A Slayer's Story
Part 7Okay, I admit it... yes, I watch "Buffy" and Yes, this was inspired by the show, but it's all it's own... this story is not completed but is currently over 88 pages long. It started one night when I couldn't sleep. I'll post more segments when I have time. Feedback can be sent to stories@iwuvjoey.com. Thank you.
“Taylor, breakfast.” Kyle knocked on Taylor’s door the next morning.
“I’ll be right down.” Taylor said as she stood looking at her closet and trying to decide what to where.
“Taylor, your jeans and your blue T will look great.” Kyle said from the other side of the door.
“Thanks Kyle.” She laughed as she grabbed her jeans and her blue T, threw them on, pair of socks, and her sneaks, grabbed her backpack and purse and went down to the table thinking of Mitch and the kiss they shared the night before.
“Morning everyone.” She said as she sat down and took a sip of juice.
“Taylor, are you going to need a ride home from school today?” Kyle asked.
“Nah, I can walk it.” She said. As she finished her breakfast, the front doorbell rang. It was Mitch. “Gotta go. See ya.” She grabbed her purse and backpack and nearly bolted out the front door.
“In a hurry Taylor?” Mitch teased.
“Not really, I just needed to talk to Eddie before homeroom, is that alright?”
“Sure.” Mitch held his car door open for her and let her in. She was surprised.
“Thank you.”
“Not use to someone opening doors for you?” Mitch asked.
“No, no I’m not.” She replied. “It’s a nice change.” She smiled. Mitch ran around to the other side of his car, got in, and drove off to school. Peter watched from the porch as he saw Mitch open her door and make Taylor smile.
“I’m losing her.” Peter said as he walked back into the house.
“You haven’t lost her Peter. You and she are still the best of friends.” Kyle claimed as he stuffed his backpack with books. “Jay… let’s go. Pete, c’mon, we’ll be late.” Kyle said before kissing his grandmother on the cheek and heading out to his car.
“The hustle and bustle of children again. What a wonderful sound.” Grandma said as the boys ran out the front door.
“Hey Jeremy… what are you doing here so early?” Mitch asked as he and Taylor walked into the main hallway of the school.
“Had to finish up an art project. Taylor, I see you’ve survived your first full day of life here in this illustrious little town and a day with Mitch. I think you’re going to make it around here.” Jeremy commented.
“Thanks Jeremy.”
“Excuse me, Taylor Clarke?” this girl said from behind Taylor. Taylor turned around.
“Yes.”
“I’m Jennifer, Caroline’s older sister. She told me what happened yesterday. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
“She’s never been late for school before.”
“She’s okay though, right?”
“Oh yeah. She’s fine. But I wanted to thank you. I can’t watch over her every single minute. It’s nice to know that there are people like you who protect others. Welcome to our humble little high school I hope you and I become friends.” Jennifer said and left as quickly as she appeared.
“Wow… Jenn’s usually very, very shy. You’ve made a great impression on her Taylor. Amazing.” Jeremy stated as he watched Jennifer walk off down the hall.
“Now tell me that didn’t make you feel good?” Mitch whispered in Taylor’s ear.
“So it is true. You did take care of a demon yesterday?” Jeremy asked and turned around to face Taylor and Mitch.
“Yeah, it’s true.”
“Wow.”
“Jeremy, please. It’s not big deal. Don’t blow the situation out of proportion.” Taylor commanded.
“Sorry.”
“That’s not what she meant, J… she meant don’t praise her. She’s very modest.” Mitch explained when it looked like Taylor had made Jeremy upset. Taylor opened her notebook to find a letter from Johnny. She sat down on the nearest bench.
“Oh, okay. No problem. I’ll see you both at lunch and English?”
“Sure Jeremy.” Mitch said. He turned to look at Taylor. She was deep in thought reading a letter. He watched as a tear ran down her cheek. He went to her. “Taylor?” he asked.
“It’s a letter that Johnny gave to me on the day he left for college. I totally forgot about it,” She admitted. She wasn’t ready to explain further.
“What do you need from me right now?” Mitch asked.
“Um, a few minutes alone. Please. Then I’ll see you in homeroom.” Taylor told him.
