markdown-monster-club/chapters/chapter_41.md

# Chapter 41

“Thank you, Alex.” Abraham sighed with relief. He glanced around the range, searching for any sign of David with Annie or Tamil, but saw no one. “Has David gotten back?”
“Ya met David huh?” Alex asked. “If ye said ye were com’n here with company, I’m guess’n David’s carry’n em?”
“Yeah. A mummy named Tamil and a little girl.”
“A mummy? Like one them Egyptian kings’n such?” Alex asked with a polite smile. “Hmm, here’n I thought I saw everythin’. Tori, mind fetch’n Pen? He’s out in the flower patch.”
“Sure thing!” Tori ran off towards the far side of the farm as Alex set down his pitchfork and adjusted the straw in his teeth. He glanced down at Abraham and began walking back towards the house.
“We don get humans ‘round here very often.” Alex explained.
“I’m not the enemy. Like I said, I was part of a group called the monster club.” Abraham pushed. “We’re a family of monsters! A vampire, a werewolf, a mermaid, a drider, a-”
“Now hold yer horses, there…I ain’t say’n ya ain’t honest.” Alex laughed. “I was jus gonna give ya fair warnin’…we’re kinda a monster club too…like a family.”
“Yeah, Tori said there were more.”
“Used ta be jus me…but now we got about 4 others.” Abraham suddenly thought about how Mato had responded to seeing Abraham and felt a slight pang of uneasiness run through him.
“Um, any of them got beef with humans like me?” Abraham asked.
“Naw I don’t…well…maybe David might be a bit cold at first, but you ain’t like the humans he got issues with.”
“How can you tell that?”
“Despite what Christina might say…I like ta think it’s good to assume the best of people instead o’ the worst.”
“Who’s Christina?” Abraham asked.

“That’d be me.”
Walking down the steps of the front porch of the house was a young woman. She had long flowing dreadlocks and had light toned skin. A pair of black shades covered her eyes making Abraham unable to make out her eyes. She wore a black leather jacket and tight jeans with boots. Her dreadlocks, oddly enough, were a dark green color. She had her arms crossed as she came closer to Abraham, and the boy felt himself gulp slightly. He was reminded of Katie back when he’d first met her.
“Mornin’ Christina.” Alex announced. “Could ya get the eggs from the coop?”
“Who’s our guest?” Christina asked.
“I’m Abraham.” Abraham introduced himself. Christina raised an eyebrow and then looked to Alex.
“Our bird brain brought’m here. ‘Pparently some dawn bringers were mov’n in on him and his monster family, so he and a few others ‘re com’n down here for a spell. I gav’m my bless’n.” Alex explained.
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Christina asked. “I already had to talk to Jelly and David about bringing home lost puppies and animals, the last thing we need are more freeloaders.”
“An what’d that make you and the others?” Alex scoffed. “Ya’ll ‘re only on my farm cause you need a pl-”
“Okay okay!” Christina shouted, cutting off Alex, and rubbing her forehead. “Jesus, Alex…you’re gonna hold that over my head forever aren’t you?”
“Only when ya question why I welcome the lost ta this farm.” Alex remarked. “I don’t see an issue with tak’n in two ‘r three visitors for a day or two.” Abraham gave a loud cough to get their attention and Alex turned back to face him. “Oh right! Sorry bout that…we gotta lotta chores to do round here. If’n ya need anythin’ just talk ta Christina ‘r Pen.”
“Anything I should look out for?”  Abraham called. Alex tapped his chin and then laughed.
“If’n ya see a jar of purple jam, don’t eat it.” He laughed. Christina let out a laugh as well and shook her head. Abraham just blinked a few times, confused by the joke.

