The hunter

Chapter 3

Tara looked highly amused by the scene she had before her. “Someone from the kitchen will bring you up some toast for you im going to go in to my office for now, but I will come back and check on you, but before that is there anything I can help with”. Tyler then sat back in his seat and put his hands casually behind his stretching his legs out as if feeling quite smug, where his ego had been stoked, where for a brief moment he had been able to charm me. I really needed to pull myself together, I barely knew him but for one moment I was completely entranced by him, he was definitely troublesome for me. “Well if it’s ok with you once she’s a bit more decent we are going to sit out on the balcony, and have a smoke so that I can answer a few of her questions”. Tara didn’t seemed to bothered, and I was waiting for her to start nagging about the dangers of smoking but instead she didn’t seem bothered and shrugged and said “fine by me but don’t overload her this is all new to her, and your not the most tactful of people”. Starting to laugh at this, clearly there was an implied dig aimed towards him however he was not bothered by her statement

Reaching over to the draw’s opening them Tyler pulls out a pair of black combat trousers, and throws them on the bed next to me “here these my trouser don’t worry there clean, lucky for you we are the same waist size so, you will have to make do with them for now”. Then there was that impish glint in his eye “mind, I’m surprised I thought you would be a bigger size but looks can be deceiving”. Jesus I could slap him right now, bigger size okay I’m a thirty four inch waist, big deal I’m not skinny and never have been but back off. Being five ft eight and toned, I was never skinny or delicate but I’m not exactly fat either, men can be such pigs and so superficial it’s unreal. I could see he is waiting for a response, but I refused to even dignify his statement with a response asshat that he is. Tara kindly looks at me “let me get you a hair brush and I have some toothbrushes and toothpaste and other toiletries you can have, I always keep a supply here just in case if you look down the room you can see the terrace doors, to the left is a bathroom so you can freshen up”. Turning to the side of the bed grabbing the trousers I started to feel a burning tightness running down my back, and felt like my skin was being pulled and I could feel myself grimace from the pain. Getting off the bed I moved In the direction I was shown.

An overwhelming anxiousness hit me, needing to see how much of a state I actually looked, after all I could do with a laugh. “I will knock on the door once I’ve got everything for you, but take it easy your body has taken a beating”. She wasn’t lying my back really did hurt the shoulder wasn’t to bad but I could feel the stitches even my legs ached as if a had run a marathon. My thoughts betraying me certain pain, I had becom accustomed to so learnt to fake it, making it to the door, I realised it didn’t look like your typical hospital there where no signs on the door it looked like a typical household oak door you would find in your own house. Opening the door to the left was a pull cord which I then grabbed and pulled on to illuminate the bathroom. The room went from dark to light instantly it wasn’t a massive room but still quite spacious to the left was a sink and mirror with a bath and shower facing the sink lengthways. Opposite the bath was the toilet, very much your typical household bathroom. For a hospital ward nothing really stood out as a public hospital ward, maybe a private one.

