Shades of Cool, Tyler Galpin

TWELVE. rabbit-hearted girl

The sky was dark blue by the time they reached the middle of the woods. The three of them finally came across the old meeting house. Kennedy had a sketchy feeling. "I'm definitely getting Blair Witch vibes. Maybe we shouldn't be here."

"You can go back. Andy and I can handle it ourselves," Wednesday responded, keeping her eyes on the abandoned building.

They walked ahead of her. Kennedy scoffed. "I never said I couldn't handle it," she mumbled and followed them.

"Maybe she's right, Wednesday. Tyler said there's nothing left in there. How is this supposed to help us?" Andy voiced her skepticism.

"Don't lose faith yet, Andromeda."

They walked into the ruins. Everything was gone except an old fireplace that was still in tact. Andy felt chills on her arms. Hearing a noise, she looked down and saw Thing crawl out of Wednesday's bag.

"I was expecting more, too." Wednesday voiced.

Kennedy touched the rotting wood. Then, she grimaced. "Again, how is going to help you?"

"Maybe if we touch something—" Andy started to say to her sister, but she stopped when she saw a homeless man emerge from under a tarp. She stilled. "Wednesday."

"Who you talking to, little girls?" He spoke in a threatening tone.

Kennedy rushed over. "Hey, back off." She snapped.

"Use "little" and "girl" to address me again and I can't guarantee your safety." Wednesday stood her ground.

"This is my place. Get out!"

"Thing," Andy spoke, still glaring at the man.

Commending, Thing scoped towards the homeless man and crawled up his body. He started choking him. The three girls watched Thing yank him around the old house and drag him out.

"And to answer your question, no. We can't just touch something," Wednesday directed to Andy. "These visions seem to happen spontaneously."

Thing clawed at the ground.

"I would rather dye my hair pink than ask our mother for advice."

Kennedy watched him scratch one of the burnt logs. "I don't think he believes you," she spoke, cutting her eyes to the sisters.

"Oh, you want me to prove it to you?" Wednesday challenged and stuck her hand to the pillar. "No."

Andy rolled her eyes.

Then, she walked to the other side of the house and touched the rotting walls. "Nothing." She picked up a crumbled Taco Bell bag from off the ground. "I bet this will give us a real insight." She faked having a vision.

"It's late. We should get out of here. Clearly nothing here's going to help," Kennedy spoke logically.

"She's right. Maybe we can come back tomorrow," Andy said as Wednesday walked past them.

As she said that, Wednesday pushed open the door and the sisters were pulled into a vision.

"Jesus!" Kennedy yelped as Andy fell to the ground. She quickly dropped to her knees. "Andy!" All of a sudden, it started to rain, and she watched it pour inside the house. "Oh, great."

Minutes, Andy and Wednesday came out of the vision, gasping for air. Andy looked around the burnt house in horror, her dark eyes wide and fearful.

"Kennedy, Thing, we saw her! The girl from our visions!" Wednesday outbursts. "Her name is Goody Addams, and I believe she's mine and Andy's ancestor from 400 years ago."

"He sent them to their death," Andy voiced shakily. She looked all around the house. "All of them. Crackstone, he. . .they burned them alive in here."

Kennedy reached out and touched her shoulder. "It's okay, Andy."

Suddenly, Wednesday heard a noise from outside the meeting house. She climbed to her feet and peeked through the burnt wood.

"What do you see?" Her sister inquired, moving her wrt hair out of her face.

She didn't see anything abdominal through the dreary fog. "Must've been the bearded man from earlier." Wednesday said loudly over the rain.

Kennedy screamed when she saw the monster's eyes through the wood. "What the hell is that?!"

"We have to go!" Andy panicked and quickly rose to her feet.

"Come on! Come on!" Wednesday urged.

They sprinted outside the burnt house. Kennedy started to run until she saw the sisters going the opposite way. "Where the hell are you going?" She shouted.

"I think it was this way!" Wednesday yelled back.

She watched them run to the pathway where the monster had ran to. Her jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?" She yelled again, not receiving an answer this time. Kennedy looked between them and the way she knew led back to Jericho. She huffed loudly and ran to catch up with them.

