• Chapter Two

    “I’m home!” Jess yelled, out of breath, as she came into her home.
    “Where have you been? You almost missed dinner! Hurry now, George will be here any minute,” Linda said with a concerned look as she put a covered dish on the table.
    “Sorry! I got lost and had to ask this person for directions,” Jess lied.
    “Well, next time I’ll go with you. I’ll be your very own tour guide!” Linda laughed.
    It’s funny I got lost? Thought Jess as George walked through the door.
    “Wow! Something smells great!” Everyone sat down at the table and began to eat. George and Linda talked about work and thing, but Jess couldn’t pay attention. Her full focus was on Brendon.
    A daemon? Jess though, aren’t they shape sifters? Killers? He can’t be all that bad if goes to school and stuff!
    “Jess?” George said, “Earth to Jess…”
    “Oh, what? Sorry, I wandered off for a second.”
    “Did you have fun shopping with Linda today?”
    “Oh, yeah. It was fun. We went into the city,” Jess was careful not to mention anything about breakfast. She didn’t want George finding out about Brendon. What if he knew what Brendon was? He would never allow Jess near him then.
    “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself!” George said right before he shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
    After dinner, Linda and George did the dishes together and let Jess go relax in her room. Jess walked into her room and lied down on her bed. She turned on the small TV Linda had put in her room. Jess flickered through the channels and as usual there was nothing on. She got up and looked out the window. The moon was full. Does that mean his inner daemon is released? Jess laughed at that silly thought. He couldn’t be like all those legends and stories people were afraid of. It was stupid. Maybe his Dad was telling a story or talking about something and she just overheard.
    “It’s pretty quiet in here. Everything all right?”Linda said as she opened the door and peeped in.
    Jess looked away from the window, “I’m fine; just had a big day, that’s all.”
    “Well, I’ll let you rest up.” Linda turned towards the door.
    “Thanks for today; I had fun,” Jess said. She smiled and hoped to get a chance to go back to Brendon’s tomorrow. She wanted to go back to Brendon’s house, but that would never happen with Linda and Joe around.
    “Your welcome! Sleep tight and if you need anything, George and I will be downstairs,” Lind said and she shut the door and went downstairs.
    “I’ll try to,” Jess mumbled and turned back toward the window. It was nearly dark now and Jess could barely see. She looked up at the stars when a small flash of light in the woods caught her eye. Jess scanned the woods. It was gone now; whatever or whoever it was.
    Jess yawned and shut the curtains. It was late and she was tired. She fell on the bed and played the scene of Brendon and his dad talking over and over again. The scene would never go away. Jess sighed. “I want to go see him so badly,” she mumbled to herself as she drifted into sleep.

    The next morning Jess woke up and walked slowly downstairs. It was very quiet. Jess found a note on the counter:
    Jess,
    We’ve gone into the city for a meeting. We should be back around 4:00 pm. We have our cell phones so if you need anything give us a call! Have fun!
    George and Linda
    P.S. Don’t get lost again!
    “Yes!” Jess yelled excitedly. She could now explore the town and go back up to Brendon’s house all in the comfort of not being watched. It was going to be an exciting day for her.
    Jess ran back up to her room, quickly changed and got ready. She grabbed the house key George had given her and ran out the door. At the end of the drive way she stopped. Would she go left to see Brendon, or right to explore the town? It was a hard choice, but she went right. She couldn’t keep telling Linda about exploring and then not know where anything is. Jess didn’t like the thought of giving up Brendon. She walked into town on Main Street. She went past the diner where Linda and she ate, and past some other little shops. She fully explored Main Street.
    “That should be enough to convince Linda,” she told herself. “Now onto Brendon’s house!” Jess began in a full sprint, eager not to waste time. Once she got to George and Linda’s mailbox she began walking again. When Jess arrived at the perfectly white mailbox, she stopped. She wanted to go into the woods, the same as before, but Brendon found her hiding spot. It was only common sense she would return and she couldn’t be seen again. She decided to follow the same path before just not go as close as before. Jess was trying hard not to be heard or seen but realized she wasn’t doing such a great job when she saw Brendon walked up to her.
    “I thought I told you to stay away!” He tried to sound angry but it really wasn’t working.
    “I’m not coming back, I was just uh… hiking,” Jess said.
    “Get out.”
    “Make me.” Jess said and quickly regretted.
    Brendon took a step towards Jess. “Do you want me to?”
    “No,” Jess couldn’t control what she was saying and didn’t want to pick a fight with a possible daemon.
    Brendon rolled his eyes, “Why are you here anyways?”
    Jess was about to reply when her and Brendon both heard someone yelling back up at the house.
    “I have to go,” he said with somewhat of a sad look. “I better not see you up here again.”
    Brendon turned and walked back up to his house. Jess stood there all alone. Jess wanted to keep talking and listening to his musical voice, but she couldn’t. She walked out onto the road and down to her house. I miss him already, she thought.