“Alright kid, well time for some introductions I guess.” Christina said. In that instant her dreadlocks started to move and wriggle, slithering around her shoulders and raising slightly! The ends became snake heads and each were hissing and pointing their small red eyes at Abraham! “My name is Christina and I’m a gorgon. Don’t worry, I won’t turn you or anyone else into stone…just don’t get on my bad side, okay?”
“Y-yeah sure!” Abraham gulped.
“Good. Now you’ve met Alex. He’s probably gone back off to plow or something…and he’s a minotaur obviously. There’s David too, and he’s a centaur…you met him I guess?”
“Yeah, he’ll be here any minute with my friends.” Abraham nodded.
“Nice, then that leaves Pen and Jelly…Pen’s probably out at the flower garden right now, but I have no idea where Jelly is…and that’s a bit concerning.” Christina shrugged. Abraham was having trouble listening to what she said, as his eyes were transfixed on the mess of snakes that Christina had for hair. Christina seemed to notice as she quickly brushed her snakes back, as if brushing her hair with her fingers. As she brushed them, they returned to ordinary scaled dreadlocks. “My hair a bit frightening huh?”
“N-no! I mean…that’s not what I…”
“Don’t lie…I hate liars.” Christina snapped. “It’s okay to be a bit freaked out by it, I usually don’t show off my hair like that. Alex finds it a bit unnerving too. Speaking of which, come with me please?” Christina motioned for Abraham to follow her and began hurrying towards the chicken coop along the side of the barn. “Alex’ll be pretty upset if I don’t get any eggs for breakfast.”
“This farm comes in pretty handy, huh?” Abraham asked.
“It has it’s benefits. We can grow and produce our own food…though sometimes I go out with Jelly and Pen to do some shopping if necessary.” Christina explained. “We’re a small and very dysfunctional family…but we make it work.” Abraham felt himself frown a little, feeling that familiar sensation…he missed the club already.
“I know that feeling.”
“If Tori flew you here, then you came from Mato and Naomi’s place…can’t imagine they took to you very well?”
“How’d you know?” Abraham asked. Christina chuckled and climbed into the coop.
“Look a way for a moment, hun.” She called back. Abraham quickly covered his eyes, though temptation pressured him to peek between his fingers. He couldn’t see Christina’s face as she was glaring at the chickens, but she was holding her sunglasses in her fingers…and all the chickens were staring at her eyes. Each and every bird was stiff as a statue and unmoving as Christina reached under them and took their eggs. When she turned back around, Abraham closed his fingers again like nothing had happened.
“You can look now.” She announced. Abraham removed his hands from his eyes and saw that Christina was wearing her glasses again and toting a small basket of eggs.
“The chickens aren’t hurt right?”
“No. Gorgon eyes can’t turn people to stone. However, we have the power to cause any mortal creature to be transfixed by our gaze and become hypnotized and stiff as a statue. The myth about our stone vision thing comes from our primary method of self defense. Gorgons in ancient times would cause their attackers to stand still with their gaze, and then use their snake hair to bite the attacker. All that venom pumped into a body at once freezes the blood stream and puts the body into almost instant rigor mortis…and thus, for almost a day or two, the body will stand still and yet be dead.” Christina explained, her voice sounding almost like an encyclopedia.
“I never knew!”
“Everyone who’s met me asks about it. You’re not the first human I’ve met, ya know?”
“What happened to those humans?”
“You ask a lot of questions.” Christina responded coolly. Abraham backed off a bit and shut his mouth tight, not wanting to offend. “Just relax, kid.”
“My name is Abraham…not kid.” Abraham spoke up.
“Sure, Abraham. So could you clarify why you and your friends are staying with us?” She asked. Abraham walked with Christina back towards the house as he recounted all that David had reported to them. The movements of the dawn bringers, the large number of soldiers, and Asher and Michelle’s decision to have Tamil, Annie, and himself retreat. After hearing him explain all this, Christina let out a long whistle.

