I was so glad to be home after all that talk about the Crines being aliens. At first the idea of meeting up with my friends tonight to check out what Hunk had told Liam seemed like fun. However the more I think about the content of that book that Jamie showed us the more I feel afraid.
That book looked exactly like the one mum read from each day. It frightened me to think that she understood that strange language it was written in. What was mum doing with it and why did Swasie have a tattoo of the symbol on its cover? If Swasie was connected to the Crines then did that mean my family was also? Ever since I'd left Katie and Liam it was all I could think of.
Bewildered I slowly climbed the stairs to our front porch and sat down on the chair underneath the window of my granddad's study. I couldn't face mum just yet I had to figure this out. I was so confused, first Riley told me that the Crines were aliens and now Jamie!
The window was open and I could hear my granddad speaking to mum in the study and I got up to say hello. However the sense of urgency in his voice made me hesitate. I could hardly believe my ears...they were talking about a breeding program of vampires!
I began to shake, that book, it had pictures of vampires!
I peered through the curtains and saw my granddad and mum leaning over an old ledger on his desk. I looked closer as they turned the pages...it was filled with names. Was that ledger a record of vampires?
I shuddered, what if vampires really did exist right here in Braden and my family were part of the breeding program?
I slunk to the floor, my fascination with aliens and monsters could it be because ...I am one?
I heard the front door open and looked up to see mum heading toward me. Had she seen me peering through the window?
Mum looked strange; her eyes were red as if she'd been crying.
"What are you doing there Jade, come inside at once!" mum insisted pulling me to my feet.
Reluctantly I followed her inside; I knew I was in for it.
I threw my schoolbag on the hall floor. Right now I wished mum would just give me a hug.
"How was your day sweetheart?" mum asked sweetly as I followed her into the kitchen.
Mum pulled the milk jug from the fridge and placed a glass beside it on the table. Silently she cut me a slice of cake and told me to sit down.
Mum's change of manner confused me. She'd literally dragged me inside and now she was giving me cake? I sat down at the table and poured myself a glass of milk.
I watched mum busily washing up cooking utensils in the sink, I swear I saw her brush a tear away.
I heard granddad coughing in the hallway outside the kitchen door. Was he waiting to hear mum tell me something? I couldn't stand the suspense any longer and decided to bite the bullet and tell mum what Swasie had done to Jamie and Liam at school. I knew I'd be in big trouble as Swasie's name was taboo in our house but I had to see mum's reaction when I told her about his tattoo of twisted snakes.
I took a deep breath and plunged ahead.
Deadly silence followed. I looked at Mum waiting for an answer. Her face was blood red.
Phew, mum's explosion was beyond what I expected. She just absolutely lost it!
Shocked by the extent of mum's anger I fled past granddad and ran upstairs to the safety of my room.
"And clean that room of yours, it's a disgrace. And I don't want to see you downstairs until every bit of homework is finished! Do you hear me Jade? And... NO