The Ghosts of Melbrew [1/12]

Chapter 11) A Looming Shadow

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          By the next day on Monday, I grew immensely curious as the minutes ticked by. Throughout the day I would catch Veronica giving me warning stares, this look on her face that said she wouldn't play around. We knew about something we shouldn't have, and she didn't like it. My question is what, though? What even was that thing in the woods? Was it really some kimd of portal, or something a lot more, I dunno, believable?

       She clearly knows about the things that are going on around here, there's no way she wouldn't. She's a Melbrew. So why exactly was it a big deal to pretend she didn't? Was she really only concerned about the town's reputation, or was there something more to it? I was going to get to the bottom of it.

        By biology class I began to pester her with questions and statements, to which she all either denied or dismissed. Still playing dumb after all of that, huh? She called me annoying, nosy, a reputation-ruiner, and worse. She would cuss me out, and threaten me. But I wasn't someone to give up easily.

        The same thing occured on Tuesday, though I actually bothered her in the halls as well, which she did NOT like. Like, "Oh no, the weird girl's talking to me! Embarrassing!" But that was good! I was going to annoy her until she broke. Her threats meant nothing to me, they were all empty, I knew it, as much as she tried to convery her seriousness. She wanted something out of us, that much was apparant. She wasn't going to rat us out.

        I thought it was going to take at least a few weeks to crack her, but she gave up way earlier than that. By Wednesday, she stopped discrediting everything I said, and instead began to be rather cryptic with some answers. Okay, that's how we're gonna play this, huh? Well I'm down!

        She even began to talk to me about our biology project, and I started to feel suspicious... is she gonna work with me? Does she want the $500 back? Cause I'm not giving it back, sue me.

          That Thursday, October the 13th, was the official due date for turning in any field trip permission slips to Ms. Hogg. It was originally before Christmas break, but it was pushed back. Glad I won't have to hear it on the morning announcements anymore.

          Again, to my surprise, Veronica also turned one in. When I asked what made her change her mind, she just said that her "lame parents made her" but I didn't buy it. She did, in fact, not tell her parents that we were trespassing, but I could only wonder what we would have to do in return.

          "What's your problem?" I finally asked her after class ended. "You know things. I know that you know things, and you know that! Those wolf-like creatures in the woods? That thing that your family's building in the woods! You answer my questions cryptically, you're teasing me and not giving me concrete answers! You're concerned about the town's reputation? Your reputation? Because let me tell you, this town's image is already gone! People know there's demons, and if they don't, they're just denying the truth that they're already aware of! Be straight with me, I know you're lying!"

          "...Well, damn." She said, "First of all, I'm not gonna be straight with you, second of all, you don't come off as the assertive type, which is strange because you're friends with the most vocal people in this whole damn school. I guess the new girl is finally getting comfortable here." She looked off thoughtfully as if she were thinking, then smiled, "Say, aren't you and that group planning a little Humphrey heist this Halloween?"

          I was taken aback, literally, as I physically recoiled backwards, "Hu...Huh?! How do you know that?"

          "Cameron is terrible at keeping his mouth shut, you know. He yells everything all the time, especially when he's excited about it. You're also no better, how do you know that wasn't a test? Or a rumor? You just admitted to it."