“You’ve got it. You know where to find me.” Mitch squeezed her hand and kissed her on the cheek before leaving her alone. She opened the letter again and re-read it for the third time.
Taylor, my love; I’m sitting here in my room after dropping you off at home for the last time before I go off to college. All I can think of is you, not school, and the future I want with you. I don't want to be away from you, not for a second more than I have to. I don’t want to experience life without you, without being able to watch your beautiful face take in everything that’s new and exciting. However, I can do this as long as I know that you’re right here in my heart, my soul, and my thoughts. I’m going to college to make for us a better life once I’ve graduated. I plan on us getting married, T…, married in 6 years and two children. You designing clothes and me working in Computer Web Design. Anything is possible with you in my corner, sweetheart. I know this and I hope you know that I’m in your corner too. I know we can make us work. I know it. You and me versus the world, babe… You and me! I know you’re quite sad about me going away to school. I don’t want to leave either. The thought of not being with you for days, even weeks, at a time kills me. I want you to never doubt my love for you. Never doubt that I don’t think about you every day and wonder what you’re up to. Don’t feel like you can’t go out and have fun either. This is the beginning of your senior year. I may not be there for every aspect of it, but I’ll be there for the important events… homecoming, prom, stuff like that. Every moment that I can share with you, I will. Phone calls, emails, cards, and letters I know we’ll exchange quite often. You’re my life and my world, Taylor. I love you. But don’t shut out Carrie or Kyle and your friends, our friends and I want you to go to football games and dances and join the school play. Do these things for you. These memories will be with you forever and should be happy ones, not sad ones. Don’t let your grades slide either. I know how important they are to you. Enjoy your classes and the teachers and be happy. Well, I should finish packing up the last of what I’m taking with me. Wish I could bring you to, but for now, pictures of you and me together will have to do. All my love, now and forever… Johnny
“Mitch said you were out here.” Eddie said after clearing his throat. Taylor was putting the letter away. He offered her his handkerchief.
“Mr. Stewart. Um, hi… yeah…”
“You found a letter from Johnny?”
“Yeah. I did. I’ve had it for awhile. It’s what kept me going until he broke things off. I forgot I kept it in this notebook. I’m surprised I didn’t find it sooner.”
“We never really did talk about who Johnny was and what he meant to you before everything happened. How about you come see me during lunch and we’ll talk about him if you want to? Is that alright?”
“Sure. I can do that. Thanks, Mr. Stewart.”
“Let’s go on back into homeroom, shall we?” Mr. Stewart said. Taylor nodded and walked with him into the class. Mitch looked up from his desk and smiled. He was reviewing his English notes. Taylor smiled back, grateful that Mitch gave her the space that she needed.
“Ready for lunch?” Mitch asked Taylor later that day.
“Um, I have to see Eddie. Rain check?” Taylor asked.
“You know where to find me. I’ll see you after lunch.” Mitch said. Taylor quickly kissed him on the lips before heading to her homeroom.
“Ah… Taylor… how was your morning?” he asked.
“Not bad. Is it okay to talk in here?” she asked.
“It’s safe. I checked.” Eddie assured her. “Tell me about you and Johnny before all this mess.” Eddie said as she sat down at a desk and opened her English book in case someone else came into the room.
“Johnny and I were awesome together. He was closer to me than even my closest friend Carrie. He completed my sentences and my thoughts. He completed me. He could make me smile just by walking in the room. It didn’t matter that he was a grade ahead of me. We had nearly all the same classes when it came to College Prep courses. He was the all-star jock, I was the quiet girlfriend off to the side. We didn’t like the limelight and went to very few parties, instead we studied or went to the movies or on long walks or hung out with family and close friends. He loved to go to the coffee shop and just take in the atmosphere. I just loved being with him.”
“What would you two do on a Saturday afternoon?”
“During school, we’d get together with our friends and hang out. During the spring and summer we’d play touch football or softball, but once the fall came, forget it. If a college football game was on, everyone seemed to converge on the rec room in my house to watch the game. It was fun though.”
“What would the girls do?”
