The Hunter Hunts The Hunted [Ch. 3]

The morning was still young, the sunlight just starting to appear on the horizon. Wearing his pj's: a gray shirt, blue cotton pants, and black socks. In the kitchen, he was pouring himself a glass of fresh-brewed coffee. Throwing two sugar cubes into his cup, he then poured some creamer in for a "sweeter" taste. Swirling the spoon, he stirred the creamer into the coffee. Steam was rising out of the cup.

Only being 6:55 in the morning, Timmy and Ariel are still asleep. In the dining room, in the corner, sat Eric's desk and computer. Walking over to it, he set the cup down on a coaster, then pulled the chair out to sit. With the motion of moving the mouse, the monitor screen came on. There, as his lock screen background, was a family picture. Standing behind, he had one hands-on Timmy and Ariel's shoulders. Behind them, in a combined form, were the many worms that made up the unified Worm mutant.

When that picture was taken, the worms were out of focus from jumping around all trying to get a spot in the picture. Unlike Timmy and Ariel, the worms were lodged outside in the backyard. But they were treated just as fairly as the others. Eric loved every one of them. His love is equal for everyone. This background picture showed that bond, that connection, that happiness. From the moment they embarked on their journey back to the mainland, a family was born. Some good things do come out of horrible circumstances. Although, that can't be said for others.

The stranded, the forgotten, the missing. Out of all the from the camp, only eight survived. Mostly the younger adults and children. On the other hand, however, many elderly people perished during the decimation of the island. Sigh.

His phone vibrated twice, getting his attention. Reaching over, he unplugged it from the charger. Pressing the home button, his screen came on. An email notification popped up. He opens the email to read it curiously.

To: Eric Steven LeBlanc

From: Dr. Andrew Peterson

Thursday, August 21, 2022, @ 6:53A.M (E.S.T)

RE: Bloodwork Results—-Timothy LeBlanc, Ariel LeBlanc, Eric Leblanc

Good morning, Eric.

It's Dr. Peterson. Apologies for reaching out at this early hour, but I received back your bloodwork from our last visit. After reviewing the results, the outcomes weren't what we were hoping for.

I'd prefer you come by to review the results in person. At your convenience, schedule an appointment with Robin; my secretary. Talk soon!

Kindest Regards,

Dr. Andrew Peterson

St. WhirlWind Hospital

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It was the email that worried him. It was vague, which could mean many things. What if the results weren't what he was hoping for? What if it was good news? Then what? From the way the email sounded, it didn't look good.

"I can't sleep," Ariel said.

He put his phone down and swung his chair around. She was standing over by the island in the kitchen. She was rubbing her eyes and stretching. Wearing her pink gown, her hair was messy and rough.

"Well, well, well," he said, "you're up early," he mumbled in a quiet, gentle tone.

After getting off the island and returning home, Ariel was left without a mother or father. At first, Eric scoured the internet to try and find any relatives of hers but always came up empty-handed. After weeks of searching, he eventually decided to end his efforts.

In a matter of days, while talking to Vanessa [his ex-wife] about the situation he was in with Ariel, she planted the seeds on what he should do next.

"If no one comes forward, you could just adopt her," Vanessa told him during that phone call the other night."You're the right person father figure

"Oh, stop," he mumbled in a joking tone, followed by a chuckle. "I'm flattered that you said that, but what if someone is looking for her? There has to be someone out there who could raise her."

"Eric, honey, listen," Vanessa said, "even being divorced, you still have a place in my heart. Besides that, think about Timmy. Being an only child, having a sister would be beneficial for him."

"You know what? You're right," Eric said.

"From the pictures you've shared, she appears happy; you all seem happy," Vanessa stated, "but I gotta go. I'll stop by later to meet her. Do what you think is right."

"Thanks for the pep talk," Eric said.

"You're welcome dear," she said, "talk later."

"Talk later," Eric said.

That conversation was from the other day. At that time, he was still searching for relatives. After giving up, that's when he reached out to Vanessa. What was supposed to be a call where he'd rant to her, turned into a completely different one.

It was then decided. Oddly, the idea of adopting her never crossed his mind. Why didn't he think of that sooner?

"I–I had a–a–a nightmare," she stuttered and shrugged her shoulders.

"A nightmare?" He questioned.

He didn't need to ask anything further. He knew exactly why she had the nightmare. "Come sit," he said.

When she didn't come over to him, he got up. Walking over to her, he kneeled down. Picking her up, she rested her head on his shoulder. He placed his hand on her back and began walking back down the hallway and over to their bedroom.

"Okay, little lady," Eric whispered.

Gently lying her back down in bed, he draped her blanket over her; tucking her in. After doing that, he smiled and leaned over, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Back to sleep, you go little lady,"

"Wait," she mumbled, "don't go."

He stood there, with his hands resting on his hips. He tilted his head and smiled slightly; sighing a short sigh.

"I'll stay if you promise to go back to sleep?" he whispered.

