Guardian of the Hills

The Worst Day Ever

Seeing Derek in the state he was in when I found him on the floor had me completely distraught. I held myself together by a thread as he went into the bath. Even in the candlelight, the bruises were very dark and visible. His face was swelled to the point that he was almost unrecognizable. I could barely see his eyes. As he sunk into the tub, I held my breath, and he began to chant words that I had no understanding of. As he did, the candle seemed to grow brighter, and the room seemed to be more illuminated. As I watched him closely, I realized it was more illuminated because Derek himself was glowing. A soft blue white glow radiated off of his entire body. Even his irridescent wings were affected. As I watched closer, I saw the bruises on his body start to fade, and the swelling started to recede on his face. The minutes ticked by, and slowly, the chanting got softer, his body was blemish free, and the light dimmed. I saw Derek slipping, and as he went under, the candle went out. I scrambled to my feet in the dark to find the light switch and flick it on. I hurriedly pulled his head from under the water. He took a deep breath and sputtered water everywhere. I quickly grabbed the towel from the rack, helping him to his feet. He hobbled, shaking to the bed, and collapsed wet on top of the covers. I wrapped him as best as I could in the towel and covered him with another blanket I had in my closet. I cuddled up to him as close as I could get to warm his body. After a while, he stopped shaking, and I realized he had fallen into a very deep sleep. The event had exhausted me as well. I found myself fighting sleep. I finally gave in and let it take me.

When my alarm went off, I realized Derek wasn't next to me. On my nightstand was a note that said:

Skeeter,

I'm sorry if I frightened you last night. Please believe me when I say, I'm ok. I will explain everything that happened after work. I will see you tonight. Have a great day at school.

Your Most Humble Admirer,

Derek

I decided I would get ready and go on into school a bit early. I wanted to see if there were any folklore books in the library.

When I got to school, it was a complete madhouse. Kids were handing out flyers and posting them everywhere of a picture of Jessie with MISSING in big bold letters above her head. There were kids in groups holding hands in circles, and some were even crying. I realized that my difference in social status was greater than I thought. When I came back to school after I had been gone three days, no one even acted like they noticed I was gone except Dade. I made my way through the crowds and started toward the library when the principal, Mr.Davidson called my name. I walked over to him.

"The police are here to see you," he said.

"See me? " I asked. "For what?"

"Just go in my office," he said. I walked into his office, and there were two gentlemen in suits. One was tall with black wavy hair and a mustache. He was probably in his thirties. The other man was short and balding on top with gray around the sides. He also had a mustache. The short man held out his hand to shake mine. I shook it as he introduced himself as Detective Baker and his partner as Detective Millington. I shook the other detectives' hand, and he ushered me to have a seat.

"We're here in regards to Jessie Maddox. I'm sure you're aware that she is missing," said Detective Baker.

"Don't you need some type of parents permission to speak to me or something?" I asked.

"You're over eighteen, Miss Oakly. We don't need a parents permission for anything," said Detective Millington in what I thought was a little snappy for a cop. I looked at him for a minute before I spoke.

"Last week, I was missing for three days. Did you guys come here and ask students questions about me?" They looked at each other, and then Baker shook his head.

"We aren't from the county. We're actually from the state. We were unaware you were missing as well. Care to fill us in?"

I told them the same thing I had told my dad and the doctors at the hospital and filled them in on how I ended up in the woods to begin with.

"So you admit you knew Jessie had a relationship with your boyfriend, Dade?" said Millington with even more snappiness.

"Ex-boyfriend," I corrected him. "Yes, I found out that night."

"Would you say you were angry?" he quipped.

"Would you be angry? Of course I was, but mostly, I was hurt. Dade and I had been friends way before we were dating. Not to mention, it was prom night."

"Would you say you were jealous of Miss Maddox?" he asked.

"What? No. I felt sorry for her. I was angry at Dade." The two of them looked at each other as if to confirm something.

Baker handed me his card.

