Page 5 of Boys Who Hunt

Twenty minuteslater

I tried the credit cards,but of course, they all got canceled within seconds of my stealing them. If only I hadn’t been caught red-handed.

I throw my bike inside the shed in the building and shut the door behind me, nearly ripping off the door handle. The light fixture above me flickers, and I blow out a sigh of relief. Made it through another day safe and sound.

I head up the grimy stairs to the third floor and walk to the end of the hallways and knock on the door there, swiftly fishing some of the money I stole from my pocket.

My neighbor Mrs. Schwartz opens up in her pink fuzzy slippers and pajamas, and I hold out the cash. “For the trouble.”

“You’re welcome,” she says, snatching it out of my hand.

“Anything happen today I should know about?”

“No, nothing unusual. We played with Barbies, drew some pictures, and watched TV. The regular stuff a five-year-old is into.” She shrugs.

I nod tentatively. I don’t know if I can trust her, but I have nothing else to go by but her word.

“Tomorrow, same time?” she asks. “I can use the cash.”

“Yes, please,” I say, and she briefly nods. But as I open my mouth again, she closes the door on me, and I’m left nearly eating the wood.

“Thanks.”

I breathe out a sigh and turn around.

It’s not the best deal I’ve made, but at least it keeps me standing and allows me to try to make life a little easier.

I shove my key into the lock to open the door to my apartment. The home has a quiet atmosphere, and the curtains have alreadybeen closed. A gentle song from the radio in the bedroom makes me smile as I peek in the door and see Cora fast asleep. The whole room is plastered with newly drawn pictures of her and me together, fighting a monster.

I smile and place the red flower I found in the palm of her hand. A small gift from me to make her smile when she wakes up.

My black cat meows, drawing my attention, and I pet him on his little head. “Hey, Bagel. Been a good boy today?” I plant a kiss on his head, and he purrs as he nudges his head against my cheek. “Love you too.”

I chuck the nonfunctional credit cards in the trash and place my bag on the table. I grab a chair and sit down, then pull all the stuff I stole from the bag and lay it out in front of me so I can add up the value and count the leftover money. My cheeks blow up with air. This must be at least five grand. That’ll last us a while. Normally, I’d only be able to steal enough to pay for dinner and breakfast for her and have some scraps for me, but I truly hit a goldmine this time. Maybe I can finally take Cora to that burger place she’s always wanted to go to.

After I’ve dealt with some other business.

I pluck the remaining hearing aid from my ear and place it on the table in front of me. The void of sound usually calms my soul after a busy day, but now? Now, it creates violent, chaotic turmoil in my heart.

Silas

Twenty minutesago

All the veinsin my arms pop as I burst out of the front door and peer around me to find the person who just ransacked our house in mere minutes, but all that’s left is a broken branch and skid marks in the grass.

My eyes twitch, and the anger begins to boil over again.

“God-fucking-dammit!”

I rush to the side and look up at the open window through which they jumped, then follow the trail to Priory Forest behind the house.

They fucking ran away like a coward after stealing from me during a fucking birthday party? No fucking way am I going to let that slide.

“You can’t fucking hide from me!” I scream, listening to my own voice echoing across the dark streets.

The moment I take one step in the direction of the forest, a hand on my shoulder stops me from moving. I almost pummel him over my shoulder, but then I realize who it is.

“Relax, it’s me,” Heath says. “What happened?”