Chapter 4 Four

"Wolf! Hurry up before someone sees us!" It had turned out that I did have the power to open the gates, but the hard part was getting out without people noticing.

"I'm coming. Killer is scared of dark places." I rolled my eyes and put my hands on my hips.

"Killer, if you don't move it, I'm cooking you for dinner tonight!" With that, Killer was gone and waiting for us at the other end of the cave. "See? Girls have amazing tactics." I smiled, feeling full of pride.

"Yeah, but scary sometimes too." It seemed like he could be blunt with me and it felt like he was getting closer to me too.

"Yeah I know. Never mess with a girl when she's on her monthly." I gave him a slightly evil smile, but he olny gave me a confused look.

"What's 'her monthly' mean?"

"Her period. A time of the month, every month, she bleeds for her crotch."

"Is it painful?" Hunter spoke from behind us. I jumped and hid behind Wolf. "I just want to know if it hurts the bitch." An evil smile grew across his face.

"Hunter, you are one sick 20 year old." Wolf looked at him with disgust.

"I will be 21 in 802 hours! Penny, does it hurt?"

"Not really. Just feel cramps and fell fat. Other than that, no."

"I would like to go out there with you. I want to see a bitch bleed."

"No Hunter, go home." Wolf was tense. I could hear it in his voice.

"No, I'm older so I don't have to listen to you."

I took a deep breath to calm myself and stepped out from behind Wolf. "Hunter, go home. I will hang out with you when I get back. As long as you don't attack again."

"I make no promises of listening to you. At all."

My fear was getting the better of me. "Hunter! You are a very creepy guy! Like you scare the shit out of me! And I'm not easy to scare!please, go home!"

"That was not the right thing to say." Wolf whispered so only I could hear him. What did he mean by that? Oh god, did I just give fuel to Hunter's fire?

"I scare you? Good! You look mighty weak when you are asleep. Maybe I should make you bleed in the most painful way. How does that sound, Demon?" I began to tremble when the crow landed on his shoulder. I couldn't take it, I turned away from him.

"Don't do that." Wolf whispered, it was like he was warning me to never turn my back on Hunter, but I didn't listen. I didn't want to see that psychopaths face any longer.

"What's the matter, Penny? Are you scared of Demon?"

"No. I'm scared of you. Will you please just go home?" I was still facing away from him.

"I'm coming with you." Hunter's voice alone made my skin crawl and shiver.

"No. Go home Hunter. Or I'll tie you up in the backyard and probe you with a stick again." I gagged at the images in my head, but I turned around to face him again.

"Fine, you can come but, if you do anything sick to anything or anyone, I swear I'll kill you myself! Brutally!"

"Okay. I'll try to be a good boy, but I doubt it will happen."

"Maybe we should go another time." Wolf whispered.

"No. He wants to come than so be it, but I still want to see where I lived once upon a time."

"I've seen your old house."

"No, I mean my side of the world."

"Oh, okay. Well, let the six of us go to the outside world."

We walked for a little while before we came across my old house. It looked like there was a new family living there now. I walked up to the door and knocked. A little boy answered the door. "Hello, are your parents home?" He called for his parents then ran off. A woman I'd assume to be his mother came to the door.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, this is my old house. I was wondering if I could look in my old room for a picture I forgot here."

"A picture?"

"Yes. A picture of me and my parents."

"Come to think of it, my daughter did bring me a picture of a little girl and her parents a few days ago."

"May I see it?"

"Sure, come on in."

I smiled politely, taking a step inside. "May my friends come in as well?"

"They may, but animals stay outside. My son is allergic to them." I nodded and told Snow to stay outside with Killer and Demon.

Hunter, Wolf and I sat talking with the woman for a while before the topic of the picture came up again. "Do you know how old this picture is?" The woman asked me.

"Not particularly, no."

"It's over 47 years old. Which would make you over 80 years old, yet you don't look a day over 16. How is that possible?"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you." Wolf said. She gave us weird look.

"I think it's about time we move forward with our plans." Hunter said, his voice creepy as ever.