"Just until I fall asleep," Ariel said with a smile.

"Okay, okay," Eric mumbled as he sat bedside. She took her hand out from under the blanket to hold his hand.

"Story?"

"A story?" Eric asked delightfully. Ariel nodded, staying quiet to not wake up Timmy.

"Yes!"

"The Minecraft story," Ariel said, "that one. What happened to Daniel and Petra? Are they okay? Who banished them?"

"Ahh, that story. Alright," Eric said as he tapped his chin a few times, trying to remember where he'd left off from last night.

"They woke up in the middle of a forest," she reminded, "that's where we left off."

"Thank you," Eric said. "Here we go," he said.

But just as he began continuing the story, a loud bang echoed throughout the halls and into the bedroom. It made Ariel yelp and jolt. Timmy screamed as he sat up, throwing the covers off of him.

"Daddy? What was that?" Ariel asked as she covered half of her face with her blanket, with only her eyes remaining exposed. Timmy looked over at Eric and Ariel. As crept over to the bedroom door, Ariel whined.

"Shh," Eric shushed with his finger over his lips. "Stay here, don't move."

As he peaked his head out into the hallway, he looked to his left and then to his right. That noise must've come from the kitchen. It sounded distant, but still loud and nearby. When he did look down the hallway towards the kitchen, he saw a person's shadow moving around on the floor. Someone was in the house and is walking around.

"Timmy, grab your sister and hide in the closet," Eric mumbled as he looked back at them over his shoulder.

"What about you?" Ariel asked.

"I'll be okay, just hide in the closet," Eric reiterated, reminding them to listen to what he asked them to do.

Eric knew who it was. He only knew that Matthew was here because he could hear stretching sounds. Those originated from Stitches, and hissing sounds that came from Virginia. Eric crept down the hallway and into the bathroom. The door was open which is a good thing. Tip-toeing into the bathroom, he pulled the shower curtain off the rod, sliding the rod off of the wall. Taking off the silicone edge protectors of the rod, he could now use it as a means of defending himself.

"Eric?" Matthew asked, "thought I heard you talking."

He doesn't answer back, maintaining his only upper hand: stealth and cautiously sneaky. Timmy slammed the door, thereafter locking it. This startled Eric. He turned around to look back behind him. Muffled thumping sounds were heard from in the bedroom, followed by another bang. Eric sighed a sigh of relief knowing the kids were "safe" and locked away in their room. But how safe are they?

"Wasn't expecting anyone. Surely not you and your–your dogs," Eric responded as he glanced to his left at the steaming warm coffee maker. "Would've brewed another batch."

"How thoughtful," Matthew said, "but I don't like coffee. You and I…you and I have some unfinished business."

"Last I recall, you lost," Eric responded, "as far as I see it, there is no unfinished business. Now…get the fuck out of my house."

Matthew scoffed and waved his pointer finger up and down as he smiled sarcastically.

"Should've locked all your doors," Matthew said.

"You broke in through the back door. It was locked," Eric reminded.

Eric didn't say anything in response. Standing quietly, with the curtain rod firmly in his grasp; holding it like a baseball bat. Matthew put his hands behind his back, now walking back and forth while talking to Eric.

"How are Timmy and Ariel?" Matthew asked, "happier I'd assume? Healthy? Has the serum mutated yet? How are you feeling?"

"Fine, just fine."

Matthew smiled and nodded his head. "I see, I see. Very good."

"How'd you even find us anyway?" Eric asked, "we were told we'd be safe."

Matthew smiled evilly and held his arms out to his sides. Virginia and Cowman stepped back out of his way. Stitches, without the knowledge of Eric, slowly lowered his head; now hanging right over Eric's right shoulder.

Just like Eric, something began moving under his skin all over his body; looking like air pockets under his skin. His bones started cracking and snapping as his muscles flinched. His back was peeling apart like a banana and was folding back. Beginning to grow out were appendages; just like Ariel could do.

"What…the…fuck?" Eric mumbled as he then turned around, only to be spooked when he saw Stitches' head dangling next to him. He swung the rod, but Stitches was too quick. The rod hit the wooden closet door with towels inside it.

The rod bent out of form, but Eric didn't drop it. He ran down the hallway to the kid's bedroom door. With his right hand, he began pounding and shouting. Matthew was still changing.

"Weren't—expecting this—were you–Eric?" Matthew said as he grinned his teeth in pain. Blood started trickling out of his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes too. But it was pouring out of his back, forming a puddle on the dark wood laminate hardwood floors.

"Call housekeeping to clean that up when you're done, would ya?" Eric shouted. "Thanks!"

Matthew continued to groan and moan in pain; screaming and shouting at times too. His transformation was taking far longer than it did for Ariel. Hers, at the time, seemed less painful and quicker. Is there really anything to compare?

