Mate revealed

Private Property

“So, how’s this Stevie?” Penny asks, mischief tinting her voice.  

“Stevie?” Ester spluttered “How’d you know about Stevie?”

“Oh, you’ve just mentioned him a couple times.” She could hear her sister’s smirk, even with the Atlantic stretched between them. 

“Penny, Stevie is just a friend”

“Hmm, if you say so”

“Oi, I do say so!” Ester stated indignantly  

“Right, I need to go to sleep sis, it’s 1am here” And now that she’d said it, Ester could hear her words creak with tiredness. 

“Oh s**t, sorry Penny! Text you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” She confirmed “Love you.”

“Love you, sleep well!” And then those familiar feelings of guilt began to rise again. Penny was so far away, not just in distance, and Ester felt herself slipping further away.

Ester continued up to the modest lodge house, the wood a little worn, greying from age in some patches, and pockets of weeds and grass springing up along the roofline. It was a similar size to hers, however the forest kept itself further back. A number of trucks, cars and bikes crowded the front. Ester leant Pegasus up against the faded picket fence, as the front door opened.

“There you are,” Stevie crossed his arms across his shoulders, “was beginning to think you weren’t coming”

“Sorry,” she held her up her phone “Just speaking with my sister.”

“Come on in” He retreated back inside, leaving the door open. 

With trepidation, Ester walked across the threshold. Inside was neat, but a little tired looking: Carpets torn, a few peeling pieces of paintwork. “Do you live here with your mom?”

“No, just me. My mom lives over by the animal feeds shop.” He called from the kitchen, “Want a cold one?”

She scanned the photographs adorning the walls. “Only coke or something please?”

 It was a photo of two small children, one with a huge grin on his face, golden hair in his eyes - obviously Stevie - with a younger girl by his side. Her hair was a darker blonde than his, her smile gappy. Their mother stood next to them, looking down, a large sun hat shadowing her face. 

“You have a sister?”

“Here” Stevie pushed a can into her hand, their fingers brushing momentarily.

His brow furrowed lightly, “Yeah, she… we don’t really talk about her around here much.” He uttered the words slowly as if trying to work out a way for them not to sound rude. 

“Sorry” She squirmed inwardly, not knowing what to say. 

Ester had accidently found a c***k in Stevie’s armour; his perpetual cheerfulness was not as constant as she once thought. What had happened to her, his sister? Was it a family falling out? Or something more serious?  

He shrugged, a smile back onto his handsome face “Just one of those things.”

She moved onto the next picture along the wall. 

“Now I know what you’re thinking” The lighter notes were back in his voice, a semblance of normalcy restored, however Ester knew better than to assume it was real “How has Stevie always been so gosh darn cute?” He leant into the wall and grinned. 

He was a similar age in this new photo. It was a whole family photo in someone’s back garden, bleached by the sun. The image was overflowing with what must have been cousins, aunts, uncles, friends and loved ones. Their happiness thick. Palpable. In the centre sat Stevie, his hair a bit longer than the first photo. He perched on a women’s lap, her white hair coiled into a braid. A memory stirred.

“Whose lap are you on? I recognise her.” Ester breathed, her mind clutching at names desperately trying to fill in the gaps. 

He squinted at the frame for a moment “Oh that’s aunt Tabitha.” He took a swing of his beer “Bit of a local legend actually”

“Tabitha Silverfern.” She whispered. She looked softer than her mother had around her age, but still in control. 

“That’s her!” 

So, Stevie WAS a witch? Or at least related to the coven that Ester had read about. Did Stevie really believe it in?

“And she’s your aunt?”

“Not strictly, she’s some distance relation. Everyone’s got some link around here”, he looks back at her, the words he’s about to say weighing heavy on his tongue, and he wonders for a moment whether he should say them. “Maybe even you” He chases the words with another gulp of beer.

“Me? I have a link to Lightwood?” She assesses him sternly, a frown firmly in place. “Have you learned something Stevie?”

“I’m still working on it, I’m going to just see how things pan out”

She smiled, “Sounds interesting…”

“I’ll just say, I was surprised when you said Cottonwood… that… means something around here – not usually a surname.”

She nodded slowly “So Cottonwood isn’t a last name of my mother?”

He shook his head “I don’t think so, no.” His voice sounded unsure. “At least not one around Lightwood.”

Ester turned over that thought in her head for a moment. If what Stevie said was true – why would her mother not giver Ester her last name? Unless, upsettingly, she hadn’t wanted Ester to trace her perhaps…

The thought dropped through Ester like lead, and the cheerful mood began to curdle again. 

“Thank you for this Stevie, you have no idea what it means” She patched a half decent smile onto her face, hoping he didn’t catch the thoughts written on her face. 

“It’s no problem, I like flexing my investigative skills.” He waggled his brows at her, cracking the serious mood in two, earning another quiet, but understated, laugh from her. 

 “Anyway, let me show you to your latest steed.” He turned and lead her back through the front door.

“I only need it for a day” Ester reassured him, trotting to keep up with his long strides as he sauntered to the open garage.

“Keep it for however long you need it.” The garage was spotless. More so than the rest of the house. An old mustang had its bonnet open. The engine sparkled, as if you could eat off of it. Interesting, Ester thought. It was evident what Stevie valued most in his life. 

Stevie however walked towards another vehicle, underneath a blanket. As it pulled it off a big battered blue truck was revealed.

Her eye widened when she appraised it “It’s perfect”.

“No, no it’s not,” Stevie chuckled, “but it’s safe, and the engine is solid.” He passed her the keys.

“Thank you for this, I owe you one. Again.”