"Hunter, shut up before I probe you with a skewer."

"Sounds painful. Do it!"

I stood up and walked over to him. "If you don't shut your mouth, I will do it for you." It sounded like I was growling at him. Hunter started laughing. He laughed to the point he was crying. I felt my rage boiling beyond control. My hand balled into a fist and I punched him in the face with all the force I could muster from every part of my body. "Shut up!"

Wolf put his hand on my shoulder. "I think it's time we leave." I nodded and grabbed the picture of the table, heading to the door, I was stopped by the little boy who answered the door.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

"Yes?"

"I heard your dog talking to the big thing outside. Did you know they could talk?" He whispered so his mother couldn't hear.

"Yes, I knew. A bit of a shock when I found out for the first time." The boy and I smiled at each other then I left the house.

"That was fun." Hunter spoke up through his bloody hand.

"Which part? Me punching you in the face or your face bleeding?" I was trying to be sarcastic to a fucking psychopath! It didn't work out too well.

"All of it. It was very fun." He was smiling. Like a damn creep!

"If you say so." I muttered.

We walked around a little longer before we started to head back to the cave. "Someone is coming for us." Hunter chanted. It was weird. Like he saw it coming before it would even happen.

"What do you mean by that, Hunter?" He didn't say anything, he just smiled. God he's fucking creepy! "Snow, can you hear anything around us?" She stopped and listened for a moment.

"Something faint, but nothing."

"Something faint." I had my doubts about Hunter, but with Snow hearing something, I had no choice but to believe him. I kept my guard up as we continued to walk toward the cave. Not even 20 feet from the cave entrance, an arrow flew passed my face, grazing my right cheek. I felt the blood drip down to my chin. "Shit!" I cupped my cheek.

"Pen!" I turned to face Snow.

"I'm okay. Take the boys and get to the other side. I'll meet you there." I took off in the direction the arrow had come from. I couldn't fine anything. I was already running for ten minutes! Where the hell did it come from? I took another step forward and was caught in a net trap.

"Alio tenda!" a voice sounded from somewhere in the forest. I looked around, but I couldn't see anything. Nothing but trees! I didn't blink or close my eyes. I heard familiar voices getting closer. I closed my eyes then and only then.

"Demon, kill them!" I heard Hunter yell. My cheek was burning from the cut. I hissed when I touched it. It was going to scar.

"Killer, find Pen!" I heard Wolf yell then the sound of wings. The only thought that went through my mind was of Snowflake. "Snow, stay here. Killer and I will find her."

"No I want to come with you." She sounded urgent. Like she needed to come find me. I opened my eyes and looked around, but I still couldn't see anyone.

"I'm up here!"

"Where!?"

"Just cut the rope!" I said through gritted teeth.

"Demon, the rope, break it!" Hunter yelled. I fell to the ground, breaking my leg on the landing. I screamed in pain. It hurt so bad. My tears fell down my cheeks causing the cut on my cheek to burn even more.

"Damn it!" I ground my teeth

"Pen, are you okay?" Wolf knelt next to me.

"What the hell do you think! I have bones sticking out of my leg!" I snapped at him.

"Broken bones is better than being like that!" He snapped back, pointing. I followed to where he was pointing. I saw mutilated bodies and blood everywhere. I turned away. I couldn't stop my stomach from turning, I threw up.

"Good boy, Demon. You ripped them apart nicely."

"Shut up, Hunter!" I yelled through heaves. He looked at me. I could see the craze of his mind clear as day in his eyes.

"You have puke on your chin." He was blunt like always. I gave him a dirty look and wiped my chin with the back of my hand.

"Where is Snow?" I was looking at Wolf now.

"You are more worried about her than yourself? Really?"

"Yes, now, where is she?"

"I'm right here." She came limping out of a bush.

"Are you okay?" I was worried about her. Did she feel my pain? Like I got her injuries?

"I'm okay. I just feel a lot of your pain."

"I'm sorry, Snow." I paused, painfully moving closer to her. "Come here, I'll make it all better." She came to me, and when I picked her up, she yelped. "I'm so sorry, Sweetie. I didn't mean to make you feel this." I held her close to my chest so she could feel my heart beat.

