Next Step

After we finally had dinner, I helped clean up, then I went home to pack for my new assignment. I knew it was going to worry my family that I was still choosing to go on this assignment, but it’s my job. So I made it home and noticed that my door was open, and you could tell it had been broken into. I didn’t go in, but called the police, then I called my mom and sister. My mom and sister made it to me before the police did, which is saying something. 

“Are you okay?” Mom asked  me

“Yeah, I'm fine.”

“What happened?” Nigel inquired

“Well, I came home, and just before I went to open the door, I happened to notice that it was already open. So I called the police, then you guys, but you guys got here before the police did.”

“Did you hear anyone inside or anything?” Mom questioned

“No, but to tell you the truth, I wasn’t thinking about listening to see if anyone was still in there.” 

“Well, that is understandable. Just glad you weren’t hurt.” Mom replied

Just as I was about to reply, we heard the police show up. They checked my apartment and found that my apartment was trashed. They dumped everything out on the floor. My apartment looked like a tornado had come through it.  I couldn’t believe my eyes. 

“Ms., can you tell me if anything is missing?” The police asked me 

“It's hard to tell at this moment,” I replied

“Well, my name is Officer Jon. Here is my card, and you can call me once you know.” Officer Jon told me

“Thank you, Officer Jon. I will once I get this mess picked up. Is it safe to stay here?” I inquired 

“It looks like they broke the lock, and it will take a little while to get your landlord here and fix your door. So I would like you to stay somewhere for tonight.” Officer Jon said with a sympathetic look on his face.

“She will come home with me tonight,” Mom said with a firm tone in her voice.

The police shook their head, saying that would be best. I went to try and pack a bag, and that is when I saw it. A message was behind my bathroom door. I yelled for Mom, and Officer Jon came as well. 

“Why did you scream?” Mom asked

“Behind the door is a message,” I replied

Officer Jon looked behind the door. He looked at it and then called for another officer to take a picture of the message. I looked at Mom and wondered if it was the same person as before or if this could be the person he was warning us about. Because this message was telling me to stop looking into my past and let things be, or I would regret it. 

“Ms., do you know what this message is supposed to mean? Do you know who would put this message here?” Officer Jon asked me with wonder in his eyes. I  looked over at Mom before I answered.

“No, but I have had this feeling that someone has been watching me, but I don’t know why. I am just a traveling writer. I write about my travels, and Eclipse magazine publishes them.” I told him firmly.

Officer Jon walked away without another word. I finished getting my stuff so I could leave with Mom. I was just worried that I would bring trouble to my Mom’s house. I figured we could just return in the morning to clean up the place and see if anything was missing. I don't feel up to it now. I let the police know what I was doing, and I left with my Mom and sister. I just felt drained and confused. All of this just felt so surreal. I get into my car and follow Mom back to her place. I get out and look around to see if anyone is around us. I didn’t see anyone, so I went inside. 

“Mom, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, I could bring trouble here.”

“Ginger, this is your home too, and I’m not worried about you bringing trouble. I know how to deal with trouble.” Mom replied with a tone that left no arguing with her. 

“Well, I guess we can start my education on the supernaturals. Unless someone has another idea.”

“We can do that. Nigel will get the books down that you will need to look over. While I make us all some tea. I feel that none of us is going to sleep much tonight.” 

“I agree with you, Mom. I know I won’t be able to sleep much, if at all. Nigel, on the other hand, will be the first one to sleep out of us, like always.” I said with a laugh

Nigel just made a face at me and went to get the books. She came down with four books in her hand. One was for beginners, and they went up from there. So I picked up the one for beginners. To see what it was about, I grabbed a tablet and a pen so I could take some notes. Mom picked up the photo album and started looking through it. Nigel just sat there playing on her phone. As I read the book, I see how it explains all the different types of supernaturals there are. I can’t believe I never realized that they were out there. That more people don’t know they exist in the world. So I made some notes on questions I wanted to ask Mom.  I think I  had like ten questions once I got done reading the first five chapters. But when I looked up at Mom, she was just looking at this one picture.

