Small Town Hero - #ONC 2024

Chapter 14

After my latest meeting with Agent Smith, I drove through town, rethinking everything that happened today, especially the confrontation with Coach Steele and Elijah's threat. What did Elijah mean by, I know your weakness? It wasn't so much the words he used as it was the demented look in his eyes that hinted at a specific target, a pressure point he could use to crack my defenses and bring about my downfall. Something to bring me to my knees and take away my ability to fight back.

I drove with my left hand on the wheel, my right digging into the bench seat, the fabric giving under my scrunching fingers. My mind had drifted into another realm, considering the possibilities of what Elijah meant. An idea of one possibility came to mind, one that stirred up shockwaves of panic, but I ignored it, pushing it from my thoughts as best I could, trying to concentrate on things relating to what he knew about me. Things I'd shared with him about my werewolf transformation, all of which happened on the day of Austin Campbell's funeral in the break room.

I focused on what he knew. He knew I had morphed into a werewolf, so maybe the weakness had something to do with that. What were a werewolf's weaknesses? According to myth and legend, hunters had used silver bullets to kill them, so that might be what Elijah was talking about. If someone on the team had killed Austin Campbell because they knew his weakness, then it made sense they could do the same to anyone else. If Austin was a werewolf, they may have targeted him with any type of weapon that could use silver in its arsenal. A gun, of course, or even a bow that used arrows made of silver. Those two options seemed the most likely. On the same front, because I knew Elijah was a vampire, I could use his weaknesses against him. A wooden stake to the heart came to mind, a traditional method used in books and movies. Of course, that would kill anyone. Some of the other things, like holy water and garlic, seemed more like superstition than reality. Since Agent Smith worked for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, he would certainly know how to bring down any type of monster. How to kill these creatures of the night would be the next question I'd ask him.

But I couldn't deny the anxiety that welled up inside of me when I considered the weakness that scared me the most. Elijah's threat seemed personal, as if he knew precisely what would stop me in my tracks, as if he knew what would devastate me, like a low blow to render me powerless. He might not have been referring to any type of weapon, although he might possess one that could kill me. That's when the possibility I repressed moments ago, slammed into me like a freight train at full speed.

It was personal. He had meant it that way, to strike fear into my heart, not only that it was a possibility, but also for me to know it was a certainty. As I considered this, I noticed my body was shaking. Quivers ran down my arms all the way to my fingers, drawing my gaze down to my right hand. My eyes widened when I realized I was holding a chunk of the seat. I didn't just tear the fabric, my fingers had penetrated the cushion and ripped out part of it.

I tossed it on the floorboard as thoughts of Layla in danger overwhelmed me.

An incredible urge hit me to drive by her house. School was over by now, so she should be home.

I mashed the gas pedal and the pickup truck sped up, flying down the main road that led through town. As I neared the street she lived on, more anxiety shot through me, sending my heart to pounding. The possibility of Layla in danger, had my leg bouncing and my grip on the steering wheel growing tighter. I had to reach her and make sure she was safe.

With a hard tug on the wheel, the truck made the turn and sped toward her driveway. At first sight of her older model Honda Civic, a wave of relief flooded through me. Maybe Elijah hadn't intended to bring harm to Layla. I could only hope.

Chief Robinson's police car was gone, so he was still at work. And since it was a few minutes after five, her mom hadn't had time to get home from the bank. Layla was alone. If Elijah and the guys came for her, they would have had plenty of time to get here while I was busy talking to Agent Smith.