Page 70 of First Kiss with a Mothman

“And it’ll be dark soon,” Clay says.

“We were hoping you could find a way to Mort?” Tanner asks.

I turn in his direction. “How?”

“You guys are…you know…together,” Tanner replies.

“Plus, you have your avian whisperer abilities, now,” Owen says.

I scoff. “But I…I can barely control those powers.”

“If anyone can figure out the wildlife of the forest, it’s you,” Seth says.

“I can only commune with the plant life,” Kovi remarks.

I shake out my shoulders. “Okay. I’ll try.”

“That’s ENOUGH!”

I spin around, and our little search party becomes silent. I momentarily forgot that Selena was here. “Can we just…can we just chill out for a few minutes?” she asks.

My brow furrows. “We can’t waste time.”

“Yeah, we should split up and search for Mort,” Clay says.

“Agreed,” Tanner says.

“No no no, NO!” Selena shrieks again, and we all pause. Seriously, what is wrong with Selena? I hear her huffing like she just ran a marathon.

“Selena,” I say. “Don’t you wanna find Mort?”

“Maybe…maybe he’s fine,” she replies almost manically. “Maybe we can spend one day not thinking about that mothboy!”

Concern grows in my gut. Everyone else is helping me ponder Mort’s whereabouts, but Selena is being so dismissive. “Selena, he and maybe my mom could be in trouble.”

“We have no proof of that!”

Owen says, “But the moths, in the air―”

“Who fucking cares?!” she all but shrieks. She startles Reginald on my shoulder, and I’m taken aback. “I’m sick of birds and moths and all monsters, and…and I can’t STAND you all!”

I feel her accost me, holding me by the shirt. Before she can pull me toward her, I sense more arms―Tanner and Seth? ―firmly hold me in place.

“Arie, you’re not going anywhere,” she says through gritted teeth.

I bristle, but Seth beats me to the punch when he says, “That’s not really for you to decide.”

“Chill out, young lady,” Clay says.

“I will not chill! Not until the plan is complete!”

I can hear her pacing, and fury grows in my gut. “What…what plan?”

She bristles and says, “You’re all too late anyway.”

“What?” I yelp.

“We’re getting rid of the moth freak so you can stop being a freak.”