The door was unlocked and swung open. Eric barged in, slamming the door shut behind him. The handle began rattling as the door shook viciously. Stitches were trying to get in but isn't getting anywhere. He remains persistent.

"Ariel, Timmy?" Eric mumbled as he ran over to the closet. He folded the doors back, revealing them to be sitting next to each other, their arms wrapped around one another to keep each other safe. The wind, howling in through the broken window, sounded eerie and creepy; setting the tone of fright. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Ariel and Timmy shook their heads. Eric set the bent rod down on the floor next to him. Cling, bang. A shadow emerged from behind him. Ariel and Timmy gasped and screamed. Ariel pointed up behind Eric. When he turned around, he looked up.

"What cute kids you have, Eric," Meghan said as kicked Eric right in the chest. He grudged and fell onto the floor on his back. He'd had the wind knocked clean out of him, now laying on the floor gasping and coughing. Addison lept into the bedroom through the broken window, standing next to Meghan. They both looked down at him.

Addison walked over to the closet, getting down onto her knees. She crawled over to them on her hands and knees, smiling friendly at them. She was showing that she wasn't mean. But her intentions said otherwise.

"Daddy!" another child's voice whispered with a gasp.

"Is daddy okay?" another voice asked.

"He needs our help," another one said.

Hiding under Timmy's bed, there were four small worms. When united, for reminding purposes, are responsible for making up the entirety of the Worm mutant. But the others were scattered elsewhere around the property, most being stuck outside in the backyard; which was where they stayed and roamed free.

"We have to help him," one said.

"He's going to die!" another one said.

Separated, the worms still stood a chance. Even though their chances of having the upper hand are slashed, they could still help. After all, they're part of the family. A family they desired ever since they were created by Satan [Matthew].

"It's decided then," another voice finalized by saying. "Follow my lead."

One worm began crawling cautiously out from under the bed. He was scared because Eric [for starters] didn't like them being in the house without permission. Not because he didn't care for them any less, no. They're just dirty, playful, and obnoxiously loud. If they'd stayed in the house with everyone else, no one would get any sleep. Their sanity would only plummet from there with this lacking of a good night's rest. Unlike everyone else, the worms needed no sleep…ever. Where their endless abundance of energy come from is still a mystery. What do you think?

"On my go," the leading worm mumbled.

Outside, the Bird was resting in the middle of the street. Its wings retracted and fluffed out, and its eyes closed. It could care less about everyone coming out of their homes to witness this strange, mysterious spectacle.

"What in the actual hell is that?" One man shouted.

"That's no crow," another man shouted from across the street.

"It's Big Bird from Sesame Street!" a woman claimed in shock and awe.

"I'm calling Animal Control," a grandmother, with her two grandchildren standing in front of her, shouted as she turned around and walked back into her house.

"That won't do anything," a boy exclaimed, "their cages are too small."

"Then they'll just have to shoot and kill it," the grandmother responded as she dialed a number onto her home phone, putting it up to her ear thereafter.

Back inside the kids' bedroom, Megan stared down at the floor under Timmy's bed. She tilted her head slightly and stepped forward to lift the dangling blanket up. When she did…

"Now!" the worm shouted as he lept out from under the bed, hitting Megan in the face. She stumbled and almost lost her balance, but maintained it. The other three worms also emerged from under the bed too, following what the other does before the next.

At last, Eric caught his breath and stopped coughing. He inhaled deeply as he flung back up onto his feet. He turned around, grabbing a chunk of Addison's hair, yanking and pulling it back. She screamed and grabbed his wrist, shaking it and whipping her head back and forth. Not budging though.

By pulling it back with all his strength, he ripped a portion of her hair clean off her head. She screamed and screamed as she stood back up. Turning around, she dabbed her head to see if she was bleeding. She is…a lot. It was trickling down the side of her head. Her left eye turned bloodshot, with blood trickling out through both of her eyes, nostrils, and left ear.

Eric looked down at his hand with her hair in it, then glanced back up at and over at Addison. Without thinking, he flung the wad of hair at her. With the chunk of her skin keeping the wad of hair together, it struck her right in the face.

"You…motherfucker!"

"I did you a favor," Eric said with sarcasm. "Now you're perfect. You'll be sure to catch some eyes now."

"Bitch!" Addison said as she pounced at him, ready to claw and scratch him with her nails.

"You should see a stylist," Eric said as he pushed her away.

Megan had drawn her pistol, shooting at the slithering worms. Every round, but one, that she fired…she missed. However, she did manage to hit one. It squealed like a crying baby, slithering back under the cover of Timmy's bed. A small trail of blood was left in its wake.

The door came crashing down, just barely scraping Eric's arm. It crashed onto the floor. Standing in the hallway was Matthew [now transformed], Stitches, Virginia, and the Cowman. Matthew was breathing heavily; the appendages on his back moving around behind his back.

"I tried to be civil," Matthew said, "but you, you dumb bastard, refused to cooperate. Round 'em up; all of 'em. They're coming with us."