“Some of us would watch an occasional game or we’d go to the mall for a few hours.”
“What did you do?”
“Most of the time, I’d watch the game with Johnny and the guys.”
“What did Johnny do on special occasions?”
“For Christmas, he took me on a sleigh ride thru the park. For our first Valentines’ day, he took me out to The Olive Garden. For our second, he cooked me dinner at his parents.”
“Sounds like he was really attentive. You two had something special.”
“Yeah, we did. He seemed to always know when I was upset or something was bothering me, even when I showed no emotion to it. He was always respectful and polite of my parents too.”
“When did you two first know of each other?”
“I was in ninth grade and trying out for cheerleading. He walked by with Peter and my brother and just smiled at me. Then, like a typical teenager, I found out where he lived and when it was right next to a hospital, I volunteered there just to see him. I made the team too. He had been dating someone else until the following year but had been spending a lot of time with my brother doing guy stuff. One day, Kyle was running late doing chores so he sat out back while I was making something craftsy and we talked for an hour or so … a few weeks later, he asked me out.” There was a knock at the door. It was another student.
“Excuse me, Mr. Stewart, but I thought I could get your help on my paper?” he asked.
“Why of course. Just a moment.” He turned to Taylor, “I hope our talk helped.” He said.
“It did… see you later.” Taylor said and left the classroom. She went to her locker and found a note as soon as she opened it. She didn’t recognize the handwriting. It said: Taylor, just because I’m dead, doesn’t mean I no longer love you. Johnny
Mitch and Jeremy were walking up the hall when she screamed. Their walk became a run.
“Taylor?” Mitch asked when he got to her. She turned to him.
“It’s nothing. I’ll explain later.” She said. A teacher had come out of her classroom.
“Everything alright out here?”
“Sorry Mrs. Andrews. A book fell out and scared Taylor.” Jeremy covered for Taylor.
“Alright then.” Mrs. Andrews said and went back into her classroom.
“C’mon, we still have twenty minutes left of lunch, let’s go sit out in the courtyard.” Mitch extended his hand to Taylor. Taylor took it and looked at Jeremy “Are you coming Jeremy?” she asked.
“Sure.” He said and followed along. Once outside, Taylor explained what happened.
“There was a note in my locker. I thought it was from you because I didn’t recognize the handwriting.” She showed Mitch the note.
“Is this his handwriting?”
“I can’t be sure. Um, Jeremy… how much do you think you know about me?” Taylor asked. She wanted to know if he could be trustworthy.
“I know you came here to protect us. You’re the new slayer. You came to replace Jeremy’s sister.”
“I didn’t come to replace her. I came to help out. What happened to her is tragic and sad and I hope she recovers. True, I’m a slayer, but I think you need to know some of my background.”
“Alright.” Jeremy said.
“Until about 6 months or so ago, I didn’t know I was a slayer or that they even existed. Until about 6 months ago, I was just a normal teenager trying to get over a broken heart. The guy I was trying to forget about was brutally murdered outside his college campus while getting money at an ATM to come home to talk to me to make things right again.”
“I remember watching the news stories on that incident.”
“Yeah, that time was hell. Anyway, right after I went up to the college after his body disappeared the first time, I was to meet his roommate in the chapel, instead, I see him with a clear, ivory skin… a baby’ soft skin to the touch. He had been turned into a vampire. One of his conquests is to be me. To make me one of them. And know that his maker knows I’m a slayer, they’re going to be after me full force. The note I found in my locker that made me scream, it’s supposedly from Johnny.”
“He’s here?”
“No, Johnny’s not here… the thing that took Johnny’s place is here. The Johnny I knew and loved is gone. And the sooner this thing knows that I won’t let it get to me, the better.”
“What can I do?”
“Just be my friend. Don’t try to be overprotective of me, don’t try to be all macho if things happen when you’re with me. Just be my friend.”
“I think I can handle that.”
“Good.” She said as the bell rang. “We should get to Health Ed.” She commented. The three of them headed toward Health Ed. As they got up to head to class, they heard Jason call out to Taylor. “Taylor!” he shouted from the entrance closest to the office.
