Sincerely, Jennifer x

Message Sent: 19:43 – 02/07/2024

Hi Mum. 

Today was a mess. 

We’ve been lost for hours. It was supposed to be a shortcut, but it has been the exact opposite. We’d been out hunting, at Dad’s request, but we found nothing.

I didn’t even want to go, but Dad says that I’m growing up and so I should. He says that hunting will make me into a ‘proper man’, but I’m not convinced. Like I said, it was all a waste of time anyway, so I guess I’m still a boy. 

I’ve tried looking up where we are, but my signal is really patchy, so we’re just driving aimlessly and hoping for the best. 

I didn’t think anything could be worse than those stupid meetings he takes me to most weekends. They’re so boring Mum. Just a bunch of nutters all staring at nothing. Seriously, every time, he drags me across town to this dusty old hall, and a bunch of weirdos just stare at the air for an hour and then go home. It’s a bit weird, because sometimes, it feels like they’re staring at me a bit… but I’m probably just imagining it, out of boredom. 

I know that the court says you have to let him have me at weekends, but he’s always making me do boring, stupid stuff and I’d rather just stay at home. He never wants to do anything I like. It’s like he wants a different son or something. At least when I’m at home, you guys let me be. 

I’d better sign off, before the old man loses it and confiscates my phone. I don’t know if this message will get through, but hopefully you’ll see it and text me back. Please, please can you and Andy come and pick me up from Dad’s when we eventually get back there? He’s a nightmare. 

-x-

Message Sent: 21:16 – 02/07/2024

Mum, it’s Johnny again. I think we are really, really lost and Dad won’t ask for help. He keeps going on about knowing where he’s going but then we end up in the same place. 

It’s getting dark, but I can see that we’re circling back to the same area. It’s where we tried to hunt. No matter how far we drive, we always end up back at the same clearing by the forest. 

He’s not listening to me when I try to tell him that we need help. He acts like I’m just a stupid kid, but I’m almost sixteen, and I’m not the one being a baby about all this. 

He’s upset with me, I think. He gave me this weird looking necklace as he was driving, and I didn’t make enough of a fuss about it to please him. I did say ‘thank you’ and I said I’d try it on when I got home (if we ever get home lol) but apparently that wasn’t enough.

It’s… well, it’s gross, if I’m honest. It’s a tooth on a bit of string. I don’t know what he expected me to say. Who’s tooth is it? Why does it look human? Why would I ever wear something like that? He doesn’t know me at all. 

If you see this, can you please ring Dad and talk some sense into him. He’s being so childish. I’m starving and I’ve had enough of being stuck in the car, staring at his miserable face. 

-x-

Message Sent: 22:14 – 02/07/2024

Hi Mum. I don’t know if you’ve seen any of these yet, but things are getting worse. It keeps getting darker, and we go in circles again and again. 

I saw something out of the window, and even though he’s pretending it wasn’t a big deal, I know that Dad is scared too. 

I don’t know how to describe it without sounding crazy. 

At first, I thought it was a person, but as we got closer, it was just standing on the side of the road, staring at us. Not a person, but… a thing. 

Please believe me Mum. 

It was so tall, covered in thick black hair, with these piercing, focused red eyes. Dad started slowing down as we passed it, his jaw falling open as its eyes followed us. 

The car slowly crept by, and I could see teeth glittering amongst the hair. Not below the eyes, where a mouth should be, but all over its arms and legs. 

I know it sounds weird, but the teeth look human… like the one on the creepy necklace Dad gave me. I tried to ask him about it, but he wouldn’t listen. 

I couldn’t take my eyes off of it as Dad started to speed up, and as we began to drive on, I saw it get down on all fours, as if its arms were legs, bolting after the car with its big eyes locked on us. 

Dad put his foot down, but it just kept coming, getting closer and closer in the wing mirror as we sped down the empty road.

It seemed like it was staring at me, like it had been waiting for us to pass. Dad says it was probably a fox or a stray dog, but I’ve never seen anything like it. 

I kept trying to explain that it can’t be a normal animal, but he just shouted at me to put the necklace on. I don’t know where his head is at right now. Something is really wrong. 

He hasn’t stopped shaking since we saw it. 

We managed to lose it eventually, but we’re still lost, and I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this mess. 

We’re just driving round and round, and we’ve just passed the same clearing again from before. 

Please call me as soon as you see this. 

I just want to go home. 

-x-

Message Sent: 23:54 – 02/07/2024

Mum, please call me. I’ve tried to call you, but it’s not going through. 

Please see this. 

Please call me. 

Please help me. 

There are more of them, and Dad has stopped the car. 

I’m begging him to drive but he won’t. He says that he can’t. They’re surrounding the car. Loads of them. They’re banging on the windows and trying to open the doors with their huge hands and he’s just sitting there. 

I don’t understand what’s going on Mum. He says that we can’t leave. I get that we’re lost but we can’t just stay here. They’ll get into the car soon.  

He put the necklace on me. I tried to stop him, but he’s so much stronger than me. I can’t believe that he’s thinking about a necklace at a time like this. 

I can barely think straight with all the noise. I’m just trying to focus on my phone because I can’t look at them. I don’t want to see them, but they’re saying my name. How do they know my name? What do they want with us? 

Mum, please answer. I’m scared. 

We’re just sitting here now, with those things trying to get to us. Dad won’t move, but he’s started to cry. He tried to hold my hand but I pushed him away. I just want him to drive. 

Please call me Mum. Please make him drive. 

I love you. 

-x-

Message Sent: 00:56 – 03/07/2024

Victoria, it’s done. 

Delete his messages and I will see you when I get home. 

I wavered, but I saw it through in the end. You should have always trusted me. I love that boy with my whole heart, but I am loyal to the Chosen. 

They didn’t trust me either. I know that I slipped up and tried to run, but them coming after us like that didn’t help with a smooth handover. It was just a minor lapse. First time nerves, you know? 

I would have always taken him back. I just wanted a little more time with him. 

I haven’t seen him cry like that since the day he was born, copying all the other babies in the hospital. He was always so clever, even if he couldn’t see it. 

I know that we could never keep him, but I got attached. It was stupid, I know, but for those short few years that I hoped would last forever, he was my little boy. 

Do you think we did the right thing? I know that he had to go back home some time, but he looked so scared. I know that we’ll get another to look after, as complicated as it will be between two households, but he was my first, and I can’t lie, I’m going to miss him. 

Do you think that the ‘divorce’ sub plot is really necessary? I get that the divide and conquer thing helps to isolate them for the drop off, but it would be nice to stay in my own house for a change, and have Andy piss off home. 

Before you say it, YES, I know he’s gay, and I know he’s been assigned as our mentor, but I just want to be at home with my wife for fuck’s sake. 

We can talk about it later. 

It’s done now. Nothing else I can do but wait for their call in a few weeks I suppose. They let me keep his baby teeth, when they took him, so I suppose I’ll have something to remember him by. They just clattered to the ground as they dragged him off towards the trees, falling from his mouth like a breadcrumb trail as his fur came through. 

Maybe I’ll see him, all grown up at the next drop off. Who knows? It will be a long fifteen years. 

Anyway, I’d better get going. They’re letting me leave now, so I’ll be home in time for an early breakfast. 

See you soon darling. I love you. 

George.