“Mom, what is it about that picture that has your focus?”

“This is a picture of your whole family, the day before they split up to try and keep you all safe.” 

I got up and went to sit by her to look at the picture, and while I was looking at it, I noticed something in the back corner, and it looked like a face.

“Mom, look at the back corner of the picture and tell me if you see a face.”

“Honey, you are right. That is your mom’s brother, who wanted control of the pack, but he wasn’t firstborn. He kept trying to show he was better at being Alpha than her. But never showed compassion. That was one of his biggest downfalls.”

“So, you're telling me that he wanted to rule with force and not from the heart.”

“Yes, that is what I am saying. He used to think his dad was weak on his people and they needed to fear their leader to stay in line.”

“That is the problem of a lot of leaders. They seem to think fear is better than being fair and leading from the heart. But back to the books. I have  a few questions.”

“Well, it's good that you have questions. It means you are taking this seriously. So let’s see if we can answer some of those questions, and then we all need to try and get a little sleep. We are going to have to be at the apartment early to get this cleaned up so you can try to get back to normal.” 

“I think normal for me is long gone, Mom. But I do understand what you are trying to say. But I think we can try answering these questions, then I will read some more before I go to bed.”

“Okay, what’s your first question?”

“Why don’t more humans know about this world of supernaturals?”

“Good question to start with. Well, it’s against our laws for humans to know unless they are your mate. So, no one is allowed to show who they truly are without being mates, or you would get in trouble with the supernatural council. Does that help you understand?” 

“Yes, that helps a lot. How do you know if you are mates with someone?”

“Oh, that is a tough one to explain. You will get this zing when you look in their eyes. You will feel sparks when you touch each other. Plus, if you have another half like a panther, the animal in you will know by smell. That is the best way for me to explain it. Now, for me and your sister, it will be touching and a look in our eyes. My first mate died, and I have never met my second chance mate. Which is sad, but I still have hope for it. I hope this explanation helps you.”

“Yes, it helps, and it makes me wonder what it would be like to know you have someone who is made just for you. Now my last question for tonight. I want you guys to be able to go to bed because Nigel is falling asleep there on the couch. How will I know if I have an animal, and how do I communicate with the other half?” 

“Well, that is a lot harder for me to answer because I don’t have another self. I am just magic. So, I can only give you my point of view. From my understanding, you will feel this present within you. Then you will hear a voice inside your head. Next, you seem to become one with each other. You each learn to trust and work together. That is all I can tell you about that. Now, when it comes to changing into your other half, somehow you have to let it take over and be in charge. I guess we will learn that part together. Sorry, I couldn’t be more help on this one.” 

“Don’t be sorry. I know you can only do so much. You won’t have all the answers. I know there are things I will have to learn on my own. That can’t be helped. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Let’s go to bed.”

 We wake Nigel up and send her to her room. Mom and I grab the books and walk to our rooms. Mom looks at me and kisses me goodnight, and goes into her room. I walk into mine and sit down on the side of my bed from when I was a kid. It feels weird being here after all this time. I just can’t figure out why it is all happening now. Was there something that I did or didn’t do that made all this come to life at this point? I knew I couldn’t keep beating myself up over this, so I just grabbed the book I started and began reading again. The next thing I knew, my mom was waking me up to go back to my apartment once I got ready. I  get up, grab my bag, and jump in the shower. Once out, I put my hair up and get dressed, grab a little breakfast, and we head out the door. We take two cars and leave for my apartment. When we get there, I notice the police are waiting for us. I get out and start to head to my apartment when I hear my name.

“Ms. Snapper, I would like to ask you something,” Officer Jon said as he approached me. I stopped and turned to face him.

“Yes, what would you like to ask me?”

“Can I or two of my officers be in the apartment with you and scan for devices and make sure he doesn’t return while you guys are there, cleaning? Plus, this way we can take it down if you find anything missing?” 

“That will be fine, Officer Jon. I would appreciate that very much.”

Then we all walked towards my apartment and noticed the landlord fixing the door. I smiled as I walked into the apartment.

