Prologue
“I’m afraid to inform you that you, Emmett Newsberry, were never meant to exist.”
Obviously being told such a mind reeling thing by a complete stranger, mind you one that was a giant in every sense of the word and had terribly yellow teeth from the lack of basic hygiene was a position one never thought they’d be in. Especially when one is cornered in the small and positively disgusting bathroom of a rundown McDonalds. Emmett blinked owlishly at the man before him, shirt sticking uncomfortably to his skin from an unpleasant mixture of summer heat induced sweat and lukewarm soda. “Do I know you?” he asked cautiously, pausing his movements of wiping away the remains of diet Pepsi from his t-shirt.
The man bobbed his head up and down, stroking his chin as if deep in thought. “Yes, you were never meant to be here,” he said easily, clasping his bony and spindly hands over his chest. Not exactly answering Emmett’s question at all. A crooked grin appeared on his face as he observed Emmett. “And I do not just mean in a rundown town in Ohio, I mean here right now, you are an oddity. Oddities tend not to exist, right?”
Emmett shoved the soaked napkins into the nearby trash can, silently noting the obvious stain that no amount of washing would remove. Perhaps he was the one who was relatively crazy considering how unfazed he was at the very moment, figuring the man was a weirdo trying to play a prank. He glanced around quickly to locate any hidden cameras. “Look sir, I get prank videos are cool and all ‘hip’ with the kids online, but I’m really not in the mood,” he said. The man made a face of displeasure at the word ‘sir’ and Emmett held back his own look at the man’s presence. “I should really get going.” “Francis Brekker,” the man replied, ignoring Emmett’s attempts to politely extract himself from the situation in favor of introducing himself. He leaned against the wall beside the entrance, gangly limbs awkwardly situated themselves into an uncomfortable looking position. If it was, he made no effort to let it be known. “A prank video? I’ve never heard that assumption before.”
The brunette squinted up at the man, silently cursing his genetics for being below average. “I’m sorry, but once again do I know you?” he questioned.
Francis opened his mouth to speak when the door swung open, a woman just as much as a giant as the man (if not more) entering, heels clicking against the floor as she strode into the bathroom. Francis carefully shut the door behind her, pouting as she walked by him. “I told you to wait in the car,” he said, a whine edging it’s way into his voice.
“You took too long and I’m out of cigarettes,” she grunted out, placing her hands on her wide hips as she stopped in front of Emmett. She bent at the waist to meet his gaze and the boy swallowed thickly as she arched a perfectly shaped brow. Her breath smelled of cheap tobacco and mint gum. “Is this him?”
“Yes,” Francis replied just as Emmett weakly stated; “This is the men’s room.”
“And we’re both very clearly far from being men, so technically we both shouldn’t be in here now should we?” the woman shot back, gripping his jaw between two painted fingers. She inspected his face with a scowl and her nose was almost pressed up against Emmett’s own as piercing green eyes darted over him. Emmett swallowed thickly.
He wondered briefly if he was about to be kidnapped. Which was obviously never fortunate, but considering the place they currently were in and the state of Emmett’s clothing just made the entire situation worse. “You’ve grown quite a bit,” she said, releasing his face and straightening up. “Although for a boy your age I must admit you look quite young.”
“Do I know you?” Emmett repeated exasperatedly. He was mildly offended despite knowing fully well she was right, however a random woman saying it so harshly to his face wasn’t exactly pleasant.
She blew a bubble of gum, chomping down on it with her teeth to create a satisfying pop. She fished out another piece from her dress pocket and stared at him as she unwrapped it. “My name is Michelle Brekker,” she introduced herself, voice deep and mildly terrifying. “You don’t know me, but I can assure you that I definitely know you.”
