# Chapter 44

Abraham stood stock still, staring at Morgan like he was spouting scripture.
“Wh-what!?”
“You’re Solomon’s grandson…you surely knew that.”
“What the hell are you talking about!? I’m…I can’t be his grandson!” Abraham shouted, struggling. “There’s no way!”
“So you had no idea that you were related to Solomon Adams?” Morgan asked, honest surprise on his face. “So was it pure luck you stumbled upon his homestead?”
“DAD NEVER TALKED ABOUT MY GRANDPARENTS! I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER MET THEM!”
“Of course you wouldn’t have. Your father, Robert Adams, changed his name to Robert Singer to hide his family from the Dawn Bringers. He intended to build an establishment for monsters and other supernatural creatures to reside…a monster sanctuary. But we caught on to him before that could happen…we thought we’d stamped out that whole ordeal.”
“YOU’RE LYING!”
“Why should I lie?” Morgan hissed. “Do you think I’d waste my time with you if you WEREN’T related to that detestable family in some way? You’re nothing! A human brat who got in over his head with an underground war you know next to nothing about. The only reason you’re of such high priority is your family…the Adams.”
Abraham didn’t know what to say. Tears began to climb to his eyes and make his throat tremble angrily. He could barely speak if he even had the will. He couldn’t believe it. And yet…yet it all felt right somehow. He had felt so at home with the club…had that been because he truly belonged among them, or because Solomon was in fact his real family? Could Solomon have somehow known about it all along? Why hadn’t he said anything…and why hadn’t his father mentioned any of this to him!? Abraham reached up to Morgan’s hand, clutching his throat and felt the bitter tears roll down his cheeks. If Solomon really was his grandfather…then this man…this bastard…had taken him from this world forever.
“Tears?” Morgan asked. “Remorse for your family?”
“Shut your mouth!” Abraham snapped. “You asshole…you took everything from me. I shouldn’t be here…I need to get back to my family!”
“Hmph, you’re delusional. You have no family.”
“YOU’RE the one who’s delusional. The Monster Club IS my family.” Abraham swung another kick and this time it connected, pushing Morgan back some. Once his grip weakened, Abraham sprinted away from him around the barn. “CHRISTINA! ALEX! ANYONE!! HELP!” Abraham was knocked to the ground by Morgan, who had recovered and lept on top of him, drawing a knife from his hip.
“Little brat! Get ready t-GAAAAAAAAAH!” Abraham looked up just in time to see Morgan falling on his back, wrestling with a large purplish mass that had flung itself on him. The mass was fluid and practically flowing like water.
“GET THIS THING OFF ME!” Morgan roared. “WHAT IS IT!?”
“…Jelly!?” Abraham cried. Sure enough, Abraham could see the face of Jelly amongst the gooey mass as she wrestled Morgan to the ground. Morgan swung punches and kicks at her, but her fluid body simply absorbed the blows and his arms and legs just slipped right through her. She was entirely unharmed. But as for Morgan, he was struggling to breath. “JELLY STAY THERE! I’M GONNA GET HELP!”
“YOU DID THIS!? YOU CALLED THIS THING TO ATTACK!?”
“Naw, that’s just how Jelly says hello.” Abraham spun around to see Alex marching past him towards the struggling Morgan. “Jelly, don’t ya dare let’m go.”
“Bad man not gonna move!” Jelly squealed, her body enveloping him forcefully. Morgan could barely struggle against Jelly’s body.
“Abraham, get inside…tell Christina what’s goin’ on. We can’t let’m tell anyone we’re here.”
“You’re…what’re you gonna do?” Abraham asked. Sudden memories replayed in Abrahams head of Asher when he’d bitten into and killed that Dawn Bringer agent so long ago…
“What we have ta in order ta survive.” Alex replied. “It’s best ya not see.” He answered. Abraham looked from the struggling Morgan to Alex. He thought about how savage Asher had been…the killing intent in his eyes…the ferocity and the hatred. Alex…would he have the same look in his eyes? What about Christina? Would she? Was this how it was going to be for them all the time?