Closing the door and turning the lock so I could have some privacy. I could feel my head starting to spin again, looking into the mirror, there was my reflection staring back a myself no emotions showing through, after all I learnt, to build up a wall so as not to let anyone see me cry ever again. The makeup had all been removed, all that remained was the typical telltale signs of left over eyeliner so there was a slight smudge of black underneath my lashes. My hair was disheveled half up and half down where I had it tied up to wear my wig. The blonde hair that was loose was all raised and knotted in places. Staring at my reflection I just saw a girl with mahogany eyes looking tired but cold as if trying to not let the world see her thoughts, the paleness of my skin was only highlighted by the darkness of my eyes. I could see the tears start to form as one stray tear had fought for freedom and was running down my cheek. Pulled from my thoughts, I heard knocking on the door. Unlocking the door, Tara’s hand appeared through the opening and handed me a brown paper bag, thanking her I got hold of the bag and closed the door and locked it again. Placing the bag on the side of the bath next to the trousers.I then remembered I was actually badly needing the toilet, feeling that instant relief I allowed myself to cry knowing that no one could see me. Going back to the sink to the sink staring at my reflection tears still running down I proceeded to wash my hands and face. Then grabbing the bag I left on the bath edge I pulled out the items as promised there was a toothbrush, toothpaste and hairbrush. Looking back in the mirror, I started to force myself to pull my s**t together, I would not let them see me cry I would deal with this head on. I proceeded to take my hair down, then started to brush my blonde hair, i didn’t realise how tangled it had become at the back and it then fell around my face where it reached past my shoulders. Then with the brush I started to pull it together so I could tie it back up when parts of it then fell around my face where still to short to tie up. These strands I tucked behind my ear and looked up and just wished my mum and dad was here a wish I knew that could never be granted, they would know what to do, I was so scared and lost at the same time. Then in my memory I could see them both smiling at me, I knew I had to be patient and just take it bit by bit. Grabbing the trousers pullng them on they where slightly longer in length, but Tyler’s was at least a few inches taller than me but over all they fitted perfectly. I then left the bathroom and returned to my bed walking past several empty beds on my return. He was still sat there and he looked at me and for a moment there was this look in his eyes almost one of longing why would he look at me in such a way?

On the table next to my bed was two trays of toast as Tara had promised with packs of butter and various jams. Tyler looking at me sits up from his sprawled out position. “Food first, then we can talk” I then sat myself down and helped myself to one of the trays whilst Tyler grabbed the other. The toast was good and tasted like the toast l’d have when on holiday, the bread had this taste to it which I couldn’t really describe, but just remembered having when I would go away on holiday as a child with my mum and dad. Starting to feel slightly more at ease knowing that soon I would finally know what’s going on. Tyler had finished eating and put his tray back on the table, and then poured himself some water, then sat on my bed watching me very intently. Assuming he was waiting for me to finish, I finished off my last bite and placed the tray back on the table. “About time I will get your boots then we can go for a smoke”. What was it with him at times he seemed to care then the next thing, he acted as if this was a massive inconvenience for him. Reaching under the bed and retrieving my boots he then passed them to me. Puttng them on zipping them up, I went to my bag and grabbed my smokes and my lighter and placed them on the bed next to me. He pushed himself up grabbed my hand and proceeded to help me of the bed, I didn’t expect him to be as strong as he was because the next thing I know I’m falling into him I put my hands on to his shoulders to prevent myself from actually falling onto him. A smirk spread across his face, wow he was cocky I swear he seemed to get off on this, I started to feel my face go red. Refusing to let him get any more of a kick out of my obvious attraction that I felt for him.

I turned on my heel and walked to the end of the room and went to the terrace opening the double doors. The cool fresh air cooling my heated face, I took the view in, before me there was a small patio and I could tell we where not on the ground floor. Walking over to the very edge of the balcony It was edged of by a waist high concrete columned railing. Looking down we had to be at least one floor up, and looking ahead we where in what maybe was an old estate house the moss that was growing on parts of the balcony was a testament to its age but despite this it looked well cared for areas of being neglected over time. Ahead of me was an open meadow that was still running slightly wild but also maintained to one side there was a chopping block, where it looked as if it was well used as there was fresh fragments, where wood had recently been chopped up for what I could only assume was for fires. Looking further ahead we where enclosed in woods as if nature was putting up its own barrier to Shield this building. Turning around to look at the building, I was quite taken aback by the shear size of it, it was at least four maybe five story’s high. I had this feeling that as much as it looked majestic if anyone was to see this from afar it was just be viewed as an old abandoned property. “Impressive isn’t it” and there was Tyler standing in the doorway and he was just looking at me I don’t think I have ever known someone to watch as much as he did and to see a longing look in his eyes.