“Something’s wrong.” She said softly and ran to him. “Jason, what’s wrong?” she asked as soon as she got there. Mitch and Jeremy were right behind her.
“Your mom never made it home.” He said calmly as he grabbed her shoulders.
“Jeremy… go give this to Mr. Stewart. Now.” Mitch said as he scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to his best friend.
“Are you sure she didn’t stay at Aunt Shirley’s? Do Grandma and Grandpa know?” Taylor asked as calmly as she could. A few minutes later, the principal came out.
“Taylor, you’ve been excused for the day. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.” He said. “Mitch, so have you.”
“Thank you. Jason, where’s Kyle?”
“He and Peter are tracing the drive back to Kennedy that your mom said she was taking.”
“Mitch, could you take us home?” Jason asked. Mitch nodded
“I need to talk to my dad.” Taylor said.
“He’ll be online waiting for you once we get home.” Jason stated.
“I’ll meet you out front with the car.” Mitch said to them both and left them there in the hall.
“Where’s your locker? Let’s go get your things.” Jason suggested.
“Um this way.” Taylor said and led the way to her locker. “He’s got her.” She said as she opened her locker and grabbed her purse and backpack.
“Don’t be so sure.” Jason replied.
“He’s got her to get to me, Jason… I can feel it.” She said.
“Let’s go home.” Jason closed her locker and walked her out to the front of the high school. Mitch was waiting for them.
“Eddie paged. Said he’d be over right after school.” Mitch said as he opened the door for Taylor. She didn’t say a word and couldn’t look at him.
“Gramm? Any word?” Jason asked when they got home. Mitch kept his distance from Taylor as he noticed that she dropped her purse and backpack at the bottom of the stairs and went down to the rec room. As she pounded at the dumb bag, Johnny got to her.
“She’s not dead T.” he said.
“Where is she you bastard? What have you done with my mother?” she screamed and pounded the bag even harder.
“I don’t have her.”
“You liar. You couldn’t have me so you’ve taken my mother. You’re sick.” She declared and hit the bag with all the force she could and not only did it break from how it was hung, but she busted the sandbag open and dust came out of it.
“Taylor?” Mitch went down to the rec room. “What happened?” he asked as he surveyed the damage.
“My anger got the best of me.”
“Wow… this is good.”
“He’s got her, Mitch, or he knows who does.” Taylor said.
“I believe you, but how do we get him to tell us where she is?”
“I’m thinking about that.” She admitted. “Any word from my… uh oh… dad! He’s waiting for me to get online.” She said and ran upstairs to the den where the computer was. She logged on and went to the specified chat room.
“T here… any word?” she asked.
“No…P and K are taking the route here, still haven’t heard from them. You ok?”
“Yes, HE’s got her or knows who does.” She replied.
“Figured as much. E will be over asap. M and J are there to watch over you.”
“I just ripped apart the sandbag, don’t think I’m gonna just withdraw into myself. I’m angry and I want answers.”
“All in good time, T. All in good time. Don’t do anything rash.”
“Not likely, not with M & E and the guys around. Is the PD involved?”
“On both ends. Don’t worry… everything will be ok.”
“Nothing’s been ok for months now. I gotta go. K.I.T!”
“Promise. Go… will talk soon.” Mr. Clarke said and turned off the computer on his end.
“They’re not there yet.” Taylor said as she sat down at the dining room table.
“It takes two hours to get there Taylor and if they’re taking their time, it’ll take even longer.” Her grandfather said.
“I know poppie, I’m just worried.”
“We all are.”
“I’m gonna go sit out back for awhile. Come get me…”
“If we hear anything.” Her grandfather nodded. She gave him a hug before going out back to lay in the hammock. Mitch and Jason were out there and Jason went inside while Mitch went over and sat down next to her on the hammock. She buried her head in his chest and cried.
“…Jason, there’s no sign of mom or the car.” Kyle explained a half hour later when he called to check in. “The police are on their way here. How’s Taylor?”
“Took her a while, but she finally broke down and cried. She’s also angry enough to do some serious damage. We have to replace the sandbag already.”
“Is Eddie there?”
“Just walked in the door.”
“Mitch?”