“Abraham?”
“Sorry just…I hate his guts too but…does he really have to die? If you kill him, it just proves their point…that we can’t coexist with humanity.” Alex glanced back at Abraham, a hint of solemn remorse in his eyes.
“Abraham, I understand how ya feel, but this is fer our own survival.” He growled. “We ain’t got the resources an capability ta fight off an attack if he tells someone.”
“But if we kill him-”
“Abraham…” Abraham stopped talking when he heard Christina’s voice. She walked behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently and encouragingly. “…we don’t disagree…it’d be wonderful if humans and monsters could live together in peace….but as long as people like this man exist, that’ll never happen. We can’t put our family in danger out of a blind hope that he’ll stay silent.” Abraham started to argue but again fell silent before he could bring out the right words.
“I just thought…”
“Abraham, you being here is proof that it’s not impossible.” Christina urged. “Please don’t think this is your fault…”
“You freaks!” Morgan screamed, trying to pull himself out of Jelly’s clutches. “Go ahead and kill me! Get it over with you monsters!” Christina sneered and grabbed her sunglasses.
“Jelly…get off of him. I’ll take care of this. Take Abraham inside and get him cleaned up…we need to get him ready to leave.” Jelly did as ordered and slithered off of Morgan, running over to Abraham and taking his hand in her slime fingers. Morgan made a move to get up, but Christina ripped off her shades and, though Abraham couldn’t see what her eyes looked like from behind her, Morgan’s whole body went limp like a rag doll.
“Shouldn’t look!” Jelly warned. “Christina’s eyes super scary!”
“Okay…okay…” Abraham muttered, following her inside. He tried not to think about what was going on outside. When he walked in, he saw Pen sitting on a flower pot edge, glancing out the window with a bitter look on his face. He was watching it happen…he could see it.
“Pen?” Abraham grumbled.
“It’s best you don’t watch.” Pen replied.
“Why…why does it have to be this way?” I asked him. Pen didn’t answer at first but just rubbed his hair.
“Abraham…at the end of the day…you need to remember there’s a reason that humans hate us…and there’s a reason we hide.” Pen finally answered. “Despite what you might wish to believe…humans will always fear that which they do not understand, or those that are far different from them…particularly in manners that are of a dangerous variety. Some of us…like Christina…are terribly dangerous. Whilst someone like myself or Alex might eventually fit in well with society…Jelly, Christina, and David….would find it incredibly difficult. It is this reality that seperates us. This…cold truth. It’s not enough to merely blame human bigotry…they have reason to fear us…and it is truly a miracle you do not.”
Pens words felt like weights upon Abraham’s shoulders, pressing him down and making him feel exhausted and also rather uncertain. It was true. He remembered how he’d felt the first few days he’d spent with the club; that feeling of fear and uncertainty. They were monsters to him then. Inhuman and terrifying. But over time he’d looked past what they were…he’d learned to accept them. Even so, could he ignore what they were? Yes, who they are was important, but Pen’s point stood firm…WHAT they are cannot be cast aside. If Michelle were to transform into her wolf form near a populated city…if Asher were to be deprived of blood for a few days too long…and then there was Sarah and Katie….how would society treat them?! A freak show? A circus? A lab? Pen looked up, taking notice on the concern in Abraham’s face.
“You okay?”
“No…no I’m honestly not. I got so caught up in seeing the club as my family…that I…didn’t think about them as monsters.”
“Is not bad thing!” Tamil cried. Abraham, Pen, and Jelly spun around to see Tamil leaning against the wall, feeling his way towards them with Annie holding his hand as they walked.
“Tamil? Annie?”
“Is not bad that see us for more than monster!” Tamil snapped. “Do not speak like we beasts!”
