A to Z Challenge - N is for No one

I'm writing one story over the course of the Challenge.

If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.

N IS FOR NO ONE

Abby's hands had never glowed in the day, in front of other adults, nor at the introduction of a human. Since it was obviously morning and there were adults around, it meant Burrows wasn't human.

"Good morning, Miss Burrows." Demetrius pushed Abby to the side, making the writer focus her attention on him. And oh, did her attention focus on him. "My sister here is a big fan, but she never told me how lovely you are. Talented and beautiful. A rare combination." He smiled that killer smile of his and leaned on the table. His gaze was smoky under long lashes.

"Oh, well, uh, thank you." Burrows fumbled, blushing and pushing up her glasses with her index finger. "It's always, uh, nice to meet my fans. Please, call me Myrtle."

Abby left the book on the table and stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. She could stop the swords from emerging, but not the glow. She couldn't do anything here. She wasn't even sure what she should do. Burrows didn't look to be a threat. She was barely managing to talk when faced with Demetrius' charm. There as no such thing as a false alarm with her powers, though.

What's going on? Where's the danger? Tawa asked from within the backpack, urgency in her voice.

That was the question. Was Burrows dangerous? Or was there something around her? Abby didn't dare say another word with Demetrius continuing to chat up the writer.

Burrows absently signed Abby's copy and pushed it back to her without even looking. She smiled and giggled like girl at his compliments.

Retrieving herself from the shock, Abby picked up the book and stepped back with her hands hidden in her sleeves. She thought he was laying it on too heavily, but then Burrows agreed to meet them for coffee later at a nearby cafe. He gave her a parting wink and sauntered out of the bookstore, not waiting for his "sister" to catch up until he was outside.

Abby was barely limping as she hurried after him. Once out of view of the shop's windows, she put the book in her backpack and poked him on the arm. "What was that all about? That wasn't the plan."

"I saved you from revealing yourself in there. I had to give the woman something more interesting to think about than glowing hands." Demetrius shot back. He grabbed her forearms and looked at her hands. "They're not glowing any more. Why where they? I didn't sense any beasts in there and Burrows is obviously human."

"I don't know." Abby huffed, yanking herself free from his grip. "Something is up with her, obviously. And the children...." She shook her head as her chest tightened. "How does no one see something is wrong here?"

Because adults only see what they want to see. You know that, Tawa replied in a sage tone. These people probably see a virus going around and making children ill.

"And all the missing children?" Abby asked.

Runaways. Kids have all sorts of weird pacts these days, Tawa said. Also, children eaten by monsters leave a sort of strange void. The parents know they're gone, but their feelings are numbed. It's a phenomena that's never been explained, but my theory is that it's part of the beasts' defenses, so the adult population never finds out about them. Just like the monsters' bodies vanishing in the morning after you've slayed them.

"No evidence of the beasts and thus they don't exist." Demetrius ran his hands through his dark hair, muscles tense.

Abby had never failed the children she protected. She hadn't thought of what might occur if no one was there to save the children. The tightness rose from her chest to her throat. This had to stop. She couldn't allow this to go on any longer.

"Burrows has something to do with this. We will find out what it is." Abby turned toward the cafe across the street. She had no idea what was going on or how to start the search, but she would figure it out. She had to figure it out.

Monsters were breeding from children's minds inspired by Burrows' books. This was the writer's hometown. The children here had no one fighting for them.

Until now.