“Being used as a shoulder at the moment out back.”
“My grandparents.”
“Are holding up the best they can.”
“You?”
“I’m fine. You and Pete and your dad?”
“Frustrated. I’ll call in two hours. Make sure Taylor eats. If her blood sugar level gets low, she gets very lightheaded and unsteady.” Kyle explained.
“We will. Be careful.”
“You bet.” Kyle replied. They said their good-byes and Jason went to talk to Taylor, Eddie, and Mitch.
“I’ve just heard from Kyle.” Jason announced from the patio door. Taylor was drying her eyes with a handkerchief that Eddie handed to her.
“What’s going on?” Mitch asked for them all.
“There’s no sign of her. They’ve had to get the police involved.” Jason explained as he looked at Taylor. He thought she would go into hysterics. Instead she amazed them all by saying “Tonight, I’m going after Johnny and I’m going to kill him.”
“Taylor, that’s not…”
“Eddie, I don’t care if it’s wise or not. For some reason he’s kidnapped my mother, car and all. He stalks me and thinks I’m going to come back to him. I don’t want revenge, I want the thing he’s become dead and gone.” She said angrily.
Jason’s cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Jay, please believe me, I don’t have her.” Johnny pleaded into the phone. He sounded scared.
“Do you know who does? Why should I believe you?”
“Because I’m scared and you’re my brother.”
“Who is it?” Taylor asked.
“Tell me who has her and where you are.”
“No, you’ll come for me and you’ll be in danger. Diego has her. He took her to the mansion over on York Road next to the park.”
“Who’s Diego?”
“He’s the one who made me. Hurry, you’re running out of daylight.” Johnny said and hung up the phone.
“I know where she is.” Jason said. He trusted that Johnny told him the truth. He explained the entire conversation to them. Taylor headed down to the rec room to grab her bag of odds and ends. Mitch and Jason followed. Jeremy had come into the house.
“I figured you’d need some help.” He told them.
“C’mon, I’ll fill you in downstairs.” Mitch explained.
“Taylor, what can we do to help?” Eddie asked when they all got down to the rec room.
“When we get there, Jeremy and Eddie, you’ll guard the front door after I go in. Mitch and Jason are going to go in thru the back. This Diego person probably has her hidden somewhere upstairs. Be very alert, everyone grab some stakes and holy water. Jeremy and Eddie, be careful and if it gets too much for you, retreat to Eddie’s van. Understand?” she instructed. Everyone nodded.
“This is just a rescue mission right now Taylor. No heroics. This Diego person may be a very powerful evil.”
“My concern is for mom. We get mom and get out of there. I promise, no heroics unless I’m challenged Eddie.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Several hours later.
“Daddy? Mom’s okay… we have her.” Taylor said into the phone as her mom tended to the rug burns on her legs and arms and her bruises and cuts.
“How? What?” Mrs. Clarke took the phone from her daughter.
“It’s really me. I’m okay. I will be home tomorrow…” Mrs. Clarke talked into the phone.
“Mitch, how’s your eye? Jason, your arm? Jeremy, your head?” Taylor asked the guys.
“Did we really just save your mom and kill some demons?” Jason asked.
“Everyone, you did good tonight. I’m really proud of you all. Taylor, especially you. You kept your cool, despite the rage and anger you felt and handled the situation. You’re coming along amazingly well in your training too.” Eddie commended.
“Eddie, please… stop. I need sleep.” Taylor excused herself and went up to her room and collapsed on her bed in tears where she cried herself to sleep. Mitch went up and slept on the floor beside her in case she needed him during the night. No one objected. Mitch left in the morning to go home and shower and get ready for school. He returned to pick Taylor up and was prepared to listen if she wanted to talk about the previous night’s events. She didn’t.
“Any news on your sister?” she asked.
“She’s improving. Able to breathe on her own.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah. How’s your mom?”
“She’s fine… Jason and Kyle are driving her home this morning. Peter had an early class.”
“How are your ribs?”
“Sore. You’re eye?”
“It’ll be fine. You did good…”
“Mitch, please… don’t bring up last night. It’s over and done with. I don’t want to dwell on it.” She stated honestly.
