You Must Be Thursday

sixteen

Sadly Wednesday caught up a lot faster than I would have thought. She also didn't say anything about him though, so I left it alone. She was pinning up a map as well.

"Enid wouldn't let us keep this in the dorm." Wednesday sighed stepping back to observe her work.

"No worries. Mi colmena es su colmena." Eugene smiled. "I assume this is the creature that's been rampaging in the woods." He pointed to one picture where the monster was standing in front of several circles. I didn't understand that drawing. What the background meant?

"You've heard about it before?" Wednesday asked him.

"Rumors. Mr. Fitts banned me from bug-hunting until further notice." I smiled at the boy. Of course, he went bug-hunting. "Claim a bear was on the loose, which I knew was a lie. Didn't match their hibernation schedules. Speaking of monster with sharp claws," He pushed his glasses up onto his nose. "Could you give this to your roomie?" He asked handing me one of his many jars of honey. "You both can put in a good word for me. I hear she is still sans date for the Raven."

"Eugene." Wednesday used her harsh tone this time.

"I know the chance of her asking me is next to zero, but I don't care. I'll keep putting myself out there until Enid finally sees me." He smiled. At least he was an optimist about everything.

"And if she never does?" Wednesday asked.

"She will," He nodded. I just smiled at the boy. Well, at least he was set on happiness. "I'm playing the long game. My moms say people will appreciate me when I am older. I know they're probably just trying to make me feel better, but-"

"Listen, people like us and you, we're different. We're original thinkers, intrepid outliers in this fast cesspool of adolescence. We don't need these inane rights of passage to validate who we are." Wednesday reasoned. I didn't know if she was throwing that in my face or trying to convince herself.

"She's right." I nodded.

"So neither of you is going to the Raven either?" He asked. I rubbed my arm looking around the shed. He had quite a collection of different jars to store his honey.

"Actually I am." I sighed. "With Xavier."

"These sketches are the closest thing we have to a lead to try and stop this thing," Wednesday muttered. Eugene leaned forward staring at the same picture. The ones with the circle's in the background, behind the monster.

"That circle, I think I know where that is." He added. I slid the honey into Wednesday's bag.

"Let's go," I muttered.

"Show me." Wednesday stared him down.

"Oh, uh, yeah." He nodded opening the door.

This is just getting worse and worse for Xavier. We were standing in front of a cave, it looked very much like a hidden den for a monster. It was awesome.

"It's definitely a match." Wednesday looked at me, then Eugene. I moved forward to the lip of the cave leaning in. I couldn't see anything down there or hear any movement. "what were you doing?"

"Collecting specimen," Eugene explained.

"Bug hunting," I repeated trying to see if I could wake anything in hear.

"This place is ground zero for horny gypsy moths." Eugene educated. I leaned back looking at the other two. "Do you think it's in there?" He asked.

"Nope, but there is only one way to find out," I added holding out my hand, watching as the flashes from my palm lit up the cave.