Wednesday looked down at the ground and saw the monster's footprints in the mud. "Andy," she hit her sister on the arm.

Andy wiped the rain drops from her face and looked down. The footprints were large. She cursed herself for not having a phone to take a picture of it as evidence. But then she felt confused when the monster footprints transitioned into human footprints. She gingerly touched Wednesday's arm. "Do you see that?"

Instead of answering, Wednesday crouched down, her eyes observant.

Kennedy finally reached them. "What the hell are you guys going?" She questioned with tired breaths.

"The monster's human," was Wednesday's declaration.

"What the hell are you guys doing?"

Kennedy screamed again and whirled around. When she saw that it was Xavier standing there, she rolled her eyes. "Xavier, you don't just sneak up on three teenage girls in the woods!" She yelled at him.

Andy eyed him weirdly. She rose back to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

"We were following the monster," Wednesday told him.

"You saw it?" He said, his eyes growing slightly wide. "It's here? Do you guys have a death wish or something?"

"No. I was actually trying to get the hell out of here," said Kennedy, causing the sisters an annoyed glare.

"My sister asked you a question. What exactly are you doing here?" Wednesday repeated her sister's question, now looking at him suspiciously.

"I overheard you guys say you were checking out the old meeting house. Guess it's lucky I showed up when I did."

"Yeah, lucky us," Kennedy said sarcastically.

"We did learn one thing. The monster is human. Its track turned from monster prints to human prints," Wednesday explained.

"Show me."

The three girls turned their heads to the ground. The footprints washed away with the rain. "The rain washed them away."

"Of course it did. Why wouldn't it?" Kennedy mumbled sarcastically.

Andy heard Xavier scoff. She gave him a harsh stare. "We know what we saw."

"I'm trying to keep an open mind."

"How big of you," Wednesday muttered.

They started walking the path. Kennedy was gritting her teeth at the fact that Xavier was with them. She really wanted to just take off through the woods on her own. Her feet listened to her, apparently, because she walked faster than them, wrapping her arms around herself.

Andy casted Xavier one more stare before she followed her. Him and Wednesday continued at their own pace. "You okay?" She asked Kennedy.

"I can't believe he just showed up here: I mean, did he follow us?"

She blinked.

Kennedy sighed heavily. "I can't go one night without him being around, I swear."

"I'm guessing the two of you never got back on good terms?"

Kennedy scoffed. "If he was on fire, I wouldn't even spit on him." She visualized.

Andy slowly nodded. "I'll take that as a no." She mumbled and they continued walking until they reached Jericho. "Can't say I blame you. I'd hate him if he hurt me like that, too."

Kennedy looked down at her. Then, she peered over her shoulder, watching Wednesday and Xavier have their conversation. An awful feeling of pain hit her stomach like a gut punch. Kennedy looked ahead of her again and wrapped her arms tighter around her waist. She hated feeling this way.

Andy hardly slept that night. The vision from yesterday wouldn't her mind. All she could see was those poor outcasts chained in the meeting house, feeling hopeless and scared. And to watch the meeting house be set on fire with all of them in it was sickening.

"You haven't said a word all morning," Wednesday observed once they arrived in Jericho for the statue revealing. "What's going on with you?"

Andy slowed down her pace. "I've been thinking about what we saw," she told her while watching the group of Nevermore students walk to town hall. "I can't stop feeling the way it made me feel."

"What's that?" Wednesday questioned.

"She looked exactly like you, Wednesday. And. . ." Andy looked away from her, feeling herself become vulnerable, and she hated it. "To see her being treated like that and almost sent to her death. I don't know. . .it made me think of you."

Her sister's pinched eyebrows softened.

"I thought about us and our family, if it was us in those people's position. It's not a good feeling."

Wednesday studied her. Andromeda was always different. She knew it from the minute she was born, which is partly why she tried to kill her as a baby. They didn't need somebody who was different in their family. Andy was quiet. She kept to herself. Her heart resembled that of a rabbit, while Wednesday was all wolf, blood on her teeth at all times. Sister relationships are complicated. It's one most would describe as cowardly. They did not voice their feelings to each other like normal sisters did. They did not hold each other for confront or wipe each other's tears. They never cried. They say things they can't take back. Wednesday says them because she can't help but say them, usually because she's so angry that it comes out of her throat and out of her eyes.

