day. To the point where I forgot what day it was—each one bleeding into the next. I trapped myself in my room."
He took a deep breath, as if remembering those dark days was exhausting.
"It got so bad that I tried to take my own life."
I gasped. I always saw Tom as a laid-back guy who just rolled with the punches. I didn't know he'd had such a tough life.
It made me respect him even more than I already did.
I was glad he trusted me enough to share that part of himself.
"That must've been hard," I said.
He nodded, leaning back against the wall. "It was. But I got help. I had family who were there for me—my two moms supported me through it all. They took me to therapy, and it took a lot of time, but eventually, I got out of my comfort zone."
He looked at me seriously. "What I'm trying to say is—you're not alone. You've got me, Eve, your girlfriend, your parents. Just let us know how you're feeling, okay? Because it's never too late... until it's too late."
He held out his fist for a bump. It warmed my heart. Honestly, he was right. I had so many people who loved me, which somehow made it harder to accept the thought that I might die—or worse—in the near future.
I bumped his fist. "Hell yeah, man. Thanks... I'll keep that in mind."
Just as we wrapped up our conversation, so did Eve and Flynn. Flynn walked over and kissed me on the cheek.
"I gotta go, but I'll see you later," she said.
I smiled and waved goodbye as she left.
Before the workday officially started, I sat at my desk. Eve tossed me a small clear bag of mini muffins.
"They're... they're homemade," she said awkwardly, then disappeared into the back before I could respond.
I smiled and picked up the bag. She cared—in her own way.
As my shift got underway, I started getting back into the rhythm. The dogs and other animals seemed happy to have me back. The rabbit twins, Pit and Pat, nibbled on my uniform excitedly. Old Man Hank wagged his tail slowly and let out a low, drawn-out howl like old hounds do.
But Maxine was the most energetic of all.
My training had helped reduce her aggression, but she still got startled by loud noises. I hadn't seen her in the past three days, so she seemed thrilled to see me. She pounced on me, licking my face enthusiastically.
"Okay, okay! I missed you too!" I laughed.
She whined at me as if to say, Why did you leave me alone?
I chuckled and petted her head. "I'm sorry, sweet baby. How about we go for a walk into town as an apology, okay?"
She barked loudly—clearly accepting my peace offering.
The day went smoothly, though even the smoothest roads have a few bumps. Tom and Eve were constantly rushing to help me with my tasks. Whether it was refilling the water tank device—"I GOT IT, BOSS!"—or printing out the schedule—"I got that covered, Tiny Boss!"—they were always right there.
I appreciated it. Really, I did.
But I didn't want to be babied.
Time flew by, and soon it was my lunch break. I decided to take Maxine on her walk into the town square. She barked happily as we set off. I even asked Tom to take care of all the other dogs in advance, just so I could spend this break with her.
The town square had a mix of shops and historical landmarks. Right in the center stood an old courthouse—its white stone walls towering over the cobblestone paths.
According to the tour guides and the plaque on the door, the courthouse has been standing tall since the 1700s. The weirdest part? There are no maintenance workers—no mowers, no landscapers, not even a simple paint crew. Yet the place is pristine. A white building with colored windows, a well-kept lawn, and perfectly trimmed bushes. Like time refuses to touch it.
While walking past it, I had to stop Maxine from taking a dump on the grass.
"Hey! No! You can't poop on historical landmarks!"
She whined and barked as if to say, Oh, come on!
After guiding her to a more appropriate patch of grass and letting her do her business, we continued walking, looking for a place to eat lunch. I had options—Ms. Towel's Bakery, or Mr. Knightly's Burgers and Fries—but I didn't choose either.
Because I saw her.
The werewolf.
In her human form. Wearing short shorts and a crop top as she walked out of the nail salon like she didn't have a care in the world.
My heart began to race. Breathing became hard. It was her. So I'm not crazy… or am I?
Maxine started growling, her fur rising.
"You see her too?" I asked quietly.
Maxine gave a low, angry bark.
I narrowed my eyes. "So I'm not crazy. That bitch."
That's when an idea hit me—she hadn't noticed me. If I could snag a photo or even record her threatening me, my parents would have to believe me. Or at least hear me out.
I looked at Maxine. She looked at me. I put a finger to my lips—a hand signal I'd taught her.
She stopped growling. Smart girl.
We crossed the street and began following the werewolf from a distance. I dodged between pedestrians, never taking my eyes off her. I was determined to get this evidence.
But once I had it… then what? Call the army? The Pentagon? Ugh. One problem at a time.
We followed her out of the town square and down a long road. I glanced at the time—25 minutes left on my break. Guess I'm skipping lunch.
Eventually, we arrived at a field. More accurately, a baseball field.
A pang of memory hit me. The crowd shouting my name. The home runs I used to hit. The feeling of weightlessness before the swing connected.