"It's okay. It comes with the package. I'll get used to it."

"No, I shouldn't have come this way. I should've gone to the cave with you, like I told you guys to do." I laid a light kiss on her head.

"That doesn't matter now. What does matter is that we get you to the doctor."

I ended up passing out from blood loss and the pain as we were on our way back to the cave."Pen. Pen wake up. You have to open the gates." Snow's voice sounded distant. I had no idea who was carrying me. I opened my eyes a little and the gates opened. Not a lot, but just enough to squeeze through. I managed to keep my eyes open long enough to open the second set of gates. After I opened them, I fainted.

Apparently, my skin was very pale, but I didn't care about myself. I was more worried about Snowflake. When I woke, Snow didn't look so good. She had lost weight and looked really sick. "Snow?" I called for her, but she didn't respond. "Snowflake! I yelled. I yelled her name a few more times before she finally opened her eyes. "Snow, what happened to you?" Her voice was labored and I couldn't understand what she was saying. "What? I can't understand you, Sweetheart." I held her close to my chest.

"I caught the flu. For the both of us. You have been asleep for two weeks." Her voice was a harsh whisper.

"I'm so sorry. I'll get you some soup." I got off the bed and limped to the door. I was tired already, but I wasn't about to leave her alone like this. Not when she's so sick. I put my hand on the door to balance it opened and I fell to the floor. "Ouch!" I yelled.

Hunter peered around the door. "Did it hurt?" He's as creepy as ever, but that's Hunter for you.

"Yes it did. Now help me up. Or do I have to yell?"

"I think I'll just leave you there." He smiled at me. His smile was creepy and gave me shivers. Not the good kind either! I rolled my eyes and started to get up on my own. It hurt like fucking hell! I tell you, never get up on your own when you have a broken leg.

"Hunter!" Lockwood yelled from the hallway.

"Father." Hunter had no emotion in his eyes or his voice. It seemed like he hated his father for some reason.

"What are you doing in Penelope's room?" Lockwood sure sounded pissed. I wonder why?

"Watching her get up in pain." He was blunt. Does this guy have no filter between is brain and mouth or something?

"Hunter, help her up!"

"No. I want to see her in pain."

"You are not getting Demon back for another week."

Hunter shrugged. "Just makes him more mad at you."

I got to my feet and held onto the door for support. "Hunter, go away. Or I'm going to punch you in the face again. This time I'll make sure to break your nose too."

"Still sounds fun. Do it!" This guy is serious a psycho!

"Don't piss me off, Hunter." I warned him. I've gotten into fights before, I'm not afraid to hurt him. Or anyone for that matter.

"Hit me! Do it! Hit me! HIT ME!" His voice echoed in my room. I gritted my teeth and punched him square in the nose. As promise, I broke his nose. Along with a few of my knuckles. I must have hit him hard enough to at least, knock him out. Seeing as he didn't get up, I assume I was right.

After about a week, Snowflake was feeling as well as well could possibly get. "Good morning, Pen!" She pounced on my stomach.

"Good morning." I grunted. She was getting bigger by the hour it seemed. She was about half grown and nearly 50 pounds of pure muscle.

"Is your leg healed yet?"

"No. I have quite a while to go yet. Then I have to build the muscle back up and that's going to take a while too."

"Oh." She looked down at my hand. "What about your hand? How is that doing?"

"Well it hurts a bit, but it's doing good. How about you? How are you feeling?" I pat her head and smiled.

"I'm good. So please don't make me eat anymore of that soup. That stuff was gross." I burst into laughter and pulled he into a hug.

"I won't. That was only to make you feel better."

"If that's what I have to eat, I don't want to get sick ever again."

I smiled and put her down on the floor. She was big, but I was still able to pick her up and hold her. "Go outside and play. Be home for lunch and dinner. Bedtime is two hours after sunset, be home before then."

Her tail wagged and she took off, only to stop at the door. "I will." She said then took off again. I couldn't help but to keep smiling. She's just so cute.