And it wasn't to say that she would never not protect her sister. Andromeda was younger. Gentler. Though Wednesday found her weak, she was family. A part of her. The Addams family is one thing you never mess with in Wednesday's book.

But even so, Wednesday knew she was different as well. Her family expressed their love for one another. She didn't believe in love at all. "There's no need to worry about me, Andromeda. There's bigger things to worry about."

The corner of Andy's lips turned down. "Maybe. I guess I was just hoping that if it was me instead then maybe you'd be worried."

Wednesday's eyes shifted downward.

Not feeling the need to say anything else, Andy walked past her to the cafe.

"Where're you going?"

She paused and turned around. "Don't worry," Andy voiced and held up small canteen of gasoline. "I won't lose it."

Tyler looked up when he heard the bell go off on the door. He saw Andy walk in, looking despondent. "Hey," he spoke while growing a smile. Then he saw the metal canteen of gasoline in her grip and the smile faded. "Do I want to know?"

"Probably not," she answered and put the canteen on one of the booth tables.

"Right," Tyler muttered. He took notice of the frown perched on her lips. "Are you okay?"

Andy sat down. "Are you busy?" She inquired.

"Uhhh," he looked around the cafe. There was a total of five people. Most of the crowd was outside getting ready to watch the grant statue reveal. "No, I guess not." Tyler answered. "Do you, uh, want anything?"

She simply stared at him.

His lips quirked up. "I'll go make it real quick," he declared and walked off.

Andy felt herself wanting to smile. She rubbed her hands along the skirt of her uniform.

Tyler never made a hot chocolate faster in his life. He grabbed the cup and swiftly made his way back to her table. "So, did you and Wednesday make a discovery yesterday?" He asked and sat across from her.

Andy sipped the hot chocolate. "A little more than a discovery, I'd say," she muttered.

Tyler's eyebrows pinched together. "What's the matter?"

"Do you ever feel like nobody understands you?" It came out quicker than she expected. Her eyes went wide. "Sorry. That just slipped out."

"No, no, it's okay," he reassured her. "Um. . .yeah. I feel that way all the time."

"It's like all people see when they look at me is an outcast. They don't see a person. I am a person. I have feelings," Andy rambled. "And I try so hard to get her to see me, but she doesn't. She doesn't care to."

"Are you talking about Wednesday?" Tyler questioned. He had one hand on the table and was tapping his nails against the table.

She nodded silently. Her dark eyes filled with hurt, making her look like a puppy that just got kicked.

"I don't have any siblings, but, don't all sisters not get along sometimes?"

"It's not that we don't get along. She. . .She just doesn't like me." Andy settled on. "She doesn't like anyone, but, it's clear that she doesn't care about me."

Tyler frowned. "Andy, that's not true."

She shook her head. "You don't live with her, Tyler. You don't see how she is. I've always been different from her and our family. Wednesday looks at me like I don't belong." Andy stared at the hot chocolate in her cup, feeling a heavy weight on her chest. "Maybe I don't."

"Don't say that."

"I don't."

"That's not true," said Tyler, lightly shaking his head. "Yeah, you're not like everyone else. But who cares what people think? There's nothing wrong with you, Andy."

Her gaze softened.

"I understand how you feel. Believe me. It's hard being the sheriff's son around here. People are always watching me. Saying stuff about me," Tyler told her. "They look at me differently, too. I hate it. That's why when you said you and Wednesday were leaving town, I wish I could go, too. To escape all of this."

Andy leaned forward. "Yeah, I remember that," she said softly. "Sorry. I know you don't want to hear my sob stories."

Tyler's lips curled into a half smile. "No, I-I don't mind. I like hearing what you have to say."

The smile she was trying to avoid appeared. Andy looked down at her cup again, the smile unobtainable. What she was feeling was foreign, something she never experience in her life. It was like she was floating. Like she was on a different planet or something. An out of body experience. She liked it.

"Tyler."

Tyler's eyes widened when he saw his dad walk into the cafe. "Dad," he spoke nervously.

