Page 10 of Starlight

Mothman gave another low groan like death was imminent. “Yes. What kind of asshole doesn’t render assistance?”

“I don’t know, what kind of asshole kills two…two assholes.” But the creature had a point. He was being a dick by not offering to help, while the monster hadn’t hesitated to help him.

Mothman laughed and smothered it with a cough and a moan. “You didn’t like your cousins?”

“They were older, and we didn’t have much in common. They were late picking me up that night.” Cole scrubbed his hand over his face. “You’re the reason my life got completely derailed.”

“I am the reason you are alive.”

“You’re the reason I almost died in the first place.”

“Your blood is the reason my sister is dead.”

They’d both lost family. He scuffed his boot in the dirt. “I’m sorry they shot her.”

How unusual, his cousins were the start of all the trouble. Even years after their death, the repercussions were still hitting him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice you were in the car.”

The Mothman creature wasn’t sorry for killing his cousins, which was fair enough. Everyone agreed that it was only a matter of time before they got into trouble they couldn’t talk their way out of. He probably should feel some kind of anger at the monster for killing them, but all of Cole’s anger was directed at himself and his lack of life.

“So you’re the local legend, the Mothman.”

“No, that would be my uncle.”

“Oh. There’s more than one of you?” That was not reassuring. And if the Mothman was real, did that mean all the others were also real? The idea was almost too big for him to think about.

He groaned. “I know this is all super new and exciting for you, but I’m dying. So maybe we could focus on the bleeding for a bit, and then I’ll answer your questions.”

“Right… I know basic first aid for humans.”

“That’ll do. And be quick because I don’t want to miss the meteor shower tonight. That is why you were sitting out?”

“Yeah…but why did you creep out of the trees?” Had Mothman been hoping to scare him?

“Why did you put a show on this morning?”

Cole’s cheeks heated like he was too close to the fire. He shrugged. “I thought I was alone.”

He wasn’t an expert in monster expressions, but he was fairly sure that Mothman did not believe him. “You said you were aware that someone was watching you.”

If he’d known it was a monster…

“And I wasn’t wrong, was I?” Fucking creepy monster. “For how long have you been creeping on me?”

“Since you started camping right under my flight path.”

Cole touched his pocket where the rock lived. “You built the rock towers.”

“So did you. You also left the question mark. I have answered your question.”

“Uh…I need to get the first aid kit from my truck.” And if he was smart, he’d drive away and never look back. The monster from his nightmares was real.

But he couldn’t leave it to die.

He glanced up at the sky. The last time the monster had been in his life, it had turned it upside down…which was exactly what he’d been hoping for this weekend.

He needed to be more careful what he wished for.