“Now, are you sure you don’t want a travel buddy for the day? I know the lakes like the back of my head. I’m the best tour guide.” 

Ester couldn’t tell him the reason she needed to borrow a car – truck – Collins had already told her to say away from Darkthroat, and she guessed Stevie would feel similarly. She felt like a douche for lying to him, but she’d have this back before dark tomorrow.

She smiled sweetly “That’s really kind, but I’m ok, I like a bit of solo adventure. Plus -” She gestured to the rest of his cars “It looks like you’ve got quite a bit to be getting on with.”

                                                        *                      *                      *

By the time Ester sunk beneath her duvet, her mind was crowded with discordant thoughts.

The first, and heaviest, thought was of her birthmother. It stuck in her side like a knife that had been there since Stevie mentioned her mother had not given Ester her last name. Why?

Now Ester had time to think on it, it pulsed and ached. Years of yearning for her and she might not want Ester. Might never have wanted Ester.

She decided not to focus on that knife in her side, and instead focus on another one of the thoughts crowding her mind. 

Stevie’s sister. Stevie didn’t seem the type to invest in family feuds, or grudges. But then again, she hadn’t known him for long. Perhaps it wasn’t a matter of a feud, but of sadness? Anyway, it wasn’t a topic for her to analyse – that was his private life, nothing to do with her. 

The final thought vying for her attention, was tomorrow. 

She squirmed in her bed, pulling the covers over her head. She’d barely given herself a moment to consider why she was so adamant to go to Darkthroat. 

She’d told herself it was because of his stitches. He hadn’t been around to check them, but in reality, she knew if there was a problem with them, he’d have come. Or gone to the hospital. 

She couldn’t deny that there was something else. 

                                                                *                      *                      *

Ester set off around 11am. She had paced for an hour, beginning to wear a trail in the carpet. She argued with herself about going to Darkthroat. 

Doctor Collins would be furious if she found out. Stevie would be hurt because she’d lied to him. Penny – well this was something that Penny would consider crazy. Stupid. Dangerous. 

But, every time she was in his presence she felt this… pull. Her hands would shake. Her heart would start to race. And the heat that burned her whenever she touched him. 

Was it all in her head? Like the voice?

Or had he felt it too?

She just needed to see him. Just once more. 

The trees lined the road away from town. Peaks rose around her, the morning sun capping them in gold. Veins of snow running down them, which petered out as the trees obscured the view.

Eventually after about 35 minutes, Ester turned off, following the directions she’d written out. 

The turning was a discreet track into the trees. The road was narrow but roughly concreated. A large red and white sign at the opening read: ‘Warning Private Property. No Trespassing’.

Perhaps she should have forewarned him. What was she doing? 

With her knuckles white on the steering wheel, she continued up the lane. The forest tucked in closer. Shadow enveloped the truck.  The incline steadily increased. Ester counted four more similar ‘Private Property’signs. 

Nerves started fidgeting in her stomach. 

Another bend and the gradient became steeper still. She put the truck into second gear, wishing she’d asked for an automatic now.  She had to be getting closer now, surely. She’d been on this track for 20 minutes. 

Something darted out. 

Ester slammed on the breaks. 

Her seatbelt strained against her, before reeling her backwards. 

Ester’s heart thumped. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, and her mother’s face flashed before her eyes. 

She took a deep breath in, composing herself.  She felt the truck jitter and judder beneath her, whilst in idle.

When she lifted her head up and opened her eyes, she was taken aback: A wolf.

A wolf stood in front of her. Middle of the lane. 

It was considerably smaller than the one she’d seen before. The one she thoughtshe’d seen before. 

The wolf was a sandy colour, it’s shoulder blades jutting out of his back and it’s head lowered in menace. 

White, deadly rows of teeth were visible as it snarled. Spit hung from it’s jowls. The nose was crumpled up in threat – ears flat and to the side. 

Ester was mesmerised. 

Is this in her head too? 

She flashed her lights – hoping to scare it off. 

It didn’t move. 

Should she turn around? Or would it follow? Or was this all just her brain putting barriers in the way of the things she wanted?

Ester let out a grunt of frustration. 

The wolf crept closer. She could hear it’s growls now – rumbling through it’s chest, into it’s throat and out of it’s mouth.

It’s not real – she chanted to herself. 

Yes, it is…the voice swirled around her head like smoke. 

No. It’s not real – she repeated inwardly. 

She put the truck in first and slowly edged forward. 

The sand coloured wolf stayed rooted to the lane. 

Ester stopped. Her hand dived into her pocket. The bottle rattled as she shook out two tablets, swallowing them quickly.  

It’s not real. Just my mind – she chanted again. 

It had stalked closer since she’d look away. Deliberately, the wolf began circling to the side door. 

The spittle that had once been hanging, now began to fly as it opened it mouth wider. The growl ringing in Ester’s ears. 

Her hands were slick on the steering wheel. 

Movement. Up head. 

A tall figure- man - bursts through the trees.

Ester looked down at the wolf. It hadn’t noticed him “Be careful!” She shouted. It was no use. His jog towards them hadn’t faltered. He couldn’t have been the wolf.

The man began running. His face coming into view. He was tugging a t-shirt down over his stomach. 

Luca? 

His face distorted in horror. 

“He’s not going to stop” Ester whispered to herself. She began winding the window down. As fast as she could. “Stop!” She cried through the crack in the window. 

The bottom of the glass steams over slightly. Ester lunges back in her seat. The wolf’s breath fanning out on the window. 

Luca reaches them. His face paled. Swapping from between her and the wolf.