Looking for Wildflowers

Chapter 14

Riley and Taylor made their way back home, Taylor sobbing into Riley's back the entire way. Out of everyone in her family, her grandmother was the nicest. She knew she could always count on Maria to be there for her and help her out.

That will never be the case again. Someone had to take an old lady's life from her. For what reason? Taylor didn't know, but she was going to find out.

As soon as they returned, Taylor was the first off the horse, almost pushing Riley away in her attempt to flee quickly. Taylor stormed in the front door, leaving it open behind her.

"Mom!" She demanded. There was no response. Lindsey wasn't in the living room or kitchen, so Taylor started tearing the house apart. Her stuff was still there, meaning she must be coming back.

"Let's just wait for her." Riley tried to keep Taylor calm, but she was raging. She had never felt this way before, and there was no stopping it. She felt a deep fire within her chest, begging to be let out, but she fought it back to stay sane.

"f**k that. She killed my grandma, she's going to pay!" Taylor's voice filled the house and could even be heard by the old dirt road.

"And she will. But for now, we have no idea where she is. Let's just wait." Riley insisted as he watched Taylor fight with herself and finally agree to his terms. They both sat on the couch, watching the front door. Taylor sat upright, too tight with emotion, while Riley was slumped back into the cushions, trying to process what was happening.

He also knew one day soon he was going to have to tell Taylor the secret that he's been hiding. Riley knew that once he broke it to her, everything would fall apart. Everything he had told her would have been a lie. This isn't the life he was supposed to be living, despite how much he loved it.

Riley wondered if it ever would be. If he could make it his new reality. While he was tossing around the shithole that he was in, they both heard the sound coming in from the still-open door of someone approaching on foot. Taylor was the first to jump up and run outside.

"Mom!" She shouted as Lindsey walked out of the woods, wearing a sunhat and carrying a basket that was full of berries.

"Baby," Lindsey started with a smile, but Taylor interrupted her with a hard slap to the face.

"You b***h!" She shouted, her voice scaring some birds in nearby trees.

"Now you listen here-" Lindsey had suddenly turned cold and serious, sitting the basket down and holding her cheek.

"No, YOU listen. What the hell did you do to Grandma?" Taylor demanded.

"What? Nothing."

"Don't lie to me. We found her and I know you did it. Why?" Taylor's face was redder than an overripe tomato as she demanded answers.

"I told you. We got into an argument."

"So murder was your solution?" Riley had made his way over, panicking at the scene.

"I didn't murder anyone. She started it. It just happened."

"Murder doesn't just happen." Taylor insisted.

"What are you going to do about it?" Lindsey's eyes suddenly turned dark, and Riley felt a shift in the air.

"Get out of my house. I never want to see you again." Taylor said through gritted teeth.

"Gladly." Lindsey started at Taylor for an extra second as she pushed past both of them and headed toward the house.

"You're lucky I don't give you the same fate!" Taylor finally voiced how angry she was.

"Like you'd stand a chance. Honey, I know things you don't. Fighting you would be child play. Just let me leave, and we can forget we ever met each other." The screen door slammed shut behind her and it took no time for her to return outside with her stuff.

No words were exchanged as Taylor and Riley watched her walk down the road, headed toward town.

"Taylor," Riley started, still feeling the change in the air. It was making him feel uneasy. "I think we need to go inside." He gently grabbed her arm and led her back inside where she stood in the center of the living room, staring a hole into the wall. The weird feeling in the air followed them inside.

Finally, Riley was able to put his finger on what the feeling was from. A dark fairy was nearby and enraged. He shut the door behind them and locked it.

"Taylor, listen to me." He grabbed her by the shoulders, maintaining eye contact. The sudden seriousness caused Taylor to break from her trance and look right back at Riley. She could feel herself starting to calm down now that her mother was nowhere nearby. The feeling of a deep fire in her chest stayed, however. She wanted nothing more than to cause mass destruction.

"Go in the bathroom and shut the door. Don't come out until I tell you to."

"Why? What's going on?" Taylor asked, suddenly feeling fear instead of just pure rage.

"I'll explain it later, just do as I say." He pushed her into the bathroom and shut the door, making sure he heard her lock it. Once he was sure was as safe as he could get her, he leaned against the bathroom door before stepping back outside and looking around.

There was no one nearby, not even any animals large than a squirrel. He could feel the feeling start to disappear, which was odd. Stepping back inside, he kept the door locked and the windows shut. Once the feeling was completely gone, he knocked on the bathroom door.

"Taylor, it's okay now." He heard her immediately unlock and throw open the door, concern pouring out of her face.

"What was that all about?"

"Have you ever heard of dark fairies?" Riley asked, fear creeping up into his chest.

"Like the ones in the storybooks?" Taylor couldn't be more lost.

"Well, I felt one nearby. I only sensed one, so I isolated you so I could take care of it."

"What makes you think you can take on something like that? Also, do you think I'm full of s**t? That stuff doesn't exist. That's like saying you're a werewolf and my mom is a vampire." Taylor let out a light laugh. Riley just stared at her with a serious expression.

"Taylor, I haven't been completely honest with you." Riley finally broke the silence and he could sense Taylor's heart drop.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was low and she was looking off onto the floor somewhere behind him.

"That stuff does exist and just know that I can protect you." Riley didn't want to say the truth. It'd be more explaining than he was ready to do.

"How? What makes you better at fighting that kind of stuff than I am?" Taylor crossed her arms and returned eye contact. She stared at him as he took a deep breath.

It was time. There was no more fighting it.

"Taylor," Riley started, trying to force the words out. He wasn't ready to say goodbye. "I actually am a werewolf."