“Well damn, Abraham…” Christina muttered. “That stories too wild to be fake. Who could make that up?” She opened the door to the house and placed a hand on the door frame. “Wait here a moment. I need to put the eggs down.” Christina ran inside and Abraham felt very alone once again. His thoughts went back to the club and how they must be doing. He knew Sarah would be out setting up her trip wires and maybe whistling a happy tune. Katie would be pacing now, thinking of every contingency. Asher and Michelle would both be arguing, but not in an angry manner…more of just a way to bounce off of each other. Calypso? Who knows…she’s changed so much since Abraham first met her. She was a bit more confident now…more forward. The club would survive this…they had to.
“HEY!” Abraham heard a loud cry and the soft thudding of galloping hooves drawing close. From the line of the trees, Abraham beamed to see David rushing to him with Tamil and Annie on his back. Christina stuck her head out and saw the three approaching, walking back outside.
“There you are, David.”
“Hi Christy!” David responded. “Sorry, these two slowed me a down a bit. The extra weight was a bit much.”
“Oh, so am fat!?” Tamil snapped.
“Take a joke, why don’t ya?” David laughed. “Maybe you’re a just WOUND too tight!?” David let out a laugh similar to a horse cry and Tamil groaned.
“Someone help…cannot take bad jokes from horse boy.” Tamil grumbled.
“Everyone’s a critic.” David rolled his eyes and lowered himself enough for Tamil to slide off. Annie stumbled off and ran to Abraham, hugging him tight.
“Everyone okay?” Abraham asked.
“Yes! We’re fine.” Annie smiled. “You?”
“Sure am. Guys, this is Christina. She’s one of the people who lives here.” Abraham explained. Tamil didn’t turn, but merely stood still, waiting to hear someone speak. He wanted to hear Christina to tell where she was. Annie just looked at Christina in curiosity. Christina smiled at them both and then put her hands in her pockets.
“David, go find Alex…he’ll need your help with the fields.”
“Awww, I just finished running all the way here!”
“Fine, go get some water from the barrel first, but we don’t have time to waste.”
“Oh, can I come too?” Annie asked. “I’m really thirsty.” David nodded and lead Annie away towards what Abraham could only assume to be the location of the water barrel. Christina just moaned and shook her head of dreadlocks.
“I’m sorry about David. He’s an honestly really nice kid…but he’s a bit whiny. I think he’s in that rebellious phase that kids enter at some point? He comes through though when he needs to.”
“Club is very much like that…” Tamil noted.
“That’s right, you’re from a family of monsters like us?” Christina asked.
“A bit bigger, but yes.” Abraham agreed. “We’re lead by a werewolf named Michelle. There’s a vampire named Asher there and a mermaid named Calypso.”
“They love each other.” Tamil teased.
“Then there’s Katie, who’s a lamia-”
“And she love you.” Tamil added.
“Oh would you shut up!? She barely even likes me yet.”
“And you think I AM blind?” Tamil cackled. Abraham blushed and looked away.
“That’s Tamil…the resident JOKER of the group. And then there’s Sarah our seamstress. She’s a drider. There’s also Annie who is a witch from Korea. I think that’s everyone.” Abraham finished quickly.
“And how do you fit in?” Christina asked, leaning against the fence by the house. “You’re a human. An odd human, sure…but a human none the less. How did you come by the club?”
“Just lost and looking for a home, I guess…” Abraham confessed.
“Aren’t we all?” Christina asked. “Ya know, I gotta say…Abraham you don’t seem much li-”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK!”

“ANNIE!?” Abraham cried. Tamil nearly jumped with fright at the scream and Christina was up on her feet in a flash. She sprinted off in the direction of the scream and Abraham was right behind. Tamil grabbed Abraham’s shirt and ran behind him to keep up, cursing in his own language.
“Shit what happened!?” Christina growled, turning the corner. Abraham turned with her and when he saw what had happened, his mouth fell open.
There was Annie and David standing by a barrel by the wall of the barn, however, there was no water in it…at least not that could be seen. Emerging from the barrel was a curvaceous and fluid creature made entirely of a translucent goo like substance! She took on the form of a young girl with long hair, made of her own gooey body. She was beaming brightly at David and Annie as well, but almost in a playful like manner. She turned to see Abraham and Christine, and her smile grew wider.
“Good morning!” the creature called out happily. “Jelly is here!”
“Wh-what!?”
“JELLY WHAT HAVE WE TOLD YOU ABOUT SLEEPING IN THE WATER BARREL!? WE NEED THAT WATER!” Christina shouted. Jelly frowned a bit, looking down in embarrassment.
“But…Jelly got thirsty last night…”
“Then use the sink in the kitchen, damn it!” David groaned. “This is getting silly, Jelly.”
“…Sorry…”
“Ugh…” Christina slapped her palm to her forehead and growled. “It’s fine, but as long as your prepared to be our go to source of water for the day.”
“Wait, what’s going on here!? Who is this?” Abraham asked. Christina held out an arm towards Jelly and sighed.
“Abraham, Tamil, Annie…meet Jelly.”
“Hello! Jelly is happy to meet you!” Jelly squealed.
“But…but what…what is she!?” Abraham asked.
“Well, we’re not really sure. We just call her a ‘goo’ or ‘slime.’” Christine answered.
“Wow…and though I see it all!” Tamil laughed. Annie giggled at Tamil’s joke and Tamil gave a triumphant smirk. “That is how tell a good joke.”
“Oh shut up, you blind jerk…” David grumbled, trying hard not to laugh himself.
“Regardless, David go get Alex and Pen…tell them that we’ll eat breakfast before doing anymore chores and that we’ll need to have Jelly get us more water…and pray she doesn’t drink it all again.” Christina turned to Abraham, Tamil, and Annie with a polite grin. “Hope you’re hungry.”