04. ▹ THE BANSHEE

     CARTER LOOKED OVER AT the unconscious boy, letting out a sigh as an older woman placed a strong scent next to an unconscious Jackson, making him almost instantly awaken. Jackson looked around, finding himself in an all-white room with an older woman sitting besides him and Carter standing a few feet away.

    "Where am I? What happened?" Jackson asked in slight panic. The woman moved aside when Carter approached them.

     "We're not sure, but after my shift ended at the pub I was on my way home and I saw you knocked out against the brick walls." Carter recalled, hoping Jackson would remember what happened. Jackson sat up slowly, holding onto the edge of the couch for better balance, seeing as he was feeling dizzy. Great.

     "Why didn't you just take me to my place?" Jackson questioned. Carter rolled his eyes.

     "First off, I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed up there, and second, I didn't know if you were maybe seriously injured, so I just brought you here instead." Carter shrugged. Jackson looked around once more, closing his eyes and sighing.

     "What is this place? Your house?" Jackson asked in a bitter tone. Carter smiled as he watched Jackson groan in slight pain from his injuries. Carter felt as if Jackson tried too hard to be a bad boy. Jackson groaned in pain again. Even though he healed almost immediately due to his abilities, he still felt a bit sore.

    "Something like that." Carter said. "It's the place my mother left me and my sister at when we were little. It's like a sanctuary for witches. We don't live here anymore, I have my own place but I do visit often and sometimes I stay here as well." Carter explained with a small shrug. Jackson nodded and stood up, his back cracking loudly as he stretched.

     "Well, could you let me go now? I'm fine." Jackson demanded. Carter grinned and tossed Jackson his jacket from the couch behind him and put his own hoodie on as he motioned for him to follow out a door.

     "Mulțumesc, Helen." Carter thanked as he bowed his head and kissed the top of the older woman's salt-and-peppered head.
[ "Thank you, Helen." ]

     "You're welcome, darling." Helen cooed. "Take care, and please be safe out there." Helen replied sweetly before Carter and Jackson exited the house. Jackson followed Carter in silence, not exactly sure of what to say. Should he thank him? Simply follow him in silence? Invite him into his house? He didn't know.

     "What happened to you?" Carter then asked after a few minutes of walking in complete silence. Jackson shrugged.

     "I don't know, I was just walking home and suddenly I heard like a— scream, or a screech, and I went flying into a wall." Jackson explained. Carter nodded.

     "So a banshee attacked you. Great, hope it was just in a really bad mood and isn't an American werewolf serial killer." Carter joked and chuckled, and for once, he saw Jackson slightly smile. Keyword: Slightly.

     "Well, uh, thanks for picking me up back there, who knows where I'd be now if you hadn't done that." Jackson thanked genuinely yet awkwardly. It was strange even to himself that he had thanked the witch, but he hoped Carter wouldn't overthink his gratitude. Carter nodded, waving to Jackson as he began to walk up to his house once they reached that point in the alley. Carter walked back to his place after, finding his sister, angry, and sitting at a couch while eating cookies.

     "Uh oh, why the grumpy face, Elouise?" Carter asked in a baby voice and tossed his house keys onto a small table besides the couch as he sat down next to his sister on said couch.

     "Oh nothing, I just got attacked by some crazy banshee bitch. She's a bloody crazy person, she just came out of nowhere!" Elouise shouted as she explained. Carter furrowed his eyebrows.

     "Wait, a banshee attacked you? That's strange, a banshee attacked my friend Jackson too, left him knocked out in the alley." Carter informed her. Elouise turned the television off, full attention on him now.

     "Maybe there's some crazy banshee going around and attacking us supernaturals?" Eloise suggested. Carter thought about the possibility for a moment before his phone began to ring.

     "Hello? Raven? Did you get attacked by a banshee too?"

     "Not me, but turn on the news." Raven said and quickly hung up. Carter instantly did as told and rushed to turn on the news.

     "It is unknown who is behind these sudden murders, but we advice everyone to lock their doors and have some type of weapon in case this murderer arrives at your door. If anyone has any information about this person or comes in contact with them, do not engage and call 999 immediately."

     Carter's eyes widened as he turned towards Elouise. Elouise stood up and looked out the large living room window to the people rushing into their homes and off the streets, locking their doors and shutting off lights.

     "Did you manage to see the banshee's face, Elouise?" Carter asked calmly in attempt to not alarm his baby sister. Eloise nodded, beginning to describe her as Carter attempted to sketch her out in a notebook before scribbling all over the drawing in frustration.

     "Screw this, I knew I shouldn't have dropped that art class." He recalled in annoyance. "Come on, let's get to the others, it's safer there. Take only what's necessary." Carter instructed. The siblings wasted no time in packing a few items into backpacks and snatching their keys off the table before locking up their home and walking back into the dark alley.

     "Where are we going, Carter? The house is the other way, in case you've forgotten!" Elouise shouted. Carter hushed her as he took a turn towards Jackson's house.

     "I know. But my werewolf friend lives up here, I'm just going to warn him." He said. Elouise nodded.

     "I'll stay down here and keep watch, but you must hurry." She pleaded. Carter nodded, jogging up to the metallic gates and shouting out to Jackson.

     "Jackson! Open up, it's urgent!" Carter turned every few seconds to keep an eye on his sister, talking fast when Jackson finally stepped outside and over to the gate.

     "Carter? What are you—"

     "Look, I have to go, but that banshee that attacked you? It really is a serial killer, you have to stay safe. I don't know how safe your place is, but Elouise and I are going to that house I took you to, if you ever need anything, you're welcome there."

     "Thanks? But, wait I—" Jackson was once again interrupted as both boys turned around.

     "Carter! Let's go already!" Elouise  whisper-shouted at her brother, afraid the banshee would show up.

     Carter sighed. "Sorry, I have to go." He said and ran back to Elouise. Jackson shrugged and made his way inside as he watched the siblings speed down the alley.