“Eddie needs to debrief you on last nights events.”
“He and I can do that later. It all hit me after it was over. We must have killed like 8 or 9 demons.”
“No sign of Johnny?”
“No sign whatsoever.” She replied and opened her English book. Mitch left her alone the rest of the way to school. Taylor remained distant throughout the school day and had told Mitch that she wanted to walk home by herself, that she had some thinking to do and suggested that Mitch go sit with his sister for awhile. She had also told Eddie that she’d see him later that night for debriefing. She walked to the pond in the park and sat on a bench. When she didn’t show up for dinner, Kyle got worried and went looking for her after he called Mitch and Eddie.
“Kyle, we can’t be with her every minute of the day. She’s fine.” Jason stated.
“I don’t think she’s fine. She had to kill last night. Kill things that she never had to before. It got to her… she’s somewhere… the question is. Where?” Kyle stated back.
“Boys, boys… she’ll be fine. She probably needed some breathing room.” Kyle’s grandfather stated.
“I don’t like it, Pop-pop… she’s so different now. I want my sister back.” Kyle said.
“Things happen that change people forever… you’re sister’s path in life was chosen for her before her birth. Change was inevitable. You are going to have to learn to let go and adapt to change, Kyle. You’ll be a better person if you do.”
“This change is wrong. Period, pop-pop. Wrong.” Kyle expressed before going for a walk.
“I knew you’d come here.” Mitch said as he joined Taylor at the edge of the pond.
“It’s so quiet and peaceful here. I can think without everyone breathing down my neck.” She responded softly.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. Kyle send out the calvary?”
“Sort of. He called my house looking for you. I checked the messages before I left the hospital.”
“How’s your sister?”
“The doctors think she’s beginning to come out of the coma. They say it could take minutes to a few weeks if she does come out.”
“That’s good news, isn’t it?” Taylor asked.
“To a point. Our concern is what brain damage she may have and how severe it is.”
“I’ll keep her in my prayers.”
“How can you believe in God with all this evil around us?”
“I believe that God created all beings, good and evil, because he created this planet we live on.”
“You are so amazing.”
“No I’m not. I’m just me. What time is it?” she asked.
“Um, almost eight. Why?” he asked as he looked at his watch.
“Need to meet with Eddie to discuss last night.”
“Have you had dinner yet?”
“No.”
“C’mon, we’ll grab something on the way.” He helped her up and they walked to his car hand in hand without another word passing between them. They got burgers from the McDonalds’ on the way to Eddie’s house. Mitch sat out on the porch while Eddie and Taylor talked.
“Eddie, if I’m going to continue doing this, you need to be completely up front with me on everything. I have been from the beginning with you and will continue to do so.” She stated at the end of the discussion.
“I won’t keep anything from you.”
“Not even when the council asks you to.”
“Even then. Now, call your brother. He’s worried.” Eddie handed her the phone and went out on the porch to talk with Mitch.
“She okay?”
“Yeah, she’s been more worried about Jeremy and the guys more than anything though. Feels that they should be more worried about girls, sports, and college than demons and killing.” He stated.
“She is so opposite from my sister. So opposite.”
“Why do you say that?”
“When my sister was the slayer, she was so cocky and self-assured and demanding. She didn’t have any close friends whom she would hang with. And those friends she did have didn’t come running when she needed them. Taylor hasn’t been at school a week and has gained several close friends, makes eye-contact with everyone she can in the halls, even when she’s upset, gets along with her teachers, and kills a few demons with a little help from her friends.”
“Taylor has a big heart and believes in kindness and love. Your sister seems as if she was turned off to the human nature.”
“She was reckless and didn’t care for her own life before the accident.”
“Are you angry with your sister?”
“Definitely, but I love her and want her to get better. The anger is subsiding. I think being a watcher-in-training is helping to take the anger and push it away.”
“You are learning well my pupil.”
“It’s late, I need to get home. Mitch, can you take me?” Taylor asked when she came out of the house.
“Sure. See you tomorrow Eddie.”
"See you both tomorrow." Eddie watched as they got into Mitch's car and headed home. He went into the house and called England.
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