Antione
The fog was everywhere. His window was now a useless sheet of glass. It couldn’t keep the fog out nor give him a view of the sidewalk. But that wasn’t the worst part. The fog was inside his mind. It was there when he opened his eyes, inhaling the sweet scent of his mother’s cooking, and it was there when he went to sleep.
His mother said school was closed due to the weather, so Antione often drifted off in a daze. He tried pulling his phone out but couldn’t find it. He was afraid to tell his mom, but she didn’t seem bothered over dinner.
“It’s just a phone, dear. I’ll buy you a new one once the roads are safe again.”
“Any idea when that’ll be?” Antione asked, idly poking the steak and fries she’d prepared. The meat was cooked medium-rare, just the way he liked it. But he couldn’t bring himself to take a bite.
He could see Theresa staring at him in concern and immediately felt guilty for displeasing her. But he still couldn’t eat.
“Is there something wrong with your food, darling? Do you want me to make you another one?”
“No. No, thank you. I…” Antione finally gave up and put his fork down. He was hungry. His stomach growled too much for him not to be, but something wasn’t right, and he didn’t know how to describe it. Theresa waited, biting her bottom lip as she studied him. Her own plate was barely touched, and…
Her steak looked amazing, with juices and blood dripping from the fresh cut she’d made, giving the plate a mesmerizing shine. Antione didn’t know how long he’d been staring until his mother smiled and offered him a piece.
“I thought you didn’t like rare steaks? Didn’t you always say food needs to be good and dead before it can be called food?”
Antione grinned, lifting his plate as she gave him half of hers before saying. “Maybe I’m growing up. I’m allowed to try different things, aren’t I?”
“Yes, but I wished you said something while I was cooking. Are you going to eat yours?” He wanted to say yes. It was how she raised him, after all. They weren’t rich, but his mother shouldn’t have to worry about him wasting food. It wasn’t fair. But Antione couldn’t lie to her, so he shook his head.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”
“Nothing is wrong with you, Antione.” Theresa’s words encircled and held him, making him feel safe and normal when nothing else could. He wanted to believe her because she was his mother, and he knew she wouldn’t lie to him.
But as Theresa leaned forward to take his steak, Antione’s inner wolf growled, making him flinch and cover his plate protectively.
Theresa stared at him in shock. “Antione?”
“Sorry, Mom. I-I changed my mind. I want it. Can I eat dinner in my room?”
She frowned, and even that was enough to make Antione want to hug her and beg for forgiveness.
He knew she didn’t like it when he ate in his room. It was unsanitary, and they didn’t get to spend a lot of time together. She worked hard to put food on the table. The least he could do was eat with her. But his inner wolf wouldn’t stop growling. Antione couldn’t remember if it ever had when his mother was near, but he chose to listen to it.
Theresa remained frozen for a few moments, her face slowly smoothing out into a small smile as she nodded. “I… suppose that’ll be alright. You’ve been looking a bit pale lately. Why don’t you take a hot bath to relax once you’re done.”
“Can I play some video games instead? I promised Bernard and Daymond–”
“No. Take a bath and relax after you’ve cleaned your plate. Forget about your brothers.” Antione flinched, wanting to argue, but his inner wolf had other ideas. He grabbed his plate and ran into his room, chest heaving as if he’d run a hundred miles as Theresa’s words echoed in his head. “Forget about your brothers.”
It didn’t make sense. Antione put the plate on his bed and looked around. His room was the same mess he liked it to be. His closet was open, revealing several shirts hanging, while the bottom was covered in random boxes that didn’t fit under his bed. When he was bored, he kept his pants in a dresser that also acted as a desk.
His floor was mostly clean, and the gray carpet wasn’t as soft as it was when he was a kid, but Antione couldn’t help digging his toes into the plush material for comfort. He needed something to steady him in a world that should have been as familiar as his own skin. This was his home.
He grew up here. He belonged here. With his mother… Was she really serious about forgetting Bernard and Daymond? How could she ask me to do that? And what about Camille? She… Antione groaned; a blinding pain erupting from behind his eyes made him collapse to his knees as he clutched his hair.
The room spun, and for a horrible moment, he thought he’d go mad. Then, a strangely familiar scent hit him, and at the same time, a hand rested on his shoulder.
“Antione? Antione! Get ahold of yourself, you mangy mutt, before your mom hears us!”
“Huh?” He blinked several times but still couldn’t process what he was seeing. His once-useless window now had a hole in the middle of the pane, letting in more fog, the cold, and somehow…the odd vampire kid he’d fought in the swamp was sitting across from him, looking up in case Theresa was on her way.