“But Pen’s right…I can’t just disregard that-”
“NOT DISREGARD!” Tamil roared, causing Abraham and even Annie to gasp. Tamil had never looked so angry before. “AM NOT A MONSTER, ABRAHAM!! WHAT IS MONSTER!? MONSTER IS EVIL…MONSTER IS CREATURE THAT WANT HURT! I DO NOT WANT HURT! WE ONLY WANT TO HELP!”
“…Tamil I didn’t mean to upset you…”
“Tamil?” Annie asked, tugging his hand encouragingly. Tamil shook his head and then raised it again, his blind eyes unfocused…but filled with passion.
“So what if not human? So what if some dangerous? Yes…Michelle dangerous…and yes…Asher dangerous also…but so humans too! Humans were what blew up the club house! Humans that sent us here! Humans so much better than us!? MAYBE NOT ONLY MONSTERS, YES!?” Abraham walked towards Tamil and took his shoulder in a tight grip and wrapped his other arm around his decaying friend. Tamil clung tightly to Abraham in a firm embrace.
“You’re right Tamil…you’re absolutely right…I just have so much on my mind. I’m concerned about what we need to do next…”
“Because Morgan say Solomon was grandfather?” Abrahams eyes widened in surprise.
“How did you hear that!?”
“Am blind…not deaf. Can hear well. Sent Alex and Jelly find you when hear.”
“So that’s how they knew what was happening…thanks Tamil.” Abraham added. “And don’t worry…we’re headed home in the morning.”
“Club will be safe when return…we go and we…we be family again!” Tamil sighed in relief. Annie giggled and smiled excitedly.
“Everything’s gonna be okay!” She squealed.

“I hope so.” Pen nodded. “I truly do. Now Jelly…if you wouldn’t mind getting them cleaned off, then they can start packing.”
“Jelly clean good!” She smiled and ran to Tamil.
“How does she plan to cle-YIKES!” Jelly suddenly hugged Tamil tightly, causing Tamil to scream in surprise and discomfort. To their surprise though, the dirt and sand from Tamil’s bandages and body were coming off and swirling around in Jelly’s body! Her fluid form acted like a cleaning agent, removing the scum and dirt from their bodies.
“Jelly is better than a hot shower for getting you cleaned up…though it’s not nearly as relaxing.” Pen laughed. “It comes in handy when the plumbing is backed up or when the water heater won’t work.”  
“I-I think I’ll just take a bath…” Abraham argued respectfully.
“We don’t have a lot of time. You need to leave by midnight.”
“What?! But I thought you wanted us to leave in the morning? Why so early?”
“There’s no telling if that Morgan fellow contacted anyone else before approaching you. It’s important that you’re up and gone by the time his friends arrive.” Pen explained. “Midnight means cover under the darkness. You’ll need to take Jelly with you as well. She has the forest pathways memorized and can travel them in the dark fine. David can’t…besides…the big baby is afraid of the dark.” The look on Pen’s face told Abraham that, were David around to hear that remark, he might’ve become rather loud and defensive. “Now enough of that…Jelly, hurry up!”
“Yes, Jelly knows.” Jelly giggled, hugging Abraham next. Abraham cringed as his whole body felt as if it had just been emersed in slime. But at the same time, he felt strangely relieved…refreshed somehow. The coolness of her body felt like it was sliding along his body and pulling away the fatigue and the roughness. As he glanced down, he could see filth and dirt…even sweat rolling off his skin and into her body mass. Jelly never lost her entertained grin either. This was all just second nature to her.
“Oh man…this feels too weird.”
“It hurts?” Jelly asked. “Jelly doesn’t mean to hurt you…”
“No it doesn’t hurt it…just feels…strange.”
“Strange?” Jelly asked curiously.
“He means that it’s new for him, Jelly.” Pen explained.
“OH! You never been clean before?” Jelly laughed. “Well now you get all clean!” She was like a child the way she spoke…and yet the way she’d wrestled Morgan…this was a dangerous blob. Jelly seemed to represent that thin line between what was a monster and what was a friend. How thin could that line get though…and how close could Abraham’s family come to crossing it?