I spotted a chubby man leading a group of kids through training drills. Coach Louis.
He was the one who first encouraged me to join the team.
He noticed me and Maxine right away. "Keep practicing!" he shouted at the team before walking over.
"Well, if it isn't the Barrier Breaker!" He grinned. "How you doing? Been a minute since I've seen you on the field."
He patted me on the back. I smiled, trying to act normal while keeping an eye on her—just in time to see her slip into the girls' locker room.
Of course.
I turned back to Coach Louis, forcing a casual tone. "I'm good, Coach. Just wanted to see how the recruits are doing."
He sighed, glancing back at the field. The kids were fumbling their tosses, tripping over their feet. One poor kid even flung his bat halfway across the diamond.
"They're something," I said, watching the kids fumble through drills.
Coach Louis's eyes lit up. "Hey—how about you give them a few lessons sometime? You're still a legend at the middle school. I'm sure they'd be honored to get training from the 'Barrier Breaker.'"
I pretended to think it over. Honestly, I didn't mind. I wasn't going back to school anytime soon, and it'd be a decent excuse to get out of the house.
"Sure, Coach. I'd love to. But not today—how about next week?"
He smiled. "Sure, bud."
I crossed my legs together, grimacing. "Oh boy, I gotta go bad. Do me a favor—hold Maxine for me?"
Before he could protest, I handed him the leash and bolted toward the locker rooms. Once I rounded the corner, I pulled out my phone, slipped it into my pocket, and hit record.
"Heavenly Father, please don't take this out of context," I muttered.
I glanced around—no one in sight. Then I slipped into the girls' locker room.
It was way cleaner than the boys', I'll give them that.
I crept along the rows of lockers, heart thumping. That's when I saw her purse—sitting open in one of the lockers. I moved closer and peeked inside. Nothing valuable—no phone, no keys—but there was a small polaroid. She was posing with someone who looked a lot like her. A sister? A twin?
No… I've seen this before. Somewhere.
My mind was racing when a hand grabbed the back of my shirt and hurled me across the room. I slammed into the wall hard, pain exploding in my shoulder.
She stood over me now—in baggy clothes, eyes burning with hatred.
"You have the fucking audacity to follow me?" she growled. "You think I didn't notice your dumbass tailing me?"
She lunged. I dodged sideways and threw a punch straight at her face.
My fist connected. Her head snapped back, and she grabbed her nose, stunned.
She stared at me—shocked… and almost excited. "You. Just. Hit me."
I rolled my eyes. "No, I gave your nose a fist bump."
Her expression darkened. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed my head into the wall.
Crack.
Pain thundered through my skull. My vision blurred.
"You're getting bold," she hissed. "What are you gonna do if I slit your throat right here and now?"
My heart pounded, but I refused to show fear. That's what she wanted. She fed off panic.
"Fuck you, you hairy-ass bitch."
She cackled—that same awful, shrieking laugh. I hated that sound.
"You are getting bold," she said. "But actions have consequences."
I tried another punch, but she caught it easily. Her grip felt like iron.
"Why are you doing this?!" I snapped. "Why won't you just leave me alone?!"
She leaned in close, her voice crawling across my face. "I told you—I wanted to test your worth. To see if you're worthy."
"Worthy of what?!" I shouted. "Worthy of losing my fucking mind?! Because of you, everyone thinks I'm crazy! What did I ever do to you?! What do you want from me?!"
She stared into my eyes. "You'll thank me for this someday."
Then she smiled coldly.
"But don't think your little speech is gonna distract me from punishing you for interrupting my me time."
With inhuman strength, she grabbed me and hurled me into the shower stalls. My back slammed into a shower head—it snapped, and water burst out, soaking me instantly.
I gasped, groaning from the pain. My whole back was screaming.
She grabbed her bag and turned to leave.
"See you around, piss boy."
And just like that, she was gone.
Water poured over me as I lay in the stall, aching and humiliated, the sound of her laughter echoing in my head.
But I did my best to crawl out of the showers. Every muscle in my back screamed, but I forced myself up, leaning against the slick tile wall. I was soaked from head to toe, clothes clinging to me like a second skin.
With shaking hands, I pulled my phone from my pocket.
Please… please let it still be recording…
The screen flickered, then glitched. Static lines. Black patches.
Water damage.
"No," I whispered. "No, no, no—"
I slammed my fists into the wet floor.
"FUCK! Fucking FUCK!"
All of that—all of it—for nothing.
Still gasping, still trembling, I forced myself to my feet and staggered out of the girls' locker room, each step a wave of pain up my spine. My soaked sneakers squeaked against the gym floor. I felt like a ghost.
Coach Louis spotted me immediately.
"Holy shit, what happened to you?"
I didn't look at him. Just grabbed Maxine's leash.
"Fell in the toilet," I muttered.
I started walking away, Maxine trotting beside me.
"Fell in a bit too deep."