She smacked her hand on his forehead and he could feel the spot where she touched him tingle. Out of instinct Maddy leaned into it and replied, "I've had better days."

She took a deep breath, her face and shoulders relaxing as she let it out. Her eyes finally softened and she asked in a gentle voice only reserved for him, "Are you okay?"

The question was simple, but it was in her tone that Maddy knew it meant something deeper. There was a reason why he lived alone, why he only had one friend, why his nose was so good at sniffing out the Strange. And it wasn't just because he was Strange, too. No, he was something much worse. He was a monster with an insatiable hunger and bloodlust that far exceeded the needs of typical Strange Folk.

A beast that had killed before and if given the chance, will kill again. Dee wasn't just asking him if he was physically alright, but if the monster inside him was planning an escape.

Memories filtered through Maddy's thoughts. As usual, none of them were clear and similar to static on the radio only bits came through, a woman screaming, a child crying, and blood.

Always blood. On the walls, stained in the carpet, dripping from his hands.

When he was younger, he would have awful nightmares. He'd wake up with a raw throat from screaming and covered in sweat. Tears streaked down his cheeks and the weight of ten elephants sat upon his chest. Back then, he could remember every detail and everyone he hurt.

These days, however, trying to concentrate on the memories only made his head go blank and his stomach churn. He learned a long time ago it was pointless to try and remember. The only thing he did know was that he was dangerous and Dee was crazy for sticking around.

For a moment, he held in a deep breath, enough to fill his lungs to the brim with air, and let it out letting go of his forgotten memories. Eventually, he said, "I'm okay, just a little shaken up from last night, but okay. We can talk after my classes end."

She gave him a slow nod. "You think that's a good idea?"

Maddy pressed his lips into a firm line. "If things get worse, I'll come find you."

Dee huffed and then said, "You witnessed a man die. That is more than enough of a reason to go home."

"And do what?" Maddy's face scrunched up. "Spend the rest of the day lying in bed thinking about it?"

"No!" Dee said almost too excitedly. "You can come back to mine and we can watch or play something."

"And what if your parents are home? The last thing I want to do is get scolded by your father for not being in school." Maddy placed his good hand over hers. "I just want to go to my next class."

"Ok, sure," Dee conceded for only a brief moment before her whole body perked up again. "Promise me you'll at least take some medicine, you haven't looked this bad in ages."

"Yeah, and we both know how that ended." Maddy scoffed.

It was meant to be a joke. A noncommital side comment, but he didn't know why he said it and from the look on Dee's face, she didn't understand why he said it, too.

"What?" She asked, the lightness in her voice vanished. Her hands slid off of him, as her face twisted into an expression Maddy was becoming all too familiar with. The same one the cop and Bill had given him.

He quickly opened his mouth to correct his mistake and tell her it was a side effect of being sick, but his nose suddenly started twitching as the noose around his heart tightened his hold.

Dee's attitude shifted as well as if his last comment never existed, almost as if he didn't either. Her eyes once again revved to life as she stared passed him. With lips breaking into a wicked smile she said, "Oh! There you are!"

"There who is?" Maddy asked his whole body turning to follow his gaze.

"My new muse," She said with the same excitement as a beagle on a foxhunt.