Sheriff Galpin took slow steps toward their table. He eyed the girl suspiciously, Andy tightening her jaw under his stare. She nonchalantly put the canteen of gasoline into her satchel. "Shouldn't you be outside with the others?"

"Dad," Tyler scolded his father's behavior.

"And shouldn't you be working?"

Andy narrowed her eyes at the man. She gave Tyler a quick glance. "Thanks for the talk." She grabbed her satchel and scooted out of the booth. She searched for some money for the hot chocolate.

Tyler put out his hand. "Don't worry about it. It's on the house," he told her, ignoring the stern look he was getting from his father.

She blinked. "Oh, you don't have to—"

"Seriously, Andy, it's okay."

Andy side eyed the sheriff, his hands firm on his hips. She rolled she lips back into a smile. She casted Tyler a final look before leaving the cafe.

The statue of Joseph Crackstone stood on display like a trophy. The sun shined on the bronze like liquid gold. It was disgusting. Knowing what she knew now, Andy wished to scream the truth to everybody who praised him. But what good would that do? She was a Nevermore freak and Crackstone, to everyone else, was a hero.

Not on her watch.

Kennedy stood beside her. "You and Wednesday get that same evil look in your eyes. What are you planning?"

Evilness ran deep in the bones of the Addams family. There was no denying that Andromeda was an Addams, especially in moments such as this one. "You'll see."

"Andy," Wednesday spoke her name. She joined the two of them, dark eyes cutting to Kennedy. "Kennedy."

"Wednesday," Kennedy said back. She looked at her cello case and smirked. "Excited for your performance?"

She wasn't impressed. "I've been more excited to dig up dead bodies," she responded blankly. She eyed her sister. "You know what to do, right?"

"Yes. You've only reminded me a hundred times," Andy replied and walked away.

Kennedy whistled under her breath. "Sisterly tension?" She supposed.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Wednesday responded.

"She didn't really sleep last night. I woke up and saw her staring at the ceiling with her arms crossed over her chest. Kind of like she was in a coffin. It was kinda creepy."

"I tried to bury her alive when we were kids."

Kennedy's eyes went wide.

Wednesday looked up at her. "Don't worry, she got out in time."

"Right," she muttered. "I guess I should go join the crowd." She smirked before she walked off. "Have fun out there, cello girl."

Wednesday narrowed her eyes into slits. "I prefer Goth Girl."

"Okay, Goth Girl. Have fun out there. I'll be cheering for you."

"Do that and I'll tear out your vocal cords."

Andy hid herself behind the bleachers. She looked down at Thing. He gave her a thumbs up. Andy crouched down and took a match out of her pocket. "Make me proud," she whispered and gave it to him.

She stood back up and made sure nobody was looking her way. Wednesday was seated with her cello. Andy found an open spot on the bleachers next to Kennedy and Enid.

"It is my honor to celebrate our town's hi온라인카지노게임 and Jericho's noble forefather, Joseph Crackstone," Mayor Walker announced, Principal Weems standing next to him. "Now, he believed that with a happy heart and an open ear, there was nothing our town couldn't achieve. So, together as one, our community and our friends at Nevermore Academy, we've built a monument to celebrate his memory. Now may the spirit of Joseph Crackstone be memorialized for eternity."

"How about we don't?" Kennedy mumbled.

The marching band and Wednesday began playing a rendition of Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac. It was written all over her face that she didn't want to be there. The news team took pictures of Mayor Walker and Weems in front of the statue.

Wednesday's dark gaze found her sister's in the crowd. Andy gave one singular nod back.

Water began to flow from the fountain and the towns people erupted in cheers and claps. Andy's gaze at them all was sharp. She started counting down in her head. When she saw the sparks erupt from the corner of her eye, Andy turned her head slightly and saw the trail of gasoline ignite all around the trail to the back of the statue. There was an explosion that sent everybody into a frenzy. Crackstone's statue erupted in flames. The towns people and Nevermore students scattered from the bleachers, but Andy remained in place, smirking with evil satisfaction. Wednesday's state of euphoria caused her to play her cello louder and faster.

Sheriff Galpin watched the Addams sisters remain calm and terrifyingly delighted as everybody ran around in panic. His eyes narrowed.