briefly, allowing Lilibeth to catch up to me as I hold the door open for them.
They’re exclaiming many things, like, “gross” and “did you see that?” It’s hard to say exactly what they’ve seen as I look past the schoolchildren and out into the play area.
Behind the school is a playground filled with swings and other child-sized climbing equipment, but at the back of the property is a very tall chain link fence. It’s there I notice two adults peering through the holes. The other adults in the playground are herding the children away. Skirting around the children, I, with Lilibeth behind me, jog slightly, cutting across the property until we hear a high-pitched call.
“Lilibeth! Lilibeth, is that you?”
Coming at us from the right, I see a mini-version of the woman I plan to mate with. Long blond hair is braided into pigtails, and as she gets closer, I see she has the same round face, bright blue eyes, and brilliant smile. “Lilibeth! Did you come to see the monster? Have you seen it yet?”
CHAPTER NINE
- Nikon
Lilibeth swings the small child up into her arms, and the tiny Human immediately wraps herself around her, linking her fingers behind Lilibeth’s neck to chatter away. “Is that why you’re here? To see it? Principle Donavan says he’s contacted the police. Did they send you?”
We’ve continued working our way toward the fence, and now we’ve come close to the adults guarding the perimeter where the “monster” must be located. “Yes. I’m here to see it. Can you go back to your classroom, honey? I want to talk to Principal Donavan about it, alright?”
“Really? I can’t come?” The little girl’s face falls before she looks up at me. “Is this man with you? Are you a policeman like my daddy too?”
When my mouth opens slowly, unsure how to answer, she continues. “I’m Eva … Lilibeth’s favorite cousin.” Giggling slightly, she covers her mouth with her hand before adding, “Her only cousin!”
Lilibeth crouches down, lowering Eva’s legs to the ground and unwinding her arms from her shoulders. She grips the young girl by the arms, telling her, “Listen. You need to go back to your classroom with Miss Montrel. I’ll check on everything here, but you need to let me do my job, alright?”
Pouting slightly, the little girl is adorable as her shoulders droop under Lilibeth’s palms. But that lasts only a moment before she lifts her arms to throw them around her once more. “I’m so glad you’re back, Lilibeth. I really, really missed you!”
Squeezing her back, Lilibeth murmurs to her as I look up at the adults watching us closely from nearby. Lilibeth’s wearing a uniform shirt, and I wouldn’t have any idea how to introduce myself without her. Clearly, we’re representing ourselves as part of the police force that’d come out to investigate whatever this monster is that has worked them up.
“Okay, honey. Go on, and I’ll see you later tonight.” Eva spins around, and Lilibeth smacks her butt lightly as she takes off. “Be good,” she calls.
Without turning around, Eva calls back, “I will!”
Straightening, Lilibeth strides purposely forward, holding out her hand to the tallest man there. Stooped and balding, his face breaks into a smile of recognition. “Lilibeth Egilsdóttir. Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
When Lilibeth tries to shake, he pulls her forward into a hug that has me freezing up immediately. Who is this man who seems so familiar with my mate?
The hug is brief, and Principal Donavan pulls back to wave at his companion just as Lilibeth greets him. “Mr. Jökull, good to see you. What do we have going on here?”
I’m relieved Lilibeth doesn’t bother to introduce me to these men who appear to work at the school. How would she explain who I am? Or even what I’m doing with her? I’ve already passed them both, walking up to the chain link fence which reaches only to my nose. The smell of rotting flesh is strong as my eyes seek out the source.
From where I stand, I can smell and hear the ocean just out of sight. It’s like they’ve created a berm to keep it from view. But in the tall grass just a short distance away there’s a mottled and bloody looking … something. Clearly humanoid, but not exactly human. The scales look a lot like … a Taxin.
I’ve interacted with far less Taxin here than when I was on the military base in Yosemite National Park with Payak about one Earth