"If you can think of anything else that might be important, call us please," he said as he got up to leave. Suddenly, Millington turned and looked at me.

"One last thing. Your father just hired a new deckhand, correct?"

"Yes," I answered.

"What day did he start work with him?"

"Friday."

"Ok. Thank you for your time," he said and then left.

My mind was going a thousand miles a minute.

Did they think I had something to do with Jessie's disappearance? Did they think Derek did? What on Earth was going on?

I stepped out of the office and went to the bathroom. I checked the stalls to make sure they were empty and then immediately called Derek.

"Hey, you ok?" he answered.

"The cops just left the school. They questioned me about Jessie's disappearance."

"Is that so?" he asked. He must have been close to my dad.

"I had the impression they thought I have something to do with it."

"Do what you can today. I will talk to you when I get off work."

"Ok," I said and hung up.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I made my way from class to class without so much as a look from other people. I was headed to my car when Dade caught up to me

"I heard the cops were here, he said. I stopped and turned to him.

"Tell me, how did they know my dad hired a new deckhand?" I asked him.

"When I left your house, I talked to them, and they asked me where I had been. I told them, and I also told them you had company. What does that have to do with Jessie's disappearance?"

"I got the impression I was a suspect, and then they asked me about Derek. Look, I know he's new in town, but there is no way he had anything to do with Jessie's disappearance, and neither do I. I'm still angry with you, but that doesn't mean I would want anything to happen to her or the baby," I said.

"I know you wouldn't," he said.

"I've got to go. I'm meeting Dad at the docks," I said and then made my way to my Moped.

When I got to the docks, there were police cars everywhere. I walked up, just as I saw Millington handcuff Derek and walk him to the police car. I ran up to the officer and asked what was going on.

"As of right now, he's the number one suspect in Jessie Maddox's disappearance," he said to me as he pushed down on Derek's head to put him in the car. I stood on the boardwalk staring at the car as it drove away. My dad walked up beside me.

"He seems like a good kid. I can't understand why he would be involved in this. I guess I'm down a deckhand now. Do you want to come help me tally today's catch?" he asked as I stared after the car. I nodded and went with him.

I was quiet as we worked, and I was worried sick about Derek. What could they possibly charge him with?

He had been with me part of the time and the rest of the time he had been in the city. At least, that's what he told me. I had no reason to doubt him. However, the cops just might. He had no ID, no social security number, and he looked like a drifter when he showed up in town. He couldn't very well tell them he was the Seelie Fae Prince of the Royal Court and them believe him.

It took an hour to get all the fish weighed and logged. I wasn't sure what to do in the meantime except wait.

I also knew that word was going to spread fast down the dock that he was the number one suspect and pretty soon the entire town would know. My dad would catch hell for having a deckhand with such accusations. I thought about telling my dad about Derek and me to let him know he had an alibi, but I chickened out.

We went home and ate our dinner. Around eight o'clock, there was a knock at the door, and there stood Derek. A car was pulling out of the driveway. Without a second thought, I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight. He hugged me briefly and let go to move to talk to my dad.

"Bill, I apologize for that spectacle today. I owe you more than one apology, it seems." My dad gestured for Derek to have a seat at the table. "I've led you to believe some things to get you to hire me, and now I think it's time I come clean with you." He looked over at me, and I sucked in a breath.

"The truth is I'm working undercover, and there are other females that have gone missing in other places. I came here to get information because there was a lead that the next victim could possibly happen here. I'm really sorry, I wasn't upfront with you to begin with, but I didn't want to blow my cover." My dad smiled.

"I knew you were a good person when I first met you. Your secret is safe with me, kid," he said as he patted Derek on the shoulder. I let out the breath I had been holding. He didn't lie. Every single word of it was the truth. I smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Well, sir, I will see you in the morning, if it's ok?" he asked.

"Bright eyed and bushy tailed," said my dad. Derek went out the front door.

"You know you could do good to find a man like that," he said to me. It caught

me off guard. I just chuckled at him and excused myself to my room.