I turn around slowly, finding Victoria just standing there, shaking her head. “I wish it didn’t have to be like this, Brynn.”
Every nerve ending in my body suddenly comes alive.
Something bad is coming.
And my mind is trying to make sure I’m ready.
That I’m prepared to fight.
“Victoria,” I say quietly, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “Don’t do this.”
Her face hardens and she lifts her chin.
“You’ve left me no choice.”
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 23 - GRIZZ
The beat of the drums vibrate through me as the final performance rings out. Monsters dart all around us, Jovie giggling on my shoulders. After she discovered Axel inside one of the Krampus costumes, she kept pulling me down with theories about who was inside the other ones. The guy from the ice cream shop? Maybe the librarian? Eventually, I began to feel a little uneasy about the crowd pushing and swaying around us so I hiked her up on my shoulders, Mac and Blaze standing on either side of us.
Protected.
The drums increase and what feels like a thousand red flares and fireworks erupt all around us. Casting an ominous glow across our small mountain town. Looking around I try and find Brynn's face in the crowd, noticing a few familiar people, but not her.
How long has she been gone? Ten minutes?
Axel runs toward us, terrified screams crying out in the final moments of the show. His costume is bulky. The shaggy long hair covering his body, topped with the fake blood drippingfrom his mouth would be scary in the right circumstance. This however, is not that. Just as he’s about to reach us I see his knees bend and stop him before he jumps and takes a final swipe at Jovie. His clawed glove barely making contact with my arm as I shove him back. His body stops in mid air, as if it was hitting a brick wall and he falls flat on his ass. His horned mask falling to the ground as he lands.
“Grizz, you asshole,” he grunts, rubbing his chest, laughing. Jovie scrambling to get down from my shoulders. The crowd cheers as a final roar echoes through the well placed speakers. All of the Krampus monsters retreating back into the fog where they came. Axel races to put his mask back on, catching up to them.
Jovie claps and jumps in front of me, Mac squeezing my shoulder as we all share in her excitement. I think as a whole, we all forgot what life was meant to look like somewhere along the way. Our individual struggles weighing us down for so long, we don’t even notice as we carry them with us.
People swarm the streets now that the parade has ended, the barriers quickly being cleared.
“That was amazing, Grizz!” Jovie yells, laughing as she races into my side and squeezing me. Her hug cementing another place in my heart. Such a small act that I've gone without for so long. Both Mac and Blaze look at her affectionately when she hugs them in thanks, too.
“You’re welcome, baby girl. How about we go find Axel and get something hot to drink?”
“Yes,” she squeals, taking hold of my hand and pulling me toward the clearing fog.
The guys walk with us, Blaze catching my attention when he nods in the direction of some of the food stalls. The slight tilt of my head agreeing to meet back up when we're with Axel.Hopefully, carrying some hot cocoa for Jovie. It's a conversation that doesn't need words but shows the depth of our brotherhood.
“Fee-fi-fo-fum,” Axel growls, stomping his feet as we crest the small hill and find a gathering of half dressed Krampus actors.
“Axel,” Jovie giggles. “Krampus is not a giant. I've been reading up on the legend. Don't tell mom but…”
“Grizz, sorry to interrupt you on a family night out.” The fire chief says, distracting me from Jovie as she pulls at Axel's Krampus mask, brushing the fur from its hollow eyes.
“That's okay, chief, my kid wanted to see the parade, and I'm guessing you're not in the business of saying no either.”
My kid.
Because she is mine.
Chuckling, he looks over to where his family stands, his wife giving me a little wave before helping one of their sons with his beanie. “I couldn't even if I wanted to. My wife gets annoyed by how much of a pushover I am, but I can't stand that sad face they make. I only have them for eighteen years, you know.”
“Yeah, I'm starting to think that way too, chief.” Looking over at Jovie, she's put the horned mask on now and is howling at the sky. I'm tempted to interrupt and say it's the wrong monster like she did to Axel. Wind her up a little before we head back to the cabin.