Luckily, she wasn’t. Antione could hear her in the kitchen, but that was as far as his senses would allow. Maybe she thinks I turned the TV on. That actually sounds like a good idea… But why do I want it on again? The vampire turned back to him with a scowl before grabbing one of his arms and pulling him to his feet.
“Come on. We have to move.”
Antione yanked himself free and glared at him. “What are you doing here? I’m not going to fight you, and if you touch my mom–”
“I’m not interested in fighting your mom. She’ll kill me. I’m here to help you save your father. But we have to move now!”
Antione was sure he’d heard wrong. “I’m sorry. You’re here to help me save my… Robert?”
“That’s what I said, isn’t it?”
“You did. But why are you trying to help me? He’s…” Antione frowned. Where is that asshole? Weren’t we supposed to meet up at the diner, or did we already do that? He couldn’t remember, and Clay quickly ran out of patience.
“Will you snap out of it already? We don’t have time. You don’t have time. You have a deadline, remember? We have to get out of here before that crazy person shows up!”
“What crazy person?”
“The one who started this mess, you–”
“Antoine? I told you not to play any video games. What are you doing?”
Antione and Clay froze, their expressions identical as Theresa’s footsteps crept closer to the room.
Neither boy needed magic to know there was no way this would end well, but before Antione could think of a reply, Clay grabbed his arm, threw the rest of the window out of its frame, and dragged him outside. The cold air hit his face like a bucket of ice, making Antione gasp as his legs began to move on their own.
He didn’t know if Clay was using his powers to make him obey or if his inner wolf was taking over. But for the first time in who knows how long, Antione wanted to move, and he had no intention of stopping. He followed Clay, not bothering to check his surroundings, as the vampire seemed to know where they were going.
But they were still too close to Antione’s home when Theresa’s cry split the air, making both boys shiver as Clay grabbed his arm.
“Don’t stop. Keep going. I know it hurts, but trust me. It’ll be easier to think once you’re far away from her.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Antinone snapped, wishing he could transform, but Clay didn’t stop, and Antione feared they wouldn’t have time. He strained his ears, but the fog was working against him now that he was awake. Theresa was pursuing them. He was sure of it.
She had no reason to hold back now that he knew she wasn’t human. Yet he couldn’t hear her, and that was scarier than anything he’d ever encountered. What do you do when the person who knows you best is trying to stop you from doing what you know is right? Antione shook his head and kept up with Clay’s speed.
He didn’t know why the other boy hadn’t transformed or how he knew about Antione’s mother. But the boys ran themselves ragged as they headed further and further into town. No one was out, and soon, Antoine was gasping for breath. Clay looked back at him, but Antione waved him off.
“I… I need… a break.”
“Do you mind if I carry you?”
Antione wanted to scoff, but he could see that Clay was fine. And it only made Antione wish he’d transformed earlier.
But what good does transforming do when I’m still depending on him to get around, and… Wait. Why am I letting him do that? This is my town. I should be the one leading. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to say so as Clay looked into the fog and shivered.
“We need to keep going. I don’t like this either, ok? But we need to pick up the pace without alerting your mom.”
“Where are we going?” And why are you scared of her?
Clay rolled his eyes. “To where your father is. That’s what you want, right? To save him?”
“Yeah, but I need to call my brother, and–” Antione’s eyes widened as the realization hit him. Who had the medicine? What happened to Camille and Daymond? Clay’s annoyance slowly faded as Antione began gasping for breath and patted his pockets uselessly.
He couldn’t remember the last time he used his phone, but just as he was about to ask to borrow Clay’s, a soft thump echoed behind them, making the hairs on the back of his neck rise. That sounded big. Clay grabbed his arm again, and Antione didn’t fight as he felt the vampire leap into the air.
A soft meow greeted them before Clay jerked and ducked around a corner. Antione smelt the blood before he saw a thin trickle slowly seal on Clay’s forehead. Neither boy wanted to say the obvious. Antione held his breath, waiting for some sign of where the next attack would come from, but Clay’s hiss and being tossed over the boy’s shoulder told Antione that it was useless.
Whatever was hunting them was fast and knew how to fight in the fog. Clay sprinted through several alleys before making a dash into some woods, but he still jerked uncontrollably with every other step. The vampire didn’t complain and kept running, ignoring the stinging branches that hit both boys as they fled.
“Do you still know where you’re going?” Antione asked, flinching as another meow answered him.
“To my father’s house. We’ll be safe there.”
Antione wasn’t sure it would be that easy. He thought he saw a pair of eyes gleaming through the mist, but he couldn’t be sure. How many creatures would willingly stalk a vampire and keep up with it? There has to be a way to fight back. The easiest solution was to transform. They were in the woods now. Surely Clay would put him down so they could fight back? But the vampire only continued to run, and any attempt to be put down was ignored.