“Ginger, I'm sorry this has happened to you. I will also be putting a camera in this all the way later on today. I want you to feel safe here.” The landlord said to me,

“Thank you. I appreciate all that you are doing for me at this time.” 

Then the landlord leaves all of us behind and goes back to whatever he was doing. Don’t get me wrong, the landlord is a nice guy and has always been sweet to me, but sometimes I don’t think he is all there. I look around my apartment and wonder where I should start.

“I will start in the kitchen,” Mom told me.

“Nigel, you start in the living room and I will take my bedroom,” I said and walked off to my room. I started picking up my room when I noticed that my laptop was missing, along with the photo of my real mom and the family photo. I went out to the living room to talk to Officer Jon. I knew I needed to let him know what I had found out so far.

“Officer Jon, I noticed some of my stuff is missing from my bedroom.  So far, it's only three things, but I would like them back if we can get them back, that is.”

“Okay, Ms. Snapper, what are you missing?”

“I am missing my laptop that I use for work and a family photo, as well as my birth mom’s picture.”

“Is that all that you are missing?”

“So far, that is all I have noticed.”

“The person only seemed to break things here in the kitchen,” Mom yelled out.

“You are missing something in the living room. Your panther statue and that jewelry box that you kept near the TV.” Nigel added in.

Officer Jon took notes about everything that we told him, and I went back to finish my room. I was also wondering why he only took certain things instead of all the expensive things. I finished with the bedroom and went to the bathroom. I knew it wouldn’t take long here. Just the stuff we told Officer Jon, nothing else was missing. He and his men did find a few listening devices in my living room and bedroom.  Which had me so confused about it all. What were they hoping to hear to be able to find out? I figured I would talk with Mom about it once the police left.

 I sat down on my couch and just looked around, and realized I would have to go get a new laptop for work. I knew I should have bought a backup a while ago. Well, I guess I learned a lesson. I will go to an electronics store to check out the latest laptops.

“We are finished now with your apartment, Ms. Snapper. We will take what we found and what you have told us that was missing and put it in our report. Now, if you can think of anyone or see anything, please let me know.” Officer Jon said just before he left.

“Well, who wants to go to the store with me? I need to leave for Salem for a week.” I reminded them.

“We all just should go and get lunch while we are out,” Mom replied.

We all left my apartment and got into Nigel’s car to get a few things done. I am already worn out from everything. We drove to the store so I could pick up a new laptop and some food for my apartment. I also have to get more dishes since someone destroyed my stuff. We walked around the store and grabbed the things that I needed and a few things I just wanted to get. We were there for two hours and then grabbed some lunch. After lunch, we went back to my apartment to put everything away. I started packing for my trip, and then I thought I would talk to them about what I was thinking earlier about the things that got taken. So I walked into the living room where Nigel and Mom were sitting. 

“Hey, I want to talk to you guys about what I was thinking earlier when I noticed what was missing.”

“What were you thinking, 'cause I had some thoughts of my own,” Nigel said

“Well, did you guys notice that he just destroyed stuff? Didn’t take much stuff. Like my laptop, pictures, and a few other little things. But I left my TV or my jewelry.” I replied

“I was thinking the same thing. I couldn’t figure out why it would go that way. I was thinking there was more to it. But I couldn't figure out what.” Mom says with confusion in her voice

“I guess that is just one more thing we will have to figure out when I get back,” I said with a smile.

“Do you need to go? I mean with everything going on.” Mom asked 

“Yes, Mom, I need to get things back to normal. I can’t let this stop me from living my life. I will be fine, and you can do a protection spell on me.” I said with a laugh

“You're not funny, and I will do a protection spell on you before you leave. I know you have to be at the airport by ten in the morning, so I will be here at eight to do the spell. So you can just sit on it, young lady.” Mom told me with a lot of sarcasm

I just shook my head, and they got up to leave so I could finish getting things ready for work tomorrow. At least it won’t be a long flight. A rental car for a week and two different places to stay for my job. Fun, Fun!