Chapter 10

"You want to know my deal?" 

Vid nods hesitantly. I don't think I want to tell him. What if he uses it against me? Since the hag is so fond of agreements I'll try to use it as well. 

"If I do will you tell me yours?" 

He thinks for a while uncertain. 

"sure" 

That's a yes. Maybe this is just me being overdramatic. Better safe then sorry. Can't hurt for him to know my deal. Still he doesn't seem enthusiastic to share his deal either. 

"Basically, I want to know... some information. And in exchange I'm going to be the lookout for tonight." 

A frown spreads across his face. 

"Only for tonight?" 

"yep" 

Something is off. He doesn't like that deal yet doesn't say a word. I study his face. Biting his nails he thinks hard about what I said. It makes me feel uncomfortable. The silence breaks by me speaking. 

"So what is your deal?" 

For a moment he looks disturbed. Then he makes eye contact with me. It's intense and unwavering. Under his gaze I feel uneasy. 

"The Hag is-" 

Our gazes depart and we fall into another episode of soundlessness. I didn't expect such a strong hesitation from him. Maybe I shouldn't have answered as well. 

"The Hag... you know-" 

"I don't" 

He rolls his eyes and chuckles dryly though he definitely doesn't find this funny. 

"She takes care of me." 

What does he mean by that? Seeing my confusion he try's to expand. 

 "Like she got me a place to live and the food on the table for me..." 

Why was that hard to say? Basically this is is his job and she pays him. 

"So she is your employer?" 

"lets call it that." 

Why is he being so mysterious? There is definitely an important piece of info withheld. To be fair I didn't tell him everything either. 

The buildings start to fade away, a forest replacing them. The frog man and the 7 pond ladies seem more at ease, in their element. They look more power full here. Vid speaks up after a while. 

"We're going to the river." 

"The river?"

He nods looking more serious, sparks in his eyes dimmer. 

"Yeah there are some arguments about some... turf." 

Turf. Right I am working for a gang. Unlawful, unethical and dangerous. Not exactly a comforting thought. 

"What do you do with turfs?" 

A stupid question I know. He looks me dead in the eye. There is a lot of shifting between intense eye contact and not looking at each other. Its hard to keep up with. 

"We live on them." 

I don't think that's the definition of a turf. Shouldn't they like sell things or steal on they're turf. But I did ask so there is no point in arguing with him. Vid continues to talk. 

"A lot of Unexplainables need more wild places to live. A habitat. In this case the Unexplainables we're with need swamps and rivers. The dams humans build make it hard for water spirits to find homes. And since there are a lot of them... well lets say there are some fights over the remaining once." 

I never knew that happened. There are often cases of humans inhabitants near the river complaining about loud fighting near there homes. Does Vid need a place like that as well? 

"Do you need more wild home to live also?" 

"No? Not all of us need a wild place to live." 

Us. That's right. I am a part of this group. A monster just like them. They do love to bring that back to mind. 

Vid wears a serious face. Though his mouth is linear and shows no emotion, his eyes carry a deep sadness. 

His eyes are almost devoid of the sparks they had before leaving charcoal black eyes. Besides his horns, hooves and tail I wouldn't think he was an unholy creature. He's annoying sure. But not evil. There is not much difference between him and older boys from my school. 

The words come out of me without thinking. 

"What are you?" 

My question makes him perplexed. He stammers trying to answer. 

"What? Is this a trick question?... I'm alive?" 

I don't understand how he came to the conclusion that I'm asking if he is alive or not. Add stupid to the things he is. I roll my eyes. 

"No I mean what kind of Unexplainable are you." 

"Oh" 

I wait for my answer. It doesn't come. After shooting Vid an expectant look he responds. 

"Right. Umm..."

For a while he looks uncertain but then a gleam passes his eyes and he grins much like The Hag. Some terrible joke crossed his mind. 

"I'm the devil himself strait out of hell." 

My grandma's words come to mind. She used to call me the devil. Horror at the statement must be obvious from my face because Vid starts to giggle. 

"Hey that's not funny" 

Vid's tail swishes around in delight. Shadows swirl around him. An Unexplainable ability I'm guessing. He is doing that on purpose to scare me. I should be. Instead my mind is unimpressed. 

"You should have seen your face. Priceless." 

I roll my eyes expecting the conversation to end. But no. Vid persists. The flames in his eyes are wilder more brighter. He lowers his voice into a whisper. A cheesy scary tone. 

"I may not be him but... I sure as hell- get the pun?- have met him. You know I work for him..." 

As I snort Vid drops the shadow work and finally gives up. 

"Isn't the Hag your boss." 

"Who says I can't have 2 bosses?" 

We stop at a clearing right next to the river. A creepy silence surrounds us. There are willows near the water and oaks more behind. 

There are some Unexplainables in the middle. Before I can get a good look at them Vid pulls me away. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Your the look out remember." 

"Yeah but you don't need to drag me were you want me to watch. I'm perfectly capable in following instructions." 

I have never got such a look of pure mistrust. It outmatches Daria's gaze at me. She could learn a thing or 2 from him. 

Daria. What would she say if she was here with me? Undoubtably she wouldn't endorse it. Guess it doesn't matter. She probably reported me to the government. 

I stop dead in my tracks, eyes widening. Daria told the police. An avalanche of curses and dread rolls down my mind. Daria would definitely tell the cops. That's like the most Daria thing ever. She is a snitch. How the hell did I not think off that? 

They can come any moment. Its possible for them to be on they're way right now. Mom's home. I need to call her. How come the police didn't come yet? They're taking awfully long. That can't be. Could it be that Daria didn't tell them? 

"Did you see a ghost? Your pale as one. Is it me doubting that you can follow instr-" 

"Vid. Shut up or I'll rip your liver out." 

I know I shouldn't yell at him. Or threaten him but right now I don't care. The stupidity of his jokes is only matched by his own. He opens his mouth to speak. Closes it. Thinks about what I just said and opens it again speaking this time. 

"Did you remember something?" 

Running my hand through my hair and sighing I force myself to look at him. 

"Realized" 

My voice is bitter and full of anger. How could I be so stupid? How could I forget what Daria knows and will tell? How could- 

"Lenna-" 

Vids voice has an urgency in it. Like I really need to listen. I don't. 

"What?! What can you possibly want? I'm here doing this stupid look out thing just so that stupid Hag can tell me what I am. The police could be at my door right now. My moms there. What do you think they'll do-" 

He grabs my shoulders holding them with intense force as he digs his nails into my skin. That will cause scratches. The sparks in his eyes rage wildly as a wildfire full of fear. 

"Why would the cops be at your door?! Do they know?" 

"I- My friend knows..." 

His panic makes mine even worse. Narrowing his eyes in wariness I am unsure of what to do. 

"Your friend? Doesn't that mean they will keep your secret?" 

I scoff and roll my eyes. My anger at Daria and me rises. 

"That would be out of character for miss perfect. She is stuck-up and I bet telling makes her ego even higher-" 

"While I would love to hear about how terrible she is there are bigger problems" 

"Yeah the cops in my house" 

He gives me a benevolent look. Again I am reminded of Daria. I feel reduced. 

"Don't look at me like that." 

We brake eye contact. Vid looks over his shoulder at the group we came with. 

"Do you think you were followed?"