Murder and A Half by Winter Jay (books for new readers TXT) 📖

Prolouge

The skies were black as night, sealing off any signs of life. A small whoosh of the bushes and it was gone. A flick of an ear and they were all in line. It is almost spring, one said, his voice as strong and commanding as stone. Yes, and that means we’ll go back, another voice-softer, but still commanding- spoke. They left leaving no trace that they’d been there before except one faint smell. Wolf.

Chapter One Part 1 -Jay-

Jay was still in the lead. She could hear the crowd calling her name and the stomping feet of the the eleven other racers behind her. And the one in front of Jay, her mortal enemy, Emily Brown. This was the ‘last 13’? Jay grumbled in her head. She could not speak out loud or think too much. It would waste her energy. Her ‘mother’ -her parents went missing fifteen years and four months ago, and  the police came and found her starving and cuddling herself in a corner- was as worse as she could get. She was always punishing Jay and Jay usually had to wear a sweater or a long sleeved shirt and pants to cover up the bruises, scratches, and cuts along her arms and legs. They were mostly for nothing, except the one long scar along her shoulder blade. That was from losing the gymnastics tournament six years ago. Jay had come in third place and still got appreciation and the money (the only thing Jay’s “mom” cared about). She also got  bunch of dirty and odd looks from people staring at her scars. Only about fifty more meters! Jay pushed herself to full speed whizzing ahead of Emily Brown, the most athletic and popular girl in grade eleven.  She shot Jay an angry look and sped up too, matching Jay’s speed. They ran together until the finish line. This is the last moment, Jay took one flying leap, aiming for the finish line but Emily was ready. She stuck out her foot and tripped Jay. Jay landed with a thud while Emily bounced gracefully over the finish line.

“Oh no!” Emily sneered, looking innocent, “Are you okay?” She kicked a rock over and then ran over and picked it up, “Oh it must’ve been this rock… here I’ll help you!” She reached out a hand but Jay growled and pushed it away.

“May all racers of the Last 13 please come and join me at the winning grounds.” Most people slumped over to the grounds but Emily bounded over with high pleasure and pride. Jay could feel her heart thump thump thump. She felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest and her mind was buzzing with thoughts Did I win? What if I lost? What will mother do if I lost? Maybe I could pretend I got in first? No. I’d need the ribbon. Wait. I could say there was no ribbon… Jay suddenly realized she was standing and all the other racers were staring at her, already at the stands.

“Ohh look the birdie forgot how to walk. I guess she could fly- wait! She has no wings!” Emily was laughing with the other racers so hard tears were coming out of the corners of her eyes. Jay flushed with embarrassment and stomped over to where the judges were, staring at the camera that took the photo right as the girls hit the finish line.

“Ahem. We have the results. Gracie Silvers is in third place,” said the first judge, “oh and second is Emily Brown, added the second, “and the winner for the billion dollar race, Jay Winters!”

Part 2 -Colton-

How good it felt to be human again, have a home, money, clothes. Colton pushed himself up from where he’d been lying, the snow tickling his skin. While the thought is in mind, I need find home, but first… Clothing. Colton trotted over to the nearest house and realized he knew this house. It was on his street, six houses down and across. Into the moorland. Colton suddenly wished he’d chosen a house on this side, where he’d be sheltered by the trees. Now he had the risk of a whole crowd of people seeing a naked sixteen year old boy cross the street. Oh well, I mean I don’t see anyone and- Shoot! Where are my keys! Ugh! Where in the world did I shift?! My truck is there and everything. Oh thats amazing. Just. A-ma-zing. And go to my parents house? Well lookie here my parents are still wolves. But I still have some clothes there and yeah. Colton remembered the growling in his stomach and retreated into the woods. He paused about twelve kilometers in. A small house, perfect stood is a tiny clearing in the middle of nowhere. The house was a light brown tinted with black shingles. Outside was a small girl about his age, maybe a little younger but smaller. She was feeding some birds in a smaller clearing with a bench. But she wouldn’t sit on the bench. With closer inspection he saw why. Blood. Splattered everywhere. But luckily it was dry. Colton wanted to know more so he stepped into the clearing. And the girl screamed…

 

Part 3 -Jay-

 

You know when you’re just sitting doing nothing waiting for something amazing to happen and a god to come down and kill your mother and return your parents? Well darn right I want that right now. But what do I get?! A boy naked in front of me! Every step closer I screamed until his hand brushed my mouth and I stopped. “Shh,” he hissed.

“No way am I ‘shh-ing’ you creep! What are you doing in my yard? WITHOUT CLOTHES ON?! Where ARE YOUR PARENTS!? If they were smart and not so air-headed -like you- then THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW THIS?!” I just kept yelling and wouldn’t stop. And he finally slapped his hand over my mouth.

“Thanks for letting me speak,” he grumbled sarcastically, “c’mon. We talk at my house.” He grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the woods. The winds suddenly changed and cold air replaced the warm spring-like air and the boy shivered violently and let go of my hand. He took one more step and fell to the grassy ground, groaning terribly. He looked like someone off a movie. A horror movie. Yet stunning. Horrible yet at the same time stunning. Clutching his stomach and groaning like he was going to turn into some monster. He screamed one last time as his back bended at an odd angle with a loud, CRACK.

Part 4 -Blaire-

 

Silly human. She had the scent of a wolf on her and I hesitated. Her eyes were closed and she was weeping, her head in her hands. And I wondered what her problem was. The scent was fading, slowly… slowly… slowly… I pounced. She screamed. I bit. She gasped. I ate. She lay there. Dead. I finished what I could then took the rest and buried it. I sniffed her body one more time and then it came to me. Shifter. The one thing I hated more than anything. But I could scent another smell now. I grinned, my eyes narrowing. “I’m coming for you… Colton…"

Chapter 2 Part 1 -Colton-

 “Urrhhhhggggggggggghhhhh”, I groaned. I had to shift right now… The wind shifted instead of me and I gasped, my body sprawled over the ground. The girl… That girl. She was staring at me. I gave her a smirk but her expression didn’t change, huh, maybe a little angrier, fear, awe, I dunno… I couldn’t read her. Not like other people.