Page 39 of Locke 2

The look of his hurt flashed through my mind, and I didn’t like the awful feeling it left behind.What was wrong with me? Why did I give him a half-truth and omit the other, more necessary, one?

I sat down on the front porch, my sore body protesting when I brought my knees to my chest. Anxiety built inside me. I needed to take my medication, but I didn’t think it would help today.

Aurora took a seat next to me, fluffing out her dress before clasping her teacup. She watched me, intently, and for once, she kept her little lips closed.

As Dahlia found me and crawled into my lap, I spent the hours of my Sunday thinking of Locke’s unfeeling face.

???

I heard nothing from Locke the rest of the day. I stayed up into the early hours of the morning, tossing and turning. Dahlia refused to get into bed with me, probably sensing my neediness.

I kept my eyes pinned to my bedroom door, waiting. My nerves were crazy as I thought about his words repeatedly.

“I learned a lot last night.”

I shut my eyes tightly, wanting to groan. I had a horrible feeling I’d done too much damage. But even if I had, why would I want to repair it? This was Locke, goddammit. I’d been doing fine without him.

Right?

My heart was beating wildly. I watched the clock tick, and then somewhere along the way, I passed out. It was a crummy sleep. I probably only got about a couple broken hours of shut eye. I was an absolute zombie when I got up, my heart sinking in my chest to find he hadn’t showed up.

I got ready for work and left quietly when I heard the shower pipes go on in the bathroom, signalling Hal’s return. I wasn’t in the mood for a walk with him this morning.

I just wanted to go to work and hope that Locke paid me a visit in the night.

Eighteen

Locke

Locke excelled at hunting.

If it bled, it could be tracked. He told himself this every time he began a hunt.

Locke was persistent and fast. He relished in the hunt. He enjoyed the bloodshed and the pain, both in himself and in his prey.

But to search for a little boy?

One had to wade through monsters. Monsters were easy to find, but they chatted in the dark, forming a network he had to be cautious tapping into.

This current network made his phone buzz.

Made him reach for it.

Made him read the words on the screen.

Words that made his teeth clench and eyes dot with indescribable feeling.

How does one describe the combination of rage and despair? The word wasn’t in the dictionary. No word measured against the feeling. He felt his chest tighten. Felt his hard heart soften as he realized very quickly that this was not going to be as easy as finding the mother in some motel, drunk off her ass with a neglected boy watching television on a dirty couch.

He looked at the words, then he pocketed the phone, and then he gritted out, “Alright. We go hunting.”

If it bled, it could be tracked.

He repeated this as he looked at his list, as he thought about that damn woman, as he yearned to steal her and keep her forever…

Nineteen

Kali

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