In one hand was my smokes that I forgot to pick up, in a rush to have some distance between him, and in his other he was clutching two cans of Diet Coke. “I raided Tara’s stash she won’t mind” walking over to join me at the edge of the balcony he handed me a can, which I willingly accepted opening it and taking a sip feeling the bubbles tingle in my mouth and getting that taste of sweetness. Tyler proceeded to hand me my cigarettes and my lighter.

Taking one out the packet, placing my can down I lit up and inhaled deeply blowing out the smoke savouring the instant comfort it bought to me, it was my vice and even though I know it is a bad habit, I did not care. He then grabbed one for himself and I handed him my lighter as he followed suit. Looking at him intently as waiting to hear what he had to say I could tell the way he furrowed his brow he was thinking. No longer able to keep my patience i asked him “so, tell me what is going on” whilst taking another long drag from my cigarette and then biting my lip something that had become a nervous habit hilst fighting the anticipation that I felt was building.

“ Okay this isn’t going to be easier, I warn you” his eyes became very serious. “You where attacked by a werewolf, which may sound like total crap to you but it’s a harsh reality I and many others face”. His green eyes staring at me trying to gauge how I would react. Which being honest with you, I didn’t know how, his statement actually left me speechless as I could tell he was not lying. “I am a hunter my whole family are, the same as yours this is our birth right”.

He must have me mistaken my parents died because of a car accident, they where normal average people, I was so confused by this I stubbed out my cigarette. Gauging my expression he continued “I mean your biological parents not your adopted ones, we believe your mum was attacked somewhere close to a built up area, and before she could kill it, it ran of and someone must of stumbled across her injured”. No this makes no logical sense, things like this don’t happen this is the thing of make believe. “No your wrong, if that was the case surely it would be well reported and werewolves are a thing of fiction, so if you are trying to be funny think again because I can tell you right now your not”. I could not see any sign from his expression that he was smiling and repressing laughter all I could see was sincerity. “I told you it wouldn’t be easy to hear, no they are not a thing of fiction I watched them kill my parents when I was eighteen we stumbled into a trap, we thought we where tracking a lone wolf or two at most when really they set up a trap and it was half a pack at least.” “Also no it’s not common knowledge because we keep it that way, most people will always find a plausible and logical answer instead of accepting the truth believe it or not people are very good and explaining away such things”. Taking a pause before he continued I couldn’t shake of this feeling he was struggling to explain this.“Listen Riley, we work for a secret order of hunters i was raised here never really spending much time with the world accept for school and even then I was taught to keep it hidden, and instead was labelled as trouble this is my life as is many others, I have no idea how to explain this”. I could tell he was not hiding anything but could also feel, that he felt uncomfortable discussing this.

“This is not a bad joke Riley, we are always fighting to survive and it never stops” the pain etched in his eyes was becoming clear. His hand subconsciously going to his scar his facial expression was drawn in pain as if reliving the moment that left him with such a scar. “We had been tracking this pack for weeks, they weren’t newborns.” His hands gripping tightly on the railing “ the plan was to ascertain there number first, discover what operation they run after all they aren’t always in there wolf form”.

Tyler’s knuckles now turning white where his grip was grasping the railing, “we hadn’t been careful enough, and they had caught my mums scent, I was the closet to her but she was blind sided, I didn’t make it in time” turning looking me squarely in the eyes, I could see his eyes where starting to well up “ it had bitten her at the throat and she was just hanging there lifeless, and the f**k threw her to the ground”. “ I wasn’t paying full attention I was so angry I went straight for the head, but I was then knocked side on, this one I did manage to stab but it swiped at me as you can see”. The pain and sorrow in his face pulled at my heart I wasn’t sure if I should try and comfort him in someway “Dad and three others rushed in, and I managed to help kill it but more came, dad made Eliot drag me out, I didn’t see it but I still hear my dads screams” and there It was, one single tear running down his face. He then just gazed off into the woods making it clear he didn’t want to speak further about that moment, he was reliving it all a victim to the pain and trauma, that was gifted to him as a sweet parting gift.