I sipped my coffee and looked out the window. Sitting on the edge of Nova Scotia, the little bed and breakfast was our base. I watched as my partner, Madison, walked towards me. Her fair skin glowed as the sun kissed it and her long, red hair swooshed around her hips.
“He said that the nearest attack was in Halifax. It’s a 20 minute drive,” Her soft voice sounded and the air seemed to relax. “Let’s go!”
We grabbed our breakfast and headed to our car. The shiny, red paint was chipped in a few places, but it was still in great condition. The car was coated with an armor developed by the base. They wouldn’t tell us how it worked, but it definitely protected the car.
As we drove along the coast, we talked about the base. We discussed all the monsters we’ve killed and all the places we’ve been. Thinking about Nova Scotia, the most beautiful place I’ve seen, made me sick. Before I knew it, we were in Halifax. Time really flies when you’re in your thoughts.
“Shall we interview the girl?” I asked Madison.
“It’s the only way to get information, so we shall!” She laughed and linked arms with me.
Walking up the grey cobblestone, I noticed my surroundings. The sky was a depressing, dark grey, which could cry on us any minute. The mountains were stacked right under a thick layer of fog, everything blending together in a monotone palate of colors. I shook the goose bumps off my arms and turned to face Madison and a young girl. Smiling politely, I listened to Madison explain the base and why we are here.
“We are from the base ‘MOUSA’. We are the official base of the world and we were called to help you…”
Throughout the introduction, I smiled when gestured at, but the rest of the time I studied the girl. Her brown hair was twisted up into a soft, intricate knot of braids and was covered in cobalt blue flowers. The petals had the faintest splash of white on the ends and carried the strong scent of tea tree oil. Her skin was almost transparent, stretching over her cheekbones. The long, emerald green dress she was wearing framed her delicate figure. There was something off about her, the way she walked talked, and dressed. No one else looked like that. Shooing the thought out of my mind, I tuned into the conversation.
“I was attacked in the woods. There was no one around. I swung through the trees and when I landed, it was still behind me. I ran until I found the base,” The girl, Luna, recalled.
“Why were you in the woods?” I asked, feeling uneasy.
With a tilt of her head, she smiled. “I was picking flowers, silly. Why don’t you come inside and try some cookies I just baked?”
“No thanks, we have to go…”
“That would be lovely!” Madison cut me off.
The two girls looked at me expectantly.
“Fine. But you can file all the reports later,” I said with a laugh.
As we walked in, the girls were like two chatterboxes, linking arms and acting like best friends.
“Do you mind if I look around?”
“Sure. Go ahead!”
I climbed up the dark, wooden stairs, my hand sliding up the smooth marble rail. The hallway opened up to three rooms, all shut off. I opened the first one on the right to reveal a luxurious bedroom. The walls were painted a very light and opaque grey, just like the hallway. A glass chandelier hung over the bed. The bed itself had an array of pillows and was made up perfectly. A closet lined the opposite wall, filled with extremely nice clothes. The bedroom seemed normal, but extraordinary at the same time.
The next room was lined with bookshelves, except for a couch resting under the grand window. As I approached the last door, the handle wouldn’t turn. I grabbed a bobby pin and stuck it in the lock. It disappeared, as if the lock ate it.
I racked my brain about key-swallowing locks and remembered what I had to do. I pulled out a lighter and held it up to the lock, careful not to touch the doorframe. The dark hall was haunted by the shadows of the flame. The lock hissed, as if its teeth had let go of the doorframe. I pushed the door open to reveal a control room, tracking the invisible monsters. Watching them move closer to a specified point, I thought I was watching another attack. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t only watching it; I was going to be attacked. As quick as my feet could carry me, I sprinted to the kitchen. If I had slowed down, I would have felt the vibrations of each monster step.
When I got to the kitchen, I saw Madison first. I walked over and whispered, “We need to go. Now. We’re in danger.” If I had slowed down, I would have seen the windows rattling, as the monsters got closer.
“Bye, Luna!” Madison called.
When we both got into the car, I started to explain everything.
“She has a control room full of computers tracking the monsters. And she controls them. And they’re after us.”
Before Madison could say anything, the car was picked up and thrown across the street with a loud skid. Fortunately, neither of us was hurt.
“Grab the weapons!” She shouted to me.
“I’m trying! My arm is stuck!”
I reached around and pulled my arm out, which was wrapped around a gun. I pulled it out and grabbed another.
“Thank God I loaded them before.” I said with a smile.
We jumped out of the car and watched it skid backwards. It wasn’t broken; we knew it would still run. Suddenly, Madison aimed and shot. We heard it hit something and saw a pile of neon green ashes fall out of the air.
“Time of death; 13:30.” Madison called it.
Right as she looked at me, she was pulled up into the air. I was so afraid to shoot because I didn’t want to hit her. I put my gun up and shot. I didn’t hit anything. I shot one more time and watched as it grazed Madison’s arm.
“You only have one shot left!” She yelled through gritted teeth.
I shot one more time and ran. If I hit the monster, Madison would fall and die. I needed to catch her. At this point, I realized how unlikely it would be if I caught her. I would get injured. But I had to try.
It seemed like slow motion as she fell through the air. I put my arms out and closed my eyes, waiting to get hurt. I didn’t feel her fall into my arms. She tapped me on the shoulder.
“Toby?” She laughed.
I opened my eyes and began to laugh with her. As I looked around, the place didn’t seem so depressing. The smell of tea tree oil was strong in the air. At the time, I didn’t realize what that meant, but I guess we’re all monsters to some extent, right? I sat there and smiled like a child, just like the sun was smiling through the withdrawing clouds.
We stayed behind to take pictures of the scene and collect the ashes of the monsters. No one had witnessed the scene, so no brainwashing needed.
The whole way home, we talked about the crazy events of the day. Pretty soon, the base had also heard about the events. The vacation was cut short with paperwork and phone calls.
We had made a huge discovery and we opened a new investigation. Now, Madison and I are going to go explore.